by Carmela Obar
WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE
WOMEN POWER IS SO ALIVE IN REALPAGE!
"Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world." – Hillary Clinton
"There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women." – Kofi Annan
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Last April 26, as part of RealPage’s post-Women’s Month celebration, Vice President Jenny Constantino spearheaded a short lecture dubbed, “Women in the Workplace”. During the talk, she shared her professional journey, as well as the lessons and challenges she encountered along the way. It’s a bit sad that only a handful of people were able to attend because in about an hour, the session proved to be an informative and inspiring one. The talk specifically aimed to encourage women to maximize their potential and make a difference in the workplace. Nevertheless, men were most welcome to listen and surely, the insights shared that day are applicable to all, regardless of gender. Here’s a quick rundown of this women’s talk:
Gain wisdom from experiences. It was humbling to hear Ms. Jenny reaching out to the employees by sharing her career journal. For each and every job position she held, she never failed to acknowledge the learnings. Baring her early struggles is a strong reminder that every opportunity is an avenue for self-improvement that will eventually help one achieve goals.
Back in 1998, she was a staff at the ice cream store, Baskin & Robbins. As a working student then, Ms. Jenny learned to appreciate the value of hard work. Her next job as an administrative staff in a travel agency taught her sales and marketing techniques. She then became an HR officer, an operations manager, and then an assistant general manager. It was then that she realized the importance of selfless service and continuous training.
Her exposure to global work cultures came when she became the country HR manager at Perot/Dell then later at Safeway. It was in the year 2011 when Ms. Jenny joined RealPage as an HR director. Two years later, she became the country head of RealPage Manila. It is at RealPage where Ms. Jenny finally found her purpose.
Seize opportunities and take calculated risks. Throughout her career, there are times when Ms. Jenny was offered a position for which she knew little or nothing about. Yet, as someone who doesn’t pass up on opportunities, Ms. Jenny used what seemed to be a weakness as a motivating force. She is not always fully ready in every situation but determination and focus made her beat all the odds.
Nurture the inherent traits of women. Women are commendable when it comes to being resilient multitaskers. These traits are the key factors in ensuring success in any field.
Stay inspired. Ms. Jenny ended the lecture by acknowledging the inspiring women in her life which include her strong mother and equally brilliant sisters.
Indeed, a world of possibilities lies before women today. Girl empowerment is one of the greatest indicators of development in society so a big “thank you” to Ms. Jenny for being an inspiration.
There is no doubt that here at RealPage, women rock!