Archive for November, 2009
Ottobre Ventisei, 1:19 PM
Whew. Just got home. It’s freakin’ hard to be unemployed. I’m starting to think that I made a wrong decision of leaving APAC. Anyway, it’s already done, so I should move forward. If I dwell on it too much, I won’t move it. Keep moving forward.
So, after my birthday, I’ve been busy with caterings, and job hunt. My application in HSBC went bad, because this Indian lady evaluated me, and she failed me. It’s really a disappointment, I tell you.
Two days after my birthday, we had a catering, so that made me busy. It was a pretty stressful and tiring weekend. I had a day-off, and the next day, I went to HSBC to process my application, and that’s when the disaster struck me.
Since it’s my second time in HSBC and I got in and actually signed the job offer (means that I was already in) during the first time, but APAC hired me first, so I had to turn them down, so I was pretty confident.
I made friends with this couple, who were also there to apply. Ate Mona and Kuya Don were veterans. The man had been with TeleTech, and as of the moment, he’s with Convergys, and Ate Mona was working in Sykes Asia. Both of them were big time. We had the testing, and then call simulation and a phone interview with an Indian lady.
So, okay, I talked to the Indian through phone. After our conversation, I was asked to go back to the reception and waited for my name to be called. I was called by the HR, along with the tenured couple, and a guy that I don’t recognize. We were ushered in one of the negotiating rooms by the HR. She shut the door and told us that we didn’t make it to the next stage. We were like, “Are you serious?” Well, it’s not that I’m arrogant or something, but hello, those guys I was with were tenured! They’re the best of the best!
And until now, I couldn’t believe that I didn’t make it.
After that little debacle, the three of us went to Jollibee for lunch. We sat there with heavy hearts; all of us were quiet, probably, what went wrong or something, while waiting for our fries.
The fries arrived, and we started eating. The two were pretty quiet, so I tried cheering them up. We came up with ridiculous speculations, like, the three of us were tenured, and HSBC can afford us. Hahaha, you know, just being bitter and all. The weird thing was, there’s a dude with us, and he looked autistic and had a bad accent. No joke, as in bad accent, and he got hired. Well, if HSBC hires people likes him, the business will go down, trust me. J
After lunch, we decided to go to Convergys. It was Kuya Bong’s suggestion, since he’s still employed there. We got in, and were asked to come back the next day for the final interview.
Whoa. During the initial interview, I didn’t know whether to laugh or feel sorry for my fellow applicants. There were six of us in the room, five applicants, all girls, plus Diane, the interviewer. Ate Mona was interviewed by another HR.
Diane started the interview, and the other girls were so nervous, and they kept blabbering, committing errors, and what not. I felt like answering the simple questions for them, since they don’t know how they would answer in English. Well, that can’t be. I made it to the next stage while the four girls were sent home.
After testing, I stayed in the lobby to wait for the result. This guy (or gay) complimented me that I’m witty and oozing with sex appeal. Oh my gosh! Really? I was like, “duh, look at me, super heavy weight champ.”
The next day, I met Ate Mona again. Okay, I put a detail on my resume that shouldn’t be there. The final interviewer, Jeff, found out that I was hiding something, and he started raising question that was very difficult to dodge. And since I’m a lousy liar, I gave out that I went to this school and didn’t complete a year. Dang. I didn’t make it.
MBG and I talked. He told me something surprising. It’s an x-rated dream of his, about me. Well, I wanted to faint, you know. It’s not that I was grossed, but it was, uhm, I don’t know. Part of me wants to say, “Ew” and a part of me were curious. I don’t want to think about it. Gulp. He didn’t know it was my birthday the other week.
Speaking of birthday, this one was the best one. I received a lot of greetings from people around the world. The best e-card was from Rob, because it has a hip-hop version of Happy Birthday as background music. I played it a dozen of time.
The first thing I did when I woke up on my birthday was to look in the mirror, thinking, “I’m freaking old.” But hence I feel pretty. Hahahaha. I logged in ebaby, but it was full. It doesn’t happen everyday, you know, especially at that time of the morning. I waited for a couple of minutes, and logged in again. I was successful. The screen was full of “Happy Birthday Princess.” It was overwhelming. They are real friends, you know. Shimy from Lithuania sent me a great Princess e-card. Ana sent me three. Everyone was there, and even the people I didn’t know greeted me. I spent half day answering greetings.
After spending my time with some of my e-friends, I prepared for the birthday dinner. I bought a chocolate mousse cake from Goldilocks. This year, I didn’t have a party, because I’m afraid that there will be a repeat performance of the disastrous birthday party I had last year. So, it’s just me, Ed, Mom, Carl and his girlfriend, Alyssa and Mark.
I liked it. It was very peaceful.
Then, last Friday, I got my back pay from APAC. It’s not much as I expected, you know. Nevertheless, I went shopping. I bought a pair of pink Reebok running shoes and a pair of four-inch high, brown stilettos from Gibi. It’s the loveliest pair of shoes I’ve ever seen in my whole life. I fell in love with it when I tried it on. To tell you the truth, the brown stilettos costs me three pairs of shoes from Unlisted. It’s the most expensive stilettos I’ve ever bought. My legs looked great on it. Well, they should be, since it’s expensive.
I checked out the Charles Keith store. The shoes from there were expensive too, but they weren’t as lovely, classy, enchanting and gorgeous as the one I got from Gibi.
I was on my way home when I felt guilt. It’s impractical. I was actually worried what Mom would say so I decided to hide them when I got home.
The boys were there, and since they already saw the shopping bags, I showed them the lovely shoes. Well, I bought a lot of stuff, but I only showed the Gibi shoes to them. They said it was elegant and looks expensive. Uhm, yeah, it really is. I bought their silence for 300 bucks. I hid the items in Carl’s bedroom. I trust Carl, because we already did this before. You know, when I bought the blue Mary Jane Skechers. We knew Mom will nag at me again, because I already have that design in different colors, so we hid it. We did the same thing with the brown miniskirt from Red Girl.
Yesterday, I did the laundry. Mom offered help so I asked her to get hangers from Carl’s bedroom. I can see her from outside, through Carl’s bedroom window. Something fell on the shopping bag, and she picked it up. She touched the shopping bag. I froze from seeing that; my heart beat went fast. Apparently, she moved away from the shopping bag and gave me the hangers. Whew. That was close.
Today, I went to TeleTech to reapply. I wear my sleek gray pencil dress and the Gibi stilettos. I picked Krissie up (she works in French Baker), and we went to SM Bacoor together. She saw my shoes, and she told me it looks good on me. Yay!
I saw my old friends at TeleTech like Jess, Grechel and Jeff.
I was sitting down in one of the chairs in the lobby, and I spotted Grechel and Jess inside. I think it’s their break. They got out and I hissed, “Jess!” Jess turned to see who called her. When she saw me, she looked surprised to see me. It’s like she couldn’t believe that I’m back.
I stood up to hug them and they were like, “Oh my gosh, you’re so tall now!” Well, I’m 5’8 plus four-inch shoes, I’m a six-footer girl. Haha. I fed them the latest about me, like where I’ve been during the so-called “banishment” from that company. Jess commented that I look different now.
“Really? What do I look like before?”
“Sexy ka ngayon, dalaga ka na (you’re a full-grown woman), and tangkad mo pa. Dati, lagi kang naka-pink jacket, tapos ang gulo ng hair mo.” She said.
I paused to think about it. Yup, big improvement! Hahaha. I was “baduy” then. I don’t wear miniskirts, stilts, scarves, swimsuit, and what not before. I was the girl in plain old jeans and t-shirts, with matching running shoes. That’s what I look like, wherever I go; church, school, parties, malls, everywhere.
Unfortunately for me, they had to go. I waited for a couple of minutes for my name to be called.
I’m starting to think that this pencil dress is bad luck. After Matchpoint Fit, I had my initial my initial interview, and I blurted out that I used to be an employee there. I was so stupid. The initial interviewer told me that they’ll just gonna call me because they have to check if I can be rehired.
I started for home. I dropped by at French Baker to check up on Krissie. I bought cinnamon roll from there and told Krissie what happened.
On the van the girl I was sitting with told me, “Miss, I like your shoes!”
“Really? Thanks!” I replied. “I like it too!” Well, I definitely do, you know. That’s why I bought the shoes in the first place.
“It looks comfy. Where did you get the shoes, if you don’t mind?” She asked.
“Yup, it’s comfy. It’s from Gibi.” I answered.
“Where, there?” She pointed at SM Bacoor.
“No. I got these from Alabang Festival Mall.” I said.
“Nice. I never actually looked at that store.” Betcha. Hahaha.
“I like your shoes too.”
“Thanks. Yours look elegant. I’ll check the store next time. Do you work there?”
“Not anymore. I used to work in TeleTech.”
“And now?”
“I transferred to Alabang.” I said.
“I see. Is it a call center too?”
“Yup.” Well, I left out the fact that I’m unemployed, and I’m actually going back to TeleTech. Hahaha.
Well, I guess that’s it for me and my elegant stilettos for today. More later.
