What's your job about? 

I am currently working at a local bank and am part of the Head Office Operations Group’s ATM & MPOS Deployment & Monitoring Department as an Operations Analyst 1. One thing to describe my day/week is that it's always changing. Compared to other employees where their tasks are similar everyday, us GOLD graduates need to look for improvements in the process to make it more efficient and challenges us to think outside the box. One interesting fact is that people call industrial engineers “a jack of all trades master of none”. It is commonly seen as an insult however, I see it as a compliment since it describes how adaptable an industrial engineer is whether it be in a workplace or life in general.

What's your background? 

I started my early years (until kindergarten) in Mandaluyong City. However, my family and I moved to Antipolo City when I started studying in Assumption Antipolo for grade school and this lasted until I graduated senior high school. When I started college in DLSU-Manila, I moved back to Mandaluyong City since the commute was more bearable and accessible from there. In relation to that, I am still living in Mandaluyong City even now that I’m working. One of my most relevant experiences was when I became a project head for a 4-day event of my student organization (Habitat for Humanity: Green Chapter). I handled the Operations team which was composed of the Documentation section, Logistics section, and Finance section. This was a big step for me since it was done nationwide. Three days were for seminars with esteemed speakers on their respective fields and then one day was allotted for the project presentation of the participants of the event. Because of this event, my time management and people management skills were challenged, however, I was able to push through with the help of my mentors and section heads as well as faith in God and myself. I was able to get this job position because of a job fair in my university and I was contacted to join the GOLD program which I gladly accepted. After a year and 3 months, I was able to expand my knowledge in Operations and contribute in my assigned department in my own way.

Could someone with a different background do your job? 

Yes, I think someone with a different background can do my job. As long as someone is adaptable, has good communication skills and analytical skills, they would be able to excel in a job similar to mine. Moreover, thinking outside of the box and having the mindset that there’s always a better way are considered as advantages in this line of work.

What's the coolest thing about your job? 

What I love the most about my job is the semi-annual rotations. Because of this, I am able to experience what the different departments under the Head Office Operations do. For instance, I was able to expose myself to treasury products and the processes done in fixed income and foreign exchange transactions. In addition, I got to learn how ATMs are being deployed and participate in its monitoring as well as billing/processing payment to lessors. For both of these departments, something I find tiring yet rewarding is to think of a solution that would produce improvement to their processes.

What are the limitations of your job? 

Yes, there is a lot of responsibility in my job. Thinking of process improvements requires weeks to months of observation and analyses. In relation to that,  I am expected to propose these possible solutions to high ranked officers (e.g., department heads, divisions heads, segment head) which still remain intimidating despite doing it often because rejection is always a possibility. Aside from these, I also partake in the processing of transactions (BAU) daily. There are times I work overtime and even on weekends just to finish everything within the given deadline to me. 

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student... 

First, everyone has their own timeline. I rushed to look for a job after thesis. I gave in to the pressure and wasn’t able to have a little time off for myself which is one thing I regretted. Second, people come and go. Some would stay with us for years, others only for a while. It’s important to cherish the bonds we’ve created along the way as we navigate through life. Third, never stop learning. Improving oneself wouldn’t only unlock our potential but allow us to have more confidence in ourselves.