Internship Diaries : Newsletter

July 16, 2015

                       Today was a busy day for me. Got a full pack schedule from my work to my OJT and straight to my evening classes. Everything was st not until my classmates texted me that our Thesis adviser called for a meeting this same day at 3:00 pm. That was unexpected because my internship ends at 4 pm so I have to ask permission first.

                        In the office, I continue my task which was to accomplish the Newsletter. Well, I can’t really complete the newsletter this day because there are some articles that was missing. Not literally but for example the upcoming Market Relevance Corporation’s First ever conference. The event needs to be incorporated to the newsletter so me and Jao needs to wait for the actual event to write about it.

            I focused on the layout of the Newsletter and come out with the final design. Next thing I did was to asked sir JM and Jao for any comments or suggestions. Afterwards, I  did a couple of write ups about the Christmas Parties of MRC. It includes the themes, venues and happening during the events. I also asked Jao to help me in this part and he then submitted me an article about Ms. Lourdes that is needed by the newsletter also.

                     The day in the office went light and well. They are too good to allow us go early and attend the meeting I mentioned Earlier.

Internship Diaries : MRC Hymn

July 13, 2015

Today my task was to create the and complete the music video of MRC's Hymn sung by Ate Weng or Rowena Gozum. She's the key person on data gathering and encoding. I really had a hard time doing the MTV because the clippings are limited. Ghad I blame myself because I'm the videographer too. I also didn’t video the whole song while it is being sung by Ate Weng because we did the recording on segments. Woo got really epic here.

I needed to wait for more images taken from their facebook accounts and photo albums that were kept. I face a lot of difficulties here specially I'm not a pro, not even an average one when it comes to video editing. Second was I am really used in using Windows Movie Maker but unfortunately that one doesn't read all video formats. I was left with no choice but to help myself in familiarizing Videopad, a software downloaded by Jao, another intern. He recommended it to me because it is downloadable and easy to use but the thing is he, himself knows how to use it and how about me? I'll tell you dear it’s not that easy, Swear! Upon trying really hard, I gave up and choose to download I think 2 to 3 other video editor but still it’s difficult and then I found myself using Videopad again and getting the job almost done.

After repeatedly rechecking and viewing it I asked Ms. Rhods to check and critic the video and as expected,  still it has glitches and some lapses. Photos are being repeated and the video was not exact to the song itself. Well, I really tried my best to make it perfect. Happily I accomplished the video within the day. 

Internship Diaries : The Conference

July 10, 2015

I went to the office of MRC today with a task to accomplish. Yesterday, Ms.Paz and Ms.Aileen assigned some paper works for us to do today but of course they taught us first what to do. Upon arriving, both of them, Ms.Paz and Ms.Aileen were absent so I proceeded doing my thing. I grab the questionnaire from Ms.Aileen's desk.These are the ones which I observed while the interviewer, Ate Cass, was conducting the survey. I evaluated the performance of Ate Cass through a standard measurement provided by the company.

I was about to continue doing my next set of work which is to backcheck the 40 questionnaires. Backchecking is the process where the key person verify the surveys through calling each of the respondents using their given contact number. When you called the respondents the screening questions should be asked then just throw random questions from the questionnaire and check the accuracy of his/her responses. Well the backchecking never happen. Instead Ms.Rhods briefed us about the upcoming MRC Conference which surprisingly will be organized by us three practicumers. The conceptualization, presentation and the the contents will be coming from us. I was assigned to make the music video of the company's theme song,remember I was the videographer during the recording. I will also write the company's Newsletter and research about ASEAN Integration. Wooo thats quite a huge and exciting responsibility thinking that the conference will be on the 21st of July and our deadline was next Friday. Let us call it a challenge!

We started a bit research about the assigned task for us but when Ate Weng, or the key person doing the encoding and data processing of the company arrived, we stopped doing our thing and proceed on the lessons. Ate Weng showed and taught us the data processing and let us experience the encoding of some questionnaire. Everything went smoothly until its 6 pm already.

Internship Diaries : The Observer

July 9, 2015

  We were assigned to gather data or conduct survey in Glorietta. I was adviced that today I and Jao won’t be conducting interviews instead we will do OB, or be the observer while the interviewers conduct the survey. We are briefed on what to point out, what should we watch for, basically the standard etiquette upon surveying. We meet two of MRC’s field interviewers. Jao, my internship buddy and I chose an interviewer to observe. It's quite awkward because I knew these two we're long time field interviewers already and I am just an intern who will technically supervise them. Challenging also because I have to me meticulous when it comes to quality and error for the validity of the survey.

   I chose Ate Cass, she was a fine interviewer. She was good overall though at the first two surveys she did I notice big mistakes from her. Like for example she forgot to use the show cards, these are guide answers for the respondents, and she did not emphasize all the options for the respondents. Sometimes she is leading the respondent so that show bias. Leading to an answer which is not really intended by the respondents.

    After each survey we are discussing does issues to avoid in the future. There is one time where Ate Cass finished a survey but unfortunately the respondent was not qualified when we label his social economic status so she needed to redo the survey to another respondents. It was relieving to accomplish the task fast. It’s just 2 pm when we finished the quota so Ms.Aileen and us, interns decided to just go and report to MRC's office. At the office we continue editing the questionnaires. Editing is the process of rechecking the papers if all questions are asked and skipping questions are skipped. Then Ms.Aileen and Ms.Paz taught us how to fill up the Evaluation sheet from the outcome of our observation. There is a form with guide standards for us to fill upon evaluating the interviewers. Afterwards they showed us how to do backchecking, Backchecking is hard I think because you need to call each respondents and verify the accuracy of the survey. Ms.Paz called one respondent to demonstrate for us. The respondents answered the phone but then drop it. He then sent a text message stating that he is busy and Yes, he was interviewed. We tried another respondent and the back checking went smooth.  

Internship Diaries : Upper Class

July 7, 2015

                  This day was my second day of being a field interviewer. I was placed under the supervision of Ms.Paz. My first impression to her was super strict and professional. I also thought she was snobbish but I was wrong. We met inside KFC, MRT Ayala at  9 am. I arrived exactly 9 but they came 1 hour after. Haha that’s fine, I managed to took my breakfast first thou I didn't like KFC that much.

         We discuss a bit about the project details then proceed to look for Glorietta’s administrative office. I met two field interviewers of MRC which was Ate Marina and Ate Yolly. They are both bubbly and industrious individuals. Upon checking the permit in the administrative office of Ayala, we found out that the permit for our project was effective tomorrow and not today so we have to proceed to Greenbelt instead. I was with Ms.Paz and we are to position in Greenbelt 2. Greenbelt, I thought was an up-class mall indeed. The Greenbelt 2 was pure restaurants so I had a hard time gaining interviews. There were no benches and it’s not your typical mall. Everyone has to go inside each restaurants and eat then go. They are all in a hurry so it’s a big delay for them and a challenge for me to conduct this ambush interview.

                        I approached everyone I thought might allow me to borrow some of their precious time but it’s really tough to find one who is willing to be surveyed. I got 10 refusals after I got my first completed interview with a female adult belonging to upper class. She first asked me about the validity of the survey and for the permit of the project. Off course I had a permit on-hand to show her and explained the purpose of the study. I buffer a bit while asking her because Ms.Paz was butting in. I understand why she did that but I’m still not confident.

             I was glad to have my second complete within an hour from my first one. This time I’m much confident and familiar with the questionnaire. It’s an awesome feeling to accomplished your task earlier than expected. 

Internship Diaries : The Interviewer

July 6, 2015

         Last Friday Ms.Paz briefed us on a certain project about mall assessment. The briefing was not that hard but everything in it was important for the validity of the survey and respondent. Upon arriving in the office, I wrote on my timecard and waited for something to do.

         Ms.Paz asked me to edit 20 questionnaires that was accomplished I think yesterday. The editing is a huge part of the data gathering process. This is a stage where you will see errors of the interviewers and in some instances some respondents and surveys was void. In my case, I saw a lot of errors not particularly in just one questionnaire but in multiple sheets. The errors raised from un-skipped questions, un-asked questioned to unverified responses. I had marked a couple of questionnaires and had really fun doing it so.

       At almost 3 pm Ms.Rhods instructed us to go to Trinoma, a mall in Quezon City to conduct a batch of survey. I was so excited because this is my first time doing a real field research with MRC.  We joined Ms.Aileen, the operations Manager to Trinoma. She was a good person and has an inspiring story to tell. I admire her journey in the research industry and she’s also good n explain and instructing us the things to do. I was given 2 questionnaires to accomplish. Before we proceeded to conduct an interview, we dropped by the administrative office of Trinoma to get the permit for the project.

          I immediately approached an elderly who just sat down on the benches near us. Luckily she was willing to share some of her time with me. Upon screening the respondent, Ms.Aileen sat beside her too as I throw up questions. I knew I was being observed at this moment and it adds the tension. In some instance Ms.Aileen will interrupt and verify some responses which I fail to do so. I learned a lot from the two interviews I accomplished.

The experience was challenging and really a great one.

Internship Diary : On tape

JULY 3,2015

          Today is my third day of Internship. I arrived at 10:00 am, one our passed my normal call time because I have my part time job because 10 am is really my scheduled start of shift. I was surprise to see someome in my assigned seat, he is being oriented and I am thinking if he will he will be my partner in this internship.Guess what? I am right and this boy is familiar to me because we came from the same school with the same course but different section. We're introduced to each other and get a long just fine. afterwards Ms.Marielle let us watch a video of an focus Group Discussion. the clip is about the transition of men's want and perspective. The respondents age was 30-39, they are all married and have kids. 

        Overall we manage to understand the main point of the FGD and the way how it was held and handled by the facilitator. We get excited when Madam told us that we will handle an FGD and become a facilitator ourselves. That was very awesome if thats true.Great experience for sure.

        Afterwards we proceeded to the briefing of a project about Shopping Malls. Ms.Paz briefed us together with two other interviewers. This is not new to me,us because were used to surveys but this real project gets us excited.

Internship Diary : In the Huge Building

JULY 02,2015

                     First time in One San Miguel Blg.

         Ms. Rhods, the CEO/president of MRC instructed me to report in their main office at One San Miguel. At the office Ms.Minette supervised me. I met sir Ranier and Sir JM, when I arrived all of them where so busy. I witness the tension inside the office as they manage to assist participants of the Focus group discussions and the clients as well. I think its just one FGD but was compose of 4 groups of participants namely the single mothers with child, the mothers without a child, teens and young adults. The topic perhaps was confidential.

         I tried helping them for some instances that I can. I helped Sir JM prepare the rooms for the fgd, we attached two Manila paper to the one side of the room to serve as there chalkboard. I was a bit amaze to see these room which has the one sided mirror where I knew client will watch over the participant without them knowing they are being observed. I got the chance to enter both rooms for the clients and participants and its a happy experience to me to be living the lessons I learned from the four corners of our room.

        I just stayed outside a one big room which has another 4 separated room inside. Two of those contains the participants and two also contains the clients inside. I was the assigned assistant for the client. I assist them if they need or asked something and also guides the participants when going to the restroom. I am the one who distributed food together with Ms.Minette and Sir JM.

Everything went a nice experience for me on my second day as an intern.

Internship Diary : First day on the Job.

July 1, 2015

Dear Diary,

        I have a story to tell.

          Today was my first day on my internship at MRC or Market Relevance Corporation. I came in the office at 8:13 they told me I'm very early for my 9:00 am call time and I replied that it was intentional because my first time going to the office was an epic fail. I was lost in Boni Avenue but luckily for this time I discovered a fastest and more convenient way for me.

          Ms.Rhodora welcomed and asked me to read the HR manual upon waiting for Ms.Marielle, the HR assistant. I reviewed the manual as instructed. When Ms.Marielle arrived, i held her my endorsement letter. A few more minutes and we started the internship orientation. She let me watch 3 long video presentations regarding the company, market research components and some confidential stuff. I recall many topics so the first two video presentations are familiar but the third one was quite new to me so I have to familiarize myself. After watching those videos Ms.Rhodora hand me their internship journal and asked me to write down everything I recall and my feedback towards the videos I watched. Well, not quite sure but I guess I manage to fill the 12 pages of journal.

        Afterwards we proceeded to finalizing my schedule and then contract signing. Gladly the company had no problem with my part-time job and class schedule so everything went absolutely fine. Ms.Marielle then introduced me to the rest of the employee that I will be working with. I was overwhelmed with the warm welcome and greetings, they even treated me lunch for my first day. Thankful I was.

       When all the paperwork are done with me, they let me join the team that will record the company's theme song. We went to the recording studio just down the street from our office. I became the recording artist, just kidding. I was the videographer of the music video. It was fun and kinda awkward at first but I manage to end the day with a smile and an awesome goodbye to them.