Two years ago, a dear friend of mine opted to join a call center. Not that there was anything wrong with it, but her story was typical of call center agents; she’s a college degree holder from no less than the University of the Philippines, with a degree very very far from anything that has to do with customer service, and yet she has to join a call center because she can’t afford to be jobless for a few more months. In her own words, she’s opting to become another “statistic.”
Now, two years later, she’s been diagnosed of having tuberculosis and cannot work long nights anymore. She even has to stay off work for a whole month of rest. She’s now weighing her options once she’s permitted by her doctor to work again, and the idea of taking up nursing crossed her mind. Why not take up nursing? It’s the job that pays big bucks abroad nowadays, right?
I asked her if that’s really what she wants to do in her life. She just shrugged, but I think she felt as if it was the right thing to do.
Sassafras not too long ago discussed career change in her blog, and got a very emphatic (more like irate) comment from an Anonymous poster, about “the realities” of living in a Third World country, where life is getting harder and jobs scarce. That sentiment is echoed by hundreds of thousands of people across the country. The lower class take up nursing or caregiving courses in the hopes of finding employment abroad. The middle class, owing to their “higher” education, burn the midnight oil in call centers — ironically the only “sunshine” industry in the country.
My mother-in-law, herself a licensed and practicing general physician, is taking up nursing. A few more neighbors are either taking up nursing or reviewing for licensing exams. Most of them have undergraduate degrees that are not related to medicine or biology howsoever.
Ask any of them on why they’re taking up nursing, or are call center agents, and you’ll get a look tantamount to questioning your sanity. Taking up those careers are “common sense” because the jobs are abundant and they pay. That’s what a career is supposed to be for, anyway, or so they say.
Magnu-nursing na lang ako para makapunta sa States. Magca-call center na lang ako kaysa wala akong trabaho. Maghuhugas na lang ako ng pwet ng matandang Kano kaysa magutom. Magpapapugot na lang ako ng ulo sa Iraq kaysa maubusan ng pera.
This reasoning of a lot of people on why they give up their dreams and likes for jobs not to their liking is something to the tune of “beggars cannot be choosers.” Sure, because of the hardships of life in this country we can’t really choose what career path to take.
But come to think of it, we lost our choice simply because we see ourself as beggars. And we push the choice of “doing what we love most” away because we fear that we would die of hunger if we do not.
However, in the end, it’s all a matter of choice. Push that choice away and you end up with the misery of not really loving what you do. Without love for what you do, you would not excel. Without excellence you would not attain fulfillment. Without fulfillment, you’ll die without really feeling you did anything else but merely survive.
My wife’s aunts offered to support her education if she takes up nursing, but my wife refused knowing that she will not be happy doing something for the sake of monetary benefit. I myself would prefer meager pay than get a job that I would not enjoy. Perhaps I am fortunate that God and my parents have provided me with the means to take a career of my choosing, but I think I am even luckier because I can afford to look at the bright side of things despite the troubles living life everyday in this country.
If all goes well, in time, I can tell myself that I did not merely survive but found fulfillment, despite the ramblings of those who see themselves as “unfortunate.”
6 responses so far ↓
1 mitch // Jun 9, 2005 at 10:00 pm
i have the same sentiments, Kuya Jon. Lalo na ngayon na graduating na kami, most of my friends are still confused on what to do after grad. And truly, marami ang nagco-consider ng call center na yan. well, I can’t blame them. easy money eh.
about nursing,most of my relatives were nurses. kaya there came a point in time na pinilit din nila akong mag-nursing.w/c of course I didn’t oblige dahil ayoko naman nun no!
kudos to this entry.
2 marianne // Jul 10, 2005 at 11:23 am
im not going to object to this post.. since.. this is..after all your blog.. and we are all entitled to our opinions.. pero..
ugh! good thing i love my job so much that i actually think its worth being looked down on by some people who dont really understand our line of work.. im sorry.. i love my job.. i know im not here coz im stuck and i dont feel the need to defend my choice to anyone.. its juz that.. it kinda hurts when u hear other people say its “easy money”..
for everyone’s info.. working in a call center is not all “thank you for calling, have a nice day..”. its actual hard work.. try teaching a 65 yr old grandma how to reseat the expansion cards on her pc..or format her harddrive when she doesnt even know what a harddrive is.. its hard enough if u were doing that in person.. imagine doing that over the phone! or imagine explaining how the airline industry works to a housewife who will be traveling for the first time.. and if she decides to cancel, make her understand why you couldnt refund her tickets even if the only reason why she;s cancelling a vacation that she planned for..for almost a year is that her bestfriend died the day before her scheduled departure..
yes, i get around 10k every payday..and im happy about that.. but that’s not at all “easy money”
you know me, kuya jon, im not exactly a “beggar”.. im proud to say i have other choices, heck, i could even stay home and be my own boss if my father had his way..
but i made my choice and im glad i did. yes its hardwork.. add to that being judged on a daily basis or being considered as a “sell out” by some people.. but for me.. its all worth it. its challenging but its also rewarding. im not sure if ud understand.. but u get a certain ..uhmm.. joy when u hear a stranger from miles away say “thank you” a million times because uve helped them! yes.. u feel the joy even if she’s actually the only 1 out of the 60 people u talked with that day who took time to appreciate ur efforts..
and yes, the pay is good, but the learning, growth and experience that u get from dealing with different people from all walks of life.. from the customers to your superiors to your coworkers..is.. PRiCELESS!
3 Jon Limjap // Jul 11, 2005 at 9:09 am
As I said in my post:
“Without love for what you do, you would not excel. Without excellence you would not attain fulfillment. Without fulfillment, you’ll die without really feeling you did anything else but merely survive.”
If you love what you do as a customer service representative, then good for you. I’m not undermining that. However I know a LOT of your colleagues who would rather be in another job or would rather be in a field that they do like, instead of being a CSR.
Unfortunately they feel like they don’t have a choice because it’s the only easily available job around. That’s were my opinions as stated above come in.
If you excel in your career as a CSR and you feel fulfilled with what you’re doing, good for you. You ought to be proud of yourself, and I’ll be very happy for you.
4 marianne // Jul 11, 2005 at 10:21 am
kahit saan naman kaseng industry may mga taong hindi masaya sa ginagawa nila e..
and ya.. ur right marami akong colleagues who would rather be doing something else.. but i still think its unfair for some people to demean an entire industry because of that..
yes,its sad that some people are stuck to jobs na ayaw nila.. pero there are also people who are there because they want to be there.
yun lang..hehehe
and btw.. im not questioning your opinion.. nag eemote lang ako nung isang araw hehehehehe
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