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Friday, June 4, 2010

What is Your Toughest Job?

Last night at the airport Apl de Ap's song "Take Me to the Philippines" started playing in my head. I was weary from the bumpy ride home from Singapore, but I felt surprisingly re-energized (more like rebooted). I guess the song came to me because I was happy to be home and happy that my brain has been buzzing with so many ideas that I think may help our country (hopefully!).

My current job is probably the toughest job I've ever had. I had to get over my stage fright, being shy (I still am) and I give myself pep talks every so often to boost my confidence. I have so far used all of my faculties for my job and my education has been fully utilized (thank God I got my MBA early). The hardest part though is balancing my work life with being a full time Mom and my new role as a wife.


From Digitalfilipino E-commerce Summit


And there is so much opportunity. So many things we can do for our homeland. At the Changi Airport yesterday I had merienda while waiting to board the plane. I ordered some milk tea and toast and belatedly noticed a new food kiosk. The name of the kiosk was Bengawan Solo and it was selling all sorts of Indonesian goodies (including lapis, my favorite). And I thought, "We should have something like this!" With puto, kutsinta, puto seko, pilipit, biko, polvoron, etc. etc. and since all of our goodies are yummy I'm sure it would sell! Or perhaps a store that sells all Philippine herbal meds. I know I'm rambling but there's just so much we can do to help our country (and don't get me started on app ideas I have).

Anyway, so what is your toughest job? Win some stuff from Alaxan by leaving a comment below and sending an email to alaxantoughjobs@gmail.com of a photo of you doing your tough job. Your entry and photo will be posted at www.toughjobsphilippines.com. I will pick 3 winners after the deadline on July 15, 2010 --> extended until August 15, 2010.

Winners can claim their prizes at GeiserMaclang Office – 6F Cambridge Center Building, 108 Tordesillas cor Gallardo Streets, Salcedo Village, Makati City

4 comments:

  1. My toughest job was the one I had when I was 18. I was a full-time college student back then when I decided to go into a call center here in Cebu. My classes ends at 7am and so I have to go to work at 4am. It was the most stressful point in my life and all I could do was cry in the cubicles during breaks. We were doing outbound call or the ones that the clients did not solicit so they have the right to curse on you or hung you up. And yes it is not a rumor that this job could kill you, I experienced severe throat infection, migraines and lowerback problems too. I never underestimate those who work in this industry. I emailed my pic.

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  2. My toughest job is working as maintenance in an aviation company where I am the only female in simulator department. I have to work at par with my male peers. Working in a male dominated job is really tough from interpreting technical diagrams up to troubleshooting which men are more technically inclined. I have to be always physically fit as there were times my job requires me to climb the rooftop to check the chillers, rain or shine. Even changing oxygen tank needs strength. I have to attend on students or pilots complain at any time. Every 4 hours I have to climb the circular ladder and work on simulator deck. After my 12 hours duty I really feel exhausted.

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  3. Name: Jay Aquino
    Tough Job: Blogger

    Being a full time BLOGGER is such a tough job. It's a one man show. I'm the one who writes, editor, marketer, picture taker for the events, link builder, blog designer rolled into one. Whew!

    And I must update my blogs regularly or else the numbers of visitors will decline which means my earnings will decline also. Plus, the fact that I'm an independent now, no mama to run into when I got no money ;)

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  4. Toughest Job Philippines
    Name: May Ann Saturno
    Occupation: Transcriptionist-Editor

    Tulad ng mga call center, ang transcription ay part din ng BPO industry. Tunog sosyal lang pero hindi hamak na mas mahirap, mas komplikado at mas mababa ang kinikita ng mga transcriptionist kaysa sa mga call center agents at iba pang BPO agents.

    Ang transcription ay maaaring hatiin sa medical, legal, entertainment at general transcription. Sa company na pinagtratrabahuan ko, all around ka dapat dahil iba’t ibang files ang maaaring maibigay sa amin hindi katulad ng sa iba na kung medical, medical lang.

    Para maipaliwang muna ng mabuti ang aking trabaho, ganito yan. May voice file na dinictate ng mga dictators at pagkatapos ay itratranscribe namin ito. Parang encoder ang kaibahan lamang ay mayroon kaming pinakikinggang nagsasalita sa headphones. Kailangang accurate at maayos ang pagkakagawa dahil ang mga outputs ay maaaring mga medical records, court scripts, mga subtitles sa pelikula at iba pang documents.

    Sa lahat ng aking mga naging trabaho, ito na yata ang pinakamahirap. Kailangan mong gamitin ang mga kamay sa page-encode, tainga sa pagdinig ng mga recorded dictations, paa sa pag-apak ng foot pedal (yes, may foot pedal pa para ma-rewind, ma-play/pause at forward ang dictation, parang mananahi, noh?) at siyempre ang pinakaimportante sa lahat ay ang mga mata at ang pag-iisip. Kailangan ng common sense. Walong oras sa isang araw, limang beses sa isang linggo ganito ang ginagawa ko.

    Walong oras nakaupo, nakakapagod, hindi lang ang katawan kung hindi pati rin ang utak dahil dapat magaling rin sa English, mabilis mag-type, malakas ang pandinig, marunong sa computer, may alam sa legal at medical terminology, dapat ring ma-identify ang mga discrepancies sa mga reports. Parang nasa kamay ng mga transcriptionist ang buhay ng mga pasyente dahil dapat tama ang gamot, ang dose nito, ang sakit at ang lunas ng doctor. Ganoon din sa mga legal files at sa mga subtitles. Hindi ba’t nakakainis kapag mali ang mga subtitles sa mga pelikula. Diyan naman pumapasok ang aking pagiging editor, dapat i-double check ang mga files, papakinggan muli ang mga ito, aayusin ang grammar, verb tenses, spelling, punctuation atbp.

    Ang pagiging transcriptionist ay hindi man tulad ng ibang gawain na kailangan ng pisikal na lakas pero talagang nakakapagod dahil kinakailangan nito ang talas ng pag-iisip kaya ko nasabing ito ang aking toughest job.

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