For sometime now, I've dismissed this idea of working for call centers in the first world country of Singapore. I've already heard stories. I've seen ads in the newspapers. I've heard news about friends of friends already working in Singapore as call center employees.
For one thing, I just thought it was a scam. One needed a work permit to even apply for a call center job in Singapore. This I found true at most job posting in Jobstreet Singapore.
Secondly, Singapore's high standard of living will suck most of your earning in that place no matter how high your salary offer was. Essentially negating the lure of earning big money because the cost of living is much too high.
Today, I chatted with an old call center batch mate. We never really were close but we knew each other enough to entice me to connect with him even if it was just to say hi and ask him how he was. To my surprise, he says he is now working at HSBC call center in Singapore! We parted ways 5 years ago. He worked for the HSBC Alabang and eventually got promoted to Asst. Manager for Operations. He says last year he says he tried his luck and joined friends at applying at EDI staff builders the recruitment agency for a call center post in Singapore and was lucky enough to one of the few who passed the screening and eventually got a job offer. I forgot to ask what position he got accepted for but I'm fairly sure he is working as an agent at HSBC Singapore. I guess he bit the big salary offer and sacrificed his TL post at HSBC Alabang for a chance to work there. He's only been there for 6 months now and he says life is good.
Though I might not have agreed with his decision. It's his life to make. For me, The sacrifice of being away from your family and the high standard of living negates the lure of working for another call center outside the country. But then again, money talks. Maybe for the right price I would. Maybe for a salary of 100,000 pesos per month I would think about it. LOL
17 comments here!:
I like one thing which author says, "Singapore's high standard of living will suck most of your earning" which is very true, I am also agree with the above statement, its not worth to move from one country to another just for money or charm of that country untill unless you are really dont have great career growth opportunity over there or exteremly high package offered i.e. 2 or 3 times hike in package.
You have good experience about Call Centers...........your old call center batch mate is very lucky that he got that offer from HSBC call center in Singapore!
my friend from sykes is currently woeking as an "entry-level CSR for UBS Singapore and his salary is 90 k...
So, I don't get the point of you complaining about the high standard of living...
Di mo naman doon gagastusin ang pera mo sa Pinas pa rin ...
I think ur pretty amateur with stuff like these so I would recommend u refrain from posting such discouraging comments
To my anonymous commenter,
First let me thank you for leaving such an admirable tongue-lashing comment. It speaks well of your intellect and breeding.
Secondly, your friend must like his work at UBS then. That's good for him. I'm just saying not everybody is keen in leaving the country to what? just work for another call center? It's pretty lame. I think it would be best if the person decides to leave if he/she will be practicing his actual educational background.
Thirdly, about your comment: (Di mo naman doon gagastusin ang pera mo sa Pinas pa rin ...) maybe you're forgetting that OFW also live outside the country which means they also have to spend for food, accomodations, transportation and a lot more. These are precisely expensive in Singapore no matter how you penny-pinch.
Fourth, If you think I'm amateurish then you must be a first time reader here. Please refrain from sounding like you don't know what you're talking about. Iho or iha, marami ka pang kakainin bigas to even get to a fourth of what I have done already. Papunta ka pa lang, pabalik na ako.
Lastly, Sorry kung na discourage kita sa blog ko ha... Ganyan talaga eh... You'll always find reading something you won't like. Unlike you, I've already had my time working in a first world country so I know what it feels like to deal with high cost of living. Since you don't get my point about that part, maybe you haven't lived in a first world country... which I understand... Di naman tayo lahat swerte e.
Pero DONT EVER EVER TELL ME WHAT I CAN WRITE OR NOT WRITE because it's my own blog.
Thanks for your "nice" comment. I'm pretty sure you won't be reading my blog again BUT you are welcome to come back anytime soon.
I agree. I think it's just not worth all the stress, loneliness, sacrifice of being away from my family and baby boy. I would just hate it for me to miss his growing up years. That alone is not worth the sacrifice of working for a call center in Singapore or anywhere outside the country. I'd rather earn decently here but still get to see my family than earn big but miss all those great years of my life.
As they always say, First always come first.
Some people are just blinded by money and forgetting the more important stuff.
I mean Family always comes first!
Hehe
To "Dan Michael" my angry commentor,
Hehe,
Pasensya ka na at di ko ipa-publish comment mo ha. Hehe. Based on your comment, palagay ko IKAW ang may bitterness. Hehe. Why hate me so much? So much angst you have for just a simple blog... LOL
Na-apektohan ka ba sa blog ko??? Wow men... Ang lakas na talaga ng dating nang blog ko! Hehe... May mga haters na ko! Hmmm...
Anyways, thanks for sending me the lengthy unpublished comment. Pasensya ka na di na yun makikita ng mundo! Hehehe
Try again! Visit my blog please... Alam ko babalik at babalik ka rin... hehehe... It works well for me and my blog naman e. Syempre kung babalik ka e di meron akong bagong loyal reader in you.
Thanks. Come visit again...
At humirit pa ng isang comment si "Dan Michael".
Thank you ha... Hehehe
You have so much hate and so much effort in writing a comment pero napupunta sa wala... LOL
I'm sure you'll come back soon. Till next time... Or should I say till next time I delete your comment again?
Cheers mate!
Mga di lang maka-angat yang mga yan. Gusto nang lumipat ng ibang colctr sa ibang bansa kase colctr hopper yan mga yan.
At wala nang malipatang colctr d2 sa aten.
i totally agree with your blog. thinking of the high standard of living for singapore, the salary they pay would only matter if you will send the bulk of that here in the philippines, then basically starve yourself to death in sing'. lol.
i did notice one thing odd about your post though, you said "Maybe for a salary of 100,000 pesos per month I would think about it. LOL"...
i found it odd because based on your blog description (A Call Center Manager's Venture Into Blogging ...), it is pretty obvious you are a call center manager. Why the heck are you not earning 6 digits yet? All my managers are earning above 100,000 here in the philippines. What call center are you working for? Hmmm...
Thanks for the comment.
Unfortunately, this lowly call center manager gets much less than that. LOL I'd rather withhold my place of employment for fear of embarassment! LOL
Thanks again! Hope you visit my blog again soon.
I visit your blog everytime. Very informative. I like it. And don't be embarassed. I was just curious. :)
i'm glad i stumbled onto this blog. sometimes i do miss call center life, especially some of the people i worked with, though i'm happy where i am right now. i worked for close to 3 years in 2 companies, holding various positions. it's very stressful, and office politics is a pain.
now i work as a freelance writer (full-time blogger) and it actually pays rather well. my clients are abroad and i get paid in dollars. it's a better setup, i think, rather than working at another country to save up for the future. besides, despite its faults, i like it here in the Philippines. we live in interesting times.
do continue writing and i shall visit more often. :)
hi scout,
can you please tell me how i can start a money-making blog? would you mind sending me an email na lang sa lastherostanding@yahoo.com. Thanks mate!
Hmmm... jsut wondering is there are already call centers in Singapore.. I mean companies who outsource their business is primarily to cut cost or save in operations and in manpower. Singapore is very high in terms of living and worker's salary...
Hi There!
I like the idea of this blog, and thanks for the information. In my part, I'm tired of our unsupportive and corrupt government here in the Philippines. I can say I'm proud to be a filipino, but I do not like our government. I've been working here in the Philippines for several years and still there is no improvement. Especially the high taxes that we pay, it's really a pain in the ass. Okay lang sana if may nakikita ka kaso wala. To end this, I hope I'll be given the chance to live in a first world country to see the difference. Hehehe...XD
The trick to getting a call center job in Singapore is to find a recruiter online, get an interview schedule and fly over there when you have a schedule na. That way you wont have to stay there for a long time hoping to get interviewed. :)
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