When did you start working in RareJob Philippines, Inc?

I started working for RareJob Philippines as a part timer back in November 2017. Around that time, I was also working as a part time high school music teacher in a private school.

What made you choose RareJob as your company?

A friend from college who was already working as an IT staff in RareJob referred me to the company as they were looking for a part-time IT staff. While IT did not directly align with my college degree (I was a Journalism graduate) nor my previous job as a music teacher, I am what you would call tech-savvy.

Technology has been one of my main interests since I was a kid and I had accumulated knowledge through self-study and sheer curiosity. I also had a short stint working as an IT student assistant in the university’s IT office so I thought it was a perfect opportunity, especially since I also saw myself working in the IT field in the long term.

I’m glad I took the chance to work for RareJob. The work culture here is not like a stereotypical workplace grind where everyone does not care and only want to get things done. The overall atmosphere is friendly and welcoming, and that extends even into our remote work setup.

Share with us what a typical day is like in IT Solutions Team.

The IT Solutions team works on a hybrid work setup. On days working from home, we respond to any messages sent by staff asking for assistance. Members also work on implementing improvements on the infrastructure and checking out new technologies that we can apply to make the IT infrastructure efficient and secure. Aside from our weekly team meetings, other teams or departments may also set meetings with us for technical consultations or topics, but those are few and far between.

For our office shift, the IT works on evaluating laptops and devices, as well as managing the IT asset inventory. The IT in the office also responds to support requests for office staff and physically checking the condition of servers and network devices to ensure that they are in tip-top shape.

You transitioned from starting as a part-timer, to becoming a full-time employee, and ultimately, taking on the role of team supervisor. How has the experience been so far?

In my transition from part-time to full-time, I felt more hands-on and accountable with the targets and projects assigned to me. It was also marked with an increase in responsibilities, but I found it more fun given that I was able to work on a wider variety of stuff. I got access to the whole infrastructure and I was able to propose ways to improve it.

The transition into the team supervisor role was even more drastic as I have always seen myself as an introvert who prefers to keep my head down and work instead of leading a team. My superior encouraged me to take the chance as he believed I got what it takes. So, I did.

It took me a few months to adjust from being a specialist who directly worked on the project, to a supervisor who was supposed to oversee a project, its progress, and its future.

I admit there are still facets of being a supervisor that I still have to learn, particularly anything dealing with people, but I believe I can overcome it with mentoring from my supportive superior.

As a professional in the IT field, how do you make sure that you are always up to date with the current trends and technologies?

IT is already my hobby so keeping myself updated is second nature to me as I watch videos online and read tech news and articles in my leisure time.  I also have a simple laboratory setup at home with a bunch of computers and hardware that allows me to tinker and play around with technology that interests me.

In my team, I made it part of the culture to share any new techniques or technologies that they have used or heard of so everyone benefits from their knowledge and discovery.

Supervising a team can be both challenging and rewarding. What aspects of the role do you find most motivating, and what are some of the essential skills required to lead a team?

I have a bit of an obsession with to-do lists and keeping things organized, so this managerial position actually allowed me to extend this outwards – managing a team instead of just myself – and I find this part actually fun. It also helps me keep track of my tasks as a supervisor.

I grew up with this team as well so we are quite chummy when communicating with each other, and I already know how they work, including their strengths and weaknesses. Effective team leadership hinges on possessing strong interpersonal intuition. It’s crucial to remain vigilant about team members’ emotions, address their concerns, and prevent work-related burnout. I do recognize though that I am a supervisor and there are still boundaries of what I am allowed or not allowed to share with them.

This position also means I have to receive the vision and direction of the company from above and translate them to actions that our team can do. I do subscribe to Covey’s 7 Habits and I strive to find win-win solutions for my team members and the management and company.

What strategies did your team/department use to build strong working relationships despite the hybrid work set up?

We have weekly team meetings where members can share what they’re working on and raise any concerns or questions they wish to discuss to the team. This meeting proved to be even more important in our remote work setup as everyone gets a sense of belongingness in the team and the feeling that we’re actually doing something as a team.

We also do face to face team lunches at least twice a year. It’s fun to physically meet with the team and share stories and personal life updates.

The hybrid work setup brought unique challenges in scheduling. Team members are empowered to choose their office days and remote work days. I think we’re getting almost the best of both worlds in hybrid: we get the convenience of not leaving the house to go to work, as well as the occasional breath of fresh air (literally!) when we have to report to the office.

When working remotely, how do you establish healthy boundaries and maintain a good work-life balance to prevent burnout?

When I’m not working with tech, I play musical instruments. I play the piano, keyboard and electronic saxophone. Occasionally, I do performances with wedding singers and other musicians. I keep myself healthy by going to the gym.

As for time management, I actually use an app that keeps track of how many hours I spend on certain activities. It gives me insight on how my week was spent and this allows me to balance work and play. I also implement Covey’s four quadrants to sort tasks.

With the increasing interest in the IT field, what tips can you give those who are currently in this career path, or those who are considering opportunities in this field?

My first tip is to get your foot in the door: take good opportunities to get into the field and work your way from there. Second, keep growing your skill set. The IT field is always changing so there’s always something new to learn and experience.