Naalala ko, bago ako pumasok sa trabahong ito, tinanong ako ng nanay kung kaya ko daw bang magtrabaho sa gabi. Dahil sa may katiting naman  akong tiwala sa sarili, sabi ko naman, “kayang kaya, ako pa”. dahil nga napasubo na sa kayabangan, pinilit kong pumasa sa interview, ginalingan kong mag-ingles dahil cute yung nag-iinterbyu, awa ng Diyos, ayun pumasa naman. Nag umpisa ang training, madali lang ang consonant at vowels, sinabihan na kasi ako dati sa kung anong dapat kong ieexpect, pero ampohta, walang nagsabi sa akin na mahirap matulog sa araw.

Ilang araw akong apat na oras lang ang tulog, pumapasok ako sa trabahong namumungay ang mata, parang bisugong lasing ang hilatsa ng mukha. Ang hirap matulog, ang nakakatawa pa, pag tinanong ka kung bakit parang inaantok ka, ang sagot mo; “di ako nakatulog buong araw eh?” Ayan,  diyan mo marerealize na baliktad na mundo mo. Napupuyat ka na sa araw, kaya inaantok ka na sa gabi.

Kinakabahan na ako sa kulang kong tulog, nag research ako sa internet about sleep deprivation para naman medyo mafamiliarize ko ang sarili ko sa kawalan ng tulog at para mawala na din kaba ko sa kalusugan ko. Pero naknanggalunggong, alam mo ba kung anong nahanap kong topic? Eto- How lack of sleep could shorten your life. Diyos na mahabagin, sino naming Poncio Pilato  ang makakatulog sa topic na yan. Parang nananakot.

Eto ang listahang ng mga topics and facts na hindi nagpatulog sa akin ng ilang araw. Pagpalain nawa ang mga author na nagsulat nito, asshole.

How lack of sleep affects your memory. Ito ay tungkol sa study sa US na nagdidetalye kung paano bumababa ang activity ng the temporal lobe sa brain pag may sleep deprivation. Ang temporal lobe ay ang parte ng utak ng tao na namamahala sa language processing. Isipin mo, kung ilang oras ang dapat mong ipuyat sa call center bago mo tuluyang makalimutan mag English.

Sleep deprivation and life span (sabay sign of the cross). Ito naman yung study na nagpapatunay daw na mas mahaba ang buhay ng mga taong nakakatulog ng seven hours pataas kesa sa mga taong natutulog lang ng anim na oras pababa. Ayon kasi sa pag-aaral na ginawa, kailanngan daw ng isang adult ng  pito hanggang walong oras na tulog para hindi maging lapitin ng sakit. Nyahaha. Nakakatawa, sa call center kasi, yung mga agents minsan, gustong magkasakit, yung iba naman nagsasakit-sakitan talaga para lang makapagabsent. O di ba? Aminin mo pare. Seven to 8 hours na tulog? Letse, paano ka pa naman makakagimik nyan?

Pero ito ang nakakabuwang sa topic na ito. May isang research na ginawa din sa US about the effects of sleep na ang mga respondent or test subjects ay mga cancer patients. Mahigit isang milyong pasyente and naging bahagi ng research na ito at napag-alaman na ang mga pasyenteng natutulog lang ng apat na oras pababa ay mas mahaba ang buhay kesa sa mga pasyenteng natutulog ng mahigit sa pitong oras. Naknggalunggong. Ano ba talaga ang totoo at dapat paniwalaan? Kanina lang mas maigsi and buhay ng sleep deprived, ngayon naman mas mahaba. Naisip ko tuloy, siguro depende na and sagot sa psychological set-up ng tao. Ito na siguro yung sinasabi ng professor ko dati na half empty or half full. Pag pessimist ka daw, ang baso na may laman na kalahating tubig ang tingin daw niya dito ay half empty, pero pag optimist ka, ang tingin mo daw sa basong kalahati ang laman ay half full. Ampohta. Kung buhay ko ang pinag-uusapan, lagi akong half-full.

Tapos eto pa; Effects of sleep deprivation to the human behavior. May lumang kasabihan na, “Magbiro daw sa lasing huwag lang sa bagong gising”. Tama naman, pero kulang, dapat ”Magbiro ka sa lasing huwag lang sa bagong gising na kulang sa tulog” o mas masahol ang “magbiro ka sa lasing wag lang sa bagong gising na lasing na kulang sa tulog” Sabi kasi sa topic na ito, Mas madali daw mag-init ang ulo ng mga taong kulang ang oras ng tulog lagi. Yun din siguro ang dahilan kaya bumili ako ng pellet gun para dun sa pusa ng kapit bahay naming na kahit tanghaling tapat ay nag-iingay na parang batang umiiyak. Ang ingay sa lovemaking ang hinayupak na pusa. Parang nang iinggit. Sa susunod titirahin ko na ng pellet gun ang hinayupak na pusang yon.

Ano pa bang topic ang meron? Ah, di bale saka na lang, tulog muna ako.

I woke up around 8:30 tonight.  I was expecting Tropical Storm Feria  to arrive this morning (Manila Time) while I was sleeping, So when I woke up I was not sure if she (or he, whatever) has arrived, I slept the whole day, and I was thinking that probably  I missed her tickertape parade.  What I know is that, my bed is singing me back to sleep. With the constant swishing sound of wind and water hitting my bedroom windows, it is hard to resist asking the clock on nearby table to delay her ringing even for just a minute or two.

It is in nights like this when the operations floor of contact centers would sustain a higher than usual number of agents calling in sick. I am trying to resist calling my operations manager and I am also hoping that my phone won’t ring for agents who are not as strong willed as I am. J. I am taking my time. My bed feels so comfortable, I am taking my time, blogging, thinking, resisting calling the operations manager.  I am about to press the publish button on my blog dashboard. Then off to the showers… Goodnight manila. 

Everybody knows how expensive and how hard applying for a job could get. There are some that have been hopping from one center to another hoping to land a job. Doing so comes with a price, The fare alone could be expensive, then there are times when you could not take your meal on time, then there’s the exhaustion that the Philippine sun could give if you are, let’s just say, walking around the Ortigas Center looking for the next company to apply to. The list could go on forever but you get the point, right?

This is the reason why Job Fairs could be very convenient, that is, if you know what to do. Think about it, During Job Fairs, you don’t have to go from one building to another so you could try applying in contact center offices. That means, you save money (since you are no longer spending on fares) and save your precious energy (since you no longer need to walk from one center to another). Job Fairs are the one stop shop for jobs. It could really be helpful.

So here are a few tips that might just come handy when joining a Job Fair.

COME TO THE JOB FAIR VENUE EARLY. Think about it for a millisecond; you are not the only one looking for work. I’ve been to several Job Fairs before, and let me tell you, Job Fairs could attract a sea of humanity. Several hundreds wait in line just to enter the venue. You don’t want to wait in line for hours and accomplish nothing. The earlier you come, the better your chances are in maximizing you time in applying.

SCOUT. Before the fair opens, take time to scout what companies are joining the fair and the positions that are open. (That is also the reason why you need to come early). This way you can eliminate companies and positions that you think are really not for you and the ones that you are not qualified for.

BRING A LOT OF CV/RESUME. When I say bring a lot, I mean bring lots and lots of it. During fairs like this, especially when the organizers are huge organizations, there are at least 40 to 80 companies joining. Take your time submitting resume/cv to companies that interest you. You would not want to run out of resume/cv when you just barely scratched the surface.

ASK. Don’t be afraid to ask about the nature of the positions that are open, There are some positions that sound intimidating, but when they tell you the nature of the job, you’ll find out that it’s just another Job called by another name.

BE CONFIDENT. Here we go about the confident talk again. But, as I have mentioned in my other article, Confidence could spell the difference between getting the job and loosing it.

PREPARE FOR THE BASIC QUESTIONS. Try formulating your responses for the basic questions before hand. Questions like; tell us something about yourself, why do you want to work for our company? Etc. Try organizing your thoughts before you go to sleep the night before. Remember, First impression also counts and the basic questions are usually the first question thrown your way.

BRING YOUR SNACKS WITH YOU, for events like these, a sandwich and a bottle of water will do. You wouldn’t want to leave your place to buy food when you are waiting inline.

Ito po ay isang lathalaing gabay na naglalayong tulungan ang mga kapatid na nagnanais pasukin ang mundo ng pagiging call (center) boys at call (center) girls ( ang lalim, hindi ko maarok, nalulunod ako!). Ang mga gabay na nakasaad sa ibaba ay mga tanong na natanong sa akin sa hinaba haba ng career ko bilang call center hopper.

Tell us something about yourself.
-ang tanong na ito ay ang karaniwang intro ng mga interviewer. Bakit? Kasi kahit na maigsi ang tanong na ito naghahanap ito ng mahabang sagot. Gets? Hindi? Bahala ka sa buhay mo!
Ang purpose ng tanong na ito ay para I-gauge ang grammar construction mo, Ang iyong pronunciation (kung paano mo I “pronunce” ang salita), kung may provincial accent ka ba at ang thought organization mo. Medyo nadali lang malaman kung okay ba ang presentation mo sa iyong thoughts and idea, ang sikreto diyan ay obserbahan mo lang ang mata ng nag-iinterview sayo, kung may stupid na ngiti sa  mukha niya at ang mata niya ay mukhang naluluha na para bang nakasakay siya sa roller coaster, ibig sabihin noon, huminto ka muna sa pagsasalita, at I-reorganize mo ang thoughts mo.

Cite an instance when you have to go the extra mile just to please a customer
-Ito naman yung tanong na kadalasan tinatanong sa mga aplikanteng may experience na sa call handling. Ito yung promote-yourself-segment ng question and answer. Itong part na ito yung paguwapo/paganda stage. Karaniwang mga kasinungalingan ang lumalabas na sagot sa tanong na ito. Sinong kokontra? Wala namang masama sa pagbubuhat ng sariling bangko pagdating sa job interviews. Natural lang yon kasi nga ibinebenta mo ang sarili mo sa kumpanya. (Iba yun sa pagbebenta ng laman) ‘wag mo lang sobrahan ang kuwento mo to the extent na OA na ang dating sa nakikinig. Okay? Baka kasi mas lalo kang hindi tanggapin sa trabaho.

Why apply in a call center?
-Isa sa pinaka nakakapraning na tanong. Ampohta, kung may bakanteng posisyon sa world bank na qualified ako, o di naman kaya ay government job na hindi ako tatanungin kung sinong padrino ko o di kaya’y uupo lang ako sa bahay na binabayarang magpalaki ng balls. hindi ako magpupuyat sa call center at magtiis murahin ng kung sino-sinong Poncio Pilato. Pero kahit sobrang banas ka na sa tanong (kasi anim na call center na ang inaplayan mo ngayong araw, pare pareho ang tanong pero hindi ka pa rin pumapasa) kailangan mo pa rin saguting ng maayos ang tanong. Kung hindi mo masagot ng diretso, gawa ka ng kwento. Kunyari ay namamatay na sa gutom ang alaga mong pusa at kailangan mo ng pambili ng pagkain niya. Yung mga ganoong drama. Ang importanet dito, maayos ang presentation mo.

You’re applying for a customer service position. What is your idea of a customer service representative’s Job?
-This is a very sticky part in the interview, a very tricky one. Madalas mabiktima dito ang mga newbies. Know the job that you are applying for, this is one tip that you should pay attention to. Your job as a call center representative is to answer queries or assists customers subscribed to the programs of the companies that you support. Halimbawa (yan, nanagalog na) ang account na pinaglagyan sa’yong account ay ang Metro Bank of the Philippine Islands. Isang bangko, Malamang ang trabaho mo ay Tumanggap ng tawag mula sa kliyente ng bangko na nagtatanong tungkol sa balanse ng bank account nila, o di naman kaya ay kung kelan ang due date ng credit card bills nila. Depende kasi yan kung saang campaign ka nila ilalagay. Gets?

There are a lot of call centers in the country? Why did you choose to apply with _____________________ (Put Name of the compan on the blank)?
-Ito yung ego-stroking, corporate-sucking, ass-kissing portion ng Q&A. Dito kailangan mong purihin ang kumpanya. Yun bang tipong ang dialogue mo eh: I heard that this is one of the best call centers around, It is very stable,  and I heard that you take good care of your employees. Ito ay kahit na ngayon mo lang narinig ang pangalan ng kumpanya, o di naman kaya ay hinila ka lang ng isang taong nakilala mo sa pag-aaply sa kabilang call center at ang retention rate ng kumpanyang inaaplayan mo e questionable dahil mas mabilis pa sa alas kuwatro ang pagreresign ng mga empleyado.

Kahit gaano pa karami ang tanong na ibato nila sa iyo, saluhin mo lang, ang importante ay saguting mo ito ng maayos. Make sure that your thoughts are organized, that you talk clearly, that you are understood by the person you talk with and that you are realistic with your expectations.

Happy Job Hunting to everyone!

Education is valuable. A good education could feed you for a thousand lifetimes, that’s what other people say. I guess I have to agree. Ten years ago, if you want to earn a decent income and would like to work sitting down in an office chair, then you have to have a college degree. If not, you have to settle for a work that requires you to knock on doors or carry things or sell or help on stores, etc.  These are not bad jobs. In fact I admire people doing these jobs. It shows us that Filipinos, despite its difficulties most of the time and lack of opportunities, are not indolent. But a high school diploma ten years ago would not allow you to have an office table. Thanks to the call center industry, since most centers accept under graduates, that the employment opportunities for university undergraduates are a lot better now.  

A lot of High school graduates and undergraduates are now working in call centers where the pay is competitive, where the benefits are good, the workplace is posh and allow them to have their own cubicle. In fact most of them are actually receiving better wages than a normal office day job.  I remember Biboy, a former colleague who earns an awesome Php 30,000 every month from commissions alone. He said he could keep his basic pay intact and have it deposited on his bank account for the education of his children. He is earning really well. One time while we are on an early morning drinking session, I ask him, “if you have 100 pesos and you could use it to buy anything in the world, I mean anything at all, what would you buy?” he stared at the passing buses along EDSA deep in his thoughts, then he looked back at me and said “A college degree, one that comes with a real college diploma” everyone in the group stopped talking, I just smiled.

Good paying jobs are great, but a college diploma hanging on your walls brings a different kind of satisfaction. I asked Biboy what’s stopping him from going to school and he said, he no longer have the time. He works at night, tend to his kids in the morning and have to sleep in the afternoon. “Being a parent is full time job with no furloughs and no day-offs” he quipped during our lunch break once. Parents in the group just nodded in agreement.

The other day, I stumbled upon a story about Distance Education. Distance education according to Wikipedia is

“is a process to create and provide access to learning when the source of information and the learners are separated by time and distance, or both. In other words, distance learning is the process of creating an educational experience of equal qualitative value for the learner to best suit their needs outside the classroom. Rather than attending courses in person, teachers and students may communicate at times of their own choosing by exchanging printed or electronic media, or through technology that allows them to communicate in real time and through other online ways”

This would really work for Biboy and the thousands of employees who doesn’t have the all the time in the world to earn a college degree or a certificate, and a diploma on the wall. Researching further, I found six open and distance learning schools in the Philippines that offers Degree courses, Post Baccalaureate degrees, Graduate Programs and non-formal courses.

Here is the list of schools and some courses they offer.

University of the Philippines, Open University

Undergraduate programs

• Associate in Arts
• Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Studies

Post-Baccalaureate Diploma Programs

• Diploma in Social Work
• Diploma in Computer Science
• Diploma in Research and Development Management
• Diploma in Environment and Natural Resources Management
• Diploma in Science Teaching
• Diploma in Math Teaching
• Diploma in Language Studies for Teachers
• Diploma in Social Studies Education

Graduate Programs

• Master in Social Work
• Master of Development Communication
• Master in Distance Education
• Master of Public Health
• Master in Hospital Administration
• Master of Arts in Nursing
• Master of Public Management
• Master of Environment and Natural Resources Management
• Master of Arts in Education (Language Studies)
• Master of Arts in Education (Social Studies)
• Master in Information Systems
• Doctor of Philosophy in Education (Biology Education, Chemistry Education, Physics Education, Mathematics Education)

Nonformal courses

• Online Teaching and Learning
• Filipiniana Online
• Information Technology for Health Research
• Caring for the Special Child
• Caring for the Elderly
• New Enterprise Planning
• Personal Entrepreneurial Development
• Introduction to E-Commerce
• Certificate in Barangay Administration
• m-learning program
• Professional Teaching Certification

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila – Open University

Undergraduate programs

• Associate in Government Management
• Bachelor of Public Administration
• Bachelor of Science in Community Health Service
• Bachelor of Science in Midwifery

Postgraduate programs

• Master of Arts in Business Administration
• Master in Community Health Service
• Master of Arts in Government Managament
• Master of Arts in Nursing

Polytechnic University of the Philippines – Open University

• Master in Educational Management
• Master in Public Administration
• Master in Construction Management
• Master in Communication
• Bachelor in Broadcast Communication
• Bachelor in Entrepreneurial Management
• Post-Baccalaureate in Computer Technology
• Post-Baccalaureate in Library and Information Science
• Post-Baccalaureate in Entrepreneurial Management

Southeast Asia Interdisciplinary Development Institute

• Doctor of Philosophy in Organization Development
• Master of Arts-Doctor of Philosophy in Organization Development
• Master of Arts in Organization Development
• Master of Arts in Instructional Development and Technology
• Master of Arts in Instruction Development major in TESOL (English Language Learning and Teaching)

Asian Institute for Distance Education

• Associate in Arts in Information Technology
• Diploma in Accounting
• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration - Management, Marketing or Entrepreneurship

CAP College Foundation

• Associate in Arts in Information Technology
• Diploma in Accounting
• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration - Management, Marketing or Entrepreneurship

Today, I looked at my stats and found a new figure on my rank numbers: 12,644,356. That’s a difference of 11,219,417. I tell you, I am typing this article right now with a funny smile painted on my face. Well a rank of 12,644,356 is not exactly 100,000 but the thing is it’s not 23,863,773 either. So I’m just happy for that stat (for now). That’s a big jump. I must be doing something right. J.  

Too early for a “bragging right”, I know, and believe me, this is not one. Yelo’s World is ranking a lot higher than this. If I reach Bendz’s or Basti’s stats then I will be happy.

No two call centers are alike. Some center pays really well, and some just hang you dry. Some centers are really modern and some are… well, forget about it. Some call center feels really friendly and  others are  very professional.  If you’ve been to several call centers then you know what I’m talking about.  If you still can’t dig what I am saying, bahala ka na! Joke, eto na lang, close your eyes and think about the time when you are still working on another call center, every time you walk through its doors every start of a shift, how do you feel? Now think about the center you’re working for right now, do they feel the same? Nope, of course not. Each center has a different vibe, a different personality. Sometimes, even at the very start you’ll know if you belong, you feel it in the air if you are home.

Honestly, high agent retention rate is not solely because of the pay (well at least for some). Yes people on the operation floors always whisper about centers that offer awesome packages offered by other companies. They whisper about allowances, de minimis , HMOs, commissions, bonuses, basic pay, hazard pay and all kinds of pay that you can think of.  Those whispers often stay with you to think about even up to the time when you have to go to bed in the middle of the day. The rumors about this unimaginable wealth ( I exaggerate sometimes) just waiting on the shores of another contact center will be enough to keep you awake for the rest on the day (if you are that unfortunate, you’ll be awake till dusk).  Any agent in their right mind will think about better pay days, it is not taboo to flirt with the idea of applying to another center. You could entertain ideas of other call centers offering better opportunities and wages but still stay with your current company.

Here’s my own short list of why we do the hop:

• BETTER COMPENSATION PACKAGE. Yep, I have said that this is not the sole consideration for a higher retention rate, but compensation packages ranks very high on the totem pole of the-things-to-consider-before-doing-the-hop.  Some centers give a lower basic salary but offers a very generous add on (allowances and other perks).  For example; I’ve heard of rumors that a center that operates along Shaw Boulevard offers a not so high basic salary (around 13 – 14 thousand pesos give or take) but gives up to seven thousand pesos in non taxable allowance, 20 percent night differential.  Now there is this one center in Ortigas that advertises on papers a guaranteed 20 thousand basic salary but what was not mentioned is that the Php 20,000 is all of it.  No allowance and a 10 percent night differential. Are you getting my point? It’s not the basic pay that counts; it’s the amount you take home at the end of the day that matters. HMO coverage is also taken into consideration sometimes especially for agents with children.
• PROXIMITY  A call center job is a stressful job taking in to consideration different factors such as the graveyard shift, call queue, the irate calls, metrics, quota (for most sales accounts) etc. then add the travel time and the mode of transportation- do you need to ride a cab every time you go to work? The travel could take its toll on you. So when a center opens near the place where you live, you leave.
• FRIENDS now this factor is not really considered a big factor by other centers but it is a factor nonetheless. When one leaves the company, he/she usually ask his/her friends to join the new company as well. This is a fact. I have friends like those. And there are some who actually comes to apply in groups.  Sometimes we apply for a job but we stay for our friends.
• FACILITIES a friend once told me, he won’t apply in a company who has crappy facilities. I guess he won’t stay for one neither. With the stress that comes with the job, agents are actually looking for workplaces that are comfy with facilities such a break rooms and sleeping quarters, facilities that could help them relax; a place of repose in the middle of the storm so to speak. They would want better equipments to help them do their task a little easier.
• MONOTONY for some, the longer they stay on the job the more it gets easier. For some the longer they stay, it gets boring. Enough said.
• WORK LOAD  Agents tend to leave accounts with phones that doesn’t stop ringing. Yes, we apply for a job and we got it. We know that we will be taking calls, but no one told us that the queue is this crazy. A thirty second rest after one phone call is good enough. Queuing calls during peak hours is understandable, but queuing calls from log in to log out is a different story, especially if the management is not considering hiring agents anytime soon.

Well, that’s my list. What’s included on yours?

And come to think of it. People from the provinces (like myself) move to manila for employment. There is a lot of work in the provinces if you’re not choosey. But you have to settle for a lower pay. Government offices are out of the question. If you don’t know anyone from that sector, you’re not going anywhere. The small players in the private sector on the other hand are not so generous when it comes to wages, who could blame them? They too have to make both ends meet. So if you are looking for a job that pays decently. Go to manila, and day jobs that pays well are often taken by people who graduated from top universities in the metro, so most of the time, we apply in a call center where the hiring (sometimes) never stops and offers a pretty decent pay. If call centers continue to expand to the provinces, then we are looking toward better days. There are a lot of qualified people in the provinces for this job; some just can’t come because of different factors. Some just won’t leave the province because of their parents, some have difficulties in the fast paced life of the metro, some lacks the financial means to move here and some just don’t have anywhere to stay here in manila. But the fact remains, a lot of them are qualified to man a phone. And they will, if only the circumstances are favorable.

In my recent trip to Baguio, I saw that SITEL and AEGIS People Support centers are teeming with energy, a sign that the contact center industry in Baguio is alive. Iligan it seems is already working on welcoming a contact center into their fold.  According to report from www.abs-cbnnews.com, Mindanao State University- Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) and HP Outsourcing Philippines recently signed a memorandum of agreement allowing the BPO firm to put up its office there. The report reads:

HP Outsourcing Philippines, a subsidiary of the Hubport Group, recently signed a memorandum of agreement with the Mindanao State University- Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), a university known for its information technology and engineering programs, allowing the BPO firm to put up its office there.

The 24-hour facility will serve two functions: as a remote office for Hubport’s commercial operations, and as a virtual computer laboratory for the on-the-job training of MSU-IIT students on web design, animation, transcription services, and other skills. Students who are part of the program have higher chances of employment at Hubport.

Cebu on the other hand has been home to several contact centers for several years now, and it seems that more and more BPO companies are gravitating towards the queen city still. The Bicol region is also proving to be a fertile ground for the BPO industry, slowly call centers are beginning to map out plans to take advantage of the vast workforce coming from cities like Legaspi and Naga and also from nearby towns and cities.

There are other towns and cities that have untapped resources of manpower, The north is pretty untapped. the Ilocos region is very promising. The City of Laoag offers is a possibility.  Tuguegarao City also have a great potential, for instance, It has the infrastructure and technology to support a modern call center, St. Paul University Philippines once flirted with running a call center there but it broke down. Not because of manpower, Tuguegarao have vast resources of graduates and undergraduates from Universities and colleges that could handle the job, not because of the technology, Technology is available to the city, major telephone companies have offices there, Not because of the management, there are a lot of capable managers in the city, It is because of the campaign itself. If you are selling old computers to households in the US, the probability of success is quite slim.

 The branching of Contact centers in the provinces would help the country side grow and with it, the people. This could also help with the population problem in the metro. The over crowding might just ease up when young people don’t have to flock to the metro for employment. When companies begin to look towards the provinces in a different light, there is so much to look forward to, so much to hope for.

Work at home call center, have you heard of it? This is old news. Home call centers started in the United States early 2008. Wall Street Journal calls it” homeshoring”. Several companies Hilton Hotels employs close to a thousand home based agents to take reservation calls. A US based company called Alpine Access began recruiting work at home agents last year and plans to hire 1,200 more in the first half of 2009.

Here in the Philippines, the rumors about work from home call centers began as early as 2007. It has been mentioned on several blogs that PLDT would hire work at home employees where they would be provided with internet access so they could take voice call. That plan of PLDT seems to have been shelved.

Early last year, news regarding Callworkz, in partnership with Atlanta-based consulting firm Strategic Link Consulting, recruiting customer service representative to work at home hit the mainstream media. To date, Callworkz is still expanding. Here are excerpts for the press release from their official website: 

Callworkz provides services for the outsourcing needs of international companies through a home-based model that allows call center agents to work from their homes in the Philippines.

FFD Ventures, a corporate client based in Atlanta, Georgia, said Callworkz allows its operation to utilize the most innovative technologies. FFD Ventures has 60 agents working from their homes throughout the Philippines to run and manage its inbound and outbound campaigns.

“With Callworkz, we continue to get tremendous results while knowing that our agents are enjoying the quality of life they deserve,” said David Johnson, proprietor of FFD Ventures.

Silverman said Callworkz is different from other BPO companies in the sense that it combines profitability with social responsibility, on equal footing.

“While we initially will be focusing in Metro Manila, as we expand we will continue our job creation and social responsibility programs throughout the country, capitalizing on newer and innovative technologies,” he said.

 

This has great potential, especially for mom’s who needed to stay at home to be with their kids. If you are interested to apply or just wish to inquire about this work at home customer service job and other rquirements. You could visit Callworkz’s Website at www.callworkz.com .

Disclaimer: The author is not connected in anyway with Callworkz. When applying to any company, always maintain caution. Have a happy Job Hunting

A friend asked me about call center opportunities for RNs or Registered nurses. My initial reaction is come up with a poker face and nod. That’s always my reaction when I am not sure about the answer. So I told him, “well you could actually apply in call center clinics”, great suggestion.  Well who could blame me? I have been hopping from one call center to the other for a few years and what is really common, aside from sleepy agents and queuing calls, is a clogged hallway leading to the nurse’s station. Why? A lot of agent’s are actually suffering from the most common contact center sickness - sore throat, and the other are just plain malingering. So why blame me if I think call centers could be a good training ground for nurses?

After giving a longer thought, a light bulb lit up. Shame on me for not thinking great opportunities that awaits registered nurses in the contact center industry. For starters; there are a lot of campaigns or accounts that are looking for customer service representative with medical background. I know HTMT has one campaign like this. And also contact centers like MediCall is also offering medical related campaigns. healthcare professionals are being sought for medical - related campaigns.

Additional benefits would be their exposure to the English language and the different accents from different customers. This exposure might just help when it comes to taking IELTS examinations just incase they plan to ply their trade abroad. Australia for one is actually opening their doors to registered nurses, I found this site and I thinks it will be helpful (Click Here for Nurse application for Australia eBooks and Help) for registered nurses that are interested in applying for a nursing position in Australia.

It must have been the sleepiness that I have missed the answers to my friend’s questions but, here it is. And I feel better.