My Boss, My Love

Chapter One | Confidence

“Saan po kayo Ma’am?” tanong kay Sofia ng guard ng Mega Solar Corporation, matapos makapagpark ng sasakyan.

“Kay Ms. Irene Bacudio po ng HR Kuya.” sagot niya naman dito habang ibinibigay ang ID bagamat hindi pa nito hinihingi iyon. It’s a normal procedure anyway.

“Ah, interview ninyo Ma’am?” tanong ulit nito.

“Opo Kuya.”

“Sandali lang po Ma’am, i – check ko lang po iyong site access ninyo.”sabi nito habang pumapasok sa loob ng guard house upang i – check sa computer ang pangalan niya kung kasama siya sa listahan ng mga dapat papasukin.

“Sige po Ma’am, pwede na po kayong pumasok.”sabi nito matapos ma – verify ang pangalan niya at bigyan siya ng vistors ID.

“Sundan ninyo lang po ang yellow lane na iyan, papunta po ‘yan sa may main lobby.” bilin ulit nito sa kanya.

“Salamat po Kuya!” nakangiting nagpasalamat siya dito. Naglakad na siya sa daan na itinuro ng guard. It’s a yellow pedestrian lane – intended of course for pedestrian. Malamang for safety purposes ang special lane na iyon para sa mga naglalakad.

Maliit na distansiya lamang ang nilakad niya at nasa main lobby na siya. At katulad sa main gate ng kompanya, another ID verification and an additional bag inspection was held before she proceeds at the receptions area. Nag – log lang siya sa logbook para sa mga aplikante at saka umupo sa isa sa upuan doon habang tinatawagan ng receptionist si Irene.

Pinagmasdan niya ang lobby, malaki ito at may tatlong sofa set; dalawa sa kaliwa at isa sa may bandang kanan. Katabi ng sofa set sa may kanan ay isang malaking aquarium na may ibat – ibang uri ng isda. Sa kabilang bahagi naman ay makikita ang isang napakalaking TV na ipinapakita ang bawat achievements ng kompanya – majority are achievements abroad as well as their projects. Glass wall naman ang makikita sa bandang kaliwa at bawat kanto ay may mga ibat – ibang uri ng mosaic painting.  May isa ding malaking lampshade ang makikita sa pagitan ng dalawang sofa na magkatabi.  Sa dulong bahagi ng sofa ay isang hagdanan makalagpas ng isang glass door, marahil papunta iyon sa mga opisina.

“Excuse me Ma’am!” untag sa kanya ng babaeng receptionist na nagpalingon sa kanya. “Makiki - antay na lang daw po si Ma’am Irene.”

“Okay po! Salamat!”Nag – antay siya ng ilang minuto, mayamaya ay dumating na din ang inaantay niya.

“Sofia?” tanong sa kanya ng isang babaeng matangkad, maputi at may kulay brown ang buhok. “I’m Irene!” pakilala nito saka siya kinamayan.

Hi! I’m Sofia!” pakilala niya rin dito.

“I’m sorry if I take that long. I was having a discussion with my boss.” hinging – paumanhin nito.

“No problem!”

“So, shall we?” tanong nito .  “Your first interview will be from my boss Ed Briones, he is the section head of HR.”

“Okay!”sabi niya saka siya iginiya na sa may  hagdanan.

Pagdating sa itaas ay nag – antay muna siya sa may hallway at ito ay pumasok sa isang kwarto. Sa kabilang bahagi ng hallway ay makikita ang napakaraming cube kung saan abala ang mga empleyado. Ang iba ay hindi maiwasang tumingin sa kanya, curiosity cross their eyes but upon seeing her ID they stop staring and continue their work. There are some which still stares and admiration cross their eyes. Ang iba naman ay tila walang pakialam at patuloy lang sa kung ano ang ginagawa sa kani - kanyang laptop.

She checked her Michael Korr wrist watch; nine – thirty in the morning. Just in time for her appointment. Mayamaya ay lumabas si Irene sa silid na pinasukan nito.

“Let’s go Sofia, Ed is waiting for you. Are you ready?”

“Yes!” sagot niya saka huminga ng malalim bago sumunod dito. Pagpasok nila sa loob ay iniwan na siya nito saka isinara ang pinto.

“Hi Sofia, my name is Ed Briones!” pakilala sa kanya ng isang lalaking matangkad na sa hinuha niya ay nasa late 40’s na or early 50’s.

“Hi Sir, good morning!” bati niya rito habang kinakamayan. According to what she read, for you to have a first and good impression to your interviewer you have to sincerely smile and shake their hands with confidence.

“So, tell me about yourself!” panimula nito, matapos syang paupuin.  An HR person usually asks those questions to start the interview process.

“I am Sofia Grace Fernandez, twenty – seven years of age. I took up Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering at University of the Philippines and got my degree last 2008 and my licensed of the same year. I started to work at one of the semiconductor compan located at Cavite the year after as a Cadet Engineer of one of their process. After a year, I got promoted as Process Engineer – Junior level of the same process. Another year past and I got new promotion as Senior Engineer of different process. I got another promotion, as Staff Engineer of the same process the next year. And early this year as I turned my five years in the same company, I was transferred to different department handling the whole entire operation as a Staff Integration Engineer.”

“So, why are you applying for the post in our company; when you are actually doing a great job?’ tanong nito. Lihim siyang napangiti, she actually expected the question.

She smiled and with confidence. “When I received the call from Irene, I wasn’t actually applying for the post. She told me that she saw my CV at jobstreet and if I am interested for the RDD Engineer post. And I said yes. And then, when I received the job descriptions (JD) from her. I said; this is what I always wanted to do – the research job and introducing the new product or material to the production or operation team. I always believed that when an opportunity knocks; grab it.  And so, that is why I am here.”

He smiled to my answer and asks other questions usually related on how you handle yourself. How you comfortably and confidently present yourself to Him, the usual personality assessment questions.

After sometime, he ended the interview when he was satisfied with my answers. “Thank you Sofia. Do you have any question?”

“Yes Sir. You said that you are the Section Head of HR, can you tell me the culture of this company?” she asks. She read this as well, aside from intently listening to the interviewers questions – you also need to make them feel important by remembering their position and asking questions related to their job. Aside from that, she wants to know how people work here. Baka naman kasi mas stressful pa sa trabaho ang kalakaran or pagsasamahan ng mga empleyado. Regardless of how much she loves the job, a stressful work environment is a good basis to work. Well, he may said differently but she already her initial assessment.

“Majority of the employees here are of the same age as yours or what we called those that belong at generation X except of course for the managers. So, people here is just enjoying their work but not taking it lightly for them not to meet the requirements. You know the usual stuff of your age. We also have plenty of events that you can enjoy. And since this is an American company, we implement an open door communication.”

“Wow, that’s good to hear. It is like a good example of work – life balance. Thank you so much, Sir!” sabi niya rito bago kinamayan.

Lumabas na siya ng kwarto nito at hinanap si Irene. “I’m done.”sabi niya rito ng lumapit ito sa kanya. It looks like ang cube nito ay iyong katapat lang ng kwarto ng boss nito.

“Did the interview go well?”tanong nito.

“Yes!” nakangiting sabi niya rito. She likes her, she’s very friendly and she can feel it. And not like those HR personnel who seems to be just doing their job and not being sincere with the way they communicate to their applicants.

“That’s good to hear. Can you go back to the lobby first? I just need to have a few discussions with Ed and check with Mike for his availability – for your next level interview.”

“Yeah, sure!” sagot niya rito, tumalikod na siya at bumaba na papunta sa lobby.