One of the best things that our internship teacher discussed was about professionalism. He even required us to make our own reflection of the topic and upon contemplating on the notes given; I learned that to project professionalism is such a tough thing to do. Want to know why? Simply, being professional comes with a package. It does not solely rely on projecting the physical image of a professional but goes beyond it. It also needs to project the intellectual, emotional and social image professionally.  It pays a lot for a professional to prepare these aspects for all of them are interconnected. To further understand this premise, the succeeding paragraph will discuss elaborately the different aspects.

    First, how will we project professionalism physically? Let us not forget that the physical aspect is the most visible among the four aspects. People don’t judge other people directly through their innate attitude but initially go through what is visible. As the saying goes, “what you see is what you get.” Hence, first step to become professional is to project professionalism physically. But how will we do it? To dress the proper dress code of a professional is one way. This is very much prevalent to those people working in the corporate world. They should wear the corporate attire and not the casual wear like those street tees or over-fashioned outfit. However, to wear corporate attire doesn’t mean we don’t have the right to be fashionable. We can always be fashionable but not too much. Take note, being fashionable means being presentable.

    On the contrary, the judgment of the people doesn’t stop in the physical aspect. After going through what is visible, the scrutiny then now transfer to the intellectual aspect. As what the society defines, the more intelligent the person is, the higher his or her position in the society. But being intelligent doesn’t stop from being knowledgeable to trivial things but also on how to make the right decisions, when to dispel information with utmost confidentiality and most especially on how to do things appropriately. If a person knows how to do these, he or she is then considered as a professional. Consequently, doing things right truly determine our position in the society.

    Moreover, the emotional aspect is also a big contributor to become a professional. People’s disposition is to dwell on their emotions which may cause harm to themselves. Thus, a professional should also be a compose person. It’s like how a person dance once situated in pressure. We have to always keep our composure even though things go out of hand. Let us not dwell on emotions and not make decisions when we’re mad for it may cause wrong decisions. Lest, let us always see to it that we do not make prompt decisions once situated in an unpleasant mood.

    Lastly, the social image is the summation of the three aspects aforementioned. The three contributes on how people professionally socialize with other people. Doing the appropriate actions in interacting with other people is caused by the three interconnected facets. They give us awareness about our actions, body language and words.

    Truly our discussion was filled with learning very much applicable to the real world. We will be taking all of these with us in our odyssey to the realm of the corporate world and most especially to our earthly sojourn. As a conclusion, let me cite one of the quotes that inspired me most.

“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection.” Thomas Paine

    How fast time flies and now it’s the month of yuletide season. It’s like it was just last two months ago since I celebrated CHRISTMAS and now several days more before CHRISTMAS and I am very excited. Aside from prevalent consumerism during these days, parties also happen even in a single alley of every barangays in the country. Truly, Philippine Christmas is the happiest and the longest celebration among any other Christmas celebration in the world. But what gets me so excited is the Christmas Fellowship Night of CCCI. This is not just another underrated, ordinary Christmas party to attend but this is like party of the Gods and Goddesses of businesses. Gosh! I’ll get to know people like Margie Lhuillier, Jun Selma and other big business executives from Cebu. The party also serves as a general membership meeting of the various business entities in the city which makes it a lot different from the other parties that I have gone before.

    The department assigned to the event is the Membership Department. Although I’m not part of the department, I still have to help them out with minor tasks so that the event will be successful. My task then is to call different companies to ask for the confirmation of the attendance of the members. One thing that I learned from this task is the phone etiquette. I have been taught about this thing though but to apply this in the business context is a bit different. I have to speak English fluently throughout the whole conversation. Thus, my fluency in English is being tested and at the same time being enhanced.

Postscript:

Please always keep on visiting my website. More blogs to go!

    Before my direct head left for the trade mission, she assigned me one of the most important task related to the preparation of the next Cebu Business Month. She assigned me to research for suppliers and manufacturers of OCTANORM SYSTEM from foreign countries such as UK, USA, Japan, China and etc. For everybody’s information, OCTANORM is a system of exhibitions used in trade fairs. At first, I thought it was just plainly research but later on I found out that I will be responsible in contacting them, making business with them and the worst, make a comparative study on which is the best deal among the many prospects. Again, I feel another burden, pressure. I feel pressured because I will be hands on in doing business with foreign countries and most of all the burden of getting the highest quality for the OCTANORM that will be used for the next CBM. 

    At some point, this assignment gave me a feeling like I’m on a pedestal. It seems that they are giving me a high-regard. However, the feeling of high-regard seems also challenged me to do my best since the OCTANORM system is one vital element in the transpiration of the event.I, therefore, can safely say that they don’t treat me as an intern but they treat me as an employee.

    In my former blogs I was not able to mention that the CCCI meetings with the business consuls are not merely about CBM but also the preparation to their upcoming TRADE MISSION. One of the basic functions of CCCI is to conduct trade missions to various countries around the world. This time, their target countries are from South America. The CCCI team particularly the CBM-BD Department is going to visit the countries like Brazil, Chile, Argentina and etc. As a result, another work load has been added to me. This time, I am task to design the kit that will be given during the trade mission. Aside from that, I am also in-charge of packing the token for every speakers and business consuls from South America. Even though it’s such a simple task yet I feel pressured. I have to be best even if it’s only packaging the tokens and kits because they will not be given to some friends or ordinary people but they will be given to business consuls, businessman with big businesses from other countries.

    Packaging the kits and tokens may be such a simple task but lessons can be reaped from it. I must say these things aren’t my turf but I enjoyed doing it. I can even relate it to Marketing. One of the vital functions of Marketing is the packaging. Packaging is not just for storing or presenting the food but it is also used to communicate the product or service to its target market. The packaging speaks for itself. It speaks of its position and image in the market. Good packaging means good product but bad packaging means bad product. The same thing with packaging the tokens and kits, the way they are being package tells the people how a Filipino does his or her job. 

    The month of November embarks the planning phase of next year’s Cebu Business Month. I am assigned at the Cebu Business Month – Business Development department. Obviously, I am assigned at the busiest department. “Meetings here, meetings there, meetings everywhere,” the only phrase that my direct head uttered everyday due to so much stress and pressure brought about by the preparation of the next CBM. However, I liked the idea of belonging to the busiest department. This only means that I will have a lot of things to do. Consequently, there will be no room for boredom and I will have the pride in being a part for the success of this Biggest Event for Cebu’s commerce and industry development.

    When meetings transpire basically, my task is to help make coffee for the business consuls and photocopy documents urgently. It’s like my role is the secretary of the secretary. So, I need to be swift and fast in doing things because business consuls don’t like people that are slow. According to them, slow people waste their very precious time.

    With this, I realized that the work of the secretaries is not easy. They have to be fast and multi-tasking. Aside from that, they also have to be knowledgeable and updated on all matters related to business. Such as being updated daily with the currency exchange is one thing that a secretary should be. Thus, it pays a lot to be a secretary. 

    Separating wheat from chaff is a lot better than finding the right job. It took almost a month to find the right company for my internship. I’ve been through a lot of companies and almost all implicitly deny my application. The worst, two of my dream companies denied my application. I was totally down in the dumps then. But with all of life’s twists and turns, I was accepted in the company of my least interest.

    I was accepted as an intern in the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry. My first day as an intern wasn’t like in Home Radio where I felt so many jitters. All I felt that day was the fast pacing of time. My five hours of duty was like an hour because there wasn’t an orientation done, however, I was then assigned to get the MOA from the Cebu City Hall and the approved budget for the concluded Cebu Business Month 2011. I was totally shocked. I was very much busy on my first day. After I went to the City Hall, I photocopied a lot of papers, distributed the memoranda on the different departments and most of all called big business executives to inform them about the coming meeting with the CCCI staff for the next CBM. I was literally bombarded with tasks on my first day of internship.

    Although I was very busy on my first day, it was such a blessing in disguise. I now felt how it’s like to be in the corporate world. Everything is totally non-stop work. Unlike in Home Radio where I can still chill and somehow showcase my talent, in CCCI it is totally different. I was in culture shock. CCCI is a totally different work environment from my first company where I had my first internship. With their difference, I expect a lot to learn more things different from what I have learned before.