My husband and I decided to just settle down in Los Banos, a province in Laguna known as the “Science and Nature City”.

I was sad when we left Manila. I couldn’t even pack our things very well. Dave made sure that we have made most out of our last week in the city so we went out every night to pig out, watch movies, shop, and just savor the smell of the malls. We we’re pointing at particular places and saying “we’re gonna miss this.”

Now going to Manila makes me feel like a child going on a field trip in the big city.

This has happened to me before, when I used to commute all the way from Los Banos to Manila for my Master’s. I didn’t mind the stress of taking a bus, then taking two trains just to get to the graduate school; it’s like I’m indulging in the mixture of sweat and city-feel. You cannot blame someone who’s been tied up to the province for almost a quarter of her life (assuming that I live for a hundred years, haha).

I got to enjoy the little things the big city gave me — good or bad, are worth smiling for. It brought me two of the most important people in my life: my husband and our little girl.

I kind of admit that I get bored in the province. My husband has given me a new lifestyle in the big city, which is way too different from what we have now. We were mall rats, movie buffs, steak fans, and we socialized very well by means of late-night dinners and drinking sessions (but we were not party animals for Pete’s sake!) We two enjoyed almost all the alcoholic drinks in a bar in Makati that going home both drunk was not unusual for us. There was once an instance when we couldn’t get home since we had no cash left and all the ATMs were down.

I can’t compare the big city to the province. Each has its pros and cons and feeling constantly bad about going back to where I was raised is like turning my back against my past. There are still reasons for me to love my province yet the thought of being in the big city is much, much more exciting for me.

I’m about to give birth anytime so I’m hoping this is just some pregnancy blues. My actions are limited to walking, sleeping, eating, writing (for a living) and attaching myself to our friends via internet.

We are not certain if we’re going back to the big city soon or we’re ever gonna go back there. There are lots of things to miss, but surely when our little girl comes out, we wouldn’t care about where we are — for as long as we three are together.

Definitely we’re taking our little girl to the big city often when the right time comes.

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When I graduated college, I made sure I made most out of my summer before finally having the courage to seek for a job. I went out with friends, travelled in Visayas, finished every episode of South Park, slept and woke up late, until I grew tired of being a bum.

Yet there was one thing I’ve always pondered about: my resume.

Everywhere I went I thought about what to put and what NOT to put in my resume.

Here are some tips on how to create an effective resume (if you haven’t been taught about this in college):

1. Keep it short and simple. No flowery words, no long descriptions.

2. Make sure it is relevant to the position you’re applying for. Companies wouldn’t care if you won in a pageant; you’d rather state some relevant facts that sum up your character as a future employee.

3. Always indicate your character references and do not put “upon request”. Companies really DO track you down and it will cause much hassle and delay if you do not indicate a reference in your paper.

4. A lengthy resume is not impressive, unless you have years of experience and has obtained a PhD degree somewhere.

5. The layout and style of your resume matters. Be as formal as possible.

I am proud to say that my first resume has attracted companies I’ve applied for.

Speaking of job applications, do not fret when you don’t land that job interview. Do not worry about getting soaked in the sweltering heat carrying an envelope of resumes. Do not worry about having your heels blistered. Ladies and gentlemen, applications via walk-in is so yesteryear.

If we can use the internet to research, chat, make friends or even stalk people, we can use it to package ourselves and apply for jobs. Suffice to say that companies now prefer applications via internet since it’s more convenient. Job sites like JobStreet, JobsDB, BestJobs, Craigslist and other remote/freelance job sites could give you a job you mostly fit in. These websites sort jobs according to your level of expertise, field of experience, salary expectations… It sure doesn’t hurt to browse along. It’s safe, it’s cheap and it prevents you from getting tired and thirsty.

Why would you still opt to walk building-by-building to find a job? The internet is here to make lives easier. Both employers and employees use the internet as if their lives depend on it. So you, applicant, should be practical.

The issue of unemployment is not as prevailing as before. There are new industries today by which every fresh graduate could consider taking for experience. I am not solely talking about call center jobs since personally, I don’t find these jobs fulfilling.

Unemployment. Look around the internet and you will find a lot of employers. My statement may be limited to the information technology or journalism industry but getting referrals from, let’s say, hospitals, restaurants, hotels and other companies is just a matter of packaging yourself very well. Finding a job at this time is not as hard as it seems, you just need to package yourself very well and be practical, so I reiterate.

Gaining experience increases your chances of getting employed much easier in the future. Who does not want to be offered a high salary? Who would not be flattered about getting pirated (another company offering higher pay to you)? Of course these are good sub-goals since it does not only increase your worth, it increases your morale as well.

Some companies still cling to the issue of school discrimination (“candidate must be a graduate of the top 3 universities in the country“), and the issue is getting far-fetched, as far as internet-based job postings are concerned. The only discrimination I have encountered so far is not getting the job offer since I am pregnant (and thus incapable, so the company said).

To cut you some slack, here’s a list of the techniques on how to land a job interview and eventually get the job you applied for (from application to actual job interview):

1. Search the internet for the job you’re targeting. If you are still not decided on the specific job, go to a job site and browse for jobs by category.

2. Look for the qualifications. Entry level jobs are abundant. If you find yourself fit for the job, bookmark it and look for another related job.

3. Do steps 1 and 2 until you find your job list quite satisfying.

4. Apply for each job. Job sites require applicants to register in their websites. It takes about 3 minutes to do so.

5. Write or prepare your cover letter. It should be less than 200 words long, with only 3-4 paragraphs. Cover letters are supposed to be taught in college.

6. List the jobs you’ve applied for. You may expect a call a few hours to a few days after your application.

7. If the company gives you a call, it means you are scheduled for an interview OR you are being interviewed via phone.

8. If you’re scheduled for an interview, jot down the complete office address, whom to look for, contact number (in case) and the date and time.

9. Dress accordingly. Never forget to print a few copies of your resume and never forget to bring a black pen on job interviews. You might be scheduled for an exam.

10. Do not fret if the company reschedules you for another interview. It does not really mean you have chances of getting rejected.

I did not land the first job I really targeted. It took me about a month to get over it. Do you know how much time was wasted? A lot. So if you don’t land the job you’ve been wanting, it’s okay,  don’t always assume that you’re at fault.

Again, good luck in finding and getting your first job. I’m always here, doing the Lord’s work.

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This is just a primer of my entry to be published tomorrow.

The change. We can’t feel it unless it happened drastically. When we were undergraduates all we cared about were exams, allowance, passing the subject and enduring the long lines just to get enrolled. A few days after we graduated, we worried about our resume, job applications, career paths and what to wear on the first day of work. Now that we’re working, we care about tax deductions, benefits, payday, you name it.

What sort of change is there now?

I realized that getting a job isn’t everything. First, you make a good bargain just so you land a job. You settle for night shift schedule, bonds, company policies and whatnot. When you’re already feeling the weight of your decision, you decide to look for another job that will give you growth, good health and life.

Then what now?

I have a story for you.

I once didn’t care about taxes, deductions, health benefits, tenure… All I really cared about is getting my money every payday and staying happy at work. The company I worked fort he longest time did not have sufficient benefits that I never realized that I will be desperately needing now that I am married and about to have my first child. What’s the lesson?

For those of you who have yet to find their ideal job, consider these things:

1. Does the company offer regularization on your sixth month of employment provided that your performance is above average? If not, you better consider another company.

2. Does the company offer health benefits and not only the mandated PhilHealth? PhilHealth is not equivalent to HMO (health maintenance organization — loosely interchanged to ‘health card’). PhilHealth only covers hospitalization but health cards and benefits cover medicines and check-ups. Why are health cards important? Because you’ll never know when you’ll be sick and when you’ll be having money to pay the hospital bill. Happened to me.

3. Does the company secure you from being terminated for no reason at all? It’s called tenure. There are companies that do not have this so-called tenure, which is why they just terminate employees right away. Real-life scenario: there are companies that terminate employees on a very short notice (“good morning John Doe, here’s your final salary, you are fired effective today, thank you.”) Working in a company without tenure is like crossing the SLEX blindfold.

4. Taxes. When you accomplished that BIR form, did you state any dependent? If you’re working as a single person, you have the most tax deductions. Some companies deduce tax on just one payday, while some would divide the deduction into two paydays. Either way, there are pros and cons:

Deducting it once

Pro: you’re settled for the month. You won’t have to worry about tax deductions on your next payday.

Con: Tax deduction hurts a lot.

Deducting it twice

Pro: you will feel less burden in your bank account/pocket.

Con: there are other deductibles.

5. Pag-Ibig, SSS, PhilHealth. These are other deductibles aside from tax. I am not sure if there are companies who do not offer these and if these are really mandated by the Labor Code. For starters,

Pag-Ibig – Pag-Ibig fund offers low housing loans. IT IS FOR YOUR FUTURE HOUSE.

SSS – Social Security System is a broader government institution that offers loans, health, and other benefits. If you got a woman pregnant, your SSS cannot cover for her maternity. I just had to emphasize that.

PhilHealth – this is a health insurance. YES IT’S FOR YOUR HEALTH. But it’s only applicable when you get confined in the hospital. Confinement means admission to the hospital for days (as per experience).

It is a painful reality for me that I lacked most of these benefits. So you must be very wise in choosing the company you will work for. Never hesitate to ask about these benefits during your job interview.

Let’s just say I’m partially living my life with regrets because I did not secure my future that well. But let’s just say I’m happy to move on and be more wise in choosing my next job, which will happen right after I give birth.

So to all of you, do not be overwhelmed just because the company has quite popularity, or has a nice building/office. Think beyond that. Will the company give you what you deserve?

Good luck on landing your first job. I will post tomorrow some guidelines on how not to have a hassle job hunting and stuff.

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You guys know that.

It’s just sinking in to me. I’m getting married. Finally, I’m feeling the most exciting part of my wedding. Dave and I have been busy working on the wedding — from the souvenirs, the guest list, documents to our own jobs that fund for the entire wedding. During those times I just thought okay I’m getting married, but now I’m thinking, I AM FINALLY GETTING MARRIED!

I admit that it wasn’t easy preparing for our really simple wedding. It was stressful and fun at the same time. And now that the wedding date’s getting closer and the preparations are all done, I only feel excited for me and Dave.

Dave and I have lots of people to thank for. To start with, we thank Floyd of SEO Philippines, Enzo, Earl, Derek and his supportive teammates. Enzo and Earl have been keeping us company in our humble abode.

We also thank our former boss (whose name I’d rather not disclose) who has kept me busy with lots of tasks. Ninong!

To my Plurkmates who were nothing but supportive (Dyza, Niña, Irish, Ninyo, Mico, Brinks…) To my Facebook chums whom I haven’t seen in ages (Tat, Ronjoy, Vhin, Lee, Jonas, Marvi, Lorie Genn…)

I thank my high school friends Aldo, JB, Olga, Mark, Jan Allen, Paul…

We thank Dave’s clients who’s been very generous to him.

My sisters Sharon and Shelani, Zeus and Jelai (you keep mamu proud!), Jayson and Carlo.

I thank my mom and dad who’s always been supportive and insanely excited about the wedding.

To Lola Fely who gives Dave lots of love.

To Rev. Ben Garcia for giving Dave and I advices and spiritual guidance.

To God who has always been there (even though we often don’t notice it). This is all for you.

————————————————————–

On February 28, my surname will change (at last!) but above all, Dave and I will change our life as well.

So this is the feeling of getting married. Indescribable but exquisitely fresh.

Here’s to the future Mr. and Mrs. John David dela Cruz.

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(Buntis – pregnant; a woman carrying a baby in her womb.)

I’ve always accepted the fact that I’m having a baby — even if it means making more sacrifices than ever. I had to quit the job I loved the most to be able to adjust to my new body condition. And now that I’m perfectly used to my new body, I realized that the world doesn’t go my way anymore. In short, life has become more unfair to me now.

I decided to look for a full-time job since I have to help Dave with the expenses. We need money. Doing home-based jobs is not really that healthy for me, mainly because I get stuck at home alone and I don’t get to interact. Dave asked me a thousand times whether I’m ready to work again. I confidently said YES.

Something made me realize that being pregnant is not a blessing but a curse. A company decided to take away their job offer to me after realizing that I’m pregnant. I was fit for the job, which is why their initial decision was to hire me. A day after, they took away their offer. Because I’m pregnant.

I’m buntis but I’m not ‘disabled’.
I’m buntis but I can still function.
I’m buntis but my capabilities are not limited.
I’m buntis and I have equal rights like those who are otherwise.
I’m buntis but my world will not stop.
I’m buntis and that’s just about it.

Sad fact: some companies do not want to hire pregnant women because they won’t be gaining a lot from them; because they believe that pregnant women will cause them more trouble; and ultimately, they believe that pregnant women are tantamount to disabled women. Didn’t each one of them come from their mother’s womb? What a disgrace.

When I say I can work, I really mean it. I still haven’t signed any contract with the company so I have to move on. But I won’t go without my sentiments being heard. I’m buntis and should not be discriminated because of that.

Being pregnant is NEVER a curse. Do not make anybody make you, all pregnant women feel that. If things don’t go the way you planned them, it’s not your fault. The world is just missing a meaningful point.

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I did not know anything about search engine optimization before I took my second job.

I knew Google search commands (‘intitle’, ‘intext’, ‘define’, ‘related’) even before because I used them for one thing: searching for matches when I input Sheenah Tan on search engines. What I didn’t know that time was that being exceptionally skilled with search engines can be a bread and butter.

It took me seven months to finally embrace the world of SEO. I had trainings before, but doing the actual job for the first time made me feel like Google is worse than a stranger (okay, Google.com, whatnow?) My talent was keeping track of every webpage with Sheenah Tan on it and that’s about it.

I learned basic SEO techniques without the aide of tutorials. I didn’t know what “dofollow” and “backlink” meant until I was making a living out of SEO.

SEO is not tantamount to link building – the thing I do every single working day. I cannot say I’m a hundred percent SEO yet; I could be generalizing or utterly being ambitious.

I am an SEO? Quite.

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