SHE walks the street, not for money; Roxanne Montealegre walks on the cyberhighway. The latter helps her achieve a work-life balance.
Aside from posting their latest status in Facebook, micro blogs in Twitter and latest pictures in Instagram, millennials must also harness social media to pursue more productive things in life, Montealegre said.
This cyberage is the perfect time to wear three hats as far as my career is concerned, she told the BusinessMirror. Montealegre is a busy millennial: works as courtside reporter for a media company, an entrepreneur and a commercial model.
“Everything is blending with each other and you can achieve the right mix. What is nice is that social media has helped me a lot in my daily routine. I think what is nicer now is you can speak to a lot of people through social media without going to places,” Montealegre said in a January 21 interview in Makati City.
The 25-year-old BS Management graduate from the Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) did not expect to be a sports reporter. The opportunity was presented to her when she was still in college. Nevertheless, she studied the salient points of basketball and volleyball.
“My first coverage was memorable because I interviewed Philippine Basketball Association legend Benjie Paras. I never thought it would be so exciting covering sports and have the opportunity to meet different personalities.”
Like a real trouper, Montealegre worked hard to study the details and jargons of basketball and volleyball. She went four hours ahead of the call time to ask coaches and analysts about the facets of the game.
“I also read a lot of sports magazines, newspapers and also even watched NBA [National Basketball Association] games so I can set standard how they conduct the coverage of the games.”
Being a courtside reporter, Montealegre provides the other interesting details of the game, such as the things discussed inside the dugout and spectator’s feedback on the game.
On her commercial modeling job, Montealegre says she has learned to pick what suits her needs and styles. She believes there are many opportunities available to millennials today compared to 10 years ago.
“I choose the offers that really matter to me. For example, if there’s a commercial that has a peg of a star, you prepare the best you can do.”
Montealegre attributes her staying power to good attitude and maintaining a good relationship with the crew. “I maintain a positive and perky attitude and treat all people, from the director to crew members, with the same level of respect.”
She explained that doing commercials also gave valuable lessons in charting her career.
“The first important thing is you have to respect the director because he is the one who hones your talent. The second is you have to prepare for the role that you have to play in the commercial.”
She advises upstarts “to be natural in your acting and just be yourself.”
At present, Montealegre has done five commercials in January alone. Meanwhile, she has a guest role in a television soap.
As an entrepreneur, Montealegre manages two businesses. She supplies physical education uniforms of all the elementary and college students of the AdMU.
Together with some of her friends, she opened last year a restaurant at the UP Town Center in Quezon City.
The three activities seem to be huge for the petite mestiza. Nevertheless, she manages to balance it because her different interests does not require her attention simultaneously, according to her.
From January to June, I can allot my time to the businesses and starting June to December I will focus on sports, she said.
For this year, Montealegre said she plans to step up her broadcasting career.
“I want to focus more on sports and business so I can apply the knowledge I acquired in my studies in Ateneo and the Asian Institute of Management.”
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Image credits: Photo courtesty of Roxanne Montealegre