The writer is a native of Bacolod City. She currently works in Peterborough, which is an hour’s drive north of London.
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One could say my story is everything but ordinary.
It’s full of twists and turns and finding my way around roadblocks after roadblocks.
But somehow, I have found my way and my place here in the UK. Now I have a sense of normality, a clearer path ahead of me.
I took up Bachelor of Arts in Communications at the University of St La Salle – Bacolod between 2008 and 2014 but didn’t get to finish my degree due to various reasons, mainly financial. Where I had to choose between going to class and taking up ‘gigs’ on the side to make some income, I always had to choose the latter as it was what put food in the table in the short term.
While in college, I was very fortunate to be able to take part in organizations which, come to think of it now, not only gave me paying projects on the side but has also honed my skills and character to prepare me for what’s to come in the future.
My primary training and interest since elementary grades up to college has always been in the languages, Filipino and English. I’d participated in both literary and journalism guilds and competitions eventually allowing me to have the necessary skills set to become editor-in-chief of our department’s publication. Through this, I was able to eventually get into contributing to our regional newspaper, then find script-writing jobs for events, later taking a more active role in producing those events as creative lead and production manager.
The reason why I think it’s important you know that background is because that’s how I successfully entered the commercial market here in the United Kingdom.
With the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos in the UK, one will assume that it’s easy to get a job here. It isn’t. Don’t get me wrong, there are jobs that allow for easier entry into the workforce. Healthcare, for example, finance and accounting, skilled work.
For a background like mine, or what they consider jobs which aren’t ‘in demand’, however, you’re practically battling it out to land a job just as much as the Brits are – with the added disadvantage of, not being a native English speaker, not having their type of education, and as for me, not even having a diploma to speak for my academic background. But what I lacked in all these, I made up for with a determination, real-life experience, and grit to keep trying.
I knew that if only I could get through the first line of checks, usually recruiters, and get an interview, I’d stand a better chance. All I needed was for someone to take a chance on me to kick start my work experience in the UK to be able to get through that barrier.
After the first few months of job searching, I realize my experience in events, wasn’t going to land me the 9-5 job I was aiming for. With that in mind, and some time on my hands while job-searching, I decided to take a course in digital marketing. Being able to include that in my CV has allowed for more hits and eventually, got someone to take this much-needed chance on me.
After years of freelancing in the Philippines and working shifts in London, I have landed my first ‘normal’ job as marketing and events associate at a clinical research organization working in the fields of pharmaceuticals, research and chemical and crop protection. In this role, I organized international events to help achieve commercial targets.
This role has allowed me to travel internationally and work with colleagues who are experts in their fields. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with this company until it was time to move on to a new role.
My next role was as marketing executive for events and training at a company which provides HR and payroll services to the education sector. Less than a year after I started, the coronavirus pandemic hit and affected the field I was in. This unexpected shift has brought about a new challenge, an opportunity I wasn’t sure how to get on with.
With the events industry being put on hold, the company has offered me a role to help develop a division from a new business perspective. Having banked on my events and marketing experience for the longest time, the change wasn’t something I was particularly excited about. But I was pragmatic about it. I know the job market isn’t at its best shape at the moment, and I can only be grateful for the opportunity.
Since I started working within the marketing department, I have always seen my long-term vision being commercial. However, I knew that to be able to do that, I must also have insight and experience on the sales side of the process. I guess that was it. It was a shortcut to my end goal.
And I’m glad I was offered that opportunity as I have found myself enjoying and this new environment. I am seeing myself being able to contribute directly towards the company’s growth and offer solutions to issues schools and trusts are facing day in and day out.
As consultancy lead, I work with over a hundred consultants helping schools and trusts, not only with the issues they face day in and day out but more importantly be able to help them reach their visions through well-orchestrated strategies and planning.
This area of the business has grown so rapidly within the past year and I am grateful to be able to ride and direct that wave.
So that’s where we are at the moment, I am midway through a very exciting commercial journey after what seemed to be a bottleneck of struggle and experiences. The journey hasn’t been easy, but having it differently may have put me on an entirely different road.
I refuse to see myself as a victim of circumstance but at a receiving end of grace. Throughout my struggle, there have always been people who have offered a helping hand and have taken a chance on me. I can only pay that forward. – NWI
