How did you find yourself working in RareJob Philippines, Inc.?

It’s actually a long story. Just to give a bit of a background, I started working at the age of nineteen. While I was still in college, I worked in the garments and textile industry, and during my early years as a mother, I was a freelance academic tutor. I returned to the office-based workforce as a Competitive Intelligence Researcher for three years before I shifted to the ESL industry.

I initially applied for a different position in RareJob in 2011; I didn’t make the cut so I tried another ESL company, where I was hired. The following year, however, I returned to RareJob and was hired as the first full-time Tutor Evaluator.

How long have you worked for the company?

I have been with RareJob for six years and nine months now.

In all those years, what position were you able to hold?

I started as a full-time Tutor Evaluator back in 2012. By June of 2015, I took on the Training Facilitator position, with some Officer-in-Charge tasks on the side. October of 2016, I became a Coach, and by April 2018, I’ve been given the honor of handling both the Training and Qualification teams as a Supervisor.

I can summarize my main responsibilities for both teams in three key areas: Guidance through soliciting and offering constructive feedback, and encouraging feedback between my team members; Team building through putting the right people in the right roles and keeping them motivated; and lastly, Results through people management.

What challenges did you encounter when you first started as a supervisor?

The challenge was mainly finding work-life integration where all aspects of my life can coexist as I wear different hats simultaneously: mother, wife, daughter, extended family member, confidante, managerial employee, and many others.

How were you able to overcome that challenge?

I started delegating tasks, communicated my priorities, and made necessary trade-offs like spending more hours at work and missing family time or skipping work to attend special family occasions. I realized that it is a learning process; I need to take it one step at a time and adjust accordingly.

What can you say is your biggest achievement to date, in relation to your teams?

Over the course of my career in RareJob, I have become a better teammate and leader not only because of how I have embraced the opportunities that I have been given, including the ones that I asked for, but also by how I put the needs and development of others before my own.
It gave me a more powerful sense of success than I have ever felt as an individual contributor, and at the end of the day, I’d find myself saying, “Thank God for this day because somehow, I was able to do something good.”

Based on your experience, why is Training essential in the ESL industry?

Training is essential in any industry since it allows strengthening of skills that need improvement. It is essential in the ESL industry because it creates and maintains a skilled, engaged, and productive workforce which is a win-win for everyone involved: clients, employees, and company. It is also a hallmark of an ESL company’s improvement strategy.

In your opinion, what do you think is the measure of a great leader?

Among others, I think it is when a leader focuses more on building trusting relationships in order to motivate and inspire others to achieve their full potential rather than setting one’s sights on maintaining authority, control, or power that comes with the responsibility.

I highly agree with the assertion about leadership that it is a selfless, people-first, heart-driven role, and that it is worth every second of the complexity if one is in it for the right reasons.

How has RareJob helped you in growing as a leader?

I rose through the ranks and it wasn’t without challenges, to which I am highly grateful. I was given tasks that honed my skills and even challenged me to get out of my comfort zone. I was also given opportunities by my superior and mentor that helped me become more certain with the career path that I wanted to embark on.

You mentioned tasks that challenged you to get out of your comfort zone; can you give one example?

Not to brag or anything, but I’m pretty self-reliant that I got used to being an independent worker or contributor. You may actually picture me saying a line from the 2004 animated movie The Incredibles where Mr. Incredible said, “Fly home, Buddy. I work alone.” In time, I’ll be able to entirely shake off the habit of jumping right in to fix or redo things because as a leader, I must guide and encourage my team to reach their goals, instead of doing it for them.

Many job seekers and employees alike hope and strive to be in leadership positions; what advice can you share to help them along their chosen career path?

To become a great leader, you have to put a lot of work into it because you’ll be wearing many hats — trust me when I say that it’s on top of the many responsibilities that you probably already have beyond the confines of the workplace.

If you aspire to become a leader, you have to ask yourself these questions:

“Am I approachable?”

“Have I created a climate of security?”

“Am I leading by example?”

That sounds both helpful and inspiring, especially for those who are already in leadership positions! Based on your experience, how can a leader break the ice between them and their team?

Well, for one, being a Subject Matter Expert or having excellent technical skills will not suffice; a leader also has to develop human or interpersonal skills. One has to be approachable in order to build trusting relationships. A leader cares personally when they bring their whole self to work and see others as whole persons with lives and aspirations beyond the workplace.

Always remember that leadership is no longer just about you; it’s about bringing out the best in others and lifting them up. After all, you can’t push someone to move forward if they are behind you, right? You also have to challenge directly, give and receive feedback, make tough decisions, and uphold high standards. A time may come that you’ll have to reprimand people; do so with love and genuine desire to help them improve.

Once rapport has been established between superior and subordinate, how does a leader create a climate of security?

One last question from us: what can superiors do to make sure they lead by example?

Leading by example is practicing what you preach.Your integrity should be intact because it’s the very core of your influence. Be credible and reliable, and care about your reputation as well as the company’s reputation. Be someone that others would want to emulate.