Management of SM Supermalls is super toxic and has no respect for personal time. President of SM supermalls (Steven Tan) had a surprise visit last Saturday (in SM BF) and I was forced to cancel my day off. I was forced to go to work to assisst the President.

Nothing highlights a toxic workplace culture quite like getting a frantic phone call or a barrage of Viber messages on your one day off because the big boss decided to do a "surprise" mall visit.

Here is the unfiltered reality of that absolute nightmare:

The Day off Audacity

The Guard is Never Down: You are finally sitting at home, trying to forget the mall exists, and suddenly your phone lights up like a Christmas tree. The panic in your coworker's texts is palpable. You can practically smell the adrenaline and floor wax through the screen.

The Silent Expectation: Even if they don’t explicitly say "come in," the toxic culture dictates that you should offer. There is this unspoken, manipulative pressure that if you actually care about your job, your team, or your career, you’ll drop your personal life, change into corporate attire, and run to the mall to stand there and look pretty for the entourage.

Guilt-Tripping as a Management Style: If you stay home and protect your peace, you are subtly penalized. You get the "Must be nice to relax while we’re suffering here" comments the next day, or you're branded as "not a team player" because you refused to work for free on your designated day of rest.

“Your boundary is treated like a betrayal. If the store or mall can't survive a single executive walkthrough without dragging off-duty employees out of their beds, the problem isn't the staff—it's the system."

THE ULTIMATE IRONY

The biggest joke of the "surprise visit" is that upper management loves to preach about work-life balance in corporate newsletters, but the second their boss shows up, all of that goes out the window.

They expect the mall to look flawless, but they achieve it through pure chaos, fear-mongering, and ruining the mental health of the people who actually keep the place running. A surprise visit on a weekend or a rest day doesn't prove that management is dedicated; it just proves they don't respect the basic human need to unplug.

When the boss leaves and everyone finally breathes a sigh of relief, you're left holding a ruined day off, high cortisol levels, and zero compensation for the emotional real estate they stole from you.

Hello everyone! I'm hoping to get some advice lang since I've been feeling a bit discouraged with my job search.

I'm an Information Technology student who has already finished my final term. The only thing left is my graduation this coming October, and I already have my Certificate of Candidacy (COC).

I've been applying to different entry-level IT positions for the past few months, but so far wala talagang luck. I've submitted a lot of applications through LinkedIn, JobStreet, and Indeed. Unfortunately, I either get rejected, receive no response at all, or my application just stays under review.

I also passed the Civil Service Professional Exam, so I tried applying for entry-level government positions through the CSC Job Portal. However, most of the positions require a Transcript of Records (TOR) as part of the application requirements. Since I'm still waiting for my graduation in October, our university won't release our TOR until after we officially graduate, so I haven't been able to complete those applications either.

I've been trying to find work as early as possible because my family and I aren't in the best financial situation. I wanted to start earning instead of waiting until my graduation in October. Having a job would also help me save for my graduation expenses and contribute financially. I currently live with my mom's sibling, so becoming financially independent as soon as possible is a priority for me.

Any advice, recommendations, or even just sharing your own experience would mean a lot. Thank you po!

-Is what some people have told me after I let them know of my unusual client. I am currently a few months in as a newbie to the BPO industry. I am their only offshore employee and the rest are down under.

I have found her sometimes to be strange, here are the things that stood out so far:

- I am the only pinoy on the team and she the only other non white employee, she is bubbly with the white employees and remains cold to me. She often gives me one word answers.

- Will tell me to "figure it out" whenever I ask for help.

- Told me "I know you did not think because your work looks like this". I compared my work to the one she wanted, and turns out there were very minimal difference.

- Told me that she "doesn't like it when I do things more than once". We are creatives in an industry known for consistent revisions.

- Has given me reason to believe that she is making up stories just to berate me. She claimed that a senior teammate has said that "I didn't understand [their instructions]". But that teammate has been nothing but kind and supportive to me, and has repeatedly told me how happy they are with my work.

I am at a loss on what to do and I have come to terms with the fact that she can be challenging to work with. Anyone else who's been in the same situation before?

Hi all. I realized during our end-of-contract evaluation that I was on my steady way to burnout (if I'm not there already lol).

Apparently, just journaling didn't do it for me; while the words were pouring out of my mouth, explaining my situation to my boss, I came to understand just how exhausting my life had been lately. It was all work and barely any play (even my hobbies had been neglected).

Part of it may have had something to do with zero paid leaves that I can use. No work, no pay; OT = TY most of the time; pag late, kaltas agad. Good luck being sick or feeling menstrual cramps so bad, you have to take the day off.

I guess my point is: from now on I'm going to book vacations months ahead so I have something to look forward to. Doesn't have to be fancy; maybe 2-3 days alone in a completely new province. I'm also dedicating a monthly dine out day to try new restos nearby.

Kayo, what do you do when you plan your vacations/breaks? Akala ko dati okay lang kung puro trabaho. Kailangan ko pala talagang iwan (literal) yung stress sa trabaho.

TIA!

Hi guys! So today I got an offer as a Site Engineer for ZTE. But I'm a bit hesitant because during interview they asked if I have WAH certification and if I have experience climbing towers. I told them I can climb only upto the platform where outdoor cabinets is installed/placed, as for when I need to do something (troubleshoot/install) at the top (antenna side) I told them "I work closely" with my rigger/technician and giving instructions on what we need to do. My interviewer reiterated that sometimes I will work alone on sites with no riggers so I should know how to climb the full height. Aside from this I have no other issues on the tasks I needed to do.

Can someone here who's working in ZTE as a site engineer or someone who knows something about this matter and share their thoughts/knowledge about this. Do you really need to climb towers on your own? Can I negotiate this with them to make sure I will only work at the ground level?

Hi All,

Just want to share my journey for those who are still starting their careers, especially in the BPO industry. I have graduated from a Big 4 University year 2015 - this has been my journey:

2015 to 2017 - BPO agent in Convergys, eventually acquired by a different company during my long stay. A lot of family and friends raised their eyebrows, I was just doing it to get skills that I needed. Also, I am privileged in a way that I don’t have to give money to my family. (Salary package 20k, up to 60k with incentives)

2018 - Got promoted as a seasonal trainer with same salary and lost possible incentives

2018 - Got promoted as an associate trainer on the same year (Basic Salary 30k + 12k in allowances)

2019 - Got promoted as a Senior Trainer (Basic Salary 45k + 12k in allowances)

2020 - Got promoted as a Sr. Supervisor of Training (Basic Salary 65k + 8k in allowances)

2022 - Got promoted as Training Manager (Basic Salary 80k + 8k in allowances)

2023 - Got promoted as Sr. Training Manager handling multiple sites (Basic Salary 120k + 8k in allowances, plus over 50k in quarterly incentives)

I was handling different segments of the Telecommunications LOB across multiple sites and programs. I kept on saying yes and my peers kept on leaving due to the cutthroat environment. Unfortunately, I too, was burned out and left after I got my 13th month pay in that same year, 2023. During my career climb, I was handling small businesses on the side and the pandemic was brutal to kill some of it, that also took a toll on my mental health.

After 4 months of break, a local Telecommunications company hired me for the same title but with less money. Had to say yes because my bills are piling up and I have very expensive hobbies (Video Games).

2024 - Sr. Training Manager at a local company (90k gross income as a package).

2025 - Director role, not in the training area anymore. (170k gross income as package)

2026 - Got head-hunted by the competitor for a Sr. Director role, (250k gross income as package)

Right now I am at a comfortable spot where I don’t want to aim for promotions. I don’t want to make the same mistake as last time. I have peace of mind and I have enough free time for my family, my small businesses, and myself.

——

How I got here:

1. Educate yourself. In this digital age, ignorance is a choice. Certifications can happen virtually. I have invested a lot of time and money in getting new skills. Learn something new every day, even if it’s not applicable in your line of work at the moment. Learn skills that are not replaceable by AI yet. Every time I got promoted, I studied and practiced the next role already. This is how I got promoted fast.

2. Accept that politics will always be a thing. I am very introverted. Applying as a trainer almost 10 years ago scared the shit out of me. Get good mentors and mentor other people - that’s the easiest way to build a network. Manage perception not just for yourself but for your whole team, whether you’re a manager or a team member. This landed me the job offer when I was unemployed.

3. Do not overreact. People will disagree with you and correct you - sometimes it’s not done in a nice way. There will always be conflict and friction, especially if you are the youngest in the boardroom. Being calm under pressure is a skill, address the matters like a pro. Learn the art of de-escalation. Accept the feedback if the point is valid, get other opinions politely if needed. Learn to communicate better across different ages and backgrounds. This is how I got respect.

4. Get a life outside work and don’t burn yourself out. This is how I failed.

5. Solve problems. I barely raise problems without solutions or recommendations. Explore options, be fast and be creative. I’m the one that they call when something is on fire. This is how I got experience.

6. Have a little bit of arrogance. Be humble enough to know you are replaceable but confident enough to know you are one of a kind. This is how I pushed through.

——

What I would have done differently:

1. I would have slowed down on the promotions in my earlier years

OR

2. I would have hopped companies earlier. Honestly - there’s no point in staying in a company for decades anymore. It’s not as rewarding as it used to be (compared to the experiences of previous generations).

——

What I will be doing:

1. Still learn more skills

2. Still network with a lot of people

3. Despite not wanting a promotion, I am still open to having one whether in the same company or another. I will always be passively looking for another job from now on.

——

This post was longer than I expected it to be. Thanks if you’ve read all the way through.

So I just graduated with a BS Psych degree and planning ako mag-boards next year. Right now, I really need to work while reviewing due to financial reasons.

Medyo torn ako between two applications:

• Option A: HR at a local skincare company. It’s fully WFH and pioneering yung role, so feel ko mapapasabak ako sa experience. Malaking plus yung WFH setup kasi looking forward ako sa review time for the boards.
• Option B: Customer Sales Representative at Accenture. Onsite siya pero malapit lang naman sa bahay ko. Advantage is stable corporate benefits like HMO, allowances, etc.

Career-wise, alin kaya ang mas magandang simulan as a Psych grad? Mas okay ba i-linya ko na sa HR yung first job ko, or pick Accenture for the stability and benefits?

idk but i have made several attempts maghanap ng new work, pero sobrang tumal. i dont even get calls. pero andami namang opening sa market. andami kong submit pero wala, sobrang tumal. Di ko sure kung may mali ba sakin or sa cv ko. i have used the same format since ever. when i was younger and mga junior to mid to sr. assoc level ang mga apply ko ambilis ko magkainterview, and most leads to job offers tas ako na namimili. Pero now, i am in junior/assoc manager to manager level na. Baka sa cv format ko ba? Or akala ko lang talaga all the while magaling ako. Nakakaubos ng self esteem.

Isang angle din na suspect ko, but idk if possible, i was once terminated (technically) years back. Nagresign kasi ako for immediate but the supervisor wanted me render notice period, i never did and chose to go AWOL. mabigat na reason (another story) but i chose to live a peaceful life rather than go back nung time na yun kaya ko yun nagawa. Actually that exp did a trauma in me na hanggang ngayon dala ko, i involuntary shake when facing top management. Mejo recovered na, pero auto na talaga yung response ng katawan ko (shaking) bec of that exp.

Anyway, possible kaya na nakikita ng mga employers yun history na terminated ako before? I have used same job board and professional networks since ever. So minsan naiisip ko baka may hidden remarks section sa mga platform na yun na only employers are able to see?

Lastly, baka may tips kayo on how to be better sa job market. Finance and accounting background, 11 years exp. Been in different areas in corporate but never done audit.

Hi everyone. Sorry for the long post ahead. I really need some advice because I've been overthinking this for days.

I'm 25, F and I'm currently working in a manufacturing company. I've been here for 3 years and was promoted twice (from Office Assistant to QA staff to Deputy QA Head). Right now, I'm undergoing a 6-month training (July–December) to become an official Deputy QA Head, so I'm in a good position career-wise.

Recently, I passed an interview for a WFH Debt Collections job with a Canadian company, but I'm having a hard time deciding if I should accept it.

Option 1: Stay in my current company

Pros

• Stable job
• Been with the company for 3 years and was promoted twice
• Currently training to become Deputy QA Head
• Fixed salary (I get paid regardless of performance)
• Paid leaves, Holiday pays, 13th month pay, and Government benefits
• ₱250 perfect attendance incentive every cutoff
• OTs are paid (but only around 90+ pesos per hr)
• Current Allowance: Around ₱6k+ per cutoff (allowance increase is usually 2-3 times a year)
• I'm already familiar with the work, so it's less stressful.

Cons

• Monday to Saturday schedule (8 hours/day from 8 AM to 5PM). Sometimes required to work Sundays (around twice a month).
• Daily rate is only ₱600
• Work has become routine already and I feel like my growth is mostly through promotions, not by learning new skills.
• My long-term goal is to transition into customer service because I eventually want to become a cabin crew, and I don't think my current experience isn't really aligned with that.

Option 2: WFH Debt Collector Position

The company handles 4 different loan brands/accounts, and employees work across those.

The borrowers mostly have bad credit histories or have already stopped paying, so collections are expected to be challenging.

I have zero collections or customer service experience, although they said I will undergo training.

Pros

• Work from home
• Tuesday to Saturday only (5 times a week, total of 40 hrs a week)
• 9 PM–6 AM (Nighshift)
• Salary: Compared to my current job, my base monthly income would increase by roughly 43% so around ₱15,000 more. But basically, the more I collect, my commission percentage increases and my hourly rate also increases. The commission ranges from 6% to 7% of the amount collected, depending on which collection tier I reach (minimum is 4000 CAD) so my total monthly income can become significantly higher if I consistently exceed those targets.
• No commuting since WFH (I save around ₱50/day plus time and energy)
• Opportunity to gain customer service/negotiation/collections experience, which I think could help me develop communication skills for my long-term career goals.

Cons

This is where I'm really hesitant...

• Result-Based (or Commission-Based)
• Weekly/monthly targets that must consistently be met. If you continuously fail to hit targets, they can terminate your employment.
• OT is unpaid. (Some employees work overtime to hit quotas or increase commissions)
• NO paid leave, holiday pay, 13th month pay.
• I'm considered a subcontractor, so I have to pay my own SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG contributions with no employer share.
• The agreement is ongoing but renews weekly, making it less stable than a regular employment setup.
• Equipment is also NOT provided, so I need to buy a Laptop pa that meets their requirements.
• During the interview, I realized the role is much more aggressive than I expected, since I initially assumed collections would still involve a customer service approach. Instead of simply helping borrowers find payment options, agents are expected to be firm and push for at least 80% of their outstanding balance whenever possible (probably coz they have bad credit histories and may not want to pay??). Since I have no collections experience, I'm unsure if I'd be comfortable doing this every day.

Ito na nga po ang aking dilemma...

Financially, the WFH job is very attractive (esp salary-wise). The schedule is also better (5 days instead of 6-7 days), and working from home would definitely improve my work-life balance. Since feeling ko pagod na pagod na 'ko sa araw-araw na byahe ko, though 20-30 mins papasok at pauwi lang ang byahe, ang nakakapagod talaga yung sobrang dami ng kalaban ko sumakay papasok at pauwi. May times pa na nakatayo na ko sa bus makauwi lang talaga at nakikipagunahan sa jeep, minsan sa lapag na talaga yan sha at sumasabit lol.

However, I'd be leaving a stable company where I've already earned the trust of management. I honestly don't think I'm the best employee, but I've been given opportunities that not everyone gets. Being promoted twice and now training in a managerial position / leadership track makes me feel like they really see potential in me.

At the same time, I also don't want to become too comfortable and I couldn't really see myself working here for a long long time. Medyo natatakot din na baka tuluyan na ako ma-stuck..

I want to learn customer service skills because becoming a cabin crew is one of my long-term career goals. I'm just worried that I might leave a stable leadership position for a job that's heavily performance-based, where I have no experience and could potentially lose the job if I fail to consistently hit quota even if I work hard or do my best to do the collection work.

----

• If you were in my situation, which job would you choose and why?
• Is leaving a stable leadership role worth the risk for better pay and WFH set-up?
• Do you also think debt collections experience is valuable if my long-term goal is customer service or becoming a cabin crew in the future?

Any advice would really help. Please be kind—I'm genuinely torn and just looking for honest advice huhu. Thank you! xoxo

TL;DR - Got laid off sa work this July; received an offer na top candidate at may better pay, job role na aligned sa current career goals ko pero natatakot if worth ba magrisk sa 6-day work week arrangement.

—during the final interview, the hiring manager revealed na the company follows a 6-day work week setup, pure on-site. This is a managerial role for marketing in a retail company.

So far okay naman 'yung process ng hiring and it gave me a good impression until I had an interview with the hiring managers. Prior to this, I immediately gave my asking salary sa phone screening palang and it was approved by the higher-ups, the interviews went well pero ang let down ay may whole day work ng Saturday.

I'm okay and have plans in mind to relocate near the office if ever but the 6-day work week scares me the most.

For context, kaya may doubt ako kung kaya ko ba kasi I haven't experienced ever in my corporate journey to work 6 days a week, so may conflicting mindset ako na baka takot lang akong mag-risk, but on one side, I've known myself enough na magiging kulang ang 1 day off kung sakali.

On one side naman, what I learned about the duties na nakapaloob sa job nung interview falls totally under my turf, and aligns with my career goals.

I'm planning to request an extra discussion should I receive the job offer and will ask if it's possible to compress the workweek to 5 days instead.

The question is, meron ba rito na nakapagrequest na for specific arrangements sa company and pinagbigyan nila 'yung request niyo? They openly expressed that I'm currently the top candidate for the role but coming from my current job na hindi ganito ka-demanding is culturally shocking for me.

I appreciate additional insights or stories that you can share. Thanks po!

hi! I’m a fresh grad from the province and target ko na talaga na mag work sa manila directly rather than dito sa province.

fast forward, naka receive na ako ng job offer from a small starting company. this is their offer

₱22,000 gross/month
daily transportation allowance for onsite work
6-month probation
sss, philhealth, pag ibig

Based on the contract, the role includes
- Business development and merchant acquisition
- Conducting client presentations and product demonstrations
- Merchant onboarding and training
- Building and maintaining client relationships
- QA testing and user acceptance testing
- Administrative and operational tasks
- Regular travel around Metro Manila for client meetings

based sa interview nila sakin, I feel like the work environment would be really good kasi we really got along soooo so so well and I feel like sobrang ganda to work with them. however ngayon I’m actually having doubts after reading the contract. I initially didn’t prefer this role but this is what was offered to me.

also, I have an upcoming meeting with another company in tuesday. this is a more established company and the work is aligned with what I actually prefer/like. I ready had a phone interview with them and the next interview will be via ms teams with the manager. the problem is I’m still at an early stage sa employment process and haven’t actually received an offer or some sort so wala din namang assurance

let me list the pros and cons for each

Company A (Small starting company )
Pros:
● Great work culture based on my interview experience
● Really liked the people I talked to during the interview
● Friendly and approachable leadership
● Office is in my preferred location
● Already received a job offer
● Opportunity to learn a lot

Cons:
● Startup company (less stability)
● ₱22,000 gross monthly salary + transportation allowance (which feel ko tight since im relocating)
● Role covers business development, sales, merchant onboarding, client presentations, QA testing, admin tasks, and regular travel around Metro Manila
● Performance targets/quotas during probation
● Business Development wasn’t originally my preferred role

Company B (Established Company)
Pros:
● More established company
● role aligns more with my interests
● Office is also in my preferred area
● Potentially more structured environment and career growth
Cons:
● No offer yet
● I’m only at the interview stage
● I don’t know the work culture or team yet
● Hiring process will likely take longer than the time I have to decide on the startup offer

please I want to know your thoughts since gulong gulo rin ako as a fresh grad :((

hello! i finally got hired after 6 months of job hunting 🥹 good things come to those who wait talaga.

a month before my start date, the company invited me to a lunch meeting. i was able to meet execs from different countries and the PH team.

the thing is, i knew we are a small team pa lang sa PH pero i didnt expect lang that my workmates would mostly be guys and in their 30s-40s. at my last company, we were mostly girls. nashock lang ako and worry na baka i wont enjoy the working environment. haha im used kasi having a buddy to chika around, and all the girly stuff.

id consider this first day jitters because it's a new company, new people, and new thing to learn. it's a reputable company naman and i prayed hard for this opportunity. haha ngayon lang sakin nag sink in na im actually about to work.

any tips?

am i too weak to face reality? i turned down a job interview.

i recently graduated a month ago, and it is driving me crazy that my friends in college already have jobs. before i went to my hometown, i processed all of my documents including TOR, diploma, SSS, NBI clearance, etc. i applied to different hospitals where my friends also applied, and they got hired. it's been 2 weeks since i applied. i was so down at that time because they didn't email me back me unlike my friends who were emailed back after 2-3 days. i feel so hopeless that time so i went back to my hometown and decided to wait and rest for a month or two. my mother doesn't pressure me. now, i got a call from the hospital i applied. but the HR said i will have an interview at 1pm today and the time is 10am. my usual travel from my hometown to that municipality is around 4-5 hours. my preparing time will be an hour and a half. i wouldn't make it on time. i told her that i wouldn't be able to attend. i feel really bad. she said that she will update me for an interview reschedule but i think they won't call me again. my concern is i couldn't say that i don't want it, thinking that one day i'll need the job. i knew my mother won't agree to this. it's very far from my hometown and i will have to live in an apartment again which take a portion of my salary. the salary is very low for a nursing assistant according to my friends. besides, i already plan on staying here for a month until i take the civil service exam. as much as i wanted to be independent, i'm so scared. i'm doing it scared. im literally crying rn that this became my vent area😭

Hello! I’m currently facing a huge life crisis and really need your perspective. I am a 21-year-old graduating undergraduate student taking my degree online at one of the big four universities. Right now, I solely manage my own business located right in front of our house. It’s a mini-mart with printing services and a few vending machines (total worth of assets is around ₱200k+). I started this kasi ABM kasi ako noong SHS at na-try kong magbusiness while doing online school works para may pagkabalahan. Now, mag-4 years na rin siya since graduating na ako at nagstart ako noong freshie pa ako.

Income-wise, okay naman ang business at marami na rin akong napundar mag-isa. Yung income ko daily is ₱800-₱1500 (depende if maraming customers). Maganda kasi location namin at maraming tao talaga.

The problem is, I’m severely burnt out. Ang hirap nung laging nasa bahay lang, at inaabot talaga ako ng 15 hours a day sa pagbabantay at pagpapatakbo nito kumpara sa normal na work hours ng isang employee.

Gusto ko sanang i-try mag-apply sa corporate world para maexperience yung corpo life, pero natatakot ako. Takot akong magfail at pagsihan sa huli na, *"Sana nag-business na lang pala ako."

On the other hand, nakakadrain na talaga ang retail life araw-araw. Parang ewan ko ba. Nasasayangan rin ako sa skills at kurso. May nagsuggest sa’ken pwede naman akong magtry sa corpo life but ibebenta ko business ko sa iba, or iliquidate nalang lahat ng assets to cash para magamit ko while I look for a job.

If kayo ang nasa posisyon ko ngayon, anong pipiliin niyo? Magpapatuloy sa business o maghahanap ng corporate job? Salamat sa sasagot!

Hi! 29M (turning 30 next Thursday) and my impostor syndrome is kicking in more frequently these days.

I am a registered chemical engineer and chemical technician. A lot of people from my area (I’m from Region XII) who hear this are always in awe that I achieved two PRC licenses since my field is quite uncommon here, but here’s the thing: it took me twice the actual time needed to finish my degree due to a combination of transferring universities and failing some subjects. It took me so long to graduate to the point that I started losing my passion and I only finished my degree just for the sake of it na lang.

I got my first job as a Management Trainee in a food manufacturing company here in our city 5 months after taking the chemical technician board exam. After 7 months, I got promoted to Team Manager. I loved my work environment there, but my manager and coworkers put so much trust in me, even when there are times I really do not know what I’m doing. I’m just making it up as I go. Faking it ‘til I make it. I’m literally just crossing the bridge when I get there. The workload got heavier, but my salary was stagnant. I resigned from this job after 1 year and 8 months.

I then transferred to a MNC, but I resigned after 3 months and 20 days because, despite the above-average pay, my direct superiors were toxic. As in, I’m hearing comments about me na di na work-related.

I have been unemployed for 2 months now. I’m worried that my short work stint is impacting my applications. I know my profession has a wide scope which could offer me a lot of career opportunities, pero the thought of competing with stellar fellow chemical engineers who are passionate about the field and graduated with good scholastic records really makes me anxious and doubt myself so much. There’s a voice in my head saying na, unlike them, hindi ako magaling, ako ay marunong lang. Ang dami ko na inapplyan na trabaho, but mostly just ended up in rejections. Some even go unnoticed.

Sorry for the long post. I’m just really concerned about my future.

25(f)(hybrid) I need a reality check because I've been overthinking this. Earlier today, one of my clients scheduled a last-minute call. It wasn't on my calendar, so I rushed to join. I usually close all my personal tabs before meetings, but because it was so last minute, I forgot to close my personal Gmail kasi 5 pm na rin.

I thought I was sharing only my Excel file, but I accidentally shared my entire screen for a few seconds. My client ended up seeing my Gmail inbox with emails like "Company has viewed your application" "Your application was sent" and other job application notifications.

She laughed a little, and I also realized she probably saw that I had ChatGPT open in another tab. I was not worried about it nung time na 'yun kasi focused ako explaining to her paano ko inayos yung data nila. But now I'm worried because I've heard she's acquainted with our Operations Head, and they occasionally communicate about work and my client is our head's senior in UP back then.

For context, I'm being regularized tomorrow. I'm currently one of the top performers on the team (4.8/5). I handle two major client projects worth millions. I also wear multiple hats: project management, data analysis, dashboard creation, reporting, and presentations. My managers have never had performance issues with me. The only feedback I've ever gotten is that I volunteer for too many projects and rarely say no to additional work.

The reason I was applying is honestly because I feel underpaid for the scope of my responsibilities (24k) I'm just trying to look for other opportunities that will compensate me better because I'm a breadwinner. The timing was just incredibly unfortunate, and I completely forgot my personal email was still open because the meeting was scheduled so suddenly.

Realistically, how bad is this? Is this just an embarrassing moment, or is it something that could actually become an issue if the client mentions it to management?

Hello! so I recently resigned from my first job after 2 years. I remember super hirap makahanap ng job lalo na fresh grad that time so pumatol ako sa lowball offer for the sake of having a job [I even came from the big 4 with plenty of projects, etc]. I learned a lot and don’t regret it naman, sadyang ang baba lang ng pay and no hope for promotions kahit employee of the month/year na.

thankfully, i’m privileged to take a break. so this June lang ako nag-start mag-hunt. And today, I received two JOs na from a multi-nat’l company and fintech, pero comparing to my experience before, I feel like I did worse in interviews this time than I was during my first job hunt.

Here goes my observation: feel ko nag-matter talaga ‘yung face card. I don’t wanna brag pero I remember just smiling like a dumb blonde towards recruiters and HM, pero in the end they looked positively into my interview results. I changed my picture rin sa LinkedIn na hindi professional, pero mukhang pang dating app 😆 then I’m getting scheduled invites.

so, I played the game. If face card lang pala kukuha ng attention, over my 100x revised ATS-friendly resume, sana ginawa ko na from the start.

Kinda weird observation lang, sinunod ko talaga ‘yung advice from [redacted] na if you think you have the looks, include it in your CV and wait for the magic to happen. Kahit na hindi pang modeling, it got the attention of these hard tech companies 😭 krazy pero it worked. I’m off the market in just…two weeks?

Curious lang po if mayron ba ditong iniwanan ung 6 digit income niya and chose your peace of mind kahit lesser income?

Honestly, I was a lot happier and at peace nun hindi pa 6 digit income ko. Di rin naman ako ganong kagastos and can control my finances pero syempre i cant deny na masarap mag earn ng 6 digit, dami kong extra for my wants. More than a year na rin akong 6 digit earner kasooo it feels like ang dami ng workload ng 6 digit income earner sa corporate. Tipong sulit na sulit ka ng company ksi ung trabaho ng isa pang 3-4na tao.

I feel naman that in terms of my skills on the industry I am in, I can still market myself at may proven track record naman ako ng mga achievements ko. Emergency fund wise i have 6 months safe fund.

Ang worry ko lang is mag resign ng wala pang lilipatan kasi never ko pa syang nagawa kaso sobrang stress ko na sa work. Di ko na kaya ung work load and pressure. Madalas na rin sumakit ung ulo at likod ko or minsan I had to g to the bathroom for a couple of minutes during work simply because I couldnt breathe and sobrang inis ko sa work ko.

Prepared naman na ung resume ko kaso wla talaga akong energy lately na magapply or magparefer kasi gusto ko sana mag rest kahit 1 month lang. the acceptable offer that I could take sana is 65k net. Kaso prang hirap maki nego coming from 6 digit earner down to a lesser income?

Please advice sa mga nakaexperience na ng agnto huhuu

When I was still in junior roles, I experienced different kinds of leaders.

Some made me feel like I was just another employee whose only purpose was to get the job done. My opinions didn’t matter, my struggles weren’t their concern, and as long as I showed up and delivered, that was enough.

But I also experienced the complete opposite.

I had leaders who genuinely cared. They listened. They gave guidance instead of criticism. They made me feel valued, not just as an employee but as a person. One of them even became one of my closest friends, and we’re still friends today.

Those experiences stayed with me.

Finding a good job is hard. Finding good co-workers is even harder. But finding a leader who genuinely cares about people? That’s rare.

Back then, I made a promise to myself.

If I was ever given the opportunity to lead people, I wanted to become the kind of leader I once needed.

Someone who listens before judging.

Someone who understands that employees don’t stop being human the moment they clock in.

Someone who’s maka-tao.

A friend once told me, “If you have a prayer, there should also be a goal.”

For years, I prayed for growth in my career. I prayed for opportunities, for bigger responsibilities, and yes, for promotions too.

But looking back, I realized the promotion was never the real goal.

The goal was to be in a position where I could help people.

Today, I have the privilege of leading a team, and I try my best to remember what it felt like to be the junior employee who just needed someone to listen.

I always make time for my team.

I check in on them, not just about deadlines but about life. If they’re going through something personal, I don’t want them to feel like they have to carry it alone. I can’t solve every problem, but I can create a workplace where they know they’re heard, respected, and supported.

I still have a lot to learn, and I’m far from being a perfect leader.

But if one day someone from my team looks back and says, “Working with you made a difficult season of my life a little easier,” I think that’ll mean more to me than any promotion, salary increase, or job title ever could.

Because at the end of the day, people may forget what position you held.

But they’ll always remember how you made them feel.

Hi! I'm a fresh graduate from a big 4 school with latin honors, and I got two job offers but I'm having trouble deciding.

(1) Research analyst role for a Pakistan-based market research company in BGC. 25k monthly + 10% night shift differential. HMO, travel stipend, wellness allowance after probationary period. But I’ve seen that the company has a lot of negative reviews from its clients, specifically those who answer their surveys, because they are not getting paid on time. There are some comments who say that they do pay on time so there’s mixed reviews about them. But regarding their employees, there’s no reviews about their local office here in Taguig, mostly mixed reviews for their offices abroad. Their local office is relatively new, and most of the staff are fresh graduates in their early 20s. They often have team-building activities and sports outings. Manager says there’s an opportunity to move up the ladder and become a senior within a year if you hit KPIs. These are mostly just things they mentioned that I want to know are common practices.

(2) Inventory planning role for a major telecom company in a mall in Makati. They said HR will only send the offer letter once I've confirmed for onboarding, and they won't tell me anything about compensation and benefits. Mall hours and shifting schedule. 2 day off per week. HR said role is demanding and even asked if I have a relationship because I won't be able to clock in and out as easy as a office job since it's for the store operations.

In terms of location, I live in Taytay so both of them require more than 40 minutes of commuting, which I'm willing to do. I like the compensation for the first role but I find it difficult to work for a company that doesn't pay their clients on time.

Any idea what I should do?