https://www.reddit.com/r/phcareers/comments/1if635f/first_job_dilemma_sm_supermalls_vs_honda/
created by Life-Beat882 on 01/02/2025 at 13:16 UTC
7 upvotes, 27 top-level comments (showing 25)
Hello everyone!! Can you help a newly born adult out? This will be my first job, and I need your opinion regarding these companies' offers. For context, I'm a Mechanical Engineering graduate.
They offered me a slightly higher position (Building Admin Officer), where I will ensure that mall operations are in top condition.
Final interview scheduled.
Expected salary: Around ₱25,000 plus benefits.
Workweek: 5 days/week, 8 hours per day.
Quality Control Engineer – responsible for ensuring the quality of motorcycles.
Final interview completed.
They promised exposure to different departments.
Salary: Around ₱18,000–₱20,000, with food allowance and other benefits upon regularization.
Workweek: 6 days/week, 9 hours per day (but they mentioned having a Christmas vacation).
Obviously, SM’s offer is better in terms of salary and work-life balance. However, to my fellow engineers out there—which is more worth it? Manufacturing or Property Management? What are the long-term implications of each?
Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences on these two companies. Thank you very much!
Comment by introvertgal at 01/02/2025 at 14:05 UTC
34 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I would go for Honda. Why? Because mas related ng konti sa course yung role. Titiisin ko muna yung 6 days a week for the all the learning I can get. Ano ba long term plans mo? Try to align your decision with your plans if you have any.
Comment by InDemandDCCreator at 01/02/2025 at 14:15 UTC
21 upvotes, 0 direct replies
As a girlie na galing sa SM Marketing, go ka sa Honda, pareho naman magandang training kaso madaming times akong OTy sa SM lalo na pagka may events sila. Madami pang kupal na feeling jan.
Comment by tanderbear at 01/02/2025 at 14:21 UTC
19 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I sell honda motorcycles. I’ve been exposed to their work culture and their HR practices. It’s true that you get to be exposed to work of other departments. They try to develop their staff to become multi faceted. It’s inspiring to see and gives a person a lot of internal opportunities.
I’ve also interviewed people from SM to fill various jobs. They’re expected to only know their role and just do it by the books.
Honda will open up your horizons and show you how work can be better organized.
Comment by hainka_kalamragan at 01/02/2025 at 15:07 UTC
16 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Anu ba long time plan mo sa career mo? If mechanical talaga para mabuild career mo eh sa Honda ka.. Sa SM hnd mo yan magagamit being mechanical mo as BAO.
Now if work loads, work and life balance wala ganyan sa SM kahit sa 5days/week and 8hours lng, sa papel lng yan. Kasi nsa mall operations ka, hnd ngsasarado ang mall, and kahit gabi may concerns yan..Kahit day off mo and naka.out kna tatawag and mgcchat sa group chat ang mga may concerns syo.
Comment by Otherwise-Smoke1534 at 01/02/2025 at 15:34 UTC
11 upvotes, 0 direct replies
HONDA - then abroad after, apply ka sa automotive company.
Comment by Puwa321 at 01/02/2025 at 14:56 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Im not from your industry but my best advice is to think where will you be 5 years later in either role... if you can't imagine it research pa onte where it might lead or open opportunities to
Comment by zoeackerman at 01/02/2025 at 20:03 UTC
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Stay away from SM! Mabagal increase dyan. Ang good thing lang dyan is madami kang magiging connections as BAO, even the VPs.
Comment by monalisa08 at 02/02/2025 at 02:58 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Go for the “small salary” for now which offers opportunities to grow. My mistake when I first landed a job was that I settled for the higher salary but I was stagnant for 3 years.
Comment by LightVader_7 at 02/02/2025 at 03:50 UTC*
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Worked my first job at SM last year after graduating in June 2024. It is true na on paper lng talaga yang 5 day compressed work we ek nayan dahil nasa Operations Department ka (which is where I am from din) and since open si mall all days of the year except pag holy week so wala kang holidays (ok lng pag regular holidays kasi double pay talaga pero pag special holidays plus 30% lng ang rate mo which for me di worth it hehe buti pa di nlng nag duty) and since officer ang rank mo hindi ka eligible for Overtime pays. Tas kahit sabihin nating day off mo totoong mag cha-chat at tatawag parin yan sayo. Then ang sched is possible na shifting minsan opener, mid, or closer. Pero depends parin yan on how you will approach your work/responsibilities and if magugustuhan mo rin talaga ang trabaho. Goodluck on choosing the right career.
Comment by Express_Object1278 at 01/02/2025 at 16:19 UTC
7 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Honda is a multinational company who can provide opportunities for growth both horizonally and vertically. You'll learn best practices that can help you with your career thta is in line with youe degree.
No offense, but SM reeks of the typical local company profile: vertical growth if at all, lack of meritocracy, political culture, managers that are not so good leaders, my way or the highway/they only want yes people, among others.
That may be biased but that is based on research about SM and other local companies because of what I do.
Comment by ge3ze3 at 01/02/2025 at 15:52 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Depende ano long term plan mo.
I'm not in the same industry but usually for this case sa field namin, yung domain yung ippriopriotize ko. However, yung 18k-20k na sahod, medyo mababa nga lang.
Comment by zqmvco99 at 01/02/2025 at 19:36 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
choose - get abused by chinese or japanese.
if honda makes you sign a multi year bond, then...
Comment by Xma1995 at 01/02/2025 at 23:59 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
if u just wanna earn more, go for sm, may 10% disc. din sa sm store lol, e-card na interest free payable in 4 paydays and other perks sa mall. 14th ,merit increase. and malawak ang scope ng sm. hindi lang sa sm suoermalls. may engineering dept etc. pwede kang magpa transfer sa ibang department if may open na mas align sa work na gusto mo.
Comment by lalelilolu000 at 02/02/2025 at 01:02 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
You wont get to use your ME skills in SM as BAO, bola lang yan ng HR sayo. Go for the RE position.
Comment by biscuit22_kevin at 02/02/2025 at 01:46 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
If I were in your position, I will accept SM as my first job even if the company culture and working hours is toxic. I have a close friend who also works on SM on his 1st job and I really saw his career growth here in the field of Property Management. He may not be technical guy anymore but he is having a great 6 digits salary in one of the MNC in the field of facilities/property manager which is very difficult in the “engineering”. Unlike sa construction or maintenance field, even with many years if experience duda ako kung aabot ng 6 digits salary unlike sa field of tech
Comment by OneTrueFecker at 02/02/2025 at 03:35 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Yung sa SM possible na on paper lang yung 8hrs; 5 days/week since building admin ka. Expect to be on-call even during your day-offs. Also, I'm not too sure about the degree of relevance netong position sa mechanical engineering and kung anong possible path dito should you choose it to be your career.
Sa manufacturing naman, as a QC Engineer in the same field marami kang matututunan. From manufacturing processes to vehicle functionality. Pwede mo gamitin when you choose to jump ship either locally or abroad. There's definitely better salary elsewhere compared jan sa offer sayo pero if it's good enough for you that's your call. Just consider the schedule lang din. 9hrs+ for 6 days will take its toll. Isang araw lang na pahinga every week and yung Christmas vacation syempre tuwing December lang yun.
For both, parehas iffy sa work-life balance imo if that's what your after pero even if only on-paper 2 days-off is better than 1. Salary-wise, obviously better yung sa SM pero consider din yung allowances na ibibigay sa Honda because for companies like that usually may allowances pa yun or benefits na convertible to cash. Could probably even out Salary-wise if you put what I said into consideration. Technical learnings, I can't speak for BAO positions pero as for the QC Engineer position for sure marami kang matututunan.
The popular opinion for fresh-grads is that kaya mababa ang sahod is because this is your learning phase. I say fuck that, pay me. Lol. Jk. Consider your living condition rin when deciding based on the salary. If you're gonna be renting, that Honda salary would be just enough to survive if you'll be living within the locale nung planta. In the end, choose what you think will give you the best situation not only for the present but also for your future.
Comment by AdStrong5953 at 02/02/2025 at 04:59 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Honda, mas malaki chance mo maka pag abroad with them. Stay for 3 years then sulitin mo lahat nung trainings na meron sila + yung mga exposure mo sa ibat ibang dept. = ez way out of this shit hole country.
Comment by Tongresman2002 at 02/02/2025 at 05:12 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
It depends on the work path you like. Going to management or engineering.
If you take the SM work you can learn more on the management of stuff. Things that you can also use if one day you want to have your own business. Business Contacts is very important.
While going to Quality assurance work. You may have more work opportunity with manufacturing and work abroad. Well you can still do the management path on this kind of work but it's harder to transition since you need to learn again how to manage people.
If mag start ako ulit I'll do the management stuff. Being an engineer is nice. But in the long run having your own business and knowing how to run it is much better financially.
BTW toxicity at work is everywhere. It's just a matter on how you take it. There are no friends at work. Always remember that.
Comment by _a009 at 02/02/2025 at 06:10 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Honda. Marami kang matututunan diyan. Sa SM? 5 days a week lang nakalagay sa kontrata pero iguguilt trip ka para pumasok ng half day kada sabado. Di pa kasama diyan ang office politics nila na nakaka-brainrot.
Comment by qwpengu at 02/02/2025 at 13:20 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
as someone from sm, goto honda xd
Comment by fendingfending at 01/02/2025 at 15:16 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Dun ka sa 5 days a week basta walang OTY.
Comment by 4gfromcell at 01/02/2025 at 15:18 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Management lahat papunta ang career natin, why not start early...? At anjan dn malaki bigayan.
Comment by StrawHat_EiichiroOda at 02/02/2025 at 13:09 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
As someone who is connected sa mga BAO, hindi mo mgagamit pagka ME mo for the position, it is more on civil engineering works like building maintenance. Kung gusto mo sa SM, try to apply as RE, resident engineer. Mas fit ka don.
Comment by gintita_ at 02/02/2025 at 14:54 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Honda! Tiis muna sa six days a week na pasok and learn as much as you can. A year in Honda will take you to better opportunities vs working for SM. ✌️
Comment by Golthemn at 01/02/2025 at 15:24 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Long term plans and JOB DESCRIPTION. Sm chance to go around their hvac, firepro, mech systems nila etc, meron lahat! hanga paren ako sa solar nila hahaha. 5d week. After experience take masters then build connections and if gusto mo maging monster, take PME as endgame. Sa honda kase if gusto mo automotive industry, i dont think hindi masyado ma aapply ang machdes naten since quality controlsssss