I encountered one candidate today that I interviewed for a post in my project, who said that actually, she is not in favor of companies who apply a one-day hiring policy. This is somehow new to me because most of the time, the applicants I speak with are hungry for their posts on the onset of the interview and somehow get laid back when the process takes longer. But this one candidate was unique and in fact, she liked the fact that for my project, it doesn't take her to get hired in just one day because she believes that

And so I asked her why she prefers a longer process than the usual. She simply said it's because it gives her ample time as well to feel if she belongs in the company or not since she still needs to go back. Sweet and simple answer. However, it dawned on me as well to wander in deep thought, what if we do apply it in the project I'm involved with? Currently, we do not apply this policy for the reason that we have certain requirements and steps to undergo with prior to a candidate being declared as a successful applicant and get hired. Our Recruitment Department used to follow that before. Somehow with our project, it cannot be effective.

There are pros and cons of course that could be blown up to a larger scale if I'm going to expand my list. From the top of my head I can simply say that a One-Day Hiring Process:

• Increases your chances of hiring top candidates who are in-demand before they get better offers
• Attracts more aspiring applicants to try out their best in your company without much hassle in scheduling since the decision can be made within the day
• Gives you a larger pool of candidates to choose from considering that more candidates are processed in a day
• Saves you more time in going over a series of tests and assessments and go straight to matching the profile to your standards

On the other hand, an Extensive Hiring Process can:

• Avoid poor and snappy hiring decisions by carefully analyzing test results and psychological exams that suit your needs
• Relieve you of the worry about the quality of hire since you followed a detailed and comprehensive process to make sure you made the right decision before extending the offer
• Gives you lesser troubles in terms of the number of hires you have to find a better job fit
• Makes you know more about the person you're going to work with in terms of background verification, fit for the account, personality, comfortability with working with you, etc.

This list may go longer ... I'm not a recruiting specialist but I take care of validation interviews for sales people before I endorse them to the final step ... talking to my client which can make or break them in terms of joining my project. Our hiring process includes test examinations, a thorough interview process, and a sales assessment which lasts longer than a day of course. For me, I get to source the candidates better this way as well and I get to know more about their strengths and weaknesses so I could be more confident that they can do the job. However, we can probably still improve this process.

I don't know about you guys but I wanna find out ... what do you think? As an applicant, do you prefer an extensive one or a shorter hiring process?

Chai

Typhoon Ondoy has been a record-breaker in terms of death tolls in the country (caused by super typhoons too as I read). Seeing its aftermaths in most sites have been very alarming. It came as a shock to most of us who have been caught off-guard. And I guess regardless of preparation, we wouldn’t be able to know when we’ll be hit.

That Saturday, I was sooo worried about the completion of my much-awaited event come the next day. I’ve been preparing everything for it and updating the people I’m supposed to meet. But the weather wasn’t favorable so I made a call to cut it off and just reschedule it … I was sad but I didn’t want to sacrifice the safety of my friends just because of that favor. I’m glad they understood. And I’m glad they’re safe.

My way to work has been a challenge already. The fact that the roads we took were already deeply flooded (was on a cab and the driver was worried about his engine too). I arrived ... I took a few hazy photos along the way ...

One thing that also worried me later on after I rendered my shift was the fact that my dad had been keeping me from coming home. I was stuck in the office since morning and the streets have been heavily flooded then. The rain didn’t stop and everyone got stranded. I thought I would just wait ‘til evening then I could go home. I was wrong. The signal in my neighborhood is pretty bad and I couldn’t get timely updates from my dad that time. I was worried sick. Dad, mom, and my younger sister were all at home; and I was out there … not knowing what’s happening.

I guess I’m just paranoid or something … couldn’t help it. I just didn’t want to leave ‘em alone in times of dire need. My parents are already old and I only have one sister. I love them so much that I don’t want them to be out of my sight. I guess that fire that caught our house a few years back was such a traumatic experience for me … that the only thing I wanted to save was the Bible they gave me, which I kept on my bedside. Seeing submerged houses and those, which are flooded waist-deep inside their houses caused some flashbacks on me … scenes I didn’t want to remember … scenes I saw after the fire not so long ago … scenes of our house totally flooded … pumped waters from the firemen … scenes of Red Cross giving us relief goods and blankets at that time we didn’t know where to settle the night after. I couldn’t help but remember these after seeing the photos of Ondoy’s wrath. I’m just glad that my family’s safe. We were able to tough it out that time during the fire … I guess the heavy rain and flooding wouldn’t be that bad after all. I just wanted to be with them that time … that’s all.

A few exchange of text messages with me and my dad went this way … This is in TAGALOG though (Filipino language) but in summary ... I was worried about my family and I get impatient when I don't get a response nor callback ... sad that the cellphone signals were unreliable that time but I'm glad they're safe.

DAD: Chai, wag ka na umuwi. Malalim na tubig dito. Ma-stranded ka lang.

CHAI: Okei. Kamusta ba kayo dyan?

DAD: Ok naman kami. Malakas lang ang hangin. Baka masira yung yero sa bubong. Si Jong di na naka-alis papunta run sa kasal ni Victoria.

CHAI: (evening) Dad wala nang ulan, pwede na ba ko umuwi? (Tried to call – cannot be reached.)

CHAI: (impatient – calling sister, dad, texting) Dad / Jong, ano na nangyayari dyan? Sagutin niyo naman ako please … uwi na ko.

DAD: Wag muna. Tumaas pa yung baha. Hanggang bewang na lahat ng daraanan mo hanggang dito sa atin. Dyan ka na lang, mas safe pa dyan. Nawawala yung signal dito e. Nagba-brown out pa. May pumutok na poste sa kanto. Lumalakas na ulit yung ulan.

CHAI: Haay salamat. Kala ko kung ano na nangyari dyan eh. Charge niyo na cell niyo hanggang may kuryente pa.

CHAI: (early wee hours in the morning, Sunday) Dad/Jong, kamusta ba dyan? Umuulan ulit. May kuryente pa ba?

DAD: (took longer to reply) May ilaw pa. Hanggang dibdib na tubig, wala ka na daraanan. Pumasok na tubig sa baba. Binaha na sina Leilani. Okay pa naman kami dito sa taas. Matulog ka na muna. Kanina ka pa gising.

CHAI: Ok lang ako dito. Work na lang ulit. Second shift ko na to. Di rin ako makatulog eh. Basta ok kayo. Ingat kayo dyan. Love you po.

But around 3 or 4AM I guess I fell asleep on my desk. My body’s been failing me already. We only had a few employees who came and there were 6 of us stuck that day, rendering our next shifts without resting. After about an hour of nap I guess, I was awaken by one of the employees who were able to come, requesting for food stub. Ahh yes … I was about to distribute that.

As part of our BCP, free meals were given to employees who were able to come that day. I stayed awake watching our performance too but I totally lost energy around 8AM I think … I lied down flat on the couch and slept … 3 hours passed I guess and Jan woke me up but made me go back to sleep. She just wanted to check if I’m ok. She was stuck in her van too after Saturday shift and came back to our office that Sunday to check her people. Our VP and Country Manager visited the area too. They just let me rest and sleep until end of shift then … I was touched by their message too … sending appreciation for the leaders who didn’t let our people down and took care of our employees at the time when no one else would be available.

I got home around 3 or 4PM that Sunday I guess … when there was already sunshine. The streets were still flooded but I didn’t care. I’m used to braving the floods since childhood. In college, I recall a time I went home riding the tricycle … on top of it. Yes. Coz the flood in Dapitan (UST) was so deep and riding inside will just cause me to be wet all over. I was sooo relieved after getting home. I’m reunited with my family and I was happy to see that they were all okay.

This week, I’ve been busy a lot of deadlines and end of month reports but our company’s heart is still with the victims of Ondoy. We’ve been checking daily on the agents who were still unable to work and updating our HR group on their status. Relief operations were pretty tiring for them too but it was worth it. We were giving out donations as well, to the point of going to their areas of residence to give immediate assistance – monetary and in kind. I suppose these activities will still continue this coming weeks. And I’m glad that our company is all-ready for these on-the-spot humanitarian work. All employees are united towards a common goal ...

Our streets are now better ... not much high flooded areas ... on my way home last Tuesday or Wednesday I think, the waters are just ankle deep or gutter deep I guess. Here are a few photos I took on my way home ...

I just wish that everyone who got affected will be able to relive their lives after this tragedy. It’ll be hard at first but I know that indeed, after this hard rain, there’s always sunshine and a bright rainbow ahead. I once thought that it would be impossible (when that fire had hit us). But I had to stay strong for my family. And with the help of my good friends in school and at work, I was able to again patch my pieces together. I had to work wearing shorts and jacket alone that time. My boss Rocky was in full support to keep me motivated despite my emotional state. My best friend Boots was very helpful in giving me temporary shelter. My Ex was also supportive and visiting us everyday and giving groceries. My closest friend at work Emz was going gaga trying to help me find a new place and giving me new options where to live. Another good friend of mine Bailey gave me tons of new clothes for me and my family. All our clients and colleagues before have given me monetary help as well to make me start anew … all these have happened … at the time I thought I was completely helpless. I was terribly ill inside … weak and fragile but I knew that if I wouldn’t be strong, my family wouldn’t be able to recover. I am grateful for every blessing I received! So I braved all that and now … we’re much better. Still not completely settled since we’re just renting unlike before when we had our own place but I know that having my parents and my sister with me; we’ll be ok.

And this is what I share to some folks who cry and think they wouldn’t be able to recover. Aside from monetary help that I can give (well, I ain’t rich but I give wholeheartedly to those in deep need), salary deduction and outright cash I wouldn't even ask to be paid back; they need comfort and encouragement … that they can rise after this tragedy … that they can get all the help they need … they just don’t have to stop … they don’t have to lose hope. The material things they lost are just temporal and they can regain them soon. They just need to be strong …

And I tell Bailey to stay strong too. She has a young kid with her and her husband and she’s currently pregnant with her new baby. She’s residing in her uncle’s house. She lives in Marikina and yes, her house was completely submerged too. She’s weak now and needs strength … well gurl, consider me your strength. At that time I almost lost my sense of sanity, you were one of the people who kept me sane. Now, it’s my turn to help you out. And I will help you the best way I can too … just stay strong. And remember the things you told me when I lost my home for 22 years … look at me now. I’m alive and have relived my life. You can surpass this challenge girl … stay strong … stay strong … To my other friends out there ... let's rummage her stocks of swimsuits ... those that she still has available at http://baileylicious.multiply.com - hurry and purchase!

There are a number of ways how we can help the victims of the typhoon. One good note was that blog from Jin Joson - a fellow Filipina whose deep thoughts are with our fellow Pinoys. I link my post to her blog so people could find more ways to help. Jin had a number of lists there where we can all donate - here's another news article from her. We all have our shares of sad stories and aftermaths; and this is mine … I wish I can help all those who got affected but I know I ain’t a superhero. And so I just help spread the word … trying to reach out to the folks who have a good heart … please help my countrymen. Please help our people. And after this, I pray for a brighter tomorrow for everyone. And my deepest thoughts, sentiments, and prayers to those whose grief and laments aren't solved yet for their losses ... God have mercy on us all ...

<<photo credits to: http://ondoy.tumblr.com except for those I took from my cellphone>>

Chai

I know that each of us have a different opinion on this. Our beliefs are affected by either our environment, culture, religious inclinations, social norms, scientific explanations, etc. But regardless of these factors, I guess I personally am scared of the thought that they do exist.

When I was a kid, in the house I grew up with, I already had weird experiences I couldn't explain. Stuff like "felt" experiences, weird to the point that I feel like I'm getting overly paranoid. Well, that previous house served as a police salvage point based on history. No wonder when my parents moved in there while my mom was still pregnant on me; they saw skeletons and some skulls missing their bodies kept in the abandoned cabinets. The owner was pretty rich though. Just that ... the house was ... creepy! After the fire, I guess those memories turned to ashes already.

My work area had some weird cases too. There were too many to mention! Lah! By December of last year though, we already moved to our new place. Our building was newly built so those scary stories have been kept in memories. But just last Sunday, there was an incident reported by our security folks themselves!

The story goes like this ... at a certain area in our office, there were 6 employees who appeared to be busy working at their work stations / cubicles from 12MN-1AM. Our building admins in charge of monitoring the CCTV have noticed that BUT ... they knew that there was no operations for the said campaign and area at that time. To check, they went up to that area together with some security guards. As they arrived, the place appeared to be deserted and the lights were even turned off. Nobody was there and there were no signs of even ebing occupied for that time being. They were just 2 floors away and it would be impossible for the said 6 employees to have left that easily and turned off everything. And the guard manning the floor did attest that no one was there to begin with, nor did anyone leave the area prior to the admins checking.

That really freaked me out ... knowing that the said area was just accross my area. We're on the same floor. Most of the times, I'm even staying longer in the office alone since my work demands it. Now this whole new incident scares the sh*t out of me and I wonder how could I stay to finish my other work stuff if this story lingers?

Chai