Career Success : the 48 Cs Blog Exclusive Seminar

By being at the helm of our book distribution project, i hosted an event exclusively for bloggers last july 2, 2011.

19 days later (today), i decided to publish the entry i had for said event. (to coincide with our Book Release and Availability in all Fully Booked Stores in Metro Manila)

7.2.11 - Two Weeks ago, my boss called me to our war room, a small room dedicated to our planning and plotting of world domination! projects and strategies for Achievers' Circle Inc. The idea was great, Ed Pilapil Jr and myself are bloggers, that is why we believe in the power of this latest event/project that we concocted. We decided to hold an event exclusively for bloggers, a mini career seminar, for free. 

photo courtesy of Franz Lopez

The Book "Career Success : The 48 Cs" was created for the benefit of those struggling to make sense of their careers, those lost and stuck in a void, and to those starting out their career and does not know where to start. I managed to invite a handful of bloggers that agreed to attend an early morning saturday event, and listen to a seminar that will most likely change their perspective on jobs, careers and the right attitude. (deep inside, i was happy that i was the catalyst for their endless thinking and consideration of a different career path or the living of their passions).

We started the event at 10:30, a handful of bloggers came in early and got the chance to meet fellow bloggers, exchange links and talk about their experiences in and out of the blogosphere. i too, took this chance to learn more about the attendees. i discovered their everyday work, their passions and even the reasons why they keep a blog. :)

Ed, the Speaker, gave another 9 minutes for everyone to get to know one another, to break the ice, and discover the reasons why everyone do what they do. surprisingly enough, the attendees focused more on what they want to do in life rather than what they actually are doing at the moment. (this raises my fulfillment, as the attendees realizes that this seminar is really for them). 

at the end of the actual talk, we did a number of photo ops. did a little book signing session and they had the opportunity to speak to the author for a while, ask questions that they did not dare ask during the open forum, and exchange stories once again with one another. 

the speaker was right! In seminars, one must make sure to remember that it is not only important to know a fellow attendee, and ensure that they too know you! we got to make sure that they remember us. ("who you know, who knows you, and who remembers you" - Ed Pilapil Jr).

I truly am grateful to everyone that attended the seminar. Just as you guys told me that you have learned a lot from us. We certainly did learn a lot from you guys as well. Because, every experience, whether good or bad, is always accompanied by lessons. And in our case, the lessons learnt are worth keeping!

Top Row: Patchie Cordero, Jaypee David, Cedric Lee, Darrel Baet, Franz Lopez, Axl Guinto, Conrad Atega,

Brixx Pineda, Jerricho Reynaldo, Francis Romero 

Seated: Cheska Manuel, Len David, Ed Pilapil Jr., Maria Tin-ga

And did i mention that the book is out in all FullyBooked Stores? hahaha soon in all National Bookstores! for updates, Like us on Facebook : Achievers' Circle Inc. and Career Success : 48 Cs . :) 

March - April Photo dump and thoughts

since i was negligent to post (while i was supposed to) during the early parts of april (and latter days of march). i decided to just post some photos that made my late march and early april memorable. thus, this is the life as seen through the thick framed glasses.

3/28/11 - Achievers' Circle Incorporated Visited Capones Villas in Zambales to be part of the Teambuilding of Swell Bar and Cafe. we were excited and happy to be part of this event. and still is very much happy to be part of swell! (Thanks to Rudyard "Steve" Balmedilla for the photo.) 

3/31/11 - Happy 40+ Birthday R.Yang Celebration. Catalytyx, our sister company celebrated the birthday of R.Yang (their boss, and one of our company's director). kiddie party (had i known sooner, i would have dressed up as robin!) 

                    

                                 

4/17/11 - Palm Sunday (Glimpse) and Grad of my Brother at UP - since the graduates were required to be in filipiniana. the family decided to go there by following the theme as well.  we were extremely overdressed, other families came to the occasion weraing tees, poloshirts, and maong. 

while going through my collection of photos here in my HD. i realized that everything was about family . good times!

Back to Basic

Filipinos love the english language. Have you ever encountered some people talking in english inside elevators, or in jeeps, buses, or while strolling the mall. what are your reactions?

aside from that,  i've only seen a handful of blogs who use the filipino language as their medium (good for them!)

But one problem with our supposed love for the language is the refusal to relearn it over and over again. a month ago, i thought my english was flawless, i remembered receiving high marks for english during my college days, being praised here and there for communicating in fluent english, i even won a couple of declamation/oration and speech contests way back in highschool. Up until a month ago, i was certain that english is my primary language, seconded by filipino. 

Three Weeks ago, my boss pointed out that i still lack in a specific area when it comes to the language. at first, it was disbelief, then disappointment, then after hearing his explanation, there was acceptance. Possibly one of the few reasons why i am faithful to post in this blog is to improve my mastery of the language. but one thing that actually helped and is continuing to help is this book:

To be honest, i never even knew that this book existed.

Going through its contents and exercises (yes, i answer them! refer to 2nd photo.), i relearned some of the basic rules that was taught to me years ago when i was in grade 1 or 2. im currently on the 3rd book and honestly speaking, i am seeing results. 

this book costs about 215 pesos. if you think about it, it is such a cheap acquisition and a cheap investment. because by relearning and mastering the language, we will now have an edge compared to those who still lack in their language skills.

 Its a competitive world out there, we need all the help we can get!

Career Success

If i ask you for the definition of a career, what answer would you give me?

then if i followed it up with a question asking you its difference from a job? or work? what would you say?

most of us treat the two or three words synonymous to each other, we view the concepts as same and plainly interchangeable. guess what my friends, They are not.

4 months ago, i would have said that career and job is the same. back then, i would have answered the question in this manner: career is the field your working in, and work is the process. but by reading materials and learning first hand from my boss, i learned the difference.

the book Career Success: the 48 Cs is one of the essential materials that helped me understand what it will take for me to be successful in my career and in life. and since it is still not in the market, i have asked permission from the author to share to you, my friends, a sample of the book. but of course, reading it entirely would prove helpful for those who are lost in their tracks, as well as for those who plan to be part of the corporate industry, and to those who are still in school, but are looking forward to their working life!

to download the file, visit http://career48.com and download the file (3.10Mb in size). and discover how these Cs can help you in your selected fields!

Positioning - the winning Survival Kit!

I've recently finished a book entitled "Positioning, The Battle for your Mind" by Al Ries and Jack Trout.
i have been trying to finish the book for N number of weeks already, and finally i did! (no excuses, i know!)

the book taught me how companies battle it out. how they compete with one another, and the different strategies that they implement to be the best/Number 1. the book also states that it is more effective to play with the information that is already in the prospects head, and not bash them with new information.

so rather than asking the question "Ang Pogi ko diba?" , try to see if she thinks you are and then devise strategies from there.

dont try to force the concept into her, if at the very first instance she already thought that you are not!

But don't fret, the book also teaches ways on how to go over/under/around the concept to change the perception (for more information, BUY THE BOOK! tradepaper back available at fullybooked!)

going back to the point, the authors suggested that in order to win the consumer war, you have to position your product in such a way that it can relate to the customer/buyer. be first in the field and keep it that way. have a unique position, but keep the appeal broad. retain the position, but ensure different strategies to keep the position intact.

positioning is everything! (not to be blasphemous or anything, but i i think this book should be the bible of many aspiring entrepreneurs/business starters)

Achievers Circle at STI Fort Bonifacio

STI Fort Bonifacio, invited our company to present a talk about Entrepreneurship and to identify the HOWS in starting a business. all of us went to STI to assist our boss, the main speaker. we went there eager and hyped for the one hour seminar, but talk about hospitality and service from them (sti), as soon as i dropped my boss in front of the school, i proceeded to their basement parking.

me: Boss (to the guard), Guests po kami ni ms. ong, mag tatalk po sa event ng students.
guard: wala po akong kilalang ms. ong, wala ng parking dito
me: one hour lang naman po ung seminar(i pleaded), (then i surveyed the surroundings and saw a lot of vacant spaces). si ms cindy ong po yung contact namin.
guard: wala , wala akong kilalang cindy, punta ka na lang sa market market at dun ka mag park!

for the information of those who are unfamiliar with the area, market market is as far as going to greenbelt from glorietta (passing thru landmark). it wasn't that far, but, we were in corporate attire and the sun was at its prime. Cindy Ong was our contact for the seminar, she was also the organizer of the event, this very calm woman that kept apologizing because of that incident.

my only problem here is that, we did not volunteer to be there, we were invited, we could have at least tasted  better service and coordination on their part. im not blaming ms ong or any admin for the matter, as we were informed when we arrived, that they did their part to inform the guards about it. my issue is with this one dude, who could have at least checked their records or could have walkie talkie'd a companion to ask.

the talk and the response/participation from the students made things better. everyone was enthusiastic about graduating and starting their careers. during the talk, everyone was at the edge of their seats, everyone was clapping from time to time, laughing, and even discussing amongst themselves when a question is thrown at them. that experience alone made up for the guard incident awhile back. made me remember my time when i was in college!

3.24.11 - Day 1

Borrowing the concept and idea from my friend (Lianne of PHP), i wanted to start an every day photo and caption type of entry.

some days ago, my boss and i were talking about a man, in his 40's, who loves saturdays. for that man, his "to-look-forward-to-day" is saturday, one day after the usual to look forward to day. this man, assuming that he would live upto a certain age, decided to count how many "saturdays" he has left. he bought marbles (jolens!) to represent a saturday, 1 marble : 1 saturday. and every saturday, this man would throw away one marble from his jar, consistently! maybe to remind him how many saturdays he has left.

that conversation actually changed my perspective of time. i realized that life is too short to be wasted on idling or bumming around. therefore, i too would like to do my own concept of the marbles, but instead of subtracting them from the jar, i would be filling the jar up with my own set of marbles!

so, Day 1 photo is

Achievers Circle Inc, Coaching and Consultancy. the place where my future starts, and the place that opened (as early as almost-three months on the job) many doors that led me to many experiences (and i hope will continue to!).