The Emissary

December 14, 2009

The Technohub affair has opened new doors to many worlds. Challenging the old order, the emissary sent to IBM-Daksh may have failed to secure the job offer. It was a dry-run: a portent of things to come. It's been a year since I turned down the offer at Boardex. A business data management company that offers unimaginable perks to its workers. I gave the slot to a close friend who accepted the job and thrived in that company. Now that the pressures to earn bigger is affecting my well-being, and the frustrations at work are mounting with each passing day, emissaries are given instructions to seek new lands so that one day, those who will survive the journey may find themselves in a better place.



Pinoyexchange, JobMarket - Reading job ads have given me the courage to exchange letters with head-hunters. Some were kind enough to answer my inquiries, while others never write back, even when recognition of an emissary was what I merely seek. There are many reasons for this move. Reasons that will be revealed in time. But when the home front is suffering from massive losses, (The United Nations has just announced an immediate transfer of funds from its emergency reserves to its central treasury) there is reason to panic.

The utol claims she has this English tutoring job that will start next week. Thank God for Koreans! Celebrations would stretch until mid-week until I learned, from mother, that it was only part time work. Say bye-bye to homeland security. At times, I cannot understand why people around could not see the urgency. Good thing, I share these trappings of responsibility and frustrations over our siblings with a gym buddy.

"Kaya naman namin mabuhay kung lahat kami nagtratrabaho eh." El Tigre confided.

"Pero ganun talaga eh, tayo lang talaga ang kumakayod bukod sa mga nanay natin." I sighed.



There was no turning back.

Escorted by two emissaries, I went to Makati to deliver my credentials to a call center known as kgb_. The entrance test was easy and so was the interview. The proctor was a source of inspiration. He's this dark-skinned guy with small eyes, (and he shares my nickname) and when I found myself in a familiar terrain, (the exam was about current events, US and UK geography and culture) I thought I found my niche. However, when they said that I'd be paid a sum slightly higher than what I'm receiving, I had no choice but to leave my emissary behind.



Directory Assistance Agent
300-400 calls every day
Below 15K monthly compensation
I smell a floor with high attrition rates.


"Are you sure you want to return to the rank and file position?" The interviewer asked.

If she only knew, my paycheck still says I belong to the rank and file category.

The side streets between Ayala and Buendia were a little less serene when I passed by going to the bus station. Day shift workers were rushing to arrive at their destination, while call center agents leaving their offices converged in groups to smoke and discuss the affairs of the night. The barkers were luring people to board their half-empty mega-taxis, but people just lurched forward - like they never saw anyone but themselves.

I was asked to go on a graveyard shift this week. With no superior looking after my back, I'd take all chances to send as much emissaries as possible.

In hopes that one of them will get noticed.

My wish is one of them will land me a better job.