What is your message?

My college alma mater is doing a profiling of all of its alumni. A student sent me a template to fill out with the usual stuff - employee profile and then some message. At siyempre kinarir ko pagbibigay ng message. Pero dahil prinessure nya ako, hindi ko na na-organize masyado yung thoughts ko :p. I'd like to share it still with you though so here goes.

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Kudos to the students and faculty behind this idea. I hope it will become accessible via the Internet as well so that alumni can also view and update their own profiles. :)

To the students of CICS, while you are in our Alma Mater, make the most out of it. Learn what you can, seize all opportunities to be the best of what you can be, and of course don’t forget to have fun.

If you’re aiming for a career in Software Development, love your SAD (SMA in your curriculum) and Database programming and get serious with your thesis :). These are some of the fundamentals that helped me when I stepped out of college.

You may have heard it before and I’m saying it again. It’s a lot different in the real world aka work place. But it’s not as scary as it sounds. It may be a struggle at first but once you get the hang of it, it becomes enjoyable and you’ll soar amidst all the tight deadlines, extended work hours, changing business requirements or project deliverables, and everything else that comes with the so called corporate world.

Let me give you a glimpse of the real world:

• Proactive - one of the key words you'll always hear from companies. It simply means "magpakabibo" and yes, that doesn't only apply to kids. Employers will appreciate colleagues who can contribute to the team. Don't be afraid to voice out your opinions.
• Trainings - some companies have, some don't have. But you should not rely on companies to give you opportunities to learn new things. On your own, you are expected (YES, expected) to learn the skills needed for your job or any other skills that you want to pursue. Besides, trainings, even the advanced ones, only cover the basics still :).
• Fear of the unknown - don't be afraid to ask questions or admit that you don't understand the project requiremets. I always say this to my subordinates. It's ok to ask questions. Asking questions doesn't mean you are not capable. Understanding is the key. You cannot successfully finish the next phase of the project unless you have a solid understanding of the requirements. The absence of it will always lead to reworks at the end.
• On project assignments - here's one from my former boss. The mere fact that you are given projects to work on means that the management still trusts and believes in your ability to deliver the project. And so I say, don't frret if you need to extend work hours just to meet the deadlines. It's just like staying up for the night just to complete your school assignments really. Don't fret if you are given more tasks than another colleague. That's actually a good sign. Besides, it won't always be the case. There will always be days or seasons that you'll be idle to the extent that you'll be bored to death. So a little of those "I'm so busy I can't go out to gimiks anymore" moments wouldn't hurt. :)

There are endless opportunities in our field. Don’t be afraid to explore until you find your niche.

And while being busy in your studies and later on making it big time in the corporate world, do make sure that you don’t forget your social responsibilities – caring for Mother Nature, giving back to the community, showing support for our country. How to do this? The options are endless, and it starts from within oneself. :)

Go CICS, go Louisians!

Cheers!

* Image from here.