On Interviews

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?p=29103916#post29103916

Off the top of my head...

Interviews are like direct sales (you're selling yourself).
Answer questions directly, then add your 'features and benefits.'
Filipinos are well known for their indirect approach to answering questions (an Asian trait as well). Work in the Off-shoring and Outsourcing industry requires efficient communications skills, primarily as the usual channel for client interfacing is 'Voice Based.'

Take note that you may subconsciously 'oversell' yourself though. So, have a strategy and reiterate 3-5 points about yourself in-line with the job being applied for, which will make your interviewer keep the actual interview short and sweet because you've shown evidence of attitudes, experience, and abilities commensurate with the position.

Scenario 1: "Pahaging"
Interviewer: How old are you?
Applicant: I'm old enough to learn and be enthusiastic...churva churva.*

Scenario 2: "Confidence in Situ"
Interviewer: How old are you?
Applicant: I'm 26 years old. I have been gainfully employed in this industry for amount of years...<2>...

Lesson: Answer the question first directly. Do not oversell.

Interviews are biased towards the interviewer.
Make sure you are completely involved in the conversation.
Appear calm and focused.
Speak directly to your interviewer and not at a wall.

Maintaining eye contact and using Haptics (body language, e.g. smiling and meaningful posture) are subconscious signals you can use to your advantage to make your interviewer feel special.

Do not have scripted answers, instead have personal guidelines.
Do not bank on rehearsed, scripted answers.
Instead, understand your own strengths and weaknesses based on your previous work experiences and life experiences.
The usual format will be for you to have to explain or prove these strengths and weaknesses through 'situational questions.' These questions allow the interviewer to gauge your effectiveness for the particular program you are being interviewed for.

Work Experience Narration
Be sure you can narrate your work experience backwards and forwards or even upside down. One story, all the time, every time.
Be prepared to explain: gaps, length of tenure, reasons for leaving, results (factual and data based), and other bullets from your resume that may stick out.

The interview's actual reason
We hire people for only two reasons:
1.) The applicant's ability to generate revenue through skill sets and experience.
2.) The applicant's ability to save costs for the organization through his/her skill sets and experience.
This holds true, all the way up the career ladder.

Magnabash: Get back to me if you feel what I've shared is valid; I will be happy to share more strategies and lessons on this topic.

Best regards.Off the top of my head...

Interviews are like direct sales (you're selling yourself).
Answer questions directly, then add your 'features and benefits.'
Filipinos are well known for their indirect approach to answering questions (an Asian trait as well). Work in the Off-shoring and Outsourcing industry requires efficient communications skills, primarily as the usual channel for client interfacing is 'Voice Based.'

Take note that you may subconsciously 'oversell' yourself though. So, have a strategy and reiterate 3-5 points about yourself in-line with the job being applied for, which will make your interviewer keep the actual interview short and sweet because you've shown evidence of attitudes, experience, and abilities commensurate with the position.

Scenario 1: "Pahaging"
Interviewer: How old are you?
Applicant: I'm old enough to learn and be enthusiastic...churva churva.*

Scenario 2: "Confidence in Situ"
Interviewer: How old are you?
Applicant: I'm 26 years old. I have been gainfully employed in this industry for amount of years...<2>...

Lesson: Answer the question first directly. Do not oversell.

Interviews are biased towards the interviewer.
Make sure you are completely involved in the conversation.
Appear calm and focused.
Speak directly to your interviewer and not at a wall.

Maintaining eye contact and using Haptics (body language, e.g. smiling and meaningful posture) are subconscious signals you can use to your advantage to make your interviewer feel special.

Do not have scripted answers, instead have personal guidelines.
Do not bank on rehearsed, scripted answers.
Instead, understand your own strengths and weaknesses based on your previous work experiences and life experiences.
The usual format will be for you to have to explain or prove these strengths and weaknesses through 'situational questions.' These questions allow the interviewer to gauge your effectiveness for the particular program you are being interviewed for.

Work Experience Narration
Be sure you can narrate your work experience backwards and forwards or even upside down. One story, all the time, every time.
Be prepared to explain: gaps, length of tenure, reasons for leaving, results (factual and data based), and other bullets from your resume that may stick out.

The interview's actual reason
We hire people for only two reasons:
1.) The applicant's ability to generate revenue through skill sets and experience.
2.) The applicant's ability to save costs for the organization through his/her skill sets and experience.
This holds true, all the way up the career ladder.

Magnabash: Get back to me if you feel what I've shared is valid; I will be happy to share more strategies and lessons on this topic.

Best regards.

In Response to Aditya Birla Minacs

Aditya Birla Minacs
Objectively:
-Practically unlimited financial resources as is funded by India's second largest business conglomerate (e.g.-Indian version of the Ayala's or Sy's with Tata being first and Aditya Birla being second).
-Is riding on Minacs' experience and clients, Minacs is Canada's largest BPO company which Aditya Birla bought out and merged with its TransWorks group (BPO arm) two years ago.
-Operates on/at COPC and ISO2002 levels. Process based (which the Indians are notoriously good/bad at depending on how you look at it).
-ABM will only partner with bluechip organizations--job security assured.
Subjectively:
-Working with Indian managers provides you with a strong process/reporting skills base. You gain the advantage of having their 5 year head start in the industry.
-This experience exposes you to their work ethic wherein long hours is the norm. The cultural raison d'être being that due to high levels of unemployment over there, there is a premium for bpo jobs which provide up to 3 times as much renumeration situationally. Hence, Indians think nothing of working an extra 6 hours without pay to retain their jobs. The local analogy would be that an agent there earning PHP 8,500 a month would be a Filipino agent earning an equivalent PHP 24,000 here.
-ABM is rapidly expanding, Supervisor Team last year is now Management Team this year--Career growth assured based on longevity and performance at work. Talent is present.

Bottomline:
+: You will receive upper percentile renumeration, comp. package especially at a supervisory/managerial level
-: You will have to work within the framework of the Indian BPO culture, Service Levels delivery at all levels.

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=348895&page=4

In response to Top 5 and Bottom 5 Call Centers here in the Philippines

If a company is Stock Exchange listed (US or PI) then its worth considering.

If a company is under 100 seats, then you'll see account, payroll, and management issues

The top five will provide: work life balance; good pay and challenging work
The bottom five: will harm your resume.

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160353&page=17

In response to Ghost Stories

The industry has its own paranormal stories to share, you're right.
Cross center, you will find common threads:
1) Stories revolving around elevators,
2) Stories revolving around the women's washrooms, and
3) Stories revolving around Doppelgangers.

Call Centers attract a disproportionate amount of psychic energy through the people who work there and the electrical energy used.

1)Elevators serve as doorways.
2)Female washrooms combine moist environments with excessive female psychic/hormonal discharges--notice how the lights never work properly or flicker within weeks of replacement.
3)There is a higher proportion of people in the industry who are prone or sensitive to the paranormal due to their personal backgrounds (notice how all employees and professionals in this industry have colorful backgrounds).

Child entities abound as well, fed/encouraged by energy produced by centers. Usually linked to a tragic/sad employee experience.
Deceased construction workers roaming are prevalent, attracted to energies produced by centers.

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=270001&page=3

In response to should i tell my new employer that i am pregnant?

Its now August 2008, how's the pregnancy coming along K8.DGreat?
Baby first. There are companies that allow for pregnancies. If the company won't consider that, then its not a company worth working for. I've had women on my staff come in pregnant during their training period-If you're HR is up to snuff they'll support you.

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=347567

In response to Bakit walang UNION ang mga taga-callcenter???

Afterburns,

There is no union for BPO professionals and employees simply because there is no WILL.

SaintLuci poses that companies should protect themselves by having their own union,

"In my opinion, it is the opposite between "unionized" (usually manufacturing) companies and "non-unionized" call center companies. The call centers per se should actually be the ones to form a union because agents (and other employees) are so in demand that these centers are just losing them left and right (-SaintLuci)."

and she makes a valid point. This is in fact what the major companies did. CCAP (www.ccap.ph) was organized in October 2001 to lobby for tax breaks, business advantages, and as a medium between vendors, clients, and the government. BPAP (http://www.bpap.org/bpap/index.asp) was launched relatively recently as an umbrella organization to handle Offshoring and Outsourcing in the Philippines. BPAP has direct government support now.

You're right, we need an organization that will protect the interests, well being, and future of the actual BPO or rather O&O (woohoo, new term na naman) worker.

I know a few people who agree. I'm sure you do too. So the next step is to generate that WILL.

I look forward to hearing from you if this is still of interest or concern.

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=349071

In response to Call center agents earns more than a call center staff.

Look at it from an executive approach.
Revenue generating assets versus Non-Revenue generating assets.

Who would you pay more? Proportionally, you'd pay your revenue generating assets more, but through incentive schemes. You're paying non-income generating staff higher salaries on the premise that they can assure you income at a staff level.

Then, qualify if you mean call center staff to mean business support, management. or actual company admin. staff (admin. assistants, hr assistants, etc.)

For outbound sales, Agents will tend to have high net take homes due to commissions and spiffs. Team Leads and Managers will have overrides (percentage of commissions if targets/quotas are hit).

Inbound can work similarly if program metrics allow for commissions/bonuses if SLAs are hit or met. As before, Team Leads and Managers will have their own incentives which are directly linked to team performance/program performance.

Your question leads to another important issue actually: compensation in relation to workload.

Just to round it up in the 'parking lot,' Going up the ladder obviously has a corresponding income increase so the issue there is if it is balanced with the workload assigned in return.

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=352013

Bakit ang dami pong gays and lesbian sa call center?

Here's my take:

BPO Philippines Factoid 1: All professionals/employees in this industry come from colorful backgrounds (wherein colorful is read as an expletive of your choice).

BPO companies reward performance not conformity to cultural standards of propriety. People of this sexual persuasion/identity have their innate will, creativity, determination, and 'churva' to get them going in this tough industry. NO DICE, they excel and will continue to excel.

Unless society or whatever toilet administration is present provides a third gender oriented bathroom then we're stuck with pissing with transvestites. They tend to use the stalls so that's fine, I guess.

I'm sure a lot of biological women are concerned when transvestites (no offense meant by using this term) use biologically female oriented washrooms.

Then again, opening up 'disabled' bathrooms for their use would be offensive and probably conducive to improper usage.

I digress, there is a huge proportion of gays and lesbians in the industry because the environment is set up for that:

1) Work is at night (I hate the term graveyard). Go figure...they come out at...
2) Dress codes are arbitrary--leaning towards an American/International workplace style which is used as a basis for pushing 'freedom of expression' whether it be mode of dress or sexuality presented.
3) Hiring is geared towards communications skills. Go figure. Which group of people in the Philippines have spent their whole lives fighting and pushing through their communications skills?
4) Hiring is geared towards tertiary level prospects. More often than not, this group of people do well scholastically as part of their strive towards self determination.
5) There is also a denser population of gay management (for want of a better term) in this industry.

Bottom line: Revenue is all that matters. If your employee performs up to par or in excess off, who cares?

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=349494

In response to Mga pinakajologs/sossy na Call Center

Have you ever heard of the Epixtar Boracay floor? In terms of interior design/ facilities, its really cost versus benefits. In Epixtar's case, this was not part of the equation.

Essentially, I think it boils down to the people. Whether 'Jologs' or 'Sosy' we have to accept that this industry will take in and continue to take in what it can--the best and the worst of our generation (people born 1970 more or less and up).

I have seen people move up despite being 'Jologs' (have directly been responsible for that as well) and have seen 'Sosy' people fail utterly.

Personally, I think the bathrooms and the headsets are a good measure--facilities wise. People-wise, look at the COO and how they interact with the team (everyone else). The leaders define the quality of the company. Well at least my seventy-five centavos say so.

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=325950&page=8

In response to Korean online English "teaching" centers--a different breed of "call centers"

Objective: Dealing with South Koreans for business means dealing with their culture.

Business:
Cost cutting as opposed to revenue generation.
Maximum efficiency as opposed to comfort.
I could go on actually.

End Results:
They are taking full advantage of an unregulated sub-industry.
Koreans will not adapt to us--we will have to adapt to them.
Fluency in English is the prime determinant in entering an A-Level tertiary institution which determines entry into an A-Level company.

The Korean English Tutorial/Schooling market should be actively monitored and managed or else they'll continue cutting costs and driving efficiency.

Notice how in the end, the cultural traits drive the type of business practices in the BPO industry?

Eat my kimchi, and like it.

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=341476

In response to how tiring is work in a callcenter

This industry is taxing in that it tires you out:
Physically, Emotionally, Spiritually, and Sexually.

Wait, that happens in all industries.

I've seen students make a go at working BPO at night and pushing to study during the day. Health will fail no matter what. Its commitment that keeps these brave souls literally 'alive.'

Even working at night has its attendant health risks, which run the gamut of blood pressure disorders, anxiety, insomnia, weight loss/gain, STD, Lung ailments, etc...

Instead of trying to work 24 hours a day, why not focusing on 8 or 9 hours of quality work wherein you exceed expectations? If you persist and excel in working multiple jobs--then you will definitely get rich in the states.

I for one look with dread at the near future wherein we will have a similar culture to that of the US of A where most middle class people have 1.5 to 2.5 jobs.

At an agent level, most BPO professionals work at maxing out on overtime to reap benefits. Going up the ladder wherein OT pay is not an option, its really exceeding SLAs or Sales Quotas that bring home the proverbial bacon.

Mahal nang bacon ano? Bakit kaya?

Here's my 75 centavos:

If you're under 25 years old, go for it. Try it out for 6 months or less. You're young enough to afford mistakes.

Realize though, that working one job efficiently and smartly will provide more opportunities for income and compensation (especially if its incentive or bonus driven) as opposed to working 2 jobs at 50% capability or worse incompetently.

Point in fact, in terms of BPO, the higher you move up the ladder, the more hours you will have to put in anyway. Inbound Customer Service management for example will have you being on call like a doctor. Outbound telemarketing will have you pushing shift times just to reach quotas.

Why not have 1 core job and have 1 or more 'sidelines' instead?

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=358026

Providing cautionary advice to a newbie

Word of Caution:

The BPO Industry will expose you to wholly different social and working culture. Unless you enter with a clear head and a solid commitment you may be seduced by the unsavory aspects of the business.

Bluntly, an exposure to: casual relationships, spendthrift lifestyle to work off stress, health repercussions, and lack of quality time with your immediate family. Caveat Emptor, seriously.

The financial returns from working BPO will redefine your thinking about earning income. On the other hand, the personal returns may be adverse. No bull.

If Decided:
Once decided, give yourself the advantage of having a resume that will scream 'hire me.' Gear it towards what recruiters are looking for--experience in communicating with foreigners, relatively good tenures at previous workplaces ( 1 year and up periods of sustained work), and the potential to learn and do well for the targeted account. Let your resume show these things and you are set.

Live in Cubao--might as well work in Cubao. Take a sheaf of resumes, wear good walking shoes and office attire, and just walk into the organizations there. You'll eventually end up getting in to at least 3. Take note that you will have to decide whether you want to take calls (inbound accounts, usually customer service or technical support) or make calls (outbound accounts, sales or telemarketing).

Entering this industry is a life-changing choice.

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=357043&highlight=marcicinnamon

I'm a parent as well Mom2Eliam. In fact my son is the reason why I got into the industry in the first place. While the immediate cost/financial benefits are great--the emotional impact on your family and self must be managed effectively.

An alternative approach would be to look for a day-shift account in order to have semblance of a more 'regular' job. This may help you avoid the negative social and health aspects of working at night.

If you can invest in a good broadband connection and PC set-up you may look at working at home. There are opportunities for encoding, online tutoring for Koreans, etc...

You may message me directly if you would like more information.

Best regards.

In response to an emerging FUBU culture in the industry

BPO Philippines Factoid 1: All professionals/employees in this industry come from colorful backgrounds (wherein colorful is read as an expletive of your choice).

The reversed working hours (generally) and campus atmosphere create an environment wherein casual sex becomes an outlet for pressure or as an activity to obtain pleasure/gratification or even just a basic human attempt at fulfilling a personal need.

The insular quality of this industry (read as being-no life, co-workers become substitute family, love life is linked to floor) becomes a catalyst. I agree with cHinagrL that this is probably present in other industries as well--it just so happens that for this particular industry--the effects are tragic (and I rarely use this word).

I actually think this is a symptom of this Information Technology driven age. We connect through the media and through the internet so we jump at the chance for actual physical connection.

Communicating over the ether (YM and what have you) allows us wild abandon and the backing to be reckless. So the actual deed becomes an afterthought and before you know it, you're stuck deep.

To answer the original question, casual sex in this industry is rife just because the actual training-to-floor-to-career process speeds up the casual mating cycle.

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=351041&highlight=marcicinnamon


HIV Report: Take It With A Slab Of Salt. Other STDs Will Pepper You Blind.

The article is scary but provides little data as to actual statistics and the depth and breadth of the situation. Notice how the article ends extremely weakly, "Generally, stressed out male call center agents can afford to drink alcohol everyday, smoke cigarettes as much as they want and visit brothels every payday because their salary is large enough to support these types of vices (http://philcontactcenter.com/index.php?p=1_6_News)."

While 10 'Call Center' people tested positive for HIV, no statistics where given as to the total number of applicants tested. Articles like this cause unnecessary panic and paranoia.

Prozac&Placebo is right though, dapat matakot tayo.

The actual nail in the coffin is the unreported statistics and data for other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) within the industry.

Take this scenario:

Visiting client or visiting foreign executive (hereinafter identified as 'Bob') parties in P.Burgos or Quezon Ave. Bob will spend 2-3 weeks in the Philippines to do business reviews, look at potential vendors, meet and greet staff, etc... Bob then gets his hooks into a naive/or not so naive Filipino/a (hereinafter referred to as Joie, para androgynous). Unbeknownst to Bob, he has acquired gonorrhea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonorrhea) or NGU/UTI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-gonococcal_urethritis). Bob then passes it onto fashionista Joie. As this thread provisions for, that a liberal approach to sexual relations is emerging in the industry, Joie goes ahead and liberates him/herself sexually to relieve work related stress...Joie dies old, blind, and longing for his/her call center glory days 30 years later but not after having passed the disease/s on in a marketing fashion worthy of Herbalife (sic).

How many men in this industry actually buy and use prophylactics instead of just ogling at the Premiere ads with Asia Agcaoili or Jacq Yu?

How many women carry prophylactics as a precaution?

How many more Joies will continue to pursue 'liberated' sexual lifestyles, hopping left and right to nowhere but STD related blindness.

If HIV is salt, then STD as pepper will definitely spice you to death.

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=351041&highlight=marcicinnamon&page=2

In response to the BPO Industry slowing down

Good thread. Major Props to Aranda_Bay. Especially the observation about Obama and McCain,

"McCain's Economic advisor is the former CEO of HP and is a staunch proponent of outsourcing. McCain's general stand re the US economy is globalization. Si Obama isolationist. Unfortunately, Obama's stand will get him to win more votes now that Americans stand to lose more jobs due to outsourcing (-Aranda_Bay)."

Initial Input:
The Off-shoring and Outsourcing Industry is larger than Obama or McCain or any recession. Its just simple business sense, outsourcing cuts costs, no matter how you view it.

The Philippine BPO industry will continue to mature and stratify; hold its position as the voice work destination of choice for the next several years.

The relevant issue will be how the country and this industry's leaders/organizations will pilot it through the next several years.

At least for the next 50 years, I don't think we will see the emergence of an industry that provides at least double the normal salary at entry level. We will probably get up to +/- 30% in fluctuations revenue wise and even through cost cutting aspects through these coming years but the fact remains that Outsourcing is a global historical event akin to the Industrial Revolution with its butterfly effect repercussions.

I concur with Aranda_Bay and would rather wax Quixotic than Sancho Panza my way to an empty savings account. Just in case.

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=351518&highlight=marcicinnamon