A RECENT LA SALLE GRADUATE'S INSIGHTS ON WORK

Alex D. Ledesma, LIA-COM,  DLSU, 2013

When Alexandra Denise D. Ledesma —”Alex” to family and friends—was at De La Salle University, she  was either elected or  appointed officer to the University Student Government throughout her entire stay in college. That  was an  early indication of her  innate  ability to influence  her peers.

In January 2014, a few months after earning her double degrees in AB Political Science and BS Business Management,  Alex  was offered a position at Unilever Philippines, where she is currently a Category Operations Executive for the Skincare line.

Below are few of the  pieces of advice   that she shared in "Pointers for New College Graduates:"

• Wake up. The world does not owe you anything. When you graduate from college, you are not entitled to anything. Once you leave the safe confines of school, you will realize that all are trying to make it on their own. You no longer have the support of your university and your parents can not get that dream job for you. Whatever you have set for yourself, you have to work for it and that would entail hard work and perseverance. The world definitely does not owe anyone anything. In fact, in whatever industry or career you end up getting into, always ask yourself: “What can I do or contribute to make this a better place?” Whether it is simply improving a process, or initiating new ways to do things, always have the mindset:

“I want this organization to be better off than when I joined it.”

You have the responsibility to not only be invaluable, but to be an agent of change in your own sphere of influence,

• Challenge yourself. Whatever is worth pursuing will never come easy. If it does not challenge you, it does not  change you. I came across the quote:

“ If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.” 

We all have a calling and we all have a purpose to fulfill in this life, how relevant you make it is entirely up to you. From my experience, the best satisfaction you can get in life is knowing that you worked hard on something that bore fruit. So take risks, go that extra mile. Those who are willing to work for their dream relentlessly and regardless of the obstacles are the ones who achieve great things.

• Be willing to wash the dirty dishes. When I was in high school my economics teacher shared a quote that I will never forget:

“Everybody wants to be a hero, but nobody wants to wash the dirty dishes.”

Although he meant this in the context of economic development, the principle of it remains; everyone wants to be part of the highlight reel or be the front liners, but not all are willing to work behind the scenes, make the unpopular decisions, do the heavy work. If you begin on something you truly believe in, whether it be a small project or a job you will be taking on, always do it with passion. Remember that with passion, nothing is too difficult or inconvenient, you will always be willing to get things done.

Read more about Alex's  words for new graduates and for  those considering  a marketing career.

"Pointers for New College Graduates," by Gerry P. Siquijor. Available at Fully Booked, St. Pauls Bookstores and branches of Catholic Book Center.