Choosing the best employer

Graduation season is here – when a young person’s fancy turns to thoughts of job hunting. This is the perfect opportunity to find the perfect company to invest the best years of your life. When looking for a job, the first thing you should think of is what you enjoy doing. It is very important not to decide for the short term. What do you want to do or to be in the future? Do not think “in the now”.

Once a decision has been made, plan things for yourself and write down your career goals. Things most often considered in the quest for a dream job are financial rewards, work location, and the benefits. One should prioritize which aspects to place on the top of the list. Take job location, for example: If you get a job that’s far from your home base, the travel time will deplete your energy.

Another major consideration in the decision-making process is the financial compensation. I believe that you should not accept jobs that will not make you happy, unless you really need the money. More often than not, people who fall into this trap end up jumping from one job to another. These people become tired and cynical, and their resumes never look good to any employer. It’s best to start with a decent-paying job that you will enjoy.

Finding the right one

Finding the right company is never easy. The ideal companies to apply with are the ones included in the list of the top 1000 corporations of the Philippines. This guarantees you will be working with a secure company and not some run-of-the-mill employer that might turn into a bad career investment.

Before sending your application, it is best to research about the company. This is not the simple research you do on the Internet by viewing the company’s mission and vision statements online. An in-depth research about the company includes finding out about the company culture, benefits, training, and the people.

Take Shakey’s, for example. I can confidently say that we pay above-average wages. No wonder we are always asked this question: “Why do a lot of people stay with the company or even come back?” It is simply because of the company’s family culture. The people here are fun-loving because they enjoy what they are doing. Even when we went through rough times we, even the owners, supported each other. We’re proud to be working with Shakey’s and its owners. They are hands-on owners and have instituted programs allowing employees to share whatever they earn.

Humility and respect are inculcated in the company’s core values. Our owners are families of gentlemen and ladies who exemplify humility and respect. I remember that our first boss, Don Antonio Prieto, used to open doors for us when he sees us about to walk through the doorway. This type of humility and respect trickles down to every employee and makes him/her feel he/she is indeed a part of the family. We believe that the way the owners respect their people translates to how people treat each other in the organization. That sets us apart.

Be prepared

While still in school, my advice to students is to build experience by working part-time or participating in OJT programs. This is considered a plus when employers review your resume and see that you worked part time in college. Part-time jobs show that a person is capable of balancing work and academics. It also shows that a person is an achiever: focused and ready for the challenges that will face him in the corporate environment.

Let me share my personal experience with you. After college, I immediately pursued a masters’ degree, which, believe it or not, became a problem when I first started looking for a job.

After graduation, do not bum around! People who do nothing while waiting for a job is a turn off to interviewers; it creates the image of laziness. It is best to accept whatever job is available because you need the experience. Take heed, though, that you should not job-hop. Even if the company that initially hired you isn’t the one you like, you can still get the experience to add to your list of qualifications which will serve you well in the future.

Interview tips

The shotgun approach to sending your resume is not the best method. It doesn’t customize your resume, nor your cover letter. The end-result is sloppy applications. When you apply for a job, it is crucial that you match your skills with the job you’re applying for. Unless proven through a track record of your experience, my advice is that you better not apply for a job foreign to your skills and talents.

It is not easy to apply for a job and it takes a certain amount of investment (like clothes, transportation, and time) when attending interviews. Make life easy on yourself. Since you’ll be going through the interview process, anyway, it’s best to apply with companies where you can be confident about your career growth and continued employment.

Whatever happens during your job application, it is best to be realistic and to be strong. Your dream job may not be the right one for you and you may experience rejection. Do not fear because, in reality, job hunting is never easy. Always remember that perseverance, hard work, and determination has its rewards. Good luck!

International Family Food Services, Inc., (IFFSI) holds the Philippine franchise for Shakey’s – a market leader since 1975.

Cora P. Villanueva is Shakey’s HR director.