Angelica Sumugat – Administrative Assistant

Growing up, I always thought life would be so much easier. What I have in mind is when you have finished your studies, you’ll graduate, and eventually, you’ll get a job and become successful. But I was wrong – all of this comes with lots of struggles as you encounter them along the way.

My name is Angelica Joy Sumugat, and this is my story.

I am a Bachelor’s degree holder in Hotel and Restaurant Management. People often say that being an “HRM graduate” is as simple as 123, and I’ve heard stories about how this course is always the “final resort” for students who are on the verge of (nearly) dropping out of college. I’m here to tell you that your entire mindset is incorrect. Because I, too, have been through a lot of hardship and challenges before I finally got that diploma.

Fast forward to 2019, when I graduated from college, I was a newbie to the real world. I can still remember applying to numerous companies, and being turned down because I had “no experience.” How can I have experience if I haven’t had any prior work experience?

I just realized that finding a job as a fresh graduate at a company with high standards before they can hire you as an employee was quite challenging. Aside from that, as we all know, pay is insufficient to compensate for excessive workload and unpaid overtime. The saddest thing is that, in reality, the majority of employees’ efforts and hard work always go unnoticed.

Then I eventually got my first job, for which I am eternally grateful because without them, I would not be who I am today. They are the reason why, despite my lack of experience in the industry, I was given an opportunity and accepted.

I have to admit that my first job didn’t feel like it was the right fit for me – I can still recall coming to work and having no idea what I was doing. Even when I went to meetings, I had no idea what my boss and coworkers were talking about. I’d do my job, but I’d be thinking to myself, “Am I doing this right?”

And, to be honest, we can’t learn everything we want to learn in one day, nor can we learn everything we want to learn in one day in real life. The thing is, you have to accept that we are all human, that we make mistakes, and that mistakes are proof of our attempts.

The most important thing is that you tried, because believe me when I say that stepping out of your comfort zone and deciding to do anything or simply making a decision out of something is the best feeling in the world, and you’ll never live your life with regrets.

The world of employment has been profoundly affected by the global pandemic. I lost my first job unexpectedly, and as well as struggled with my mental health as I deal with my life. With that being said, I wasn’t able to establish my career well due to the pandemic. I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I feel like I’m being left out with my batchmates, I am worried about my future. I am pressured. I am exhausted. That’s what I feel most of the time.

As I enter the world of freelancing for the first time, I am a bit nervous because I have no experience of being a Virtual Assistant at all. But at the same time, I am excited because of the things that it has to offer – and at this point, at this age, I am still hungry for learning. Life is a nonstop circle; you must learn to live it and enjoy it as if it’s your last. If an opportunity arises, we should take every chance that we can get and drop every fear, because if you never try… how will you know?

What motivated me to apply to your company is my cousin, who’s been a Real Estate Virtual Assistant for 2 years now. I was inspired by her story because just like other VA’s, she started off from scratch with no experience at all. She’s a breadwinner, and I am happy because she can provide the needs of her family with what she’s earning from the clients that she’s working with. But it is not just about that, I am truly proud of all of her achievements, she also shared with me her experiences working with foreign people and they would always commend my cousin for doing a good job every time they assigned a task.

And I aspire to be like her, too.

I may not be as good as anyone else, I may not have all the skills needed to be a Virtual Assistant, but I do assure you that if ever you give me the opportunity to be a part of your company, I am willing to do whatever it takes to become a good one.

For a copy of Angelica’s resume please click here.