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

The clothes that we wear represents who we are. We Filipinos love being on trend especially when it comes to fashion. Well, we may not be the most fashionable people on Earth yet we are not the last when it comes on the latest mode of style. We believe that in dressing our selves we should consider three things. First, comfortability. Second, clothes that represents us. Lastly, style. Three things that sometimes bring misconceptions to other people. 

Let us deal with the first one, the comfortability. Most of the Filipinos like wearing shirts and skirts/jeans for girls or tees and jeans/shorts for men. The main reason is that Philippines is a tropical country and  it's more convenient for us to just wear those refreshing clothes. Frequently, you will see  going to the mall, parks or other leisure places just wearing simply shorts with tees or quarter jeans and blouse with flip flops or flat shoes. Well, for others just like me, we don't want our outfit to hinder us from enjoying like for example; ladies wearing high heels and dress. Other than having awkward feeling of wearing dress because you really can't move freely, the high heels shoes or sandals (as we call it) will give you pain when you walk for a long time under the sun and humid wind. Well, that's no fun anymore.

Second is the clothes that represent us. This usually applies to young people, teenagers and to those who are stylish. They wear clothes base on how they view themselves, how they want other people to know them. Some will wear plain black shirt, jeans and a high cut tennis shoes, others will wear dress and high heels, while others will wear jeans, high heels and a blouse or  jeans, tees plus coat and a pair of black shoes some (for men). While others will wear some clothes that are not weird but totally new in the eyes of other people and sometimes other people tend to misunderstood the person and give wrong impression. Especailly if a person (mostly ladies) wear provocative clothes. 

Lastly, the style. We Filipinos love new trends. When we see new style we immitate it. We buy it because we want to be in with the latest trends in clothing, shoes even accesories. There are other people who love following what is currently in even regardless if it fits them or not but mostly there are people who are actually a trend setter. They will make their own style so as to be unique and to be followed. It's good because we can show other people that we Filipinos are creative and productive. Style is always within the person. 

Filipinos way of dressing is not far too different on how the other people here on Earth dress themselves. We dress in a way that we could project who we are, and as long as we are comfortable and of course trendy. Sometimes we tend to wear something that other people think is weird which I do understand because I also wear clothes that my mom thinks is inappropriate and doesn't really look presentable, well  my mom was born during World War 1 and let's just say she's not really into my style so I just ignore. What matters most is that you express who you are. According to Yves Saint Laurent "fashion fades but style is eternal".  Fashion keeps rolling, it's always up to us how to keep the style going. 

Hi guys! you can call me Katrina and I'm so honored to be part of FindingNino. I really love writing because it's my way of expressing myself. Whenever I feel sad or happy I put it in words to release it. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity!

 I am 22 years old and currently working as a relationship manager in a  company here in the Philippines. I am single and not yet ready to mingle. : 

Well, let me start by telling you some things about me. I can be moody at times,  my patience is not that long but I'm working on it (hehe). I also enrolled my self in a martial arts school because I'm bored and have nothing to do but I'm having fun. I actually like it. I also want to learn how to play guitar, unfortunately I'm also bad at notes so it's just going to be a dream

Other than writing I also love watching movies (I'm a certified couch potato) especially horror, suspense thrillers and actions. I also like comedy movies and sometimes drama. I love Pursuit of Happiness and Artificial Intelligence. I also love I Am Sam and Forrest Gump. They really made me a cry baby. Enough of the dramas and let's move to some morbid films I have watched. Well Hostel is one, Saw, Wrong turn, Final Destination the first 'cause the other sequels bores me already. Have you watched "WANTED" it's so awesome. Even the "SALT" plus I really love Angelina Jolie. Television shows, I love Family Guy and Spongebob Squarepants. I have also watched Ghost Whisperer before as well as Gossip Girl and bit episodes from HEROES and now I want to watch Vampire Diaries. 

Who doesn't love food? I love food (sobra). I eat all kinds of food except for some vegetables and some exotic food. My comfort food is ice cream. Oh my, I can eat a gallon of ice cream a day (no kidding). Let me start by telling you I like eating but I don't know how to cook. I love my mom's spaghetti, my  brother's carbonara and KFC's fried chicken. I love Mcdo's burgers and fries, jollibee's tuna pie, greenich and yellow cab's pizza, sbarro's as well, cabalen's buffet (oh my gosh I'm getting hungry) even street food. 

Well, i just can't resist their charms. Other than food I also love going out especially with my close friends. I love taking pictures as well (capturing each moments). We've been to several places here in Philippines and I hope next time we'll tour outside the Philippines. I have been in Singapore as well since I worked there for a year as retail associate but after I finished my one year contract I decided to go home. 

Singapore is a really beautiful country, it's clean and the people there are wonderful although for me, there's still no place like home. I am still planning to go back to Singapore but not to work, I would love to visit the country as a tourist. There are lots of places there that i wanted to revisit and I also miss the food there plus I want to see my friends in Singapore too. Well I guess that's it for now. Hope to meet you guys in person and thank you again for this chance of being part of Findingnino. XOXO