Frustrations of a Fresh Graduate

Source

I recently finished my Bachelor's Degree in Consular and Diplomatic Affairs. I luckily graduated as a Cum Laude along with the Student Leadership Award given to a graduating student. I managed to polish my resume with all of the extra-curricular activities that I participated and organized for the past three years.

Yet.

I'm still having a hard time looking for a career.

Most people, unaware of the Odyssey for passing the Foreign Service Officer Examination would recommend that I try for it.

Honestly? Applying for the FSE as a fresh graduate would probably traumatize me from ever taking the test again. I believe that passing the FSE is not just based on answering simple questions or problems presented upon you. EXPERIENCE is a must.

Now that we're at it, Experience.... experience... what a nasty little bitch you have in effect to my chances of being hired.

I would summarize my points of hardships at the moment when it comes to looking for "THE CAREER":

(1) B.A Consular and Diplomatic Affairs, as good as it sounds, in the Philippines it is really hard to acquire a job that fits my field of study without: (a) a higher degree; and (b) working experience. Also, being vague and broad my finished study as it is... makes all the uncertainty and ignorance to the possible work opportunities out there all difficult. Applying for the Dept. of Foreign Affairs is also a no-no. I would probably work out of the government for now. Not that I don't like it... it's just that with all the reshuffling within the different committees and departments... it'll take a while before things actually settle down into normalcy.

(2) Advertisement issues - well... the thing is that there are NGOs and International Organizations who actually a few openings. However, the only positions that they advertise are those that are for a higher positions. How do you actually apply for a staff or researcher position for NGOs, IOs, Embassies and Corporate Social Responsibilities (department of a company)? Well... luck I guess... you licking your finger then held it up high testing the wind and feeling in the air the needs of each to probably have a "season" of having a possible job opening for a not so high position. Luck and intuition.


Having been said that I am having a problem with looking for a career... looking for a job is actually not that hard. Though the irony of achieving much in college kind a suck at these times.




Source

I applied for a call center job in Makati. I easily passed the English Proficiency and the typing test.... however... I kind a sucked at the hiring interview.

Interviewer: Oh, you're a Cum Laude... how come you're applying for a CSR position ONLY?

Apple: (soooo I could apply for another opening?) ahm... temporary job? For the moment at least.... (ok now you get the picture... panicked and thrown off-balanced... well... a bit... I dragged myself to hell with it... lols)


For a CSR I am overqualified they say....
for an NGO/IO I am under qualified....
ok...
yeah right... ahaha...
Well I guess instead of a CSR I could try for another job...
haiz....
English Teacher perhaps?
Just enough for me to save money and finance my grad school...


Where are the good old days that people think that when you graduated with honors companies would probably swarm after you? Or... was it because my finished study is simply of no use to them? Or... how would they ever know of me in the first place?


As good as our program is at the college... it kind a lacked that last step... that guidance and partnership of assuring their graduates would have options with difference paths of career to choose from. I love my alma matter but... I'm a bit frustrated that no help is coming from them. From the simple provision of possible list of employers (or organizations) or path options other than proceeding to law... haiz...



Frustrations of a Fresh Graduate with a well equip paraphernalia...
how much more for those with none?


P.S I tried to relate my school organization experience in exchange for my lack of proper job experience... ahm... they're not really buying for it though.. hehe...