I am a “call girl”. I work during the night, talk and negotiate with several people who are usually foreigner and I go home late in the morning. But wait; don't get me wrong because I am not the type of girl you are thinking. Others may perhaps think different way and others might get what my real work is. Well... I am a call centre agent. We only use the word call girl as a teasing term because the description of our work is almost similar to that of a real "call girl/boy".

I work as a customer service representative in one of the call centre companies here in the Philippines and to tell you the truth... I am actually enjoying my job. Less paper work, higher salary than the usual, no work to bring at home plus I just love the night shift. There are lots of things that call centre industry offers (for me) than other jobs do. I am not going to advertise the industry though, coz once you've decided to work there, and you will figure it out. The main reason of this blog is to tell you further about the industry where I work because you might think it's easy, well then let's count the ways.

First things first, applying for a job isn't easy. Other people think that the only test you need to pass and the only difficulty one will encounter on applying as a "call girl/boy" is the interview. Yes, the interview is kind of brain draining plus the examination and more questions but those are just one. It's always a make it or break it policy in every interview. However, after winning the interview new hired agents still need to prove their selves by undergoing to different types of training which is another challenge. During the training, you will do nothing but to study while you are already earning because it's paid. Let me share my own experience while I was having my training. The first two weeks was about language training. It was fun because it was filled with activities but still we were worried because it's another make it or break it thing. After successfully passing the first training, we went one step ahead to face another training which is about the product or the account wherein we will be put into. And I believe after that is another training which they called transition before proceeding to the real working arena.

But it doesn't stop there. Working in this industry is dynamic. Everything keeps on changing that is why time to time there will be a brief training that will be provided. Moreover, we have grade to meet, expectations to exceed and goal to reach. Most people might think that as a customer service representative, all we need to do is answer the phone, talk to people outside the Philippines, end the call and go home. That is correct, though it sounds easy, it is not. On every call that is being received by the agent, he/she needs to meet the quota, the expectations, the goal and what have you. Agents are being graded, evaluated and monitored because it will depend on the performance whether they are to keep the job or not. It's as simple us one minus one. If the agent is not performing, then he/she is subject to close evaluation, more debriefing and coaching and if to no avail then there's a possible chance of forced resignation.

The environment is quite cool and fantastic but sacrifices are always present especially every holiday and weekend that are to be spent usually with our family. Moreover, if you are not used on working during the nights then you might as well think twice because more often than not, call centre industries operate amid the night yet there are few companies which rolls over the day but they are very rare. Another, emotions or being sensitive doesn't have a room in this industry because the tendency is you will be eaten alive. Lastly, th ever nose bleeding EOP which stands for English Only Policy that should apply in every corner of the company. Which means as long as you are inside the premises of the company, whether you are taking calls or not, you can't speak on you vernacular and any other languages aside from English.

There is no easy or stress free kind of job. One working in a call center industry does not put that person on pedestal or in any higher degree, it's a normal kind of job that people need so as to earn a living. It does not mean comfort nor wealth. There's no difference if I am working as an agent in a call center and you as a secretary or a teacher or what. All people that are working struggles, experience stress, problems and worry. Even though, as long as we have positive attitude towards our job, long as we're enjoying it and we are enthusiastic to it, it will always lessen the ball and chain that we are dragging.

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. —Colossians 3:23-24