When did you start working in RareJob Philippines, Inc?

I’ve been working at RareJob for more than six years now. I started as a writer back in 2017.

What made you choose RareJob as your company?

I first heard of RareJob from my college classmates who were working as part-time tutors when we were students. A few years later, when I was looking for a company where I knew I could strive and put my language education skills to good use, I came across the company’s job post on JobStreet. RareJob PH was looking for a writer who had a background in ESL, and I felt that I fit the bill for what they were looking for.

Upon further examining the company’s vision of giving chances for everyone, everywhere, and their focus on proactivity and passion for learning, I decided to get on board to see where it takes me. Six years later, I’m still here and enjoying the journey thus far.

As a Content Developer, how has the experience been so far?

As a Content Developer, you juggle a lot of things. From doing R&D on new programs, to the actual development of lesson materials – which include writing and editing within the target schedule and expected level of quality – it has been a slightly bumpy but quite pleasant and gratifying experience.

Share with us what a typical day is like in Material Development Team.

A typical day in my team starts with checking reports regarding our uploaded material lessons. This is followed by checking the timeline of the respective projects we’re handling and looking at the deliverables for the week. After that, meetings and chat correspondence with our Japanese counterparts, project members, and supervisors. Of course, there are hectic days and there are also light days wherein the team could have short meetings to catch up with each other. But essentially, this is what a normal day looks like for a Content Developer.

What do you think are the highlights of your job, as well as the most important aspects?

I suppose one of the highlights of being a Content Developer is seeing our students use the lesson materials we have developed and enjoying them together with their tutors during their classes. There is a huge sense of fulfillment in knowing that you have contributed to a person’s language learning and progress. Another highlight is that we get our creative juices flowing when designing materials.

From your experience, what skills should a Content Developer have to be efficient in the role, and how were you able to develop these?

A Content Developer should have excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong attention to detail, multitasking, and good analytical skills. Throughout my six years at RareJob, together with the guidance of my previous supervisors and project leaders, I was able to hone my expertise and skills by continuously striving to create the best output I can, and by continuously learning from and assimilating the best practices of the people around me.

How did you and your team/department maintain good working relationships despite the work from home set up?

Our team came up with a bi-weekly touch base meeting wherein we catch up with the latest happenings of our team members as well as enjoy activities such as games, puzzles, and online team-building exercises. Our department also came up with the Breather Hour scheme. The objective of Breather Hour is to allow the staff to take a break during the work week and bond with members within paid working hours. The Breather Hour aims to boost individual and/or team morale, build rapport among new and tenured members, strengthen teamwork, and be a venue for more candid conversations, which can lead to better collaboration.

While working remotely, what are some things that you do to keep yourself from being burnt out?

I invest time in self-reflection and personal development every day. And this may sound daunting to some, but, personal development can be done in multiple different ways. As for me, it is in the form of reading a short story or inspirational passage, checking up on and streaming the music released by my favorite band, and looking for good places to eat with family and friends over the weekend. Keeping yourself from being burnt out need not be such a chore. Just find something that would help you develop mentally and physically while giving joy to your soul.

With the increasing interest in the ESL field, specifically in being a Content Developer, what tips can you give those who are currently in this career path, or those who are considering opportunities in this field?

I’m not in any way an expert in the field, so the best tip I can give anyone interested in being a Content Developer and/or currently on this career path is to keep putting your best foot forward and not be afraid of asking questions. All the skills you need to be successful in this career path will be made available to you by training or from getting it through experience, but the mental fortitude to always be at the top of your game and to be humble enough to listen to advice from others is, what I think, the key towards enjoying this job.