Some Things I Picked Up From My First Job

As you know, I worked in Manila for about a year and a month. It was a great experience and I feel blessed that I decided to work away from home. I also learned some lessons on relationships and about myself. As for lessons that I got while working for my previous company, here's a short list:

Graybacks

Being old need not be a disadvantage. My previous company thrived on reputation and reputation was built on having seasoned veterans in the company. For instance, we had a vice president who went by the name "Boss Tony", who was with us not only because of his management acumen but also because of his name. He was a celebrity among his peers in the industry and that only served to bolster the company's name in return. 

He likened himself to a "grayback", the old yet wizened male gorilla. Literally, that label was true; he had gray hair sprouting all over the back of his head. Figuratively, it was also true. In an industry which prizes experience over youth, Boss Tony had the name to solidify the company's claim in that direction. If clients wanted an experienced service provider, we only had to drop his name to boost the client's confidence in us.

Terminology

The use of words play a big part in shaping a company's culture and its image. There's no doubt about that.

As an example, my previous company preferred using the term "advisors" for its consultants rather than the actual term (consultants). That's because, as explained by Boss Tony himself, the word "consultants" has, over the years, been loaded with a lot of negative baggage. What immediately springs into mind when the term is used are professionals who do little but charge exorbitant fees.

"Advisors", on the other hand, is a term unburdened by euphemisms and is quite novel in the business setting. Personally, what springs into mind when someone mentions "advisor" is the college teacher who helped us through our thesis (Thanks Ma'am Baldric!).

Location, location, location

The office address is quite important. Not only should it be accessible but it should also help in improving a company's image among its clients.

In my case, we were based in Taguig City, particularly in Bonifacio High Street. The place was quite accessible, with rows and rows of pristine parking lots simply waiting to be occupied.

We were also sitting right in the middle of upper class society. The rich and famous visited Bonifacio High Street and Serendra was also just a few meters away. I don't know how much the company paid for its rent but being located in such a posh, decent place was quite an intangible asset.