Street Smart vs. Book Smart

I'm gonna write again about my favorite topic of making money. You see, I may have this money consciousness in me because I am an accountant. And my prolonged problem of having no work. I guess to find work I want to go back to the basics wherein you find the work that you love and you do it. You take note of your inventory of talents and you find out what makes you feel alive and then, you pursue your passions. I guess that's what work is all about. I guess you find something that you do in this world and you do it and you make money on the side. I think what is important is you do your dream. I've definitely experienced doing something I didn't love and it becomes an everyday chore, like you're just sitting at your desk and you find out that it doesn't make you feel alive or maybe you should do something else in your life. It was definitely like a waste of time and you somehow start to search what it is you really want to do. For me, it was always applying for a job that I think I wanted. But I always failed. You would think that it is easy to find something you love but it wasn't in my case unless you have some small budget to spare for a class that you really, really want. Searching for a job, at least in my case, was a very frustrating practice. You would know they are searching for one thing and if you don't fit in what they are searching for, you would automatically be out of the list. I've grown old searching for a job, but I am still hopeful. It's very surprising that sometimes they would prefer those who have recently graduated to those who were already there in the job market for so long for certain reasons. I don't know anymore what makes a person qualified for a job?!? If your resume states a certain amount of experience they would agree to it. If it has a Masters, they would agree to it. I have so many plans unfulfilled because they didn't hire me. When I was younger, I would plan to have a job and to study. But because they didn't hire me, I wasn't able to go on with my studies. I tried to study MassCom, Law, even took the NMAT for I thought I would be able to find a job, save up for my plans to study my desired course and go on with my plans to study. Unfortunately, I was always stuck in the wanting to have a job phase so eventhough I had grand plans of pursuing a career in a different field, it would not always come. I thought I could become a working student until I finish a desired course. But, wanting to have a job dragged on and I have nowhere to go. I loved studying and so with the savings that I had, I attended an acting workshop, hair science and beauty culture, free photography classes and others because I was able to afford those. I studied again computer classes for Web Technologies and Java with my own savings for the hopes that I can make a career shift to IT. But in the hiring process, they would always look for a CompSci degree. Again, I didn't make use of what I studied. Maybe, what I absolutely wanted even before was just to have a job and use my skills and talent and make money for that is what's important, I conclude. All those years of having no work, I would ask money, of course, from my parents, and it was easy for me,then. After all, I was young, in my twenties, hated my accounting job, and all I wanted was to study or to shift careers. I would go to a nearby mall and ask for a hundred or a hundred and fifty bucks, and it would be enough for my meal, internet and a reading material because I love to read. I would read Entrepreneur magazine or some business and leadership books just to learn how to get rich. Sometimes, I would buy my mom pasalubong - food or a showbiz magazine. And all those years, with the small money that I got, I would never fail to give my mom a gift on her birthday or on Christmas. With the money that I got from my mom, I would go to the different malls around the city I live in and always try something new like new food, new magazine, play billiards, bowling, or go to a place I've never seen. When it was time to go to Makati or Ortigas, I'd ask for 250 and it was enough just as long as you hit two birds with one stone, applying for a job and at the same time pasyal in Makati or Ortigas. I got through with just a small amount of money. And I was happy. I would always buy but I buy cheap. In the internet, I got a few friends from an association of entrepreneurs and website for law students. Sharing your ideas with them definitely makes you feel trusted and understood. In my wanting to learn about business, I attended different business opportunity seminars regarding products such as IT products, real estate, insurance, loans, cosmetics. I guess, I have an inclination to sales but I still sort of shy about it, and I wanted to be trained by somebody whose good at it. In my internet buddies, I sort of pitched in my accounting services and a lot has responded but because I wasn't serious about it, was just toying around the idea of making money from accounting on my own, I didn't pursue these potential clients. Anyway, it was a learning experience. Right now, I would purchase business books I could afford and learn from it. Sometimes, newspapers, but I'm sort of wondering if those who advertise could be trusted. Some are from blind ads and you would think if they could be trusted. Anyway, I continue to learn from everyday experience. There was a time when I asked my mom for 50 pesos just to be able to test my selling skills on the street, I would try to sell cosmetics, hoping to make money for the day, but I guess I was shy about it so I didn't make anything. Sometimes, when you go out for example in the mall when you already run out of money titiisin mo na lang ang uhaw mo, makauwi ka lang. Before, I would go to Powerbooks just to read for free. I would drink Starbucks on very few occassions. Now, I just live with the few hundred bucks I receive each month from my aunt and mom. Sometimes, I hope I could put my years of watching tv as a MassCom degree in my resume for I learn a lot from watching tv. Or my years in the streets as an MBA in my resume. I definitely hope, I could find money soon. For the others, they definitely have talent in making money. For me, maybe I am just learning. But it's fun to learn and so far, all these years, I have never made making money as serious as I am taking it now.

A Birthday Blast!

Just had my birthday. I celebrated it with family and was very happy. Had a few beers which was very seldom and food and we enjoyed each other's company. I hope I have a lot of these moments. My family lives far away from us and we just seldom have these kinds of reunions. These are the times which I treasure a lot. Some wishes I have for my 34th birthday:

1. To be rich.
2. To use my talents in work.
3. To help the needy.
4. To stay in touch with family and friends.
5. To have a (even) closer relationship with God.
6. To find the one that I'll love.
7. To have kids in the future.
8. To have peace.

Just to name a few.

I guess, in my 34th year, i'd be more wise and bolder in my efforts. Continue to find something useful in every journey I take in this life. Learn life's lessons very well and share them with others. And just be happy.

May God take good care of me and my family.

How to get accepted

I have tried a lot of times but to no avail. I haven't found the right job yet. Right now, I am just willing to accept anything just so I can make money. I'm not getting any younger and I don't know maybe the opportunities these days are hard to come by. I've sent 50 e-mails of resumes at one time this year to different companies and only 3 have responded. I have come to the interviews and exams but when the final decision is to be made I always don't make the cut. I think I have applied to a total of a thousand companies but only has been successful with four. Unfortunately, I was too picky at the time so I declined them all just because I wasn't serious yet in having a job when I was younger and that I wanted something else to happen in my life and I don't know how that will happen except maybe through study of a different field or going to auditions. 4 goals accepted while 996 misses. That's tough. I don't know what happens but I always pass the exams but and the initial interview but when the final interview comes they would always have to accept those with ideal resumes like continuous long years of experience in work and maybe a Masters. Ever since I've been out of work I had a hard time applying. I don't know anymore what they are looking for and as I've said in my previous article I hope what they look for in an applicant is if they can do the job and not what their resume says. I haven't proven myself in selling yet or in entrepreneurship so basically I just continue on applying for employment and continue on trying to learn about sales and entrepreneurship until I make the capital for a business. Others have the talent for making money. Me, I don't exactly know how to start but I continue on having ideas and I just have to try and try until I succeed. Surely others have lots of money and I only have a few of it, I know. But, I try to live within my means and I continue to try and hope that I will finally land a job or finally learn how to sell and have my own business for my own keep.

Tryin' to make a few bucks or trying something worthwhile

I've been out of work for a while. I've tried different works. But one thing I can say, i didn't like accounting that much. I said to myself I would be serious in work or in business, in having a career when I'm already matured. But that hasn't come yet. I've wanted to work for a long time but just hasn't found the right work yet for me. I think I've applied with a thousand companies but hasn't found work yet or at least something that I love. I'm beginning to think that dreams are just dreams and it means something else to be practical. But I don't want to give up yet my idealism. Not just yet. Not until I can prove that dreams do come true. I've been accepted to two accounting jobs but declined them just the same because I didn't like to work accounting jobs when I was younger. For me having to accept an accounting job means saying goodbye to my pursuit of my passions such as being a writer or reporter, a masscom career, being an actress or an athlete. I had too much high hopes before. Eventhough I wanted to become a writer nobody would take notice of me or my resume just because I didn't have a MassCom degree. It was very frustrating. If you could write, why would you need a MassCom degree just to become a writer or a reporter. I even tried to apply as a production assistant to some of the networks in our country. But of course, there are also hundreds who did the same. How could you get noticed? I passed time without work just because it was hard to find a job that I really liked and sometimes it is also hard to apply for jobs that you don't really like. The job application process was just too frustrating and repetitive. I'm beginning to believe that you have to know somebody to get in in a company. And not be taken for what you're truly worth. Sometimes I feel that my talents are wasted by not having work. Just too few opportunities in our country, very competitive job market, or maybe there is too much trust in branding and strict requirements in a position. Sometimes, you can do the job eventhough you don't have 3 years experience in something but they follow the requirements as it is written. I was wondering when I could really be accepted in a job. It's hard not to have a job these days especially if you don't have money just to keep up. I hope they don't have to see your resume to the letter. I hope what they find is what you are able to do even if you don't have an MBA.

Just doin' nothing

I welcome myself in the web with this blog. I hope to meet friends and connect with old friends with the blog I'm making. I'm a thirtysomething person who is happy with her life and just enjoys the things that she loves doing. I like surfing the net, watching cable, movies, studying and hopefully working. I am starting this blog because I want the world to know about my thoughts and ideas which I like to publish on the web. I haven't found the chance yet of publishing my own book. But I love to write. I love to do a lot of things like engaging in the arts and knowing other people. But I found out that sometimes it costs and sometimes it doesn't come cheap to be able to enjoy the finer things in life and the comforts and conveniences that other wealthy or financially blessed people enjoy. But then, there are things that you value the most and you hope you frequently do like reuniting with family and being together for good just to be with them and be able to help out each other in this life. I hope also to connect with friends that you value the most like the ones that you spent time with before but don't have contact with as of the moment because everyone's been busy with life and you just hope these treasured friendships will go on and get a connection with them maybe for good and do stuffs together. Life goes on and I do hope definitely this blog would be the start of something worthwhile in my life and others. To family and friends, welcome!