The Curious Case of White & Case

Gist: I got a new job!

Putting this in draft for now because I don't want to jinx it!

Source: theenterprisecenter.com.ph

It's June 7 as of writing, and I can't, ano ba, hindi ako mapakali hahaha. I've been actively searching for a new job, one that pays double at least, and is in line with my current experience. I had a couple of prospects from Jobstreet, but some of them had major drawbacks - night shift, located in the south, OT/overtime hazards... so nope.

But there was one, one very intriguing post that I know is out of my league, but is probably the most rewarding of all. The offer, according to Jobstreet, is aboooove my expected salary (frkn 6 digits man). It's located along Ayala Ave., which is far haha, but it's fine 'cos we're moving in the area sometime in the future. The catch? The post is for a senior position with 8+ years of experience. HAHA. Looking at my resume, the only fighting chance I have is my 2 years experience in one of their non-negotiable requirements. My back-ups: my software development background, leadership and training experience, and my onsite exposure. Also my college latin honors but I'm not sure if they still count as I'm getting older in the industry haha. Total years of experience: 5. Long shot, but I still applied.

But what have you, they called a few days after I submitted my application online! So here's quite a timeline:

May 26 - applied online through their Jobstreet/LinkedIn posting

May 30 - phone interview with the HR. It was supposed to be around 7pm but got moved to 9pm. I agreed, even though it means I could be answering the call at the office (which I'm avoiding), but thank God 'cos just as I was about to finish parking, the call came. So yeah, perfect location. I enjoyed this call. I kept hearing the word "interesting" from the HR as I was explaining my duties and obligations, and discussing the points in my resume. I was hoping it's a good thing. I was told that even though I didn't have the required 3-5 years experience in Performance Testing, my development background kinda makes up for it. Plus points that I was client-facing and was sent to the US for a while. The HR discussed a couple of their company benefits as well. HMO (extended to 2 dependents. YAS), de minimis, 13th month pay, performance bonus, annual increase, 15 VLs and 15 SLs (are you kidding me huhu), etc. I wanted to cry LOL. Then I disclosed my current rate, which turned out to be laughable considering the work I do. So yeah, I laughed too. We wrapped up and she told me she'll forward my application to the hiring manager, then I was invited for a technical interview the following day. I heard her say "I'm so happy I found you". Damn, I'm happy too!

May 31 - Technical interview with their QA manager. I answered an HR assessment exam first, an animated simulation exam about customer service and multitasking. It was fun and engaging haha. Then I went on to the actual technical interview. I thought I was gonna have to do some scripting, thank God wala naman. We talked mostly about the processes we do, my experience in certain protocols, the level of feedback and analysis I provide to each project. I was able to answer everything. But I know I don't have much experience in analysis, I do mostly the dirty work (scripting and support). Shortly after the interview, the HR fetched me again and congratulated me for passing the technical interview. I was so relieved. She mentioned that I was one of their strongest candidates. I went home really excited.

June 5 - The next week I was finally scheduled for the last leg of interviews. One with their IT head in Manila, and another with their stakeholder in New York via web conference. In reality, I had 3 interviews that day. First with their QA team (with future teammates, if ever), next with their GTS head (basically head of IT in Manila), and finally with the director of business applications and shared services in New York. After all those interviews I realized how badly I want to land the job. The company seems great. The leaders are admirable. The scope of work is exciting. I'm gonna learn a lot and still be able to practice my expertise. Everyone seems professional and fun at the same time. And they issue iPhones to their employees (at least for my rank?). The HR went back to me after all the interviews are over and told me she'll get back with me with the results in about a week. She told me I deserve it. I hope she's right.

I hope I'm not expecting too much. I really want to get an offer. I'm ready to resign. But of course I just had to dwell in paranoia for a while. What I'm afraid of:
- That the position was taken by someone who can start earlier (happened to me 3 years ago). They did tell me it was an urgent position. I told the HR we actually have to give 2 months notice before leaving (sucks, right), but 30 days notice can also be pulled off.
- That it was taken by one of my current teammates HAHA. It's no secret we're all looking out. I'm generally open about the opportunities I see online, even sharing those I think are worth the shot. It would be devastating to learn we're vying for the same spot. And that I lost.
- Someone better came along. *cries*

Right now I'm trying to condition myself with the worst that could happen. I'm really just afraid my my teammates would leave and turnover all their work to me! AAARGH. That's gonna be crazy. I don't want to inherit any of their work HAHA. It's too much. I'm already dealing with so much on my own. Argh.

If only there are other opportunities out there for my line of work.

Jeckie said God will give it to me if He knows I'll be happy even if I don't get it. It's all about accepting God's plan and not sulking about things when they don't go my way. Pretty saddening, and enlightening too. It's true that there's not much to lose on my part, I still have a job no matter what. But the buildup of the possible offer is making me really expectant, and it would terribly hurt to lose this opportunity. I want to believe that it's okay to lose this, but I don't know. I want it. Jeckie and I needs it. It's a great leap from where I am today.

June 8 - right now I'm thinking if they're stalling my job offer because a competition came along. I checked their Jobstreet listing to see the profiles of those who applied as well. There are 20 of us. 10 from the same industry, 9 with the same function, 5 with more experience. I'm in deep competition, and that's not to add the other applicants from other avenues like Monster, their Taleo site, or even their own referrals. I don't know if I'll get it. I really hope I do. If I don't...

I DON'T KNOW HAHAHA. I just feel like everything went well for me during the interview process so I'm not sure how to react if I don't get it. Is it my lack of experience? May attitude ba ko? Did I offend anyone? Aaargh. I'm already excited for that new life. New people, bigger salary, more savings, more... food options lol.

Can I just stop worrying about it? As I said, even if I don't get it I'll still have a job. I should be happy about that. Right?

Right.

Hay Lord.

June 9 - I'm still waiting for news. But for some reason, I'm not too hung up on it like yesterday. Yeah, I'm still thinking about it, but now it doesn't feel like a big deal anymore. In fact I was even excited to finish all my work today. Weird.

June 12 - It's a holiday so I wasn't expecting any news. The longer I don't hear about it, I feel like the slimmer my chance becomes. If they wanted to hire me couldn't they decide right away cos they know they had to wait a month for me to get started? LOL IDK. It's not like offers are given in a jiffy. It's sad but I'm trying not to be so sad about it. But I really am. Their Jobstreet posting is already gone too. Which means two things, they already hired someone or the ad has expired. We'll see tomorrow haha.

June 13 - I was supposed to follow up today but didn't have to 'cos the HR messaged me first. Yay. No word yet about the decision of the stakeholder but they'll keep me posted. Whew. I'm getting anxious about it but it's a good sign they reached out first right? Hay Looooord.

June 14 - HR called me to get additional references for background check. No offer yet. They asked for 1 colleague, 1 superior, and 1 HR from all my past employers. It's weird 'cos you don't usually ask for references from past companies but whatever, I want to get back with the info immediately haha. Hopefully it'll turn out well!

June 19 - Some of my references were called today. One of them told me I'm up for a job offer. I can't believe it.

June 20 - HR called me to deliver news! I'm moving on to the last steps of the recruitment process: medical and background check. I asked if there's already an offer, and she said yes. I can't wait to get over it and finally discuss the job offer, which according to them would definitely play around double of my current salary, but less than my asking rate. I'm already okay with double, honestly. I only racked up my asking rate because I saw they're offering 6 digits for the post haha.

Also today, I just tendered my resignation to my current manager. Which now troubles me because technically, I haven't signed an offer from White & Case and I wouldn't know if my getting hired is contingent on the pre-employment checks. Anyway, I asked if it's okay for me to resign already and she said to go ahead because 60 days notice is quite long.

June 21 - I accomplished the medical exam this morning, and got the company name wrong for the drug test forms. For some reason, the guy at the drug test area told me to write Union Bank under company name. I was like, okay maybe the fee is going to be shouldered by the bank, IDK I didn't ask. So I called the HR and confirmed that it's indeed wrong, and weird. So I called the hospital to correct it. Whatever. I hope my results get routed properly.

June 26 - I'm feeling apprehensive but I can't really do anything but wait haha.

July 4 - All my paranoia was for naught. I just signed their offer today, after negotiating for a higher base pay. I didn't get the 6-digits just so you know. Also, I know I'm not worth that (yet). I'm starting on August 21, two days away from my last day here at Pointwest. I already discussed with my current manager and we're good, except that I really had to fulfill the 60-day notice. Good thing White & Case was very considerate of it. My manager also didn't really have anything to counter my resignation, I'm lined up for promotion this month but that's still subject to deliberation, and I'm 4 months short of the average time it takes for someone to get promoted at my level. And I know I'm not that good to break the record of shortest promotion gap ever haha. And the whole long-term/short-term US stint is really just an empty promise. We got a hundred percent denial from the US Embassy this year. I consider myself lucky that I was able to fly once at least.

It's funny 'cos reading back at this whole White & Case recruitment diary, I realized how sobrang praning ko lang I almost didn't want to publish this HAHAHA.

But here you go. Just so I'd have something to laugh about in the future.

Today

This day sucks.

• I woke up early 'cos I have a meeting at 9pm, turns out it was cancelled.
• I gained weight
• I was waiting for a call from a prospective employer, but it didn't come. Now I'm not sure if I'm getting a job. And I already resigned you know.
• Then I hit a car parked outside our house 'cos it was sticking too close to our driveway.
• I missed getting my coffee fix at McDonald's 'cos I was in a rush to get to the office, good thing the drive thru was closed. One of the good things, yeah, but still. NO COFFEE.

Argh. Then there's work.

Today sucked, clearly. But what sucks more is how I reacted to all these negative things. I was such in a bad mood from hitting a car I was in a rage while driving to the office. I cursed at the slow cars along the way, the freakin jeepneys without headlights, the cars parked at frkn street corners, the tricycles, the people not walking on the sidewalk, crossing along Commonwealth. I could've killed a family and not feel a drop of guilt. I know, I'm awful.

But I still thank God.

• That my parents weren't mad at me for hitting their client's car. Have I mentioned they're a guest at our house? T___T
• That I arrived at the office safely
• That I still have instant coffee with me, not iced but it's fine
• That my dad is very understanding of my driving flaws and never scolded me for my lapses
• That I'm alive

Hope you're doing good. :)

Also today at Magic 89.9, Boys Night Out - they were talking about instances where you unfollowed, blocked, unfriended someone over social media, and why.

A caller mentioned unfollowing these social media darlings after they became born-again Christians 'cos they suddenly became judgmental and seemingly self-righteous.

I think I know who they're talking about. Being judgmental and self-righteous is a different story but I just want to react to the sudden change. Becoming a Christian is a complete transformation and it's not at all gradual. It's a 180 degree turn from your old self. It's going cold turkey to sinfulness so yes, it's abrupt, shocking, surprising, totally uncharacteristic to the point of seeming like a hypocrite.

And that's the burden we all share.

Chili's now open at Robinson's Galleria

I can't believe I haven't posted about Chili's! I was meaning to put it under Food Phase Fridays 'cos there was a time I got sooo addicted to it. I would crave for their classic nachos and Chili's rice, and Jeckie and I would eat at Fairview Terraces every two weeks. The manager there even gave us free buffalo wings 'cos sobrang familiar na ata kami hahaha. Well, that was before when we could still afford it haha.

Just recently though, we were given passes to Chili's soft opening at Robinson's Galleria so we were really stoked about it. So even though it was scheduled on a weekday lunch and that I'm most probably still asleep, Chili's is Chili's so I gotta make time right?

Right!

It's been a long long time since we last ate at Chili's so that day was such a huge throwback. We were given play money to spend and a survey form to fill out before we leave. Cool!

Then we ordered the usual. Classic Nachos for appetizer, Beef Salpicao for me and Monterey Chicken for Jeckie.

Classic Nachos

They have the most delicious and unique nachos!

Beef Salpicao

I super love Chili's Rice. My love affair with Chili's actually started with their rice. I keep coming back for it.

Monterey Chicken

Another one of my favorites, but I'd choose anything with Chili's rice talaga haha

Also, new found favorite: Dalandan Mist! 

If you ever find yourself in Galleria, don't forget to drop by Chilli's for a hearty meal! :)

Chili's is located at Level 2, Robinsons Galleria, Ortigas, Quezon City

Head of the family: not just a provider but a father

Imagine working in a world where time seems to just pass by and almost everything changes instantly. Think of having to keep up with an environment where it costs a lot to stop or even slow down for a while. Sound taxing, right? What more of prioritizing the welfare of everybody in the household.

But every head of the family doesn’t mind about it. Fathers are said to be the pillars of our homes. They toil sun up to sun down to give our needs and desires.

Some of them go abroad with tears in their eyes because they will be physically separated from their families. However, there is a certain joy in their hearts knowing that they will be able to provide for their loved ones back home.

To honor these gallant paternal men and let them feel how extraordinary they are and important their sacrifices are for their families, Father’s Day has been a yearly universal event. As we mark again this special occasion on Sunday, June 18, 2017, our applause and recognition will never be enough to show them how grateful we are to have them in our lives.

Our dads, together with our moms, take good care of us the moment we’re born. They are the ones who provide everything we need for our everyday lives. From infancy up to adulthood, they feed and clothe us.

As we take our initial baby steps, our patriarchs guide and lead us in the right direction. When we stumble and fall, they assist us to rise and move on. In times of danger or any threat, they shield us from any harm.

All of these, they do out of unconditional love. Their selflessness, though, has its own toll. Working tirelessly could lead to high levels of stress constantly and problems not only mentally, but physically, too. So better watch out for the signs.

Has tatay been constantly complaining about losing strands and strands of his hair every day? Or maybe has he been searching for a way on how to get them to grow back?

According to the hair loss statistics conducted by Statistic Brain in the year 2016, 40 percent of men experience noticeable mane vanishing as early as age 35. And as per the American Hair Loss Association, there are a couple of different factors that cause excessive hair fall, one being extreme degree of stress.

Nutramedica Inc. introduced a revolutionary product that aims to address this problem: NOVUHAIR, nature’s answer to hair loss. Being the only topical scalp lotion in the country that is made from 19 natural herbs, essential oils and co-factor nutrients all working synergistically, it’s perfect for all the heads of the family out there, be they biological or not.

NOVUHAIR is proven effective and safe to help prevent and stop the progression of hair loss and, at the same time, help promote locks’ growth. Simply spray a liberal amount of NOVUHAIR topical scalp lotion onto the scalp and massage for 5-10 minutes. Voila, it penetrates deeply into the roots, which helps rejuvenate, nourish and maintain the natural moisture of the hair.

Still have no idea on what to give him on his big day? Well, NOVUHAIR might not be the most expensive gift to impress him, but the most valuable present he could ever have. This nature’s answer to hair loss provides him the chance to be ahead already in preventing his “crowning glory” from receding in the near future.

So, head on to all leading stores nationwide and get a dose of this breakthrough product. NOVUHAIR is also available in shampoo and conditioner formats to further complement the benefits of NOVUHAIR topical scalp lotion. NOVUHAIR is available at Mercury Drug and other leading drugstores nationwide. You may also order NOVUHAIR online at www.lazada.com.ph. For inquiries, you may call 413-6570 or 0922-8830575, and visit www.novuhair.com.

Life Lately

To be honest I'm feeling kindof down lately. But it will pass. I'll stop sharing about our wedding planning for now 'cos I feel like it's being jinxed the more I talk about it. Something unexpected came and now Jeckie and I are scrambling to get new jobs. Can you believe it, right in the middle of saving for our big day. So yeah, will bottle it in 'til it's over then dump all the reviews when I'm officially a Mrs. I'm just thinking sayang cos I just learned that wedding related keywords are frkn evergreen. Hahaha On the plus side, I've earned around $200 doing freelance work last month. It's tiring, writing about pool accessories, home repair, and frigging drones, but I'm learning yeah. It's just that sometimes I wish I had more passive income, so I don't have to toil every time I needed extra money. It's like yeah I may be skilled in a couple of things, but it won't translate into money if I don't work extra, which sucks.

Anyway. I'm just so tired. For an unseasoned (just haha ok) writer like me an article a day is quite a stretch. I can't believe I pulled it off though. I'm still so exhausted from all the thinking and researching, but here I am wondering if I could get some more assignments 'cos I need more paypal funds to pay for my bridesmaids dresses hahaha.

Hay Lord. I just need some good news.

ShopBack is giving you cashback for shopping online!

I loooove online shopping, so it's kind of a shame I'm only exploring ShopBack now. If you're someone who loves lurking and swiping at Lazada, Althea, Zalora, or even Booking.com - you definitely have to learn about this!

Philippines' cashback website, ShopBack, is an online cashback website that lets you get deals and discounts on over 300 stores. It's pretty simple. It's all about giving you back a portion of your spending whenever you checkout at ShopBack. Easy right?

Watch this video to learn more about how it works:

See? All you need to do is sign up, browse on your favorite online shop via the ShopBack portal, checkout and get your cashback! You'll be able to redeem via payout to your bank account and even on Paypal. Convenient right?

I'm pretty impressed with the variety of e-commerce sites they've worked with. All of my favorite shopping portals are there, and I'm sure yours is too. You can get cashback on your eBay deals purchases, and get exclusive discounts on Lazada and even AliExpress!

It's the perfect online shopping and cashback platform for shopaholics like me!

But what got me really excited about ShopBack is the list of beauty shops they've worked with! They've got everything! Members get exclusive dibs on Sephora sales for saving on cosmetics, and they've also tied up with Zalora, Althea (waaah!!) and even Forever21. If that doesn't get you excited, I don't know what will! Maybe travel deals? For those who love traveling, you know how costly it could get. Using ShopBack, all your trips are going to be totally worth it. They've worked with Booking.com, Expedia, and Hotels.com to give you the best cashback offers you could get. Check here to see more of their travel deals.

Shopping has never been this rewarding, don't you think? So shop online and earn cashback now! :)

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Sobrang waley

Everyone's thinking of resigning and I'm here contemplating whether I should attend interviews and try to get an offer at least. I updated my Jobstreet profile and browsed a couple of postings two nights ago, applying to this one company which I really like, sounds really good, and is basically just a couple of buildings away from where I work. So far I've had 4 calls, including the one I applied to (yey) and even an overseas opportunity (omg). So yeah. Time to think.

My preferred company (the one I applied to) doesn't really have any open position that's fit for my current experience. But the HR said I have enough experience for this and this post so they're inviting me for an exam. Which is the problem. Cos I already tried their exam 5 years ago and failed miserably. I don't think I have enough braincells for their test. And chances are they'll make me code the Fibonacci in C or Java, on paper. Just like 5 years ago. And I frkn can't. Never in my (short) programming experience did a business requirement needed a similar algorithm anyway. But I know, I know, it's really just to test me out. Waaaah Lord.

The other opportunity, the one that got me really excited, is an overseas one. This time the position is for something I have current experience in. Something I'm more confident in. During the call they told me about the country (it's in Malaysia), their client budget (which sounds like an offer already but wtv), the cost of living there, how long I'll be staying (1 year), and some other stuff. They told me to wait for an email but I haven't received one, so I'm tryna get my hopes down. In any case, HOW COOL IS THAT?! :D I told myself I had to wait until I get married before applying to other companies because I can't afford to have a downtime. But damn, times are hard. And being at the edge of the fence makes me want to leave for greener pastures.

Anyway. I have three things going on: 3 pending articles, 2 logo concepts, and my regular job (that I don't even wanna count anymore cos I'm just out of mojos for it). In fairness, God has been truly gracious. I never had an ongoing writing job since 2009 (oDesk) so I'm really thankful I landed one! Next, I've never worked on a design project via organic leads so again. Thank you Lord!

Lastly, someone finally bought the Delonghi Multicooker I won from a blogging contest, so yeah. It's been 3 months and I'm afraid the warranty will expire so yey for getting a buyer. It's my first time to ship via bus cargo too so I'm kinda scared, but buyer paid first so I just gotta try it out. I didn't even know it was possible to ship items via cargo. Well buyer has to pick it up at the terminal but that's already plenty of savings given that I'm sending something too big and heavy.

So there. Wish my luck in a lot of things!