CALL CENTER AGENT A LONG TERM CAREER?

A CALL CENTER AGENT -- CAN THIS BE A LIFETIME CAREER?

Being a call center dad means that I should have a good career for my family. I know that the advent of technology has drastically changed people’s lives.  In fact, the introduction of call centers in the business arena basically attracted an influx of workers from varied professions.  

The Philippines, having generally, an abundance of English-speaking work force -- easily became the call center capital of the world.  The rise of call centers in the Philippines sparked the exodus of workers mostly from jobs that some people generally labelled as ‘toxic’ like teaching and nursing.  

Toxic Jobs in the Philippines

 "Toxic job" is the label that was popularly given to jobs that are not only strenuous but at times, also requires a person to work more than 8 hours in a day.  Take for example the teaching profession.   Generally speaking, the work of a teacher does not really start nor end in the classroom.  A teacher needs to prepare lesson plans, teaching and visual aids, seat-works and quizzes as well as check papers and also record grades.  Most of these tasks are done outside the classroom.   Likewise, with regards to working as a nurse, the current rise in health concerns like viruses and other sicknesses due to unhealthy lifestyle, have resulted in increased hospital cases. Since hospitals are required by law to maintain a corresponding number of nurses on duty in proportion to the number of patients, some nurses are required to render overtime work or what they call double-shift.  

Nurses and Teachers work in Philippine Call Centers

Therefore, a lot of teachers and nurses opt to work in a call center instead since generally speaking, call center workers only work on an 8-hour shift.  Furthermore, the Call Center industry has basically attracted workers from other professions as well.  Another factor is that Call Centers in the Philippines do not necessary require their applicants to have a college degree nor speak in perfect grammar.  The basic requirement is for you to have at least two years of college education and of course, pass their English test and interview.   

As long as you are able to aptly express your ideas confidently in English, you stand a very good chance of landing a job in a call center.  This scenario, basically resulted in the exodus of workers from various industries.  Not only that -- fresh graduates likewise, easily gravitated to the call center industry as well as undergrads.  

Why Filipino's make good call center agents

Generally speaking, the Philippines, being once under the American rule, has a populace who are quite adept in speaking the English language.  Add to this the fact that most Filipinos, speak English as a second language since it is the medium of instruction in almost all the schools especially, in private schools.  This, as well as other factors like lower operating expenses, has basically attracted more call centers to set up their offices here.  Soon enough, the younger generation -- college students as well as graduates, aim to pursue a career in the call center.  Another important factor is that most of these call centers offer a much better compensation package compared to most local industries since call centers generally have their main offices in the western countries.

So is being a Call Center Agent in the Philippines a long term career?

Since call centers are here to stay – therefore, it is safe to assume that working as a Call Center Agent can be considered a life-time career.  That is -- the Philippines, being deemed as the call center capital of the world, can somehow provide Call Center Agents the assurance of a lasting career.

What is also good is that Call Center Companies will always have jobs available. While accounts under a call center may lose a particular account, there will always be openings and other accounts that an agent can transfer to. This means security of tenure for most of their agents.