Leap of Faith

Tuesday of the previous week...One of my productive and talented colleagues send an emotional farewell message to us; as it is her last day for Work. Starting next week she'll be having a new job and we won't be seeing her that much. A majority of my colleagues were sad...I do too...but I was more excited that she'll be embarking in a new challenge on her life. I remember when I was her age (I'm a few years her senior) I often found myself doing the same thing. The previous employment that I have and this present one are the jobs where I spent the most years. Often it would just last for a few months until a year. This is my fifth job, by the way.

Leaving your present job to start with a new one is not always an easy decision to make. Especially if you have already spent a few years working there and have already befriended a lot of your colleagues and had learned how to love the job itself. But as always; there is a lot of reasons entailed to reach that hard decision.


I too, had a fair share of colorful experiences regarding Job Hopping. Below are the reasons behind it:


***The Pay was not that Good


It may sound cliche'; but back when I was still in college; there was a time that my Father can no longer afford to send us to school; not willing to stop our education..my sisters and I looked for a job. And so...we became "working" students - landing menial jobs like being a canteen helper (for my older sister), service crew (my younger sister) and data encoder (me) while on vacation, during weekends and holidays. Since these jobs are done only on a part time basis (to avoid conflict with school); the pay was not enough. So...after graduating from college; I finally experienced how it is to have a full time job:


***Monotonous Routine / There is no room for Growth


When you are a newly graduate; don't expect that you will be able to immediately land the kind of career or job you were always dreaming of. I for one, started out as a toll operator - connecting long distance and overseas calls. I only spent two months on that kind of work and then left; to learn more about office stuffs and improve my computer skills (office applications were relatively new at that time); which landed me to my third job:


***Harsh / Toxic Environment


I did get what I wanted. I worked as a clerk on a contractual basis of employment (under a human resource agency) and was assigned to the Accounting Department. There; I learned how to use the photocopying, printer and fax machine (don't laugh...I weren't given a chance to learn how to use them on my previous jobs, remember?); I was able to re-learn stuffs about accountancy....unfortunately, since I made a very serious mistake of throwing out cancelled invoices in the thrash can (so stupid of me); I became the subject of cruel jokes in that department. Because of that, I was de-motivated and no longer find enthusiasm towards my work there. And so...again, I resigned and find my fourth job:


***Office Politics / Unhappiness


Again; I worked as a Data Encoder (although the HR Officer thought I was overqualified - having earned enough experiences from my previous jobs and passed the Professional Civil service Examinations). I learned a lot while being assigned on their Engineering Department. I did multi-tasking; I handled customer calls, dispatch technicians towards their service destination, help out on customer relations officer and supervisor's weekly and monthly reports and a lot more. The monthly salary was minimal (considering I was doing a lot of work outside of my normal job description). But the benefits far outweigh them. They had paid sick leaves (just half of what you left unused); Salary bonus (equivalent to midyear bonus); Profit Sharing (employee's share from a percentage of the company's annual profits) and 14th month pay (equivalent to what you received from the mandatory 13th month). I gained lots of friends while on this job. Unfortunately, since they did not fulfill their promise of promoting me to a higher position (despite of the additional workloads - without additional pay) and because some of my colleagues started mud slinging (to promote themselves); I became unhappy....and so again....


Here I am. on my fifth job (and hopefully the last one); where I met the productive and talented colleague of mine whom I mentioned above. Before she resigned; we were sharing a lot of stories, dreams and aspirations.

As you have read above; when I was younger, jumping from one job towards another was easy for me to do - in order to find what I can't have from the previous one that I have. But as I read books, articles and blog entries pertaining to personal finance, I realized that Robert Kiyosaki (author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad) was right; hopping from one job to another would just make you feel restless and would always give you the same results.

That's why I promised myself that if ever I would resign from my present employment; I would like to permanently, if not irrevocably remain self employed...or ambitious as it may sound - be an Entrepreneur myself.

That way, I would be able to use what I studied in college and take charge of my destiny instead of just allowing myself to follow the "employment" path like everyone else does.


I pray that hopefully; someday...this dream of mine materializes.

Realizations....

Last September 26, our country was devastated by the typhoon Ondoy (international name: Ketsana). The Greater part of the eastern metropolis such as Quezon City , Pasig , Marikina and Rizal suffered mostly. Even our City (Pasay ) did not escape from it. We also suffered from waist deep muddy flood.

During that time, I realized valuable lessons in life:

1) If you can detached yourself from material things, it would be easy for you to let go when it’s time to let go…no matter how much those tangible things mean to you.

As I watch the flood swiftly entered our house in a matter of 3-4 hours, my mind went blank. My husband’s motorcycle was submerged on the water, so does our Refrigerator and Washing Machine. The material things he worked hard for while he is abroad.

2) Our Life is really borrowed. If it’s your time to go….no amount of money can spare you from the inevitable.

I prayed the rosary twice on that fateful Saturday while Ondoy was throwing lots and lots of rains. I asked God to make it stop so as to spare us; yet it didn’t. So I realized I was not praying right. Then I prayed again and said to God “Thy Will be done.”

3) A person’s life is not defined by the material things he or she possesses.

Hubby called around eight in the evening while the Heavy Downpour from Ondoy’s wrath is damaging the metropolis. I told him about my worries - that some of our major appliances are submerged in the flood and it would definitely cost us that much to have it repaired. He was so calm when he told me “Don’t worry about it; it’s just a material thing, what’s important now is that you’re safe.”

4) Each Natural Calamity really serves as a Great Equalizer.

I was watching the news about the other victims of this typhoon and my heart was really broken. I was actually trying to control my tears to fall. In the town of Marikina , where most of the victims lived in an exclusive subdivision or village, a great deal of their material possessions are damaged. My in-laws who lived in Cainta where victims too (they lived in a subdivision); they lost most of their possessions. Even Actors and Actresses we saw on the television where victims too. When natural disasters like this struck, we are all equals. There’s no rich or poor – we are both victims.

5) When you are blessed – then you should be a Blessing to others too.

I realized that my family and I (my in-laws and relatives included) are indeed blessed; Despite of the damages the flood cause in our possessions, our lives are still spared. I was deeply sad when I saw the dead people whose lives were not spared from the flood. Whatever help I can provide for those victims I should give now while I still can. So, despite of the fact that hubby and I spent a lot for repairs and helping my in-laws (financially) for their lost; I devote time to do whatever help I can do...even if it's small like donating my old clothes and shoes and slippers I no longer used.

God and Nature really had a way to teach us valuable lessons in Life.