Bullying is a real problem in schools, workplaces, and even homes.

I hope that you will never have to deal with it, but if you do, you shouldn't feel helpless because there is something you can do to stop it.

There are three types of office bullying in the Philippines and there are ways that we can prevent and manage them.

1. Office Gossip - You can't stop people from thinking or speaking negative things about you or someone you know. But you can help stop gossip by ignoring perpetrators or reporting them to their superiors. You can also say something positive about the person who is the subject of office gossip.

2. Shaming - Speak up and let the management know how shaming is affecting you or the way you work. When someone is being shamed for being different, or smart or whatever reason, try to express support to the victim by saying something encouraging.

3. Physical Abuse - You should immediately take action and report the issue to your superiors so they can take action and prevent any further harm to the victim.

There is a pending bill in Congress that seeks to protect us from office bullies, but it's not yet approved. If you have tried your best to stop bullying and nothing seems to work out, try online freelancing.

When you are working remotely, you become less prone to shaming, gossip, and abuse. If you know someone who is having a difficult time with their co-workers, you might want to encourage them to try working from.

Consider the perks:
The income is pretty decent.
You get to learn many different skills.
You have more time with the family.
No traffic.
And of course, less chance of getting bullied.
(The list goes on)

Watch the replay here as Christian shared with us his freelancing journey from being a seafarer and call center agent to a virtual assistant and freelance video editor.

A former Sea Man and a Call Center Agent that successfully landed a job in freelancing as a Video Editor and a Social Media Manager.

Notable Quotes

• Syempre sa start you really need to take time to study a lot of skills and it would really add to your physical appearance but then when you got all your skills that is necessary to complete the job and it becomes a routine, then definitely you can insert some time for exercising and time for yourself. So definitely mas gu-gwapo kasi mas maraming oras ka na kumpara sa corporate.

• Yan ang beauty ng video editing because everything can be learned as long as you know how to do it and how to use some tools and effects behind that video.

• Marami ka din matututunan dun sa Fiverr and Freelancers(Freelancers.com)  kasi pag sinearch mo ang common skills andun na yung mga freelancers na nag-offer ng kanilang services and you will know exactly kung pano nila pini-present yung sarili nila. So, dun ko nakuha yung idea na kahit di man ako magaling, kahit wala man ako account sa Freelancers(Freelancers.com) or sa Fiverr, I should create a website kung saan dun ko maipi-present yung sarili ko ng mas malinis and mas maayos.

• I tried to research kung pano nga talaga nila i-present, yung mga expert na freelancers na, chini-check ko yung mga portfolio nila sa Upwork, sa Fiverr or Freelance(Freelancers.com), tapos chini-check ko na, ang ganda ng positioning niya, ng pagkapresent niya ng profile, ginaya ko yun.

• I’m still trying to study the tools and study all the skills necessary para makakuha ulit ng client.

• There’s really a lot of things that you can learn and there’s really a lot of potential sa freelancing world. Kasi kapag nakakuha ka na ng isang trabaho pwede ka pang makakuha ng isa pang part-time job, full-time job, depende sa positioning mo, depende sa delivery ng interview mo sa client mo or sa agency na kakausapin mo.
  
  Kung ako tatanungin, sa pagsi-Sea Man kumpara sa freelancing, pwede mong kitain yung kinikita mo as a Sea Man dito sa freelancing.

• May mga bagay na akala mo kaya mong gawin, alam mo na, pero kapag andun kana as a moderator dun ka mamumulat sa tunay na ginagawa talaga ng social media moderator sa Facebook like scheduling task.

• It is a great stepping stone para sa mga wala pang experiences jan. Mag-apply kayo as a moderator and it will give you a lot of experience on how to do this and that and it will be your stepping stone as a social media manager or a marketer.

• The earlier the better kung magta-transition siya sa freelancing kasi the more na nagstay ka sa pagbabarko, the more na ma-acquire mo yung skills, and experiences, parang mahirap mo na sya bitawan in the long run.

• Sabi nga ni Robert Kiyosaki “while you were young, work to learn not to earn”. Kailangan mo hanapin talaga yung para sayo.
  
  Yun din ang sabi ni Jack Ma na hanapin mo talaga habang bata ka pa na nasa twenties ka pa, hanapin mo talaga yung trabaho na para sayo, tapos kapag nasa thirties kana dun mo i-pursue yung pinaka gusto mo na hindi mo talaga pagsisisihan in the long run
  
  Sa mga nagsi-SeaMan, kasi karamihan ngayon especially yung mga nakakapagland ng job sa company, they are really skillfull and matatalino sila, nakikita ko, So, kayang kaya nila yung freelancing.

Journey to Freelancing

• 2012, While struggling and working as a seafarer, and thinking of how he can earn dollars, he saw this interview of Tyrone Solee, an SEO specialist, who become a millionaire at the age of 25 years old, which make Christian inspired and confused about freelancing.
• After he completed his contract as a Sea Man, He applied to BPO to further enhance his English skills.
• After 2 years of working as a call center agent, he again, made research about freelancing and came across the youtube channel of Jason Dulay and have amazed at it.
• 2018, He enrolled in VA Bootcamp and study the lessons.
• After he finished the lessons in VAB, He takes action, joined Hustle Challenge and starts sending cover letters on different On-line job platforms.
• While he fails to land a job even after taking action in sending cover letters, He continues to work in BPO and somehow studied Video Editing and discover his passion for this kind of skill.
• He was hired as one of the video editors in a video editing agency which later on turns out to be unsuccessful.
• He applied as a Facebook Group Moderator intern in FLIP last October.
• Joined another Hustle Challenge in November 2019.
• He continues to develop his skills, make his own website, optimize his profiles and landed a job as a Social Media Manager.

IV. Question and Answer

Q: TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE IN VA BOOTCAMP, MAY MGA NAG-ASSIST BA SAYO NUNG NAKI-HUSTLE CHALLENGE KA AND YET YOU DIDN’T LAND A JOB?

            A: Opo, naging hands-on naman sina Ms. Ana and Ms. Holly during that time.

WHAT WAS IT THAT IS MISSING (IN YOUR APPLICATIONS AND COVER LETTERS) SA PANANAW MO?

Skills and the way how you present yourself. Yung task although nagawa mo na,(yung task na binibigay sa VA Bootcamp) dapat mag level-up ka pa, kelangan mo pa i-check ng kung pano mo pa ipe-present ng mas maayos, ng mas maganda.

EVEN YOU YOURSELF ENTERTAINED THE THOUGHT NA HINDI AKO PARA SA FREELANCER BAKA DITO AKO SA CALL CENTER, HOW DO YOU FEEL NOW?

There’s really a lot of things that you can learn and there’s really a lot of potential sa freelancing world kasi kapag nakakuha ka ng isang trabaho, pwede ka pa makakuha ng isang part-time job, full-time job depende sa positioning mo or sa delivery ng interview mo sa clients or sa agency na kakausapin mo.

HOW BOUT YOU TALK TO US ABOUT THIS OVERWORKED PART, WHERE IN YOUR LIFE WERE YOU OVERWORKED AND BULLIED?

Way back 2012, nung Sea Man pa ako, since baguhan pa kong Sea Man, di ko pa alam masyado yung mga kultura sa barko. Nung kadete ako, Yung cadete, you only signed up na ang kontrata mo dun ay para matuto and gumawa ng mga paper works but then, pag nasa barko ka na iba na yung trabaho, hindi talaga yung pinirmahan mo. Kung nagtitiktik sila ng kalawang, magtitiktik ka din ng kalawang.

YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT YUNG MGA DI KA PA WELL  INITIATED NUNG PAGPASOK MO SA BARKO, COULD YOU TELL US SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT? ANO BA ANG MGA DAPAT PALANG MALAMAN PAG MAGIGING SEAMAN KA?

Just to give you some idea, yung mga may planong magbarko dyan, Oo maganda yung propesyon kasi you got to experience the world for free pero that saying is not really true. It depends on the ship, it depends on the company. Kasi lets say kung container vessel yung nasakyan mo, minsan six hours lang, seven hours lang yun sa port, di kana makakalabas. Di mo mai-enjoy yung bansa na pupuntahan mo.

COULD YOU TELL US BRIEFLY ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE BEING A MODERATOR? HOW DID YOU BECOME A MODERATOR IN OUR GROUP AND HOW WAS THE EXPERIENCE?

It was really great kasi may mga bagay na akala mo kaya mong gawin, alam mo na, pero kapag andun kana as a moderator dun ka mamumulat sa tunay na ginagawa talaga ng social media moderator sa facebook; like scheduling task na akala mo sa Hootsuite lang ginagawa, sa Buffer lang ginagawa, meron din pala sa Facebook na built-in. Na pwede kana mag schedule ng post. Not just that, you need to filter some messages ng mga members, nakatulong yun sakin sa pag apply ko sa client ko ngayon.

ANONG MASASABI MO KAY MITCH, WOULD THERE BE SOMETHING THAT SHE SHOULD SAY TO HER HUSBAND WHEN IT COMES TO SEA FARING VERSUS FREELANCING?

Kung bata pa naman yung husband nya, the earlier the better kung magta-transition sya sa freelancing kasi the more na nagstay ka sa pagbabarko, the more na ma-acquire mo yung skills and experiences, parang mahirap mo na sya bitawan in the long run.