
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




