Karla Franceska E. Canto – Executive Assistant

Hi! My name is Karla Franceska Canto but you could call me Ceska.

You might feel a bit tired probably from all the profiles you have been reading. So why wont we play a quick game to make things more interesting? I will give you 3 facts and you can guess which one is FALSE.

1. My hobbies are cleaning and organising
2. I love chocolates
3. I am into arts and crafts

Aaaaand…

As I am not quite sure what you chose, therefore I cannot say if you got it right or wrong, so I am saying it anyway. The answer is number 2!! For some reason and I know it is not common, but I don’t like chocolates or anything with chocolate in it or on it. I guess I just don’t like the taste. Weird? But true.

I am very organised when it comes to almost everything, I tend to go overboard with my obsession for orderliness and cleanliness. However, I think I can use this to my advantage as it is very useful when it comes to work. I am very used to having everything planned out. I like having a clear list of my tasks and even giving myself time-frames to ensure that I stick to a certain schedule or goal I set for myself.

As for the arts and crafts, you name it; crocheting, knitting, calligraphy, and scrap-booking! Those are my hobbies that make me happy and relaxed when I am not working. SO there you have it 3 facts about me!

I am an only child, which makes me a bit more mature than my peers. Imagine not having any siblings to fight over the remote control. Contrary to popular belief, here in the Philippines that ‘only children’ are spoiled, I would like to say that is not true. I have studied hard, got scholarships, and when I started working, I never asked for monetary assistance from my parents. I have been raised as an independent woman and I am very proud of that.

I took up Hospitality Management for College in St. Scholastica’s College Manila. For 4 years I was part of the cheer-leading squad, which means training every day from 5pm to 9pm. Balancing cheer-leading and my studies was no joke – imagine having classes that start at 7am and my day ends at 9pm after practice. However, cheer-leading was my passion so every bit of sweat, tears, and blood (yep, lost a tooth once because of cheer) was worth it. It made me value time so much, like every second and minute counts. I never skimped on my academics. As a matter of fact I even made it onto the Deans Lister and was the class representative for 4 years.

Then came graduation, aaah! and a new door opens to the real world this time… time to take the training wheels off and be an adult.

My first job was Banquet Sales Executive for a hotel here in Manila, then eventually I transferred to a five-star luxury hotel as a Front Office Agent, then eventually was promoted to Guest Services Officer. Being in the front of the house has opened my eyes to things I could not even imagine before. When I looked at Front Office Agents, they always look so glamorous and effortlessly graceful. They make the job look easy… but I was wrong! Dealing with customers daily is very hard as everyone is different – and one thing I have learned is that you cannot please everyone. The important thing is to always anticipate the needs of your guest and be reliable. All guests must feel that they can count on you for anything. Need transportation? I can help you. Rebook a flight? I can help you. Book a tour? I can help you. Want me to pick out all the red gummy bears from the jar? I can do that (and yes, that really happened). I got my I-can-do attitude from being in the Front Office, because as they say the guest is always right.

Luckily, I got an irresistible offer from a different company. It was a promotion to a supervisory level in a well-known hotel group, handling VIP guests. But working everyday of the week did not feel right and at some point, there came a time where I wanted to try something new. So that was when I decided to take up my Masters Degree at the Philippine Women’s University for Hospitality Management. I guess I had become used to my life in college when I could not just do one thing alone. I figured, if I had the means to study again, then why not? It’s time I should invest in myself, I thought.

Working in operations was hard, it was difficult to juggle work and my classes due to conflicts in schedule so when I learned that there was a position open for an Executive Assistant to the Hotel Manager in my previous company, I jumped at the opportunity. So that brings me to today… I am currently the Executive Assistant to the Hotel Manager of a five-star luxury hotel. Working weekdays from 9-7, I wondered, there’s time left in the day, what else could I do? Which in turn brings me here.

I believe that I could be a great addition to your team, as not only do I have experience in being an assistant, I also have a strong foundation in customer service which makes me a very strong candidate and a potential asset to your company.

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