Pork Barrel, Call Center and Tartarus

             After crossing out my original dream job list I wrote before the Manila-bound bus started the 4-hour trip from Nueva Ecija to Manila, I decided to jot down an attainable career list.

             A good looking transcript of records may be an advantage but will not necessary guarantee a high paying, entry level job in Metro. A promdi  like me may be a superman back in our humble barrio, but Manila is the planet Krypton.

            The universe was acting up during my job hunting days. I initially planned to work for agencies with grassroots approach since “Development Communication is an art and science of human communication, linked to a society’s planned transformation…” as per Nora Quebral. Alas, government offices on my list were on strategic planning stage that time, which was a euphemism for dissolving redundant positions/employees. And I don’t have enough credentials yet to land a job on my dream international non-government organizations.

            Nevertheless, the BPO/ call center industry a.k.a the sunshine industry became my launching arena to the professional world. I was once a call cener agent. (I deliberately omitted the letter “t” to get that twang, even if it sounds silly.)

            I am proud and thankful for that experience. It was a humbling opportunity to meet awesome bunch of people which I will treasure for the rest of my boring life (as they used to describe my life). I will not dwell too much on them as a revenge for calling my life a bore. Ha!

             So, let me list down 5 facts and sneak peeks about the call center world, in a promdi perspective.

Fact 1. It requires more than 10 working neurons. 

             If you are rooting for a foreign account, being articulate in English language maybe a plus but you need an excellent comprehension, natural wit and heaps of patience to kill that customer call. Aside from that, imagine eating on your work station while talking to the customer and vigilantly observing if the compliance officer will pass behind you.  

Fact 2. Bosses are not all from Tartarus.

              They could be from Quezon Province or Batangas! Kidding aside, you will rarely meet a boss who will offer their home for a promdi in distress, write a note that says “too much great things ahead of you” and give you a Parker pen as a send off present!  I met friends not bosses.  Ok, I met bosses then friends, just in case the one from Quezon Province objects.

              Google Tartarus, boss. I mean, friend.

Fact 3. Compelled cosplayers.

               I also think Alodia Gosiengfiao is cute, no contest.  But my sincerest credit goes to all the call center folks turned cosplayers in times of need.

               I must admit, call center work could be a little bit dragging at times. And the best way to break out from all the monotony is to go nuts! I saw Kreacher, Alladin, the Olympians and the whole Neverland gang come to life. Just imagine constructing Captain Hook’s ship while instructing a cranky caller from the other side of the planet to install his bloody internet connection. Plug the cable, mate!

Fact 4. Nicotine and alcohol abuse is hoax.

              It could be partly true but there were also pasta abuse, pizza abuse, ice cream abuse, pansit abuse etc. I think these guys discreetly pray to have the Cloud With A Chance of Meatballs movie come true.  

               For the nicotine and alcohol abuse, well, at least call centers do not have pork barrel.

Fact 5. Sunshine industry does not mean working until the break of dawn.

             Blame your gullible and couch potato brain!

             Well, it is fairly true as most of the call centers are operating on graveyard shifts since customers are overseas. But for non-nocturnal promdis who were used to snooze off with sounds of cricket in the background, shift in sleeping pattern could be a tough challenge. Call centers do have day shift accounts. Local accounts, obviously, Australian based company or even 24/7 USA accounts do have morning windows. Just ask the poker face HR personnel for available slots.

              Well, one last piece of unsolicited advice. Keep exploring.