Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Deciding for the Professional Life

In my four months of job-hunting (first three of which were petiks-still-enjoying-vacation mode), I have always hoped to land on a job that would start-up a career in my desired field: broadcast journalism. Fulfilling this have boxed me in accepting only a work in any radio or TV network (assuming in an optimist view that they would be open to have me in their department); hence, eliminating other options in the corporate arena. Nonetheless, I also thought of going out of the box to charge things to experience. Within the four months I have also attempted to venture into the corporate jungle via interviews in companies out of the journalism field (Thomson Reuters, BDO, Talent Shout, to name those). Some I have failed (either intentional or unintentional just by saying straightforwardly my desired career path); some I have declined.

Now, I am to decide between two options that have been generously laid down to me by God: one in the corporate, one in the media. The former is a web writer position post for an SEO/web-developer firm in Makati, the latter is a researcher slot in a radio broadcasting company. This has been one of the major reasons why I could not sleep last night: I am weighing the odds and good chances of being in either of the two.

My dilemma is this: I am supposed to have a contract-signing tomorrow in the Makati firm, but I have a pending interview for the researcher slot in the radio broadcasting company. Pushing through with tomorrow’s contract signing would, consequently, bind me in the firm; thereby doing away with a possible employment opportunity with the radio broadcasting company (which, by the way, is what I really want). Nonetheless, waiting for the pending interview would entail me a week or so of waiting; thus, making me not go on anymore with tomorrow’s scheduled contract-signing. What bothers me is that the work in Makati seems to be comfortable with a good salary (that goes way above the minimum basic), with a good office, and also with a work that I also would like doing (which is, apparently, writing articles).

I sought the advice of my father, one of my cousins, Tita Ann, and Ate Patty (a newswriter/reporter who’s working in the broadcasting company).

…Follow your heart on where you’re gonna place yourself for work. Kung saan sa tingin mo magiging masaya at aasenso ka doon ka magtrabaho.

Depende sa priority. Dalawa lang naman ‘yan e: either makapagtrabaho ka na to earn o makapagtrabaho ka to jumpstart your career. Consider the contingencies. Ako kasi personally I’m after the career, it’s for a long term kasi. If you’ll go after that MBC or any company alike after a couple of months then you might as well wait for it now. Di naman kasi maka-qualify as meaningful experience yung sa web development kung radio naman talaga gusto mo in the end….

…Pursue your passion... You try requesting if possible to defer for one more week the contract-signing as that will give a chance to weigh your options well. Just be true to them that you need one more week to weigh your options well as you wouldn’t want to plunge in immediately then later on resign. They would appreciate that. Most importantly, pray for it and be sensitive to God’s leading.

…Basta make sure na happy ka sa decision and pupuntuhan mo.


As of now, I am trying to ask for a deferment of the contract-signing until next week, hoping that the firm in Makati would grant my request. I just don’t want to instantly shun one opportunity to grab the other, without really being guaranteed that the latter will be given to me.

I have this fear in my heart that when I decide for one and do away with the other, I might regret. As it is said, “Nasa huli ang pagsisisi.”

Ganito pala ang feeling ng nagdedesisyon sa totoong buhay. Take it or leave it, black or white, yes or no. No middle stance. You have to really be careful in the littlest decision as it can either make or break an aspect of your life. As for this case, my professional life.

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