Have you ever felt uncomfortable while waiting to be called for a job interview?

Sweaty palms.

Labored breathing.

Increased heart rate.

You know what.

These are all symptoms of fear of rejection.

It's so powerful.

And truth be told.

All of us experience this crippling fear.

Just like Robinson.

According to him, "A lot. Especially the rejections. After I got my first client, I was so confident in applying but things will not go the way you planned it. Rejections most of the time."

Despite the tons of rejections he received, he pursued freelancing.

Why?

Because he no longer wants to experience the stress of traveling from Calamba to BGC vice versa every day and he also wants to have more time with his family.

How about you?

What drives you?

Para kanino ka bumabangon?

What's more powerful than rejections?

Join us in this replay of another inspiring episode of JasSuccess where Robinson shared how he dealt with rejections and what he LOVES the most about freelancing.

Introduction

Robinson Simon was a Hotel and Restaurant graduate. He was once an aspiring OFW but got rejected thrice. He is now working as a Social Media Moderator and enjoying the perks of freelancing under his present client. 

Notable Quotes

• Nung naghanap ako ng quote about rejection, may nakita akong talagang parang tumama sa isip at puso ko. Sabi dun sa quote, "Everytime I thought I was being rejected from something good, I was actually being redirected to something better". Siguro kung ako'y nakapag-abroad, siguro right now, malamang nakauwi nako sa Pilipinas, kasi 3 years lang naman yung contract. Hindi ko alam kung saan, paano ang gagawin ko, especially yung situation ngayon na may COVID.

• Ang maganda kasi sa freelancing is, walang imposible, dipende nalang sayo talaga kung magiging tamad ka.

• Kung marami ka pera tapos yung sarili mo na napapabayaan mo parang balewala din. I think mas important yung alagaan yung health kesa sa wealth. 

• Hindi ako gumagawa ng story every time na umaalis ako sa mga clients. I think it's a good practice din. Naging honest ako sa kanila,even yung sa ESL. During that time, magttake ako ng exam for Nihongo. Understood naman nila. Sa VA, same, yun din yung in-explain ko sa kanya. Sabi ko I'm planning to go to abroad.

• Thankful din ako sa kanya, kasi kahit strikto sya talaga, may natutunan din ako. Yung sa real estate, sabi nya diko to pinapagawa sa mga VA ko kasi wala akong tiwala. Pero nakuha ko kasi yung loob nya talaga. Sabi nya sige eto ipapagawa ko sayo. Ikaw na mag-check. I think isa din yung magandang nangyari kasi nag-upgrade din yung skills ko kahit papano. Yung relationship ng client and employee, parang naging strong for me. Yun yung naiisip ko.

• Sa mga narereject jan na newbies or even hindi na newbie pero narereject parin, it happens naman. So, timing lang, always try because sabi nga sa nakita kong quote, "the pain of rejection is nothing compared to the pain of regret".

Always try, kasi wala naman mawawala. Nainterview ka, actually nadagdagan ka pa nga e, kasi everytime na narereject ka, may nakukuha kang lesson dun, so yung lesson na yun pwede mo sya iapply sa next application mo. Pag nareject ka, okay lang yan, move forward, learn your lessons. Then apply to the next application, ganun lang.

Journey into Freelancing

Prior to freelancing, he was about to go to Japan but his application was cancelled.

He got a traditional job as a call center agent and worked for 3 years.

He applied in Japan again and got accepted, so he resigned his job in the call center.

He faced his second rejection when he got a problem related to his certificate of his eligibility, so he was not able to leave for Japan.

He got a freelancing job as an ESL online teacher but later realized his job in call center was easier than as ESL teacher because he got tired of having very little break and experienced voice hoarseness.

He subscribed to VA Bootcamp’s 5-day free course.

He gained interest and decided to avail the Accelerated Course.

He showed his eagerness in learning by finishing the course in less than two weeks.

Amazingly, his Upwork profile was approved within the month and got his first project-based freelancing job.

After a week he got hired again, this time, as VA.

On the first day of his training, he was not expecting to be given a mock call. He experienced culture shock that he almost gave up.

He talked to his client and honestly told the client that he cannot stand his role as his client's VA. The client then confessed that he (client) was not really that strict but was just pushing him to his limits. The client also told him that if he gives up that easily, he will not be able to pursue well as a VA. 

He then took his role as a challenge, learned much and stayed with his client until he applied and got accepted again as OFW in Japan.

Due to the COVID pandemic, he was not able to go to Japan and he considered this as his third rejection.

Thankfully, he has another client whom he has been working with since September 2019. Amid the COVID pandemic and many were laid off from their jobs, he was given additional hours of work (which means additional income).

Question and Answer

Are you currently supporting your family right now? 

Not literally support, share kami sa gastos ngayon. Sabi ko sa akin na yung malaki kasi nakakahiya, malaki naman yung sweldo ko. 

This is just one client, right?

Yes.

Will you stop there once you reach your goal?

No, I will not stop. Ang goal ko now is 50K. Once I reach 50K, gusto ko, dun sa 6 digits.

How did you feel about that? How are you able to filter out which one would you pick? Tapos paano mo binitawan yung iba mong source of income?

Sa pagpili, tiningnan ko muna kung ano yung sa tingin ko is magtatagal ako dun sa field na yun. During that time, mas pinili ko yung non-voice, kasi sumasakit talaga yung lalamunan ko. Una kong tinanggal is ESL. After that yung VA, kasi kada gabi bago ako matulog, lagi ako nasisigawan sa phone ng mga Amerikano na tatawagan ko. In a way medyo stressful din yun kahit cold calling lang sya. Nagstart ako sa ESL and then yung VA. Nung binitawan ko naman sya, okay lang, kasi gumaan din yung pakiramdam ko after ko syang bitawan. Tapos nagkaroon ako ng more time. Even yung mga dati kong ginagawa, nagagawa ko na sya. 

I'm very very interested in that part where you have to let go. Isn't it painful for you?

Hindi naman sya ganon kasakit. In a way, kaya nga naghahanap padin ako hanggang ngayon. Pero siguro mabait din talaga si God, sa akin, kasi every time na nag-aapply ako, yung client ko ngayon, nagbibigay siya ng additional. Kaya sabi ko siguro isa muna. Pero dumating din yung time na  sabi ko sayang din yun nawala sakin ang 2 client. Meron kasing regret din kasi nawala. Pero iniisip ko nalang may mas okay na paparating, yung easier. 

How are you able to deal emotionally with this situation na masungit yung client mo pero he's actually pushing you. How are you able to manage that in your head na hindi masama ang loob mong nagttrabaho sa kanya?

Actually nung umpisa, masama talaga yung loob ko.Aaminin ko nahirapan talaga ako kasi alam mo yung feeling na parang minamaliit ka nya. Yun yung lumalabas kaya nag-ask din ako ng suggestions ng ibang freelancers a VA Bootcamp. Nagkataon naman na isang taga VA Bootcamp is client din sya. Binigyan nya ako ng idea kung paano makapagwork ng maayos dun sa client. So everytime na may masasabi syang hindi maganda, tahimik lang ako. Pag alam kong makakatulong for me, pumapasok sya sa utak ko. Pero pag alam kong hindi naman, pasok sa kanan, labas sa kaliwa. Ganun yung nag-work for me. 

Your experience in the call center gave you the training wheels para ma-manage mo itong client mo na ito. Would you say that?

Yes, kasi for example dealing with customers, nakuha ko rin sya sa call center. Kung hindi ka nag-work sa call center, tapos yung kausap mo sinisigawan ka, minumura ka, something like that. Nangyayari kasi talaga yan e. Malamang, baka umiyak ka nalang. Patayin mo nalang yung tawag. Pero since nag-work ako sa call center before, sabi ko na-experience ko na ito, ganito din lang mangyayari dito. 

With all these rejections that happened around, even in freelancing, how do you deal with it? 

Hindi ako yung emotional na tao. Siguro advantage ko na din yun, pero pag meron akong rejection, lagi ko lang kinakausap yung family and friends and even si God, kasi mas important din yun. I always find inspiration, kasi ambisyoso rin ako e. So instead na magmukmok ako na nareject ako, ang lagi ko iniisip, kelangan ko padin magtry kasi meron akong goal, meron akong ambition sa life.