It is sad whenever an artist decides to retire from his art. What’s more if she is an artist of remarkable talent who shared her rare gift to the world and gave great honor to her country. Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, the Philippines’ foremost icon of dance, the ballerina of the masses, has finally danced her last full-length Don Quixote.
Her last performance of Kitri, the role which started her illustrious career with the Kirov Ballet, was still electrifying, entertaining and uplifting. I was complete dazzled by her performance last Sunday, just as she completely enchanted me twenty years ago when I first saw her Juliet. Her steps are still sprightly, her spins and turns still full of energy, and her leaps almost ethereal. She was playful and flamboyant, childish and loving, witty and romantic. She has completely embodied Kitri with her dance and her gestures that I can almost imagine what the Russians saw in her when they gave her a 25-minute standing ovation after her first performance of the role with the Kirov Ballet.
Just as she was extremely talented in her dancing, Lisa also exuded this charm that connected her with the audience – this blogger, definitely included. The way she shook her tambourine the second time she was lifted on her side by her partner, as if to acknowledge the applause; the gestures she made to express her distaste for her wealthy suitor (I thought it was very Filipino and were the sort of gestures a maarteng kolehiyala would make – not that I’ve seen one do this to myself…hehe).
During the curtain call, I believe that Lisa was truly touched. She was unabashedly crying and mouthed her ‘thank yous’ several times. For a true artist of the masses bidding farewell to her most loved and most memorable role, the several minutes of standing ovation and thundering applause was all that a grateful nation could give her.
I am quite grateful that Lisa decided to dance the role one more time because I got the chance to see her. I am already sorry I missed her Odette/Odile in Swan Lake and to have missed her in her signature role would have been doubly disappointing. As she said in her video shown just before the final act, Lisa had already decided to dance her final Don Quixote last 2009 but went back on her word as she decided to perform the role of Kitri again as part of her Swan Song Series.
This year, the second of Lisa’s three years of saying farewell to her beloved roles, she will also dance Giselle and Carmen. Both of these roles complete opposites of the playful Kitri. I can’t wait to see Lisa perform Giselle; I’m sure I would see a different Lisa when she performs this dramatic role. I just hope my sister D stays true to her promise that she will buy me a ticket for this show as well.
I have to add that the live music performed by the Manila Symphonic Orchestra also added to the magic. Lisa made the right decision to dance to a live orchestra for her final Don Quixote, and a very good orchestra at that. Kudos also to the very talented Mikhail Martynyuk (he made a good Basilio opposite Lisa and quite supportive of his partner – and I don’t just mean that literally) and the talents of Ballet Manila.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
Phantom of the Philippines
When I first heard several months ago that the Phantom of the Opera would be playing in the Philippines, I had hoped that they would get Filipino actors in the cast. After watching several local shows, I’m certain that the Philippines has no shortage of local talent. I can think of several known Filipino actors who would make great Phantoms. As for Christine, it may be difficult to find a soprano who is already known to the public but I’m sure there are Filipinas who deserve the limelight. I was able to watch “The Magic Flute” of the UP College of Music and I must say that I was myself surprised that we have quite a pool of talented young singers (and actors).
CCP’s Phantom did have a Filipino in the cast, Dondi Ong, the actor who played Ubaldo Piangi. Not really a main role but I will have to say that his notes are difficult given that he was playing the principal tenor of the Paris Opera House. The show also hired several musicians to be part of the orchestra.
The musical is to play up to October 17 at the CCP, after having been extended twice. That’s more than Cats, another Andrew Lloyd Webber musical I saw at the CCP. Perhaps ‘Phantom’ did strike a chord in Filipinos as it did in other countries.
There was some clamor from local musicians regarding the show. “All I ask of you is to pay the fee” was how they put it in the newspaper. I tend to agree with the OPM and the rest of the Filipino talents. Given that ‘Phantom’ was extended a couple of times, it was inevitable that they ran over some local shows. It’s not like the Filipino artists were asking a big chunk of money – just a trifle really to add to the local artists’ retirement fund. If fees such as these are being collected from Filipino talents abroad where the performing arts are very much alive, all the more that it should be given here. All that I’m saying is that local artists be given the respect that they deserve.
Mabuhay, Filipino artists!
CCP’s Phantom did have a Filipino in the cast, Dondi Ong, the actor who played Ubaldo Piangi. Not really a main role but I will have to say that his notes are difficult given that he was playing the principal tenor of the Paris Opera House. The show also hired several musicians to be part of the orchestra.
The musical is to play up to October 17 at the CCP, after having been extended twice. That’s more than Cats, another Andrew Lloyd Webber musical I saw at the CCP. Perhaps ‘Phantom’ did strike a chord in Filipinos as it did in other countries.
There was some clamor from local musicians regarding the show. “All I ask of you is to pay the fee” was how they put it in the newspaper. I tend to agree with the OPM and the rest of the Filipino talents. Given that ‘Phantom’ was extended a couple of times, it was inevitable that they ran over some local shows. It’s not like the Filipino artists were asking a big chunk of money – just a trifle really to add to the local artists’ retirement fund. If fees such as these are being collected from Filipino talents abroad where the performing arts are very much alive, all the more that it should be given here. All that I’m saying is that local artists be given the respect that they deserve.
Mabuhay, Filipino artists!
Monday, September 24, 2012
The Phantom of the CCP
I have just watched Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera at the Cultural Center of the Philippines with the family courtesy of my sister D. Such is the life of a penniless engineer and master’s degree holder. I enjoyed the show and having my family along with me made it even more memorable. I was able to catch the show on Broadway almost a decade ago and I think I was more impressed then with the actors and the production. Still the company I was with made all the difference. Back on Broadway, I was with someone whom I won’t even care to mention.
The show itself was more or less as I remembered it from years ago. I was just surprised during the “The Phantom of the Opera” sequence as it featured less of the technical side. It didn’t have the spinning spiral staircase from which the Phantom and Christine descended. There were also long moments when I could not see anything but a black stage with swirling smoke from the fog machine. I don’t know if they somehow downgraded the production or maybe there were technical glitches that night. Even the “Track down the murderer…” sequence has these ‘empty’ parts.
I don’t think there were enough trapdoors as I was able to see the Phantom runaway after taking Christine’s engagement ring. I think he was supposed to drop down through a trapdoor at this point. I think he and Christine are also supposed to disappear into thin air during the “Point of No Return” sequence. The candle sticks during the "Phantom of the Opera" sequence are also supposed to rise through these trapdoors, they simply glided from the sides in this production.
The actress who played Christine was able to sing her notes (at least as I can tell) and she did enunciate her words very clearly. I don’t know if the high note at the end of the Phantom of the Opera was sung live (I’ve read that it was recorded in some productions) but it seemed like it as there was some effort. I just thought she could do more with breath control as well as singing some of the parts legato. (My voice teacher would be proud I remembered the term. Hehe…) At times, I did not sense emotion in her words while she seemed too melodramatic at other times. I did like her singing “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again”. She sung it quite beautifully and with what I thought to be the right amount of emotion. Finally, this Christine was a graceful dancer - which reminded me that Sarah Brightman was a dancer before she became a singer.
Now, the actor who played the Phantom was just superb. His voice did sound muffled at times but he still sang and acted the role quite well. I like his low notes especially in “Music of the Night” (I noticed some of the tenors who sang the role have difficulty with the low notes in this song) but he was able to handle the high notes as well. I believe this is one of the hardest roles in the whole of musical theater and to be able to sing and act it as well as he did is quite a feat in itself.
We watched the show from the dizzying heights of Balcony II. I would have liked to watch the show from a seat closer to the stage where I can at least see the expressions on the faces of the actors but someone as penniless as I cannot complain and should just be thankful for seeing the show.
The show itself was more or less as I remembered it from years ago. I was just surprised during the “The Phantom of the Opera” sequence as it featured less of the technical side. It didn’t have the spinning spiral staircase from which the Phantom and Christine descended. There were also long moments when I could not see anything but a black stage with swirling smoke from the fog machine. I don’t know if they somehow downgraded the production or maybe there were technical glitches that night. Even the “Track down the murderer…” sequence has these ‘empty’ parts.
I don’t think there were enough trapdoors as I was able to see the Phantom runaway after taking Christine’s engagement ring. I think he was supposed to drop down through a trapdoor at this point. I think he and Christine are also supposed to disappear into thin air during the “Point of No Return” sequence. The candle sticks during the "Phantom of the Opera" sequence are also supposed to rise through these trapdoors, they simply glided from the sides in this production.
The actress who played Christine was able to sing her notes (at least as I can tell) and she did enunciate her words very clearly. I don’t know if the high note at the end of the Phantom of the Opera was sung live (I’ve read that it was recorded in some productions) but it seemed like it as there was some effort. I just thought she could do more with breath control as well as singing some of the parts legato. (My voice teacher would be proud I remembered the term. Hehe…) At times, I did not sense emotion in her words while she seemed too melodramatic at other times. I did like her singing “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again”. She sung it quite beautifully and with what I thought to be the right amount of emotion. Finally, this Christine was a graceful dancer - which reminded me that Sarah Brightman was a dancer before she became a singer.
Now, the actor who played the Phantom was just superb. His voice did sound muffled at times but he still sang and acted the role quite well. I like his low notes especially in “Music of the Night” (I noticed some of the tenors who sang the role have difficulty with the low notes in this song) but he was able to handle the high notes as well. I believe this is one of the hardest roles in the whole of musical theater and to be able to sing and act it as well as he did is quite a feat in itself.
We watched the show from the dizzying heights of Balcony II. I would have liked to watch the show from a seat closer to the stage where I can at least see the expressions on the faces of the actors but someone as penniless as I cannot complain and should just be thankful for seeing the show.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Manila Ocean Park
When it opened several years ago, throngs of Filipinos – tourists and uziseros alike – flocked to the Manila Ocean Park. The Oceanarium was to be the centerpiece of the new tourist hub which included other attractions as well.
I finally got to see the park a few weeks ago using a complimentary pass given to me by my parents who toured some relatives there several months ago. I had visited two other marine theme parks – SeaWorld in San Diego, California and Ocean Park in Hong Kong. I will have to say that the Manila Oceanarium still has a lot to improve on should it want to be at par with these other two attractions. Still, the Manila Oceanarium is not without its own appeal. The glass tunnel which bends twice along its length provides a good view of the marine creatures. I was glad to have come a few hours before closing time as I got some alone time inside the tube, freely taking pictures (at least until a few other latecomers entered). Just some minutes before, the tunnel was packed with people; I could hardly get a decent video of the marine animals swimming by. But I guess it was also fun looking at the people, albeit less amazing. There were plenty of excited children jumping excitedly at the sight of the big fishes, some teenagers donning their artista-inspired looks and doing their Facebook-worthy poses in front of the camera, and also some manangs gesticulating excitedly at the shark as it seemed to hover overhead. When a diver in an air-filled suit with a bubble helmet came down the tank, the children became even more ecstatic. I imagined an oversized obese toddler being taught to walk but I still wonder how it would be like to walk underwater among the fishes.
There were plenty more aquariums and large tanks. I remember the lionfish with their defensive spines, the clownfish which the kids called Nemo and also Dory in a separate tank, the small seahorses looking like yellow ornaments floating with the mild current as they cling on the bare branches of a seaweed. There were several blowfish, locally called butete (quite confusing as we also call tadpoles the same thing), but they were relaxed and deflated. I wondered then if there was anything I could do to see them expand to full size, short of knocking on the glass to rattle the fish.
The arrowanas swimming gracefully in a big tank near the entrance with their large, uniform scales glistening in the dim light could be easily imagined as the fabled water dragons. There were also Philippine crocodiles just under the wooden stairs, not-so-hungry or as big as the recently caught Lolong in Palawan which measured 21 feet – the longest in the world. Still, they made me think twice before extending my arm over the railing to take my own snaps at them. There was also one tank I liked where there were hundreds of silver fish swimming clockwise around some plant. If they did not get dizzy with their circular motions, I could only wonder. One spacious room featured larger tanks with the bigger fishes. The illusion of seeing them swimming through the remains of a sunken ship was reinforced by the Titanic-inspired soundtrack (or was it really from the official soundtrack? I honestly don’t know). There was one tank where a remora has attached itself to a shark.
Of course, there was also the shark tank. Seeing the great whites and hammerheads up close reminded me of that soundtrack of Jaws. The sharks seemed docile enough and I wonder how they would look in a feeding frenzy (yes, I also got addicted to the computer game.)
There are other attractions in the Manila Ocean Park which I didn’t get to visit. Aside from the fact that I got there just a couple of hours before closing, I also could not spare any more money. There was the fish spa where you could have your feet picked and cleaned by little fishes. There was the jellyfish attraction which I guess was not unlike the one I saw in HK. Glad they also got it as I enjoyed the HK attraction immensely – it was like walking in an alien world inhabited by these flying, luminous creatures (it’s either that or a scene from The X-Files). The Antarctic Adventure was another missed attraction. Honestly, I don’t know what it is but there were probably penguins. As I left, the musical fountain has just started. From the sound of it and the top of the water spouts I could see from outside, it seemed like a mesmerizing show. Too bad I lacked the money, the time and good company.
I finally got to see the park a few weeks ago using a complimentary pass given to me by my parents who toured some relatives there several months ago. I had visited two other marine theme parks – SeaWorld in San Diego, California and Ocean Park in Hong Kong. I will have to say that the Manila Oceanarium still has a lot to improve on should it want to be at par with these other two attractions. Still, the Manila Oceanarium is not without its own appeal. The glass tunnel which bends twice along its length provides a good view of the marine creatures. I was glad to have come a few hours before closing time as I got some alone time inside the tube, freely taking pictures (at least until a few other latecomers entered). Just some minutes before, the tunnel was packed with people; I could hardly get a decent video of the marine animals swimming by. But I guess it was also fun looking at the people, albeit less amazing. There were plenty of excited children jumping excitedly at the sight of the big fishes, some teenagers donning their artista-inspired looks and doing their Facebook-worthy poses in front of the camera, and also some manangs gesticulating excitedly at the shark as it seemed to hover overhead. When a diver in an air-filled suit with a bubble helmet came down the tank, the children became even more ecstatic. I imagined an oversized obese toddler being taught to walk but I still wonder how it would be like to walk underwater among the fishes.
There were plenty more aquariums and large tanks. I remember the lionfish with their defensive spines, the clownfish which the kids called Nemo and also Dory in a separate tank, the small seahorses looking like yellow ornaments floating with the mild current as they cling on the bare branches of a seaweed. There were several blowfish, locally called butete (quite confusing as we also call tadpoles the same thing), but they were relaxed and deflated. I wondered then if there was anything I could do to see them expand to full size, short of knocking on the glass to rattle the fish.
The arrowanas swimming gracefully in a big tank near the entrance with their large, uniform scales glistening in the dim light could be easily imagined as the fabled water dragons. There were also Philippine crocodiles just under the wooden stairs, not-so-hungry or as big as the recently caught Lolong in Palawan which measured 21 feet – the longest in the world. Still, they made me think twice before extending my arm over the railing to take my own snaps at them. There was also one tank I liked where there were hundreds of silver fish swimming clockwise around some plant. If they did not get dizzy with their circular motions, I could only wonder. One spacious room featured larger tanks with the bigger fishes. The illusion of seeing them swimming through the remains of a sunken ship was reinforced by the Titanic-inspired soundtrack (or was it really from the official soundtrack? I honestly don’t know). There was one tank where a remora has attached itself to a shark.
Of course, there was also the shark tank. Seeing the great whites and hammerheads up close reminded me of that soundtrack of Jaws. The sharks seemed docile enough and I wonder how they would look in a feeding frenzy (yes, I also got addicted to the computer game.)
There are other attractions in the Manila Ocean Park which I didn’t get to visit. Aside from the fact that I got there just a couple of hours before closing, I also could not spare any more money. There was the fish spa where you could have your feet picked and cleaned by little fishes. There was the jellyfish attraction which I guess was not unlike the one I saw in HK. Glad they also got it as I enjoyed the HK attraction immensely – it was like walking in an alien world inhabited by these flying, luminous creatures (it’s either that or a scene from The X-Files). The Antarctic Adventure was another missed attraction. Honestly, I don’t know what it is but there were probably penguins. As I left, the musical fountain has just started. From the sound of it and the top of the water spouts I could see from outside, it seemed like a mesmerizing show. Too bad I lacked the money, the time and good company.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Face-to-Face Interview
After the phone interview, I was finally called for a face-to-face interview with the global business development manager. The interview was scheduled at 10 AM but I decided to arrive in Makati two hours earlier. The traffic can be quite terrible in the morning and I would not want to be late.
I did not want to appear overexcited (I wasn’t actually) so I had breakfast at Jollibee and ate my meal leisurely. I was calm and composed when I left the restaurant 30 minutes before my scheduled interview, which was what I really wanted. What I was not able to consider was the weather. The building I was to go to was just across Ayala Avenue but it was hot and I was wearing a long sleeved shirt with tie. Factor in the fact that I perspire a lot at the least physical exertion. That short walk in the underpass made my sweat trickle down my face and neck. The result – a dark ring of sweat around the snugly fitting collar of my shirt.
The interview lasted an hour. After the pleasantries, when I mentioned that it was hot outside to account for my sweat-drenched collar and he said that he also felt hot when he arrived, we got down to business. The interviewer first made me recite what was already on my resume (quite a waste of time, I thought). Then it was all situational questions.
The questions themselves were not really that hard because I have quite a number of personal experiences to choose from. After all, I have graduated more than a decade ago and I have worked in a number of different fields. What was difficult was to think of the best example that would highlight my strengths, my decision-making skills, and other personal characteristics that would also be useful in the job I was applying for. I had to sift through all my experiences in just a few seconds. My mental faculties, especially memory and quick recall, seemed to have declined sharply these last few years and it was a bit of a struggle to come up with the examples in such a quick span of time but I was able to cite examples I believe to be the best. It was in the delivery where I had some bit of a problem.
I am not that articulate to begin with. As a self-confessed introvert, I am more comfortable writing down my thoughts when I can pause and reflect on how I can best express an idea. Especially now that I had no real practice speaking in English. Writing which could have been the next best thing would have been nice, but I couldn’t find the time nor the mood to sit down and compose my thoughts. In the end, it was just plain laziness, I think. I read an article just a few weeks ago (I don’t know how true) about women being more likely to be nervous before a job interview but this makes them more prepared than men to face the interviewer.
I thought I was able to answer the questions right enough, at least to the best of my abilities and whatever experiences I had. Perhaps, I should have played more of an actor and tried to charm my way. But hey, I’m certainly no actor and as charm goes, I’m probably as charming as a grinning skull and bones.
I did not want to appear overexcited (I wasn’t actually) so I had breakfast at Jollibee and ate my meal leisurely. I was calm and composed when I left the restaurant 30 minutes before my scheduled interview, which was what I really wanted. What I was not able to consider was the weather. The building I was to go to was just across Ayala Avenue but it was hot and I was wearing a long sleeved shirt with tie. Factor in the fact that I perspire a lot at the least physical exertion. That short walk in the underpass made my sweat trickle down my face and neck. The result – a dark ring of sweat around the snugly fitting collar of my shirt.
The interview lasted an hour. After the pleasantries, when I mentioned that it was hot outside to account for my sweat-drenched collar and he said that he also felt hot when he arrived, we got down to business. The interviewer first made me recite what was already on my resume (quite a waste of time, I thought). Then it was all situational questions.
The questions themselves were not really that hard because I have quite a number of personal experiences to choose from. After all, I have graduated more than a decade ago and I have worked in a number of different fields. What was difficult was to think of the best example that would highlight my strengths, my decision-making skills, and other personal characteristics that would also be useful in the job I was applying for. I had to sift through all my experiences in just a few seconds. My mental faculties, especially memory and quick recall, seemed to have declined sharply these last few years and it was a bit of a struggle to come up with the examples in such a quick span of time but I was able to cite examples I believe to be the best. It was in the delivery where I had some bit of a problem.
I am not that articulate to begin with. As a self-confessed introvert, I am more comfortable writing down my thoughts when I can pause and reflect on how I can best express an idea. Especially now that I had no real practice speaking in English. Writing which could have been the next best thing would have been nice, but I couldn’t find the time nor the mood to sit down and compose my thoughts. In the end, it was just plain laziness, I think. I read an article just a few weeks ago (I don’t know how true) about women being more likely to be nervous before a job interview but this makes them more prepared than men to face the interviewer.
I thought I was able to answer the questions right enough, at least to the best of my abilities and whatever experiences I had. Perhaps, I should have played more of an actor and tried to charm my way. But hey, I’m certainly no actor and as charm goes, I’m probably as charming as a grinning skull and bones.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Phone Interview
I was surprised that I was contacted by the HR staff of the prospective employer where I had the personality test. Maybe this is the time that I should swallow my own words from my previous entry, one of those times when I did not follow the think-before-you-click mantra of responsible bloggers. But no one’s complaining (so far) and I still think that some of my concerns about such personality tests are valid. I won’t specify which ones though… haha!
So I was scheduled for a phone interview, the HR being in another Asian country. I found it difficult at first since the caller’s accent was just too different from mine. Add to that that we were talking over the phone where the sound was a bit muffled and there were no gestures or facial expressions to give additional cues. It also did not help that in my concern that the interviewer hears the ambient noise in my neighborhood – the cawing of the roosters, the gossip of the idle neighbors (as if I wasn’t idle myself!) hammering noises, and all the other cacophony of sounds – I opted to go to the food court of a mall. Okay, call me foolish or stupid or whatever, but I thought it was a better environment for an interview. Well, I earnestly thought it was. I had the unfortunate late-night experience quite recently when I woke up to the sound of neighbors fighting. There was a brief but noisy squabble accompanied by breaking bottles, followed by the sound of a herd of people on a stampede, and then very loud shouts of obscenities, threats and curses. Anyway, I thought it was wise trading the possibility of that happening as I was being interviewed to the noise of people chatting over brunch and the loud whirr of the blender from a nearby stall.
Well, we did manage. The interview lasted an hour, my left ear (the better of the pair) aching slightly afterwards. I found the questions more difficult than the usual interview questions I had been asked. They were situational, almost always starting with ‘Describe a time…” It was a good thing that I have worked for so many companies already, many of them part-time or project-based, and I could choose from so many situations and examples. In fact, the bigger problem for me then was which situation I should talk about. I know that these types of questions are really the best interview questions to ask during recruitment. The historical perspective also gives a more accurate picture of the applicant’s profile; following the philosophy that history would repeat itself. Still, I believe that people do change, especially after such critical situations and it is important in answering these type of questions to state the outcome or how these situations affected one’s own principles and beliefs.
Knowledge of how to answer such questions is one thing but actually answering them is another. After what seemed to be an interminable barrage of situational questions and digging my memory for past experiences and choosing the best among them, we finished the interview. The HR staff then enumerated to me the findings based on the personality test I took. At least the interviewer began by saying that such profiles have a tendency to change depending on the job. Then, the findings were read to me one-by-one and I was given the opportunity to react to each. In the end, I had to concede that the results were fairly accurate. I said fairly because the findings indicated that I liked to be the center of attention. Hmm… an introvert who is also egocentric, narcissistic and a control freak. I don’t know, maybe that was part of my Johari window I was blind to. The results also indicated that I have trust issues and have difficulty meeting people for the first time. Maybe I do have trust issues now but mainly due to the bad experiences I’ve had when I delegated responsibilities to people whom I thought I could trust. I did thought that people are inherently good but such naivete had led me several times to tight spots and difficult situations. I think I have been betrayed too many times already and I had to learn to be wary of people and to take their words always with a grain of salt. I realize of course that the higher up in the organization’s hierarchy, the more that one has to trust his subordinates, does this mean that I am a bad manager or that conscientiousness takes precedence over trust. I’m afraid I painted myself to be a disagreeable manager in the personality test.
Or maybe I have always believed myself to be too trusting and in my haste to shield this quality (I’d like to say unknowingly), I made choices pointing to the opposite pole.
Egocentric. Narcissistic. Of course, the interviewer did not mention these adjectives to me but what else would I think when she said that my personality profile indicated that I like to be the center of attention. I wanted to laugh out loud when I heard that. Maybe I did, but I had to say that the results were not true. I do want to lead, additional proof during my recent stint at the university that I almost always wanted to lead my own group of selected members, but you would not see me in parties or other social ritual. In this case, I only wanted to be the center of attention in my own comfort zones, social gatherings not among them.
The profile also indicated that I was conscientious (did I choose my answers specifically to show that, or am I really?) and analytical (this I can believe as my superiors in two separate companies have made this remark of me and I believe I would not have made it in my job if I weren’t… Hmm… is it pride talking?
To cut the story short, the phone interview ended. I peeled the phone off my left cheek, stretched my left arm, shook the residual tension off, and left for home - back to the cacophony of fighting cocks and neighbors.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Personality Test
This does not bode well. Two of the more promising applications I’ve made this past month have just been reposted on the job website. One of them was, in a way, expected after what transpired during the job interview. It turned out that my background is really far from what the position demands. What I can’t figure out is why they would specify manufacturing experience when the position clearly calls for a service industry professional?
As for the other company, I only got as far as the personality test. They reposted their vacancy a day after I submitted to their online personality test. Does this mean that I don’t have the personality that companies want in their management team? I answered the personality test during a failed bout with insomnia at 3 AM. I wonder if my answers were in any way affected.
The first time I encountered a personality test such as the one I took, I was being considered for a promotion. As part of HR’s new requirements, I had to undergo an online personality test. I had a difficult time then (as I had a few days ago) as the questions were asking me to make choices when decisions were not always clear cut. Fortunately, I passed the test barely ten points from the passing rate, or so they told me. When the results came out, there were many complaints from employees as to the reliability of such tests and why it was necessary to go through them to get promoted. The company administering the test even stated in their website that the test was only predictive and not prescriptive. (I wonder what the HR would do if the test predictions were not exactly favorable. Would it not be tantamount to a prescription not to hire or promote the employee?)
The HR countered that there were no really correct or wrong answers and that the test would not be really be used for promotion purposes. Yet in the end, they had to delay the promotions of the candidates who ‘failed’ and had them to retake it after a few months. I don’t know if they were able to ‘pass’ the second time they took the test. As far as I know, these tests tend to give the same results even if they are taken repeatedly.
From my HR Management and Organizational Behavior classes, I found out that such tests were mainly administered to assess the personality traits of people and to what extent they possess the Big Five Personality Traits. The Big Five were extraversion, emotional stability, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness. According to research, these five traits are strongly correlated to effective management.
Okay, I don’t think I can challenge data but I wonder if there is something can go wrong as to how a test was designed and administered, e.g. if I take the test when I’m in a certain mood, such as when I am too busy to do administrative tasks for HR or when I am cranky and groggy from insomnia. Then, there’s Hofstede’s Theory of Cultural Dimensions that shows how values of people from different geographical locations can differ according to their culture. Will the test be valid for a Filipino of a certain age and background as it was for Americans or to whatever citizenship of the sample used by the test designers?
And why force people to make choices when they can be flexible and choose differently depending on the situation or, as I mentioned above, their mood. For example, I often take a participative management style when I am leading a high performing team whom I have worked before and already trusted. When in a crisis mode, however, or if there is a change that I immediately had to implement, I had to take an authoritative stance. How would I answer the test given two opposing decisions I made in the past and both turned out positively.
When I took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Assessment, it revealed that I have an INTJ personality which is one of the rarest personality types at 1 - 4% of the population. I wonder if the personality still holds true, that is if they designed the test based on the general population or did they also consider rare personalities.
As for extraversion, the Big Five studies showed that high extraversion leads to emergence of leaders but it does not mean that they are going to be effective. It may even be dangerous to make leaders of people just by virtue of their extraversion, as influence and charisma can only take them so far. In my case, MBTI showed that I am deeply introverted. I can say that that is true as making speeches, attending parties, going to social gatherings, and other social rituals make me uncomfortable, but I can still perform on the job. I can still communicate with people from all levels, conduct meetings, make presentations and perform activities that normally would call for extraverts, albeit I can do them with greater emotional labor.
Personality tests seem to be the trend nowadays in hiring and promoting for managerial and supervisory jobs. I just hope that HR officers understand that these, unlike mathematics and physical sciences, are not exact and should be treated with some wariness. After all, we are talking about human beings here with their own free will and can act unpredictably in most unexpected ways in specific situations.
As for the other company, I only got as far as the personality test. They reposted their vacancy a day after I submitted to their online personality test. Does this mean that I don’t have the personality that companies want in their management team? I answered the personality test during a failed bout with insomnia at 3 AM. I wonder if my answers were in any way affected.
The first time I encountered a personality test such as the one I took, I was being considered for a promotion. As part of HR’s new requirements, I had to undergo an online personality test. I had a difficult time then (as I had a few days ago) as the questions were asking me to make choices when decisions were not always clear cut. Fortunately, I passed the test barely ten points from the passing rate, or so they told me. When the results came out, there were many complaints from employees as to the reliability of such tests and why it was necessary to go through them to get promoted. The company administering the test even stated in their website that the test was only predictive and not prescriptive. (I wonder what the HR would do if the test predictions were not exactly favorable. Would it not be tantamount to a prescription not to hire or promote the employee?)
The HR countered that there were no really correct or wrong answers and that the test would not be really be used for promotion purposes. Yet in the end, they had to delay the promotions of the candidates who ‘failed’ and had them to retake it after a few months. I don’t know if they were able to ‘pass’ the second time they took the test. As far as I know, these tests tend to give the same results even if they are taken repeatedly.
From my HR Management and Organizational Behavior classes, I found out that such tests were mainly administered to assess the personality traits of people and to what extent they possess the Big Five Personality Traits. The Big Five were extraversion, emotional stability, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness. According to research, these five traits are strongly correlated to effective management.
Okay, I don’t think I can challenge data but I wonder if there is something can go wrong as to how a test was designed and administered, e.g. if I take the test when I’m in a certain mood, such as when I am too busy to do administrative tasks for HR or when I am cranky and groggy from insomnia. Then, there’s Hofstede’s Theory of Cultural Dimensions that shows how values of people from different geographical locations can differ according to their culture. Will the test be valid for a Filipino of a certain age and background as it was for Americans or to whatever citizenship of the sample used by the test designers?
And why force people to make choices when they can be flexible and choose differently depending on the situation or, as I mentioned above, their mood. For example, I often take a participative management style when I am leading a high performing team whom I have worked before and already trusted. When in a crisis mode, however, or if there is a change that I immediately had to implement, I had to take an authoritative stance. How would I answer the test given two opposing decisions I made in the past and both turned out positively.
When I took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Assessment, it revealed that I have an INTJ personality which is one of the rarest personality types at 1 - 4% of the population. I wonder if the personality still holds true, that is if they designed the test based on the general population or did they also consider rare personalities.
As for extraversion, the Big Five studies showed that high extraversion leads to emergence of leaders but it does not mean that they are going to be effective. It may even be dangerous to make leaders of people just by virtue of their extraversion, as influence and charisma can only take them so far. In my case, MBTI showed that I am deeply introverted. I can say that that is true as making speeches, attending parties, going to social gatherings, and other social rituals make me uncomfortable, but I can still perform on the job. I can still communicate with people from all levels, conduct meetings, make presentations and perform activities that normally would call for extraverts, albeit I can do them with greater emotional labor.
Personality tests seem to be the trend nowadays in hiring and promoting for managerial and supervisory jobs. I just hope that HR officers understand that these, unlike mathematics and physical sciences, are not exact and should be treated with some wariness. After all, we are talking about human beings here with their own free will and can act unpredictably in most unexpected ways in specific situations.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)