A great cultural fit

Ram: How is your client? 

Geraldine: He’s really good! Very, very kind. He’s a lot like my son actually…

Ram: Very kind?

Geraldine: Yes, super! Very patient, very kind, very forgiving to our mistakes.

Ram: I’m really happy to hear that. how have you been doing?

Geraldine: So far, I’m really blessed and I would like to thank you guys for giving me this chance.

Ram: Of course! 

Geraldine: Yeah.

Ram: Just to be completely transparent with you, during the training program, I was looking at your scores and they’re not the highest scores.

Geraldine: Yeah, I know.

Ram: But, and I tell [Barbara] this all the time, I say you are one of the best examples of when we meet someone, we just know that they’re going to be a great cultural fit. And when I met you, when Daryl and I met you, we wanted to take a chance with you because, number one, you have a great personality. 

Geraldine: Thank you. 

Ram: Yeah, and you interview really well, actually. So I remember telling Barbs that although your grades shouldn’t be moving you forward, I wanted to push forward with Geraldine because we see something in her, and there’s a lot of potential for learning and development — and to be fair, you did not disappoint!

Geraldine: Thank you, Ram. You are the major culprit to all of this!

Ram: Just so you know, I’m very, very proud of what you’ve accomplished. 

Geraldine: Oh, thank you!

Ram: Really, really proud of where you took yourself to. You really took that opportunity and ran away with it.

Geraldine: Yes, thank you. 

Ram: Not everyone is given this kind of opportunity.

Geraldine: I agree. That’s true.

Ram:  Anyway, I just have a bunch of random questions, Mommy G! 

Geraldine: Alright, shoot!

The Virtual Assistant Role

Ram: I think for my first question, Mommy G, what is your role at The Virtual Hub?

Geraldine: Okay, first and foremost, I’m happy to be here and my children tell me that they see that glow in me. At this age, I never thought that I would find this kind of job. I’m very grateful. So going back to your question, my role is helping the client primarily with his business. And I want to make sure that each day, I’m able to give him what he is expecting from me.

Working at The Virtual Hub

Ram: It’s really nice to hear. Now, Mommy G, what do you like most about working with The Virtual Hub?

Geraldine: The people, it’s culture. I love them all. It’s amazing! Yeah, they’re all amazing. It’s an amazing experience.

Ram: No one’s causing you any headaches?

Geraldine: So far there’s no one. They’re all kind, very helpful. And it’s fun to work with them, with younger people. I feel young! 

Ram: Yeah, it keeps you young.

Geraldine: True, true!

Ram: So Mommy G, what is your favourite part about working with the client specifically? What is it about him that you like the most? 

Geraldine: Yeah, to be honest, every day, I look forward to coming in the office because I love the job. It’s not very difficult for my age. It’s a bit technical in some aspects, but I’m happy that I managed to cope. And he’s very patient in teaching me and I’m learning new things.

Ram: Are you able to keep up?

Geraldine: Yes! And my teammates are also very supportive. So, I belong.

Ram: That’s super nice to hear! How do you think has The Virtual Hub helped you in terms of your career growth and professional development?

Geraldine: Yeah, I’ve been praying for this job to be honest… And I’m happy that God gave me this job. I can say, as long as my client needs me, as long as The Virtual Hub still needs my services, that this will be my retirement job. I’ll be sticking here until I retire. That’s my plan. Really. That’s my career plan.

Ram: So that’s super nice to hear. Now, we all know here in The Virtual Hub, I’m sure you noticed this, we really try to promote work and life balance.

Geraldine: Yes, yes.

Work-Life Balance

Ram: I want to know how you balance your work with the hub and your family? How do you try to balance that? 

Geraldine: Yeah, right now it’s easy. I’m really blessed because I have fixed Saturday, Sunday Rest Days, so I have more time with them and more time bonding with my children. And I have an 8-to-5 work [shift]. So it’s like a normal job. I can sleep well at night.

Ram: That’s nice. Did you go on a trip during the Holy Week? Did you have plans with your family?

Geraldine: We just stayed in Cebu but we went to the normal Visita Iglesia, Way of the Cross. We didn’t go out of town. 

Ram: You get to do that.

Geraldine: Yes, again after a long long time, I’m happy.

Ram: Nice, that’s really nice. Now, I have a very interesting question. 

Geraldine: Okay.

Ram: If you can switch jobs with anyone within The Virtual Hub for a day…

Geraldine: Okay, within The Virtual Hub? Not somebody else outside? 

Ram: Yes, whose job would you want to switch with for a day? 

Geraldine: For a day? Can I have yours?

Ram: Of course! I will gladly give it to you. 

Geraldine: The great Ram of TVH.

Ram: [laughs] You have to think twice! My job is a challenge!

Geraldine: Really? But I think it’s interesting.

Ram: It is!

Geraldine: I haven’t tried that.  

Ram: If anything, my job allows me to meet a lot of people on a daily basis. 

Geraldine: Yes. And that’s really beautiful. Knowing people. 

Ram: Yeah!

Geraldine: Yes.

Ram: It gets tiring, but at the end of the day, it’s also fulfilling because…

Geraldine: Rewarding…

Ram: Yes. it’s very rewarding, especially to people who are really worth hiring. I realized that my job has become bigger than me. It’s not just about me earning money,  it’s about helping people.

Geraldine: You change lives.

Ram: Yeah, yeah. And, yeah, it’s amazing. It’s amazing…

Geraldine: You are touching lives. 

Ram: I hope so.

Geraldine: You touched mine.

Ram: In good ways, I hope. 

Geraldine: Yes. 

Getting personal

Ram: So we also have funny questions. Real-life questions that would give people a better idea of who you are. I want to know who inspires you… What inspires Geraldine?

Geraldine: My family. My children, most especially my daughter, my son. Especially now that they are grown-ups. 

Ram: They really are the inspiration.

Geraldine: Yes.

Ram: What was the weirdest job you’ve ever had?

Geraldine: It’s not really weird but probably interesting because way back 1992, I worked as a special events coordinator at the Philippine Center for Trade and Exhibitions. It’s Phil site. I think they still have an office in Manila. And we organized a huge event it was called “Dinosaurs Alive” in Cebu.

Ram: Oh, cool!

Geraldine: It’s really interesting because I sold animals, the dinosaurs. Yeah, so I think that’s one of the weirdest jobs.

Ram: Were you Manila-based? Were you Cebu-based? 

Geraldine: Cebu-based.

Ram: If you if you didn’t have this job, what do you think would you be doing as a career?

Geraldine: Okay. Probably…because I also love to teach. I think that’s my hidden talent. Probably I will be doing a home-based job 

Ram: That’s nice. 

Geraldine: That’s my second option. Yes.

Ram: Can you tell us something that might surprise people to know about you? 

Geraldine: This is really a surprise. It’s embarrassing but since you asked, when I was younger, I won a local beauty contest. 

Ram: Oh wow! Which one?!

Geraldine: It’s just a small beauty pageant in Camotes Island because my parents came from Camotes Island. It’s just a small barangay. 

Ram: So you’re a beauty titleholder! 

Geraldine: Yes! It’s embarrassing!

Ram: Of course not! Do you have music on your phone?

Geraldine: Ah, no. This is another surprise which I would like to share with you. Okay, one moment. I’m trying to show you my cell phone. I’m sure you will laugh again. 

Ram: Oh, wow! A flip phone!

Geraldine: I’m an old-school kind of person. But my son told me they will buy me a new phone this Mother’s Day.

Ram: Oh, that’s nice. 

Geraldine: Yeah. My son told me, “Ma just give up your phone, please.” 

Ram: As long as you get the text and call.

Geraldine: Yeah. Because I’m not really picky when it comes to phones as long I can call I can text. Then that’s it.

Ram: Correct!

Geraldine: I’m really an old-school person.

Ram: Now, if you won the lottery, what would be the first thing that you would do? 

Geraldine: Wow! I’ve been praying for that. First…for my family still. I will buy a huge lot and then I will build houses for everyone in our family. 

Ram: Like a compound.

Geraldine: And then we will travel together around the world. 

Ram: That’s nice. 

Geraldine: And of course I’ll be helping people like I’ll be donating some amount to the charities…

Ram: Of course.

Geraldine: To the cancer patients. Yes. And I will also be giving scholarships to deserving students.

Ram: True. You know I really believe in education.

Geraldine: Yes. There are deserving students, really.

Ram: I completely agree. Now, if you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you want to meet and why?

Geraldine: Yeah, I would like to meet Queen Elizabeth II.  

Ram: She is the reigning one, right?

Geraldine: She is amazing.

Ram: She has been queen for so long!

Geraldine: Yeah, she is 93 years old, and she started her reign way back in 1952.

Ram: Nice! You know a lot about her!

Geraldine: Yeah! I researched her.

Ram: You have to watch the show called “The Crown.” It’s about her

Geraldine: Okay, I’ll look for that.

Ram: Facebook or Instagram? 

Geraldine: Facebook. I don’t have an Instagram account. 

Advice for The Virtual Hub candidates

Ram: For my last question, what advice do you have for people who are looking at, you know, trying it out with The Virtual Hub?

Geraldine: Yes, I actually have a lot of friends in my age range  and they also want to try. So my advice is be yourself, follow your dreams and trust God. 

Ram: That’s nice. Thank you so much, Mommy G! It was wonderful catching up with you today!

Geraldine: Thank you!