My CALL CENTER dilemma...
By vesuvius
@vesuvius (1677)
Philippines
April 1, 2007 8:04pm CST
Let's face it.. The Philippine job arena just cannot accomodate all of its graduates such that the job that one lands is exactly a job appropriate for his college course..
This is the headache of most graduates. This fact leads them to entrusting their futures on foreign land - and that's just so sad for me.
However, these past few years, the call center boom made many Pinoys think twice. This field gave a new light to the desperate Pinoy, and to tell you the truth, I'm one of those individuals who were attracted to this 'new option for a living'.
But I have a great problem with this. I am a junior Civil Engineering student. I am an academic scholar and I am receiving stipends each month from the school. Now that it's the summer vacation here in the Philippines, I'm actually on this plan to subject myself to call center training. But I cant decide completely.. I cant remove the idea in my mind that I might be wasting everything I've done at school and it's just bugging me... I want a good comfortable life but my mind is not clear with the line of profession that I would choose to fulfill this...
Please give me your comments...
Your advice will be highly appreciated...
3 people like this
10 responses
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
2 Apr 07
call center is the thing our president GMA is so proud of for she can now fulfill one of the eight promises she had made. call center is a good job if you don't have any family to help. the salary is good but it can only support an individual and i think that is the doer. it takes a lot of effort to be on this job and the salary won't increase and you have a permanent position. no promotions in this kind of job unlike any other job.
3 people like this
@cdparazo (5765)
• Philippines
2 Apr 07
You are very a very intelligent young man and I think you could be successful in you field if you set your mind to it. Call center is an easy way to make money but you also have some sacrifices. Aside from that it is a very stressful job and you will have a different schedule from the rest of the world since you have to work at night. I have a lot of friends and fellow officemates who came from call centers but they resigned because they have issues with ethics, time and pressure. I believe you would still be better off in the end if you will practice what you have studied. It may be harder to start compared to call center, but you have to think long term and not just for now.
2 people like this
@vesuvius (1677)
• Philippines
3 Apr 07
Thanks for such a note.. And thank you also for the advice. I really think I need such kinds of guidance from people who are greater masters of life..
Maybe Im just attracted to the quick money that it may offer - well, maybe no one can blame me... Im just like every middle class Pinoy college student who'd want to help his family...
@asteriskec (1074)
• Philippines
2 Apr 07
Hi, I think that you really have to finish school. Call centers will always be there and you can always apply right after graduation. Believe me, there's nothing like having a degree and diploma to be proud of. Besides, you're receiving stipends. That'll still help you go through school. We've heard of the many horrors involving college graduates who get in call centers, only to resign after a year because they feel the work's too routinary or even boring. Don't just let yourself be swayed.
@coolchai (753)
• Philippines
3 Apr 07
please, dont go to a call center. its the last resort really. if you are a CE grad. pls get a job thats in the field of CE. believe me you are going to waste your time there in a call center. its not really a profession that has a future. when you are in a call center, you'll just be one of those who are just eyeing money but not future, do you get this? i believe so. try to sacrifice monetary goal for a better future. at least if you work at CE, its something not anyone can do. but in a call center, anybody can be one and even if you dont have a scholarship before, you can learn to speak foreign language but with CE as specialization, not anyone can do what you can do.
2 people like this
@J3rvic (144)
• Philippines
2 Apr 07
Being a call center agent is not permanent comparing to Civil engineering, after some time call centers will not be that HOT but i have to admit i have trained as a call center agent and many companies now is trying to convince me to be their agent (two companies called me one minute ago). Let me tell you my story.
I have doubts the first time but i believe "Theres no harm in trying" so i took the scholoarship exam in TESDA and by Gods grace ive passed. I become PGMA's scholar and trained for 1 month and 1 week. After my graduation in the call center school many companies offered me a great job but i still want to continue my studies so i turn them down. Maybe in the future i would take their offer and experience the thrill of being in the "floor".
2 people like this
@bonitabiloxi (127)
• Philippines
2 Apr 07
If you don't really need to work now, please don't. Finish your course. I believe that someone like you can land a good job in whatever field you choose after you graduate - a job that has avenues for career growth. The call center thing might do you good for now, but how about in the long run - unless you can imagine yourself being 35 and still working in a call center.
If you really want to improve your financial condition at present, you might want to consider having a part-time job while studying... That is, again, if having a job is needed and you think you can handle working while studying. You're an academic scholar, naturally, grades are important.
My point, don't quit school for call center. You can be a call center agent right after graduation / board while waiting for a job that pays well and can provide you a sustainable career.
2 people like this
@dbeast (1495)
• India
17 Apr 07
hey there buddy i was in the same dilema as you are in now and faced the exact same situation after my bachelors.my advice to you is DONT take up the call center job.if you plan on sticking on to it,considering that it may be easy,actually there is a lot of pressure and it is really frustrating at times and your health takes a beating.the growth in a call center job is really nothing to speak about.once you join up the job you can kiss your studies goodbye because it becomes too tough.you ll be working all night and cant work in the morning because you ll be tired.if you plan on continuing your studies,forget the call center job training.though it may look attractive in the beginning.,you ll really be missing out something later and you might repent as to why you took the job and could have stuck on to your studies..all the best.
1 person likes this
@vesuvius (1677)
• Philippines
18 Apr 07
The truth is, at this very moment, I have already decided to junk the call center option because I was already convinced that it wouldn't be a wise decision to actually leave my studies for such a field that's also filled with some uncertainties - though, as you've said, it's really attractive at the start. I just hope I'm gonna do things right in the future.
Thanks for this response! I greatly appreciate your advice!
Happy posting!
@kurtbiewald (2625)
• United States
2 Apr 07
hmmmmmmmm
i m not clear on it , sin ce, I live in the US
man y chan ces he re 4 US
in your country maybe its hard for you ther , I know
well, I'mthin k in , maybe we shuld stay ho me , and make good life fo r us
Why do we bring head ache on rshelves?
I don't know
I don't have good avice fo r you, ne way?
O well...........
@polpretty (12)
• United States
2 Apr 07
its not that you are wasting everything you've done in school, think of it as another challenge in your life. i have to admit that if you will be working on a call center and studying at the same, it would take a lot of effort from you to balance your schedule. just to set your expectation, working in a call center is not easy as well, its not all hang outs and out of town trips and all that jazz.... its really a fast paced environment where you have to cope up. you have to prioritize! if you think that you can do both, then go ahead....
2 people like this
@cheribam (448)
• United States
8 Apr 07
You are an intelligent person, you should finish first your studies rather than choosing Call center over it. You are so lucky that you are an academic scholar and not everybody can be like you. Call centers were always be there, and do not waste the good opportunity of having a good education, not all youth could afford to have it and you are so lucky for that...
