When I was in the later part of elementary school, our family’s finances went sour. My father’s office furniture trading business was a flop and he was swindled by his business partner. I was very sickly that all their earnings from our restaurant were just being used up for my check ups and medications. My parents were forced to close down the restaurant since they could no longer give time to manage the operations.
A few years later, my father died from kidney cancer. My brother and I had to help my mother sell kakanin (native delicacies) such as pitsi-pitsi, puto-kutsinta, cassava cakes, and others. That meant waking up early in the morning to help prepare the ingredients and cook for at least 2 hours. We would deliver the kakanins to a couple of public schools before we prepare ourselves to go to our school.
There was nothing to be ashamed in selling kakanin. But there would come a time that we felt like giving up. Thankfully, my mother had a strong will and determination to help us finish school. She showed us how to be patient and not to be discouraged to reach for our dreams.
Many Young Filipinos Are Unemployed
A significant number of fresh graduates in the Philippines for the last couple years are still unemployed. It’s a sad fact that the problem lies not in the lack of jobs available. There are lots of vacant positions offered by many startups and big companies. And these are posted in job sites, Facebook groups, LinkedIn, and even on newspapers.
The problem is that, as mentioned by a friend’s friend, the Philippines seems to have one of the most “unequal opportunity employment” atmospheres he has seen. In other countries, including the US, as long as you are of the right age, they’ll let you work. But here in the Philippines (and probably in many third world countries), you may have to go through a lot of challenges to get that first job.
The Tough Requirements To Get Hired
One of the most discouraging chapters in the life of a job-seeker is not getting the job he or she believes he can do best. This is because many Philippine employers discriminate and hire people according to face value; the school where you graduate, your age, your height, and heck, they even look at whether you have a Bb. Pilipinas or Mr. Pogi qualities.
Dear millenials, GenZ’s and fresh graduates, don’t fret if the Philippine society is giving you a hard time finding a job together with the agony of securing all the necessary permits and clearances (barangay, NBI, police, court clearances, lahat na lang).
There might be better opportunities for you.
START A BUSINESS.
SELL hopia, mani, popcorn, gulaman, iced buko, kape, fruits, veggies. Anything if you must in the streets or in palengke.
Or better, yet sell things and services ONLINE.
Anything as long as what you are selling is legal, moral, and ethical.
Huwag mahihiyang maging tindero o tindera.
**Apart from being a finance coach and digital marketer, I also dabble into cooking and brick-and-mortar food serving via our small food kiosk Mumtaz, which serves traditional Middle Eastern/Persian dishes.
There’s no shame in becoming a sales person. Because even if you get a job, you will still be a sales person. You will be selling yourself to a company that could be earning millions or billions in a year while you will get paid with just a miniscule portion of the company’s revenues.
Selling can make you a better person. It will train to become better in communicating and rapport with other people. Selling will help you learn how to negotiate. Selling will help you to continue trying again after committing small errors and mistakes. Selling will help you discover your best.
Be an entrepreneur. Make your own path. There will always be a WAY. 🤟✊🛣
Rock your way to abundance!
#moneyliferocknroll
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