P3►

By Maria Lourdes Angeles-Rivera

Professionalism involves being reliable, setting your own high standards, and showing that you care about every aspect of your job. It's about being industrious and organized, and holding yourself accountable for your thoughts, words, and actions.

A person doesn’t have to work in a specific profession to demonstrate the important qualities and characteristics of a professional. Professionalism leads to workplace success, a strong professional reputation and high levels of work ethics and excellence.

Here are 12 ways to develop and practice professionalism: 1. Be productive

Use your time productively at work. Focus on your job responsibilities and avoid getting pulled into social media, web browsing and phone activity while on the clock.

2. Develop a professional image

Project a professional presence and dress appropriately for your industry and organization. A good rule of thumb is to dress in the position you aspire to have.

3. Take the initiative

Ask for more projects to be given to you or think of assignments that will meet your organization's goals. You don’t want to be under-utilized.

4. Maintain effective work habits

Prioritize, plan, and manage your assignments and projects. Follow up and follow through with your supervisor and team members.

5. Manage your time efficiently

Establish priorities, set goals, and create action plans to meet deadlines.

6. Demonstrate integrity

Be accountable for your work and actions while always behaving ethically.

7. Provide excellence

Produce work and results that reflect a sense of pride and professionalism, often exceeding expectations.

8. Be a problem-solver

When you run into problems and obstacles take the time to brainstorm a few solutions and alternatives before you meet with your supervisor.

9. Be resilient

Develop coping skills to manage setbacks and challenges with a positive and constructive attitude.

10. Communicate effectively

Practice professional on-line, in -person and interpersonal communication skills.

11. Develop self-awareness

Learn to manage your emotions and gain awareness of your emotional triggers so you can manage your reactions positively and productively. Accept and reflect on feedback to assist as you learn and grow.

12. Build relationships

Network with colleagues, customers, and clients to build professional cordial relationships, work on teams and collaborate effectively.

Dayuhang Mag-aaral sa Canada

Ang Pulso ng Dayuhang Pilipino.

Babylyn Bautista-Felix

babesfelix100379@gmail.com

Internasyunal na mag-aaral mula sa Pilipinas, kumukuha ng Kursong Early Learning Child and Care Program Diploma sa Norquest College. Mayroong Level 1 Certification bilang Early Childhood Educator. Mahigit 20 taon ang kararanasan sa pagtuturo at propersyunal na guro sa pamantasan sa wikang Filipino at panitikan ng Pilipinas. Gayundin ay nakatapos ng akademikong yunits sa Pilosopiyang pangEdukasyon ng educational leadership ang espesyalisasyon. Aktibong miyembro at naging pangulo ng Lubang at Looc International College Scholarship Alumni Association na naglilingkod sa komunidad at socio- civic na gawain sa Lubang at Looc, Occidental Mindoro.

Malaking desisyon at mahabang panahon ang ginugol sa pagpapasya para maging isang dayuhang mag-aaral sa Canada. Hindi biro ang pagaayos ng mga dokumento mula sa paaralang papasukan, at kahingian ng Immigration na nagpapatagal sa aplikasyon para makompleto ang lahat ng ito. Dito nagsimula ang journey ng pagiging dayuhang mag-aaral. Pagkatapos maiayos lahat ng kailangan sa eskwelahan, embahada at mga personal na kahingian ay sumunod naman ang mga maiiwan at dadatnan sa Canada. Tunay na napakahirap Iwan ang buong pamilya kung ikaw ay makikipagsapalaran sa Ibang bansa. Ngunit, masarap pakinggan kapag alam mo naiayos mo sila bago mo iwanan. Mahigpit na mahigpit na yakap sa magulang, paalala sa mga kapatid at kaibigan, matagal na halik sa anak na iiwan. Kulang yata ang balde kung sasahurin ang luha bago ka matuloy sa pagpapaalam. Hindi kasi natin alam kung ano kahihinatnan ng ating buhay. Buhat sa mga pangaral at habilin nila ay babaunin mo upang ikaw ay magtagumpay. Habang lulan naman ng eroplano ay may kaba sa kung anong madaratnan. Iniisip ang matitirhan at buhay na laang naghihintay. Kaya’t sa mataas na himpapapwid, napakalayong tanaw at malalim na buntong hininga ang sa akin. Maraming naobserbahan at naipagkumpara sa dating kinagisnan sa Pilipinas. Ibang-iba rito sa Canada, bukod sa temperatura ay maraming taong kakaiba. Magagalang at mapagpahalaga sa pamilya. Nakakatuwa ang mga kababayan, Hindi nagpapahuli sa kumustahan at sa pagtulong ay tunay na kahanga-hanga. Kultura dito ay iyon dapat makasanayan upang mabilis makapag-adjust sa iyong pupuntahan. Huwag isipin ang lahat ng bagay bagkus pag-aralan kung ano ang kalakaran.

Ito ang mga ilang aking pinanghahawakan upang buhay ay maipagpatuloy gayundin ang aking pag-aaral. Maganda ang patakaran lalo na sa paghahanp buhay, ilang buwan din ako namili ng papasukan para masustentuhan ang aming pangangailangan. Ilang linggo rin nanghanap ang OWP o Open work permit kung kabiyak at sa pagdako ay magandang pagtatrabahuan ang naibigay. Siguro nga kapag sa inyo nakalaan magaan ang paglalakbay, pakikipagsapalaran sa iyong ay tunay na ibibigay. Hayaan natin siya, ang Maykapal ang lumakad at magpasya sa ating patutunguhan. Ipaubaya natin sa kanya ang tunay na laan para sa atin. Sabi nga sa wikang Ingles, BTS (Believe, Trust, Surrender). Magtiwala ka na Hindi ka dadalhin dito para sa Wala lamang at Ipaubaya ang lahat sa kanya kung ano mabuti ng kapalaran ang laan sa iyo dito sa Canada. Sa kabuuan bilang dayuhang mag-aaral ay ang determinasyonsa pagsisikap na matupad ang iyong mga plano at layunin mo makapagtapos ng pag aaral dito. Sa iyong dedikasyon ay makakamit mo rin ang iyong pangarap sa pamilyang naghihintay at umaasang babalikan at susuklian mo sila ng kaginhawaan sa buhay. Sa huli, Huwag ka maging Dayuhan sa Ibang bansa bagkus maging katuwang ka nila sa pagunlad at pagsisikap na maging matatag ang bawat ekonomiya na sa kanilang pinaghahanap at maging malakas ang paninindigan sa pamilyang pinanghahawakan. “Isa lamang tayo at sa pag-iisa natin bilang tao marami tayong magagawa sa mundo”

VIEWPOINT

Bing J. Jaleco

bingjaleco@yahoo.com

Raleigh “Bing” Jaleco was a veteran journalist and public relations consultant in the Philippines. He started out as a correspondent for Ang Pahayagang Malaya and then moved on to be a reporter, and then an editor, of The Manila Chronicle. He also served as news editor of The Manila Standard, business editor of The Manila Times, and sub-editor at the Manila Bulletin. He landed as a permanent resident in Canada in 2016.

A season of receiving

CHRISTMAS, we’ve been taught since childhood, is a season of giving. And that’s just fine, as we should all embrace the virtue of generosity. We should give to the needy, and donate not just money but time and commitment to the advocacies that are near and dear to us.

But this should also be the season of receiving. Selfish as that sounds, it is nevertheless something we should give a little more thought to. And the reason why it should be a season of receiving is that generosity is one of the most abused virtues, a trait that sometimes gives people the green light to take advantage of the kind and gentle souls. We’ve been told time and again to be generous to others, often at our own expense.

I hate people taking advantage of others. Witnessing fraudsters and scammers prey on the generous is annoying and even infuriating. But most of all, it lessens my faith in humanity and breeds indifference and skepticism. In turn, these weaken the moral fabric of a society and creates social divisions that can easily spiral into something more toxic. Imagine a society where no one cares about anyone anymore, where we stop helping our neighbors because we believe it is no longer a worthwhile thing to do.

One of the most endearing concepts of Christmas is that of reward and punishment. Since childhood we’ve heard the carols and the jingles about Santa Claus checking if children had been naughty or nice. Naughty and nice has since evolved into good and evil, kind and cruel, generous and selfish. And as Christmas comes ‘round the bend, I am reminded of just how relevant this concept is, and how it could be key to making this world a better place.

We should all learn to hold people accountable for their actions. For far too long, we’ve accepted the notion that Christmas is the season where we forget transgressions and overlook faults. Admittedly, this makes us feel good inside. But is there merit in this attitude in the first place? Why should we turn a blind eye to a wrongdoing just because it is Christmas?

No one is perfect, and we all have our faults and weaknesses. This much should be acknowledged. But I know too many people who take advantage of the generosity of kind souls and get away with it because they understand how genuine generosity and kindness work. Good people are simply too nice to hold them accountable for their misdeeds.

So for this Christmas, let’s do ourselves a favor and start thinking about how to be considerate to ourselves first and foremost and not be too quick to overlook a transgression. Bad people are always emboldened to commit their misdeeds over and over when the victims are too passive to call them out. We should all receive the gift of holding the naughty accountable for any wrong they may have done. Let’s be kind and generous to everyone, but let’s start with ourselves. Good people should always deserve better.