Concerns About Agent Quality

Almost every person I know wants to work in a call center and the answer is obvious. Call center jobs pay way better than regular “day” jobs you can get. Some BPO companies are able to pay their agents almost thrice the amount most local non-BPO companies can. To avoid dwelling into what’s known fact, one thing some people can’t seem to understand is that BPO companies will not just hire anyone off the street.

Having worked as a recruitment officer in a major company, I have seen the best and worst applicants on a daily basis. It’s sad to say that that many applicants, more than 80% to be precise, actually fall below par to the standards that all large BPO companies adhere to when hiring new agents. Believe it or not, even applicants with prior call center experience actually fail the application process while others wash out during training.

Why is this so? It really is a question of agent quality from the get go. Meaning, if you don’t possess the language skills, accent and reasoning that clients expect from their potential agents; then you flunk! Others are able to make it through the recruitment process but training furthers screens them and they end up being terminated for failing. Factor in work attitude and further screening occurs. For most centers, one NCNS (No Call, No Show) incident is enough to seal an agent’s fate. I’ve seen this happen too often.

If you’re reading this and you are hoping to land a job in the industry, my job here is not to scare you but to actually help you get the job you want. Having been in the industry long enough, I have observed what works and what doesn’t work for agent applicants. Hopefully, the tips I will share below will help you get hired:

1. Write a good resume: In any job, a resume can make or break you. There are lots of resources on the internet that can give you good tips on internet writing but here are some for you. Keep your resume short and simple. Ensure that your contact information is on top and phone numbers you include are current. Nothing frustrates a recruiter more than an outdated phone number. Include all pertinent work experience but if you have no BPO experience, you have to make sure you write a good career objective in line with the position you are applying for.
2. Make sure you can speak English fluently: This is very important and often the first thing the recruiter is looking for. When you speak your first sentence in an interview, experienced recruiters are able to determine whether you have the language competency required for the job. Here’s a tip, if the recruiter ends your interview within 5 minutes, chances are you might not move on to the next stage of the hiring process. Either that or the recruiter is hungry or has the call of nature. If you can’t speak English fluently, the only thing you can do is to take up an English Proficiency course. TESDA actually offers this for free so better start looking for the nearest TESDA training center. If you have money to spare, there are many excellent private call center training schools that can help enhance your language skills.
3. Be honest with your answers: Honesty is the best policy and recruiters can spot liars a mile away. If ever you do get away with it, a background check can end it all for you. You don’t want to be in a position where you lost your job because you lied about your credentials. The call center industry is a high trust environment and any breach of that trust is dealt with severely. So always be honest with your answers. If ever you were terminated from your last job, mention why this happened and the recruiter may even reward your honesty with a passing score.
4. Be confident: Recruiters love confident applicants who are both articulate and witty. The way to be confident is to garner the necessary skills to prove to a company you have what it takes to work there. If you have experience, then be nature you are confident. Just be careful not to be too overconfident and obnoxious. I’ve failed applicants for sounding conceited during interviews. If you are a first timer in the industry, I really do recommend prior training (TESDA or other call center training schools) so that you will become more confident in your acquired abilities.
5. Do your research: Many people miss this part. It is always good to do some research about the company you are applying to and about the industry (for new comers). It shows interest and determination that you went out of your way to learn about the company and its objectives. If you have friends working in that company, a short coffee session with them at Starbucks is well worth it with the information you can get. Recruiters will sometimes jump on you with a question like, “what do you know about our company” and every applicant who was able to answer that properly usually makes it. That research can make or break you.

Although these tips are helpful, they will not guarantee you instant employment. So, please don’t email me with scorn about not getting hired even after following these steps. It’s not a foolproof plan but will still give you an edge. At the end of it all, it’s still all up to you. If you really want to job, I’m sure you’ll do everything to get it. I’ve always loved this industry and it’s been a fun ride working as an agent all the way to manager. I hope someday you feel the same rush I do.

To be hired into a quality job, make sure you are a quality choice for recruiters.

About this writer:

Dr. France Jagolino is currently an Operations Manager for TaskUs Integrated Solutions, a California based outsourcing company. He gave up a promising career in Medicine to enter the BPO Industry where he has worked in almost every position from agent to trainer all the way to management. Dr. Jagolino is not only an experienced veteran of the industry but has also worked as a Leadership and Management Training Consultant for Shell and has written numerous articles on leadership, management, business, healthcare, customer service, social media and self-improvement. He is also a former TESDA Instructor for English Proficiency/Call Center Training and an inspirational speaker who was spoken in leadership motivation seminars in Asia and the Middle East.

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Posted in: France,Job Hunt Tips