COVID-19: Webinar teaches jobseekers how to progress

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

A human resources specialist and registered psychometrician in Abu Dhabi believes that while crises and opportunities are partners, there are the “Three C’s” helpful to make one press on and move forward for better employability or even chances for entrepreneurship.

The “Three C’s” are competency, community and connections.

“Believe me, these would open for you doors of opportunities, projects and dream jobs,” said Juan Pablo Arao.

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company-Borouge Talent and Performance senior specialist was among five speakers at the webinar “How to Land that Job.”

The webinar was recently organised by the “Illustrado Learn” of the Filipino magazine “Illustrado,” to help advance thousands of jobseekers worldwide out of the harsh socio-economic effects of the Novel Coronavirus.

Arao discussed the “Three C’s” in the topic “Reskilling for Advancement.” He believes God has given each individual a set of talents and capability for knowledge building which ought to be improved not only for personal benefits but for the good of the majority which could be further enhanced by community volunteer work.

It was short of saying, “what you sow is what you reap.”

In a related news, Filipino events rigger William Caballero is grateful to his superiors at the Esme Entertainment Services in Dubai for amidst the pandemic, staff have been given two options. One, forced leave in their respective home countries assured of 25 per cent of their salaries every month and paid round trip ticket. Or, while in the UAE, half salary cut for rent and basic utilities as well as needs.

Caballero is excited to be with his wife and two adolescent sons in their home province of Bohol in Central Philippines. His flight is on June 30: “I am grateful given this privilege despite the crunch.”

A colleague of Caballero, a fellow events rigger, stuck in Pakistan, is enjoying the same benefits.

Interviewed early on, company operations manager Alex Eiben said such was the management decision because of that sense of family: “We do not want to fire employees. We want the same employees. We want them to come back to us when this is over.”

Meanwhile, from the webinar too was HR business partner/FIL-HR co-founder Sheryll Bacay-Agbing who presented the current highest in-demand jobs and the relevant portals for job hunters. She encouraged a participant to follow her desire to apply for a job, stressing that prospective employers are definitely on the look out for competent employees with a solid background on running a household-the enquiring participant, being a housewife and mother.

Agbing was humble to volunteer the experience she had gone through in 2009-job loss and almost losing her self-worth-a result of the 2008 global financial debacle.

Her advice: Be brave enough to adapt, embrace and thrive in this new reality. If you have lost a job and you are still struggling to find a new one, be persistent and look for many possibilities. Remember the wind blows the hardest the closer you get to the mountaintop.”

Another segment of the webinar dealt on the appropriate job interview attire which Corporate Image consultant Agnes Aquino-Briggs emphasized must be “conservative.” Unless the applicant is eyeing a job in the creative field wherein he/she may have the freedom to modify his/her business suit.

Recently, the Pakistan government launched an initiative to facilitate all those who have lost their jobs abroad amid the coronavirus crisis.

The move is in line with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision to provide every possible support to the expatriate community facing problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development announced the launch of the online job portal, where all expats who have been laid off can register and avail benefits offered by the government.

Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari, special assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources Development, wrote in a Facebook post: “All those who have lost their jobs abroad can register on the following link: https://jobs.oec.gov.pk/returnees_overseas_registration.