Ever since I stepped in the van bound to Los Baños in Festival and heard three girls talking about applying to call centers and being really proud about it, I’ve been thinking, how does call centers affect our country? It helps build up the economy and generate jobs… but for who, actually?

These jobs are for everyone who has the capacity to talk fluently and deal with clients around the world or here in the country. Minimum requirements include being a high school graduate and has a strong command of the English language. But of course, even those who are overqualified who wanted to earn big bucks can apply as well. It’s pretty much open to everyone.

So then I go back to the three girls talking about applying to call centers. As I was just beside them, I heard all what they were talking, all the time holding back from visibly rolling my eyes. The two girls were applicants who went around Alabang to apply for call centers – well, mainly voice call centers. The other girl has a lot of experience with handling calls as well as non-voice correspondence with clients.

They were talking enthusiastically about where the two girls can apply. It seemed like they were having a hard time getting through a call center, even though the girl claimed some of the exams were really easy. The girl was telling her other companion to refer the two girls for them to get in for the job. If a person doesn’t know the details and listened accidentally to them, I think that person would mistake them talking about applying to non-call center jobs.

But I admit having a job at a call center and talking about it like it’s the typical skill/knowledge-based job is a normal thing. But what disturbed me was that these girls apparently came from the University of the Philippines Los Baños and recently graduated. And they were talking about applying to call centers like it’s their priority.

The girl was even bitter of not being a Development Communication student back then since she wanted to be a teacher. She said, quite spitefully, that she landed in ComArts instead. And then I thought, I have an officemate who graduated from UPLB who had a degree in Communication Arts and she’s an account manager.

Then the two girls were quite down since they didn’t pass some of the exams in the call centers. They were asking for the other girl some advice where to apply next and what to do in their next exams. The other girl was saying, once they get some experience, they’ll surely get the call center job they wanted.

Is it that hard to find a job related to your course? I know it’s one’s preference to apply as what they termed as “CSR” (customer service representatives) [which I honestly mistook as corporate social responsibility], but you have studied for four years of your life, took exams, conducted a thesis (or practicum), had your family become proud of you being a graduate from a well-known university, and then after you graduate, you decide to go and search for a call center job.

Maybe it’s one way of saving up and taking it easy. There are a lot of call center business established here in the Philippines mainly because we’re cheap in terms of salary and our English is best in Asia, so it’s easy to find one and take an exam. Compared to finding a job related to your course, yes, it’s really really tough to find one. But that doesn’t mean that the country’s running short on jobs related to everyone’s course and that all that’s left are customer service representatives post where I could assume that competition is gradually increasing since everyone flock there.

However, some see having a CSR job a ‘career’. Sure, since for long months you’ll be talking on your headset monitored by a team leader, then you move up to being a team leader where, yeah, you’ll be talking on your headset plus monitoring your team. Then, when you finally want to search new horizons, you’ll be going where? To call centers again.  It’s a never ending process where your career is based solely on a cycle which you cannot get out of, if you decide that to be your career.

I also have a housemate who took Development Communication as her course and she has been working in a huge call center in Alabang for more than two years, I think. When I told her I’m working as a writer, she said, “Ah, so you stuck on your course, huh?” Well, shouldn’t we? I don’t want to waste what I’ve learned in college.

And then I have acquaintances from college who I have high regard for. They’re the people I thought will go to greater heights. They were so proactive back in college, and now where are they? In call centers.  It’s a great mystery I still have to find out why.

I’m not making fun or looking down at call center agents, take note. I’m just flabbergasted (I like how this word sounds hehe) to see those who graduated from a four year course in good universities who choose to have a career in call centers. I thought that once you choose your first or second priority in degree and campus in high school, you have a dream you wanted to chase. I thought that once you set your goal in high school, you have a vision of yourself in the future on what you’re going to do.

It’s idealistic, but let’s be realistic and not practical. What exactly is the purpose why you studied for four years in college? For me it’s to have a good future. I want to climb the steps that would draw me to success on my career. Even though I receive shit pay, I know these hardships would pay off.

Let us not be practical and not think what is the easiest way to earn money. Don’t think what is the easiest way to get in a company. Think, what would be your future?

(I wanted to write an article more in-depth and researched, but what the heck… lol I don’t want my work to be carried to my blog writing.)  >___<