THE “DRIVE” OF A PERSON
SPELLS HIS SUCCESS
By Apolinario Villalobos
There are people I know who graduated as summa cum laude or magna cum laude or have taken up post studies for Masters and Doctorate, yet, they failed to succeed vis-à-vis with what they have gone through coupled with money spent, without mentioning the time. On the other hand, many average graduates who finished ordinary courses from far-flung colleges have immensely achieved success. Of course, being at the right place at the right time can help, but the most essential factor here, is the “drive” within a person. In this view, the school and books could be necessary but not guarantees for a bright future if those who benefited from them lack the enthusiasm and energy to crash through the hurdles that block their way towards success.
This is the real situation in finding an ordinary job by fair means and working one’s way up in the corporate ladder: Graduates, regardless of their course and where they graduated, undergo a series of interview and examination, so it doesn’t matter if one is a graduate of a provincial college or a high-end university in a city, as what matters, is he passes the tests. From the lowest rung of the echelon, he works his way up based on his performance and other on-the-job criteria, and not on how he fared when he graduated as such record is already in his 201 file. The current basis is his performance, diligence, relationship with colleagues and bosses, and punctuality. If the guy is one who does not complain every time added work is given to him, he gets a plus, and also when he shows a congenial teamwork capability and respect for time.
The problem with many new-hires today, especially, the snooty graduates of high-end universities, is they complain every time they are given added tasks. They view such tasks with disdain for being not part of their job description, instead of considering them as opportunities for advancement. As a result, because of their high regard to their high-end alma mater, they always expect to find another job if they resign after a short span of stint in the job. On the other hand, graduates of the unassuming colleges have more reasons to work hard and grateful for being hired and recognized for their willingness to learn more by doing added tasks with gusto, which in effect prepares them for better opportunities as they strive for the next rung of their career.
Meanwhile, many graduates are so conscious about the “management” attached in their course. It does not spell any difference at all in the face of highly competitive job-hunting today. One typical example is when we had an on-the-job trainee who was taking a two-year secretarial course. She was admirably punctual and even made attempts at editing our drafted memos which we sincerely appreciated, because we were not always sure if what we scribbled to be typed by her were grammatically correct all the time. She put the topsy-turvy office file in order and did not mind rendering overtime if necessary despite her being just an OJT. After completing the required time, she left and somewhat affected us. When we were in need of a secretary, we put our Human Resources office to task by demanding that we want our former OJT or nobody at all. It took them some time before locating her and finally giving her the job. Today, she is an Executive Secretary…liked by all her colleagues in the office including her boss.
penpowersong 