The Fort Times - Let truth be the fortress of the people

Bonifacio Global City is by far the most progressive global city in the South East Asian region. As constructions of the city nears completion, more and more job opportunities are starting to be available for Filipino professionals. However, Bonifacio Global City isn't like ordinary cities in Metro Manila. It has international standards that is by far the most updated in the whole country. Why? Because companies offering job vacancies at the Fort are mostly new international investors managed or direct branches of some of the biggest multinational corporations in the world. And so, competitions are tough.

Here are the top ten things I think you should have when applying for a job at the Fort:

1. World-Class Confidence
Now, this is not the common confidence you see during job interviews. This is mainly natural character and you need to master it by heart rather than learning it as an acting skill. Hiring personnels in most companies at Global City are world-class psychologists and human resource experts who have been in the business for ages and were hired to ensure that they get the best possible candidate out of the very good ones. So if you are used to practicing fake confidence during your interviews, you might as well change your style and learn to swallow it inside your system. How do you achieve this level of standard for yourself?

We understand that education in the Philippines is one of the best in Asia and the world. We are one of the countries with the highest literacy rates and percentage of professionals. So do not be afraid to use what you have learned during your college days. As the saying goes, 'if you have it, flaunt it!" So how do you achieve it all?

Be well prepared before walking in as an applicant. Practice at home. Think of some of the common questions being asked on interviews and construct a good answer for them. However, you might also consider that you will be applying for a job at the Fort and most companies are international corporations so you don't expect to be asked with the same old questions. So I suggest you browse the internet and learn the basics on how they conduct interviews in other countries such as the United States, the UK, Australia and China.

2. Good Grooming and Pleasing Personality
No, I don't mean that personality they need when you're applying as a local hostess or waitress. I mean classy, sophisticated and globally-competitive personality. You may not be the most beautiful face in the world however, what's important is how you carry yourself despite your looks, height or color. Although most companies prefer really good-looking candidates, it will be worse to not do anything to improve what you already have, right? No hard feelings, but that's how the world goes. That's reality so if you think you aren't that good looking enough, you must have something as your asset, something that will impress them, something that will benefit both yourself and the company you are applying at.

Make sure you have your best possible suit or formal wear. I understand that Filipinos are not used to wearing ties and suits and all that stockings however, if you want to get to the top, you should start learning to wear them as early as your college days. And when I say 'learn to wear them', I mean wear them the right way and with confidence. Make sure that the colors of your choice fit in. And please don't appear cheap too much. If you are a man, make sure you wear something that fits your body, do not wear your father's suit if you aren't of the same height or body built. Make sure your tie does not mess up with your long sleeve as well as your suit, and for god's sake do not wear white socks! White cheap socks are for grade schoolers.

If you are a woman, make sure you dress like that of a woman. I mean, hey! I don't wanna be rude but I always see some ladies who walks in dressed like some tomboy looking for a DJ vacancy or something. While there are some who dressed real neat, I also see some who do not know how to properly apply their make up. I mean, come on, you guys aren't gonna to some beauty contest or fancy festival parade so make sure you wear appropriate shades of colors on your blush ons and lipsticks etc. If you are not expert in colors and skin grooming, you might wanna consult an expert. Go to your favorite salon, ask your make up artist for some tips and learn from them so that you do not have to go back to them everyday.

Show some shapes and curves. If you do not have them, try to wear some additional but safe foam or paddings. No, I don't see anything wrong with wearing foams or padding really as long as you can safely tuck them in and make them appear nice outside. If I am the man interviewing you, I wouldn't know if they are real or not, would I?

3. Exceptional Communication Skills
This is given. And everyone whose applying for a job in any city anywhere in the Philippines should know by now that we don't speak Filipino or Tagalog or any other dialect in public offices and in the business world. I can't help but feel annoyed whenever I hear some applicants complaining that they could hardly understand interviewers because they speak very fluent English and never a Taglish (a local dialect which is a combination of English and Tagalog languages). I mean, are you guys supposed to be shocked when you hear somebody speaks good and pure English? Come on, don't you ever wonder why you have English 101, Communication Arts 1 and 2 and English Literature and World Literature and so many other English-related subjects in college? Those courses weren't really meant to make studying difficult for you. Those were actually to prepare you for the more complex world you are going to take the moment you step out of college, and that includes believing that somewhere, somehow you are going to really use English on your way to success.

And why not? English is supposed to be taught as early as Kindergarten. Actually, I admire those parents who use English as their everyday communicational language inside their homes. That way, Filipino children will have a better hold of the language when they grow up. Filipino and Tagalog is everywhere so it's not really walking away from our mother tongue. But we have to admit that in this times of recession and global crisis, we need more skills to keep us ahead of the competition. Imagine what would happen if you apply for an office job without knowing how to converse well in English. Of course, you'll get rejected and that would add up to your self-esteem and would soon build up to bring you down which is not the right way to handle things and yet, most of us do experience some time in our lives.

One more thing, when I talk of exceptional English, that should include a little good accent. Not that our natural English accent is too bad but Filipinos are known in the world for our exceptional English and our natural talent to easily immitate foreign tongues so you are always expected to show good English accent. Besides, nobody would understand you if you speak your English the Filipino way. That is a big no no particularly in the call center industry. When you apply for a job, it's not really advisable that you just go with the flow but rather, keep yourself above the flow. The real question is not how you cope up with a totally new world but how you leave everyone behind and lead the way to success. So make sure, you speak English the right way, you use your accent the right way and you carry the language you use as if you have been speaking it since the day you were born.

4. American Thinking
'Speak and think like an American'. This is common in BPOs (Business Process Oursourcing) and Call Centers in Metro Manila but that doesn't mean this cannot be applied to any office or executive jobs you are applying for. The fact is, we use American English as our second language. English Communication Trainers in call centers believe that you can speak American English better if you think like a real American yourself. It may sound absurd but it wouldn't hurt to try. As for me, it worked very well and it helped me achieve my position right now. It is actually cool to think this way sometimes. If you are to work in the professional and executive world, you can't avoid working with a bunch of foreign folks and most of them are Americans, Brits, Australians and New Zealanders whom are all natural English speakers.

If you think like an American, it will not only boost your self-confidence but will also earn you respect and admiration from the person whose interviewing you. Second chances are not common during job interviews, first impression is. Not that you want to impress your interviewer which is not advisable because they weren't born yesterday but you really have to show them what you've got. Therefore, you have to show exceptional skills during your first meeting or interview. That increases your chance of getting hired than being rejected.

5. Technical Skills
This is the most important of all skills you need to have when applying for a job. If you are applying for an accountant-related position, make sure you can at least perform the basics of debit and credit even when you're asleep. Make sure your knowledge is not limited to what you have learned in college. Remember that most of the things they teach you in college eventually becomes obsolete even before you finish your course. So my advise is for you to be resourceful, be updated, and be interested to learn everything that you think will benefit you in the future.

Most jobs requires you to be multi-knowledgeable. For instance, being a Team Leader in a call center company requires you to not only have exceptional communication and leadership skills but also technical skills in terms of computer hardware and software troubleshooting and the likes.

These are simple advices that is based mainly on my personal experiences and some experiences I've learned from the people I've come to work with along the way. I don't guarantee that these guidelines will get you hired but all of these things worked for me and my colleagues. So I thought they might also work for you. Goodluck in your personal quest and I do hope you get a good job that will bring you to the top of the world.