Working for a call center or BPO was the last thing in my mind for reasons related to my health, interests, limitations, support, and priorities.
Although I’ve applied many number of times, I’d always end up not making the cut or not pushing through because I would prefer a daytime non-voice assignment.
Aside, of course, from my apprehensions of entering an industry that’s totally different from my freelance writing experience, teaching jobs, and editorial work.
And, indeed, BPO work is a totally new world for me when I got accepted as an Article Engagement Specialist in Makati.
Even the job designations are new and unheard of for me!
However, I could say that I was able to appreciate the work, the new skills, the new setup, the strict metrics, and the support of teammates for me to have stayed and enjoyed every day at work.
Given that I was able to hurdle a lot of my limitations, I could actually recommend BPO work for those who want to get more from what they are currently doing.
Here are just three of many reasons I would invite people to apply:
1. BPO work seems more welcoming of people from all backgrounds. I could say because I was a total greenhorn when I applied, in my late 40s and from a totally different era, and I got accepted.
Of course, it goes without saying that you need to convince your TL or the client that whatever your background is, you can adapt and are willing to learn to make the most of your actual work experiences.
When I was transferred to a different account I had a Korean guy taking the exams with me: and he’s totally a lot older, but admittedly more congenial, experienced, and friendly!
2. Job seekers have a lot of options to choose from. As diverse as the background of people applying, I realized there’s an equal diversity in the actual tykes of jobs people do in BPOs!
With a little background in writing, for instance, one could opt to write comments for blogs, edit content, translate to and from various languages, write product descriptions, among other things, for different accounts!
And that’s on top of all kinds of call center agents who either take or make calls aside from engaging clients on social media, by text, chat, or email.
I realized that whether you’re a fancy talker or a better writer, there are opportunities for you in BPOs.
As long as you’re trainable and you enjoy learning new things, you can actually make use of your skills here.
3. BPOs, especially during this pandemic, offer full online hiring and work! Could you even imagine applying for a job, getting interviewed and tested, training, and then working remotely just using an Internet-connected computer?
I can’t.
But if I had that state of the art laptop for the purpose, why deny yourself the opportunity to work regularly for like 6 months and be a regular employee?
You don’t even have to commute, since there’s limited public transport still, hand over your resume, fall in line in endless interview and testing queues now.
And whether you’re a college student, a fresh graduate, nurse, teacher, engineer, IT expert, or whatever, you can find some opportunities here while you’re on break, resting, waiting, vacationing, reviewing, etc, there’s something to do, to learn, and to experience in a BPO.
Not that BPOs are mere stepping stones to greener pastures, because you might just like it.
After all, the experience is worthwhile and fast-paced, hence, could get you wanting for more with the right amount of attitude, personality, and skill.
