Shanelle Anne Machan – Virtual Assistant, Social Media Manager

My name is Shanelle Anne Machan, I earned my bachelor’s degree in Business Administration majoring in Operations Management and Human Resource Management at the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod. Building up on my educational foundation, I pursued a Master’s Degree in Business Administration at La Consolacion College-Bacolod.

In terms of professional experience, I began my career at Jollibee under Freemont Foods Corporation, where I was hired as an Assistant Restaurant Manager. This role provided me with valuable hands-on experience in various aspects of business operations, including marketing, booking of events, administrative tasks, bill payment tasks, crew training, payroll, timekeeping, scheduling, and cash control. When I made the decision to pursue a Master’s Degree, I realised that continuing my role as an Assistant Restaurant Manager would create conflicts with my academic schedule. Therefore, I resigned from my position and began searching for a corporate job that would allow me to balance my studies effectively.

This led me to my second job as a Human Resource Supervisor in a manpower agency in Negros Occidental. In this role, I was responsible for overseeing the entire Human Resource Management of the Negros Occidental, Bacolod branch. My tasks include recruitment and selection of applicants, organising and maintaining employee files and contracts, ensuring that employees receive their PH government-mandated benefits, addressing and following up on employees’ concerns with the head office, conducting training sessions for newly hired employees, as well as organising meetings and seminars.

After completing my Master’s Degree in 2021, I was fortunate enough to secure a part-time position as a professor at Riverside College Bacolod, specifically teaching Marketing Management and Operations Management. Never have I envisioned myself working as a Virtual Assistant, as I had always been taught in school that pursuing corporate jobs is great after graduation. However, my perspective shifted during the pandemic when I faced challenges in my role as a Human Resource Supervisor, including a reduced schedule and a 50% salary cut. Faced with this difficult situation, I made the decision to resign and focus on completing my thesis writing. It was at this time that my best friend from high school suggested considering a Virtual Assistant job, given the increasing shift towards online work. Taking her advice, I applied to various job listings online and fortunately, I was hired as a freelance Virtual Assistant. This unexpected turn of events opened up a new path for me, allowing me to adapt to the changing times and explore different professional opportunities.

I developed strong interpersonal skills that allow me to easily get along with people because when I was in College I was a participant in a cheering competition and a student leader at the same time. These experiences provided me with opportunities to collaborate and work effectively within teams. When I began working as a Social Media Manager / Virtual Assistant in 2021, I really enjoyed the role, as it has the same tasks as a corporate job (it’s just that it’s online). What I enjoyed the most is the flexibility of working from home, which allowed me to manage my time more efficiently and gave me the freedom to travel or spend quality time with friends and family while still fulfilling my work responsibilities. This balance between work and personal life has been a rewarding aspect of my Virtual Assistant.

For a copy of Shanelle’s resume please click here.