Jobs Anyone?

Professional Poverty

Booths queues, people, resumes, and papers.

Those are the typical view that you will see when you go at Job Fairs everywhere. A Job Fair is an event in which different companies/employers gather at a certain place to present a career or job opportunities for those who are looking for one.

And I was one of the many people who are looking for jobs; however, I found out that something is missing… jobs for engineers, teachers, etc.

I recognize that most of the companies there are call centers, (well there are few including real estate and sales) in which you will see them on every Job fair.

Sadly, some fresh grads ended up choosing a career that isn’t related with the course they took up because the reason is: no choice, because of the competitive compensation, which these companies offer, and there are no jobs in the job fair that is related on public services and skills like teachers, engineers, architect etc.

As I was reflecting on it, I realize that we are not just experiencing the so – called “Brain Drain” in the Philippines, well, for a brief background, “Brain Drain” is a term that summarizes the professional situation in the country, it is because of so many professionals (i.e. teachers, doctors, nurses, engineers, architects and the like) leaving for abroad and pursue careers there thus they contribute more for the growth of the country where they work, and leaving our country with these few people and the bad part they may leave the country anytime and not come back anymore, going back, we are not just experiencing this kind of phenomena but we are also experiencing “Professional Poverty” I’ve heard this from someone before but I really felt it when I graduated.

You belong to those people who are experiencing professional poverty if you are working on a job that is not related on the course you graduated. Sadly, the reality is that many bachelor graduates ended up having contractual jobs only, or a BUM.

I posted a shout out on my Facebook account months ago saying “hindi totoo na kaya mataas ang unemployment rate sa bansa ay dahil kulang ang trabaho kundi marami lang ang tamad maghanap ng trabaho” (It is not true that the lacking of jobs is the reason for the high unemployment rate in the country, rather, it is just the people who are not willing to look for one).

BPO mania

Well, a lot of people agreed when I posted that, because they said that my point has a point, however, that was back then, it changed a bit, it is true that there are many jobs in the Philippines, however, most of them are Outsourcing Companies aka Call Centers, and some people really doesn’t fit for this kind of job, because of its shifting schedule and also the language that you are required to speak to. So they ended up rejected, and the cycle goes on. Apply – interview – failed – apply – interview – exam - failed – apply – interview – exam – contract signing – job – fatigue/stress – resign - bum.
The problem with some careers is that there are compensation differences, let’s face it, we work for money, and even if you say that you are working because of something else believe me, you are still working for money, because how can you survive without it? How can you give a better life for your future family? But be warned, never let money run your life and never ever love money.

Call centers today has a very competitive salary and that’s the hook on why many leave their job to work there and the consequence, many professionals become call center agents, leaving their work empty, one trainer from the call center says jokingly, “we have nurses, teachers, engineers etc. here we can build a school and hospital” I am not discouraging you to work in a call center marangal na trabaho yan but don’t stay there, it is a dead-end job as many people say.

Teachers’ Poverty

I know the government knows this; that public school teachers have the lowest salary in the country, why? because the government doesn’t prioritize education in the country, so what happens is that many teachers leave and left us with a few teachers here, again brain – drain, there’s this quote that I’ve read and it goes like this, “A teacher is a teacher of all professions” if the government realizes that I think that teachers here doesn’t have any more reasons to leave the country, I have a friend who is a teacher and you know what? Her salary is only Php 5, 000 a month, but good thing she already left there, everyone and every career deserves a pay, because everything has its price. I’ve included my point of view here for the teachers because I am a licensed teacher and I am aware of the teachers experience because as I know it the resolution for a raise for teachers’ compensation hasn’t been approved yet, it is still in the cabinet, eating dust.

BPO: the Hope of the Country?

Pres. Gloria Arroyo said that BPO Companies are the hope of the Philippines for it to become a first world country, you’ve read it right, and I’ve read it from a newspaper, but for me, if you’ll gonna ask me, are these BPO companies the hope of the country? Well, partly, imagine our country having BPO companies ONLY, baloney right? and scary… I believe that the people are the hope of the nation not just the youths (forgive me Dr. Rizal, peace tayo!) the Philippines will be a first world country if the government will really squeeze every talents, skills, and everything that a Filipino have in order to contribute to the nation – building, but of course the government should not be corrupt while doing this, and the Filipinos should love the Philippines, thus making the brain – drain and the professional poverty just a part of our history. And that should be the Job fairs are doing, they should present different companies that offer variety of jobs, not different companies, but with the same kind of job.

Stay Put!

So right now, maybe while reading this you may realize that you are one of the people mentioned, I am not encouraging you to resign on your job right now, just stay where you are, do your part, even if the government is somehow lazy enough to generate a job that fits you so for now you will be held back for a moment. Your job right now can be your pastime, cemetery, prison, or your torture chamber. It’s up to you how you treat it. So find a job that you love and you will never have to work again.