by Christopher Brian Caiga
When I got the Project Officer role in the Incubation, Development, and Entrepreneurial Assistance (IDEA) Program of PhilDev and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), I remember myself being very excited and eager to start. As this is my first job, I was quite nervous since mistakes in a professional setting must be kept to a minimum or no mistakes at all. I made sure to read the job description and the IDEA program implementation plan repeatedly, so I can get a clearer grasp of what I will be doing in the program.
On the first day of work, I got to meet every member of the different teams in PhilDev. From what I can remember, they were very welcoming and hospitable to this day. I met the IDEA team who was mellow yet very driven to achieve what they want to accomplish in this program. They gave me a sense of belongingness in the team and were very patient and permissive with what I do to help the team out.
My first weeks working in the IDEA program was more of getting a feel of what it would be like to work in a non-profit organization, let alone a job. I was still learning the ropes of a project officer and slowly applying the attributes of that role to the work itself. I can say that I am quite relieved that I was part of an organization during college since some of the work done here is similar to it, but on a more grand scale and in a professional setting.
As the weeks passed by, my role became more and more apparent as we began onboarding the two firms who I will be working with in the program. These firms will be providing legal and financial management support services to the startups as part of the benefits of our incubation program. At first, talking to them was somewhat nerve-wracking because of the idea again of keeping mistakes to a minimum. To my surprise, it was the complete opposite as they were very approachable and patient. For instance, they were open-minded with our suggestions, and communicating with them was smooth and courteous. Adding to this, they made the time and effort to get their ideas across patiently to me so that coordination will not be an issue.
The main highlight of working with the firms was hosting and moderating their webinars and learning sessions. I would have not imagined myself hosting in front of startup founders and our project partner, let alone the idea of hosting . I have always thought of myself as a person who lacked confidence and at times, self-esteem. This job, however, enabled me to break out of my comfort zone and go beyond those limits. Although at times my hosting is not at all perfect, I still recognize it as a learning experience. Overtime, I noticed myself getting better and better.
Another notable memory from the program were the icebreakers I organized in some of our learning sessions. My icebreakers were not just your ordinary fun and engaging games. I ensured that there would be a deeper meaning to the activities when the participants reflect on them. There must be some sort of relevance. For instance, the IDEA camp had a weekly webinar, so I had to construct and devise engaging and collaborative icebreakers that were related to the previous sessions. It became some sort of a review for the startup founders. You can imagine the thought process that goes into making things exciting to keep the sessions lively and ignite their cognition for the session. This then made planning for the icebreakers slightly stressful, but it paid off during execution. Having said these, I had fun with the people I worked with and the startup founders we have established a relationship with. It is quite the experience.
Reminiscing through those core memories, I learned three lessons that proved to be very essential and practical in the long run. The first lesson is about being diplomatic or tactful towards people. It is a common occurrence in the workplace where instances, such as disagreements, can hinder the progress of achieving a common goal. I have learned from my teammates that the best way to approach such conflict is by being diplomatic and never escalating it to something much worse. I consider conflicts in the workplace to be unprofessional and unhealthy. It could sometimes diminish the chance of the team to achieve their goals. An instance was when I needed to have something approved, but it ended up getting it approved by the wrong person since I was still learning how the entire chain of command works. It was a misunderstanding in my judgment, but it was a learning experience.
Another crucial lesson I learned is creating a bond between the company’s partners and clients. When incubating the 19 startups in the IDEA program, I learned that it is important to form a working relationship and bond between the project implementers and startup founders. I was taught that this does not diminish productivity, but it strengthens the relationship and enables the founders to do well in the program. Aside from the startups, our team has also established a relationship with our partner service providers. Establishing a good working relationship can entail future partnerships and collaborations, and can widen your network of people.
“Committing mistakes is not a sign of weakness nor failure to achieve a goal”
Lastly, I learned the importance of knowing that not everything has to be perfect nor that things will always go as planned. For instance, there were some icebreakers that did not go as planned, and I had to think immediately of an alternative to continue the momentum of the activity. Recall what I mentioned earlier on keeping mistakes at a minimum? That mindset should not be the case. Committing mistakes is not a sign of weakness nor failure to achieve a goal, but it is a way for an individual to grow and become more than what they were before.
To surmise my overall experiences in PhilDev, it was something I never expected nor imagined. The people here are very congenial and permissive, to which I see it as an appropriate first job. Furthermore, these people treat each other as a family and acknowledge the lapses, whether major or minor, as opportunities to grow. I was able to go out of my comfort zone when hosting and conducting icebreaker activities because of them, which I never saw myself doing in the past. I can say definitively that I am lucky and honored to have been a part of PhilDev. If you are a fresh graduate and still looking for a job that has an overall great working environment, PhilDev is the place to go. Trust me when I say that the people here are like family and the work is manageable, but you can learn a lot from it.
