Create your job

We welcome the new graduates to the labor force especially our neighbor, Maricel, earning her Bachelor's degree in Education. Immediately after receiving her diploma she returned to her work at an eatery were she works to earn her keep. She was a working student. She is fortunate to have held a job while studying and now she looks forward to new doors openly for her as a college graduate. She continues to dream of joining the public service as a teacher. Meanwhile, she wakes up at dawn helps cook the meals and by 8:30 a.m. she is at the store helping as a dishwasher. At 3 p.m. she does the marketing for the next day and is home by supper. I am sure she is tired after a long day at work and can just imagine the past years that after work she had to do her studies. But one can be sure she has developed a healthy work ethic and that her struggles have equipped her for what the future holds for her. She still smiles despite all the work she has to do maybe because she needs the money, being an orphan.

Observing the other fresh graduates who remain in the student mode, that is summer is for vacation or are privileged to still have parental support makes me wonder when these privileged ones start to get working. Most often the majority will be looking or applying for jobs and at the rate our economy is opening jobs, a significant number will have no jobs after a long search. It is in this scenario that the I am remind of what Sen. Manny Villar is preaching, create your job. If you cannot find a job, create your job. Easier said than done some would say. It starts with one's understanding of a job. If one's perspective is at an office or being formally employed or receiving a salary then creating your own job is made unnecessarily difficult. However, if a job is defined as being useful or helpful to others then you can start creating your job at home.

After all the encouraging commencement messages delivered to the graduating class, the translating of the academic lessons into productive work is always a critical process as one's attitude or perspective to life's work is molded. Silliman University's Class of 2005 had Mr. Menardo Jimenez encouraged them to succeed and meeting each other to the top. The message was to be successful but not ascending the ladder on other peoples' back but rather descending towards being of help to more and more people. So for those still looking for work or thinking about work, try creating your job by being helpful to others and you're on your way to success.

Let us end with an attempt to make your smile and for those concerned to get to work. A young man hired by a supermarket reported for his first day of work. The manager greeted him with a warm handshake and a smile, gave him a broom and said, "Your first job will be to sweep out the store." "But I'm a college graduate," the young man replied indignantly. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know that," said the manager. "Here, give me the broom back and I'll show you how it works." And a follow up to rub the salt in with the following quote, "Let us realize that the privilege to work is a gift, that power to work is a blessing, that love of work is success." - David O. McKay*