My First Job

                Never do things for the sake of doing, do things because you are passionate about doing them.

                This is what I have learned from my first job.

                It was April 22, 2010, twenty-seven days after I graduated from college when I signed my first employment contract with a world-class call center company located in Makati, Philippines. I’ve been very particular in reading the whole contract from word to word and between the lines. Actually, I have been hesitant in signing it because I have felt the uncertainty the job has to offer me.

                I took a deep breath, accepted the challenge of whatever feeling of uncertainty that was with it, and began affixing my signature on the contract page per page. After few minutes, the pretty lady from the Human Resource (HR) Department directed me to the training room where lots of new faces imbued with different stories are waiting. I was the last person to join the group.

                As usual, I have introduced myself by first using my famous tagline, “I’m sorry, I’m late”. Everybody laughed. I smiled. Then the trainer said, “Give your introduction by selling yourself to us”. I replied, “Alright”.

                Then my litany – A fresh nursing graduate, student leader and campus journalist of a publication tagged as the Best Broadsheet Nationwide for 2008-2010 during three consecutive years of National Schools Press Conference Competitions organized by the College Editors Guild of the Philippines with Sir Isagani Yambot, the Publisher of the Philippine Daily Inquirer as the Chairman of the Board of Judges.

                Then, I took my seat.

                We discussed American Geography and American Culture. (I hate Americans). The trainer asked us to describe US. I said US ontrols the economic as well as the political power of the world. She said I sound like a Political Science graduate. I said smiling, “I am not”.

                The date of our first salary came; I did not receive my salary on time. I asked my trainer why. She said she’ll try to fix the problem. I was not used to depending on others for fixing issues pertaining to myself. I tried to approach the Human Resource (HR) directly. The HR advised me to follow the standard operating procedure or the protocol which I seldom really follow since I was still studying. I really hate stuffs from bureaucracy. It wastes a lot of time. The HR told me to report the issue to my trainer. I asked an update from my trainer. She said there is no update yet.

                Persistence. I returned to HR and asked them about the contact number of the Payroll Department. They gave the number to me. I called the Payroll Department. The office was already closed. I called them again the next day. They told me the same thing that I have to follow the protocol to fix any issue with my first salary.

                For the third time I asked my trainer for any update regarding my first salary, she said HR has not sent her any update yet. I went to HR (natural activism).

                I informed them again about the issue of my first salary. I did not know if they were either jaded or irritated by the number of times I went through and fro their office so they directly dialled in the Payroll Department to resolve the issue.

                At last! The issue was solved. There had been a data server error and my name was picked and placed to a different site for the salary release so I had to wait until the second payday for me to receive my first (and second) salary.

                Aside from not receiving my first salary on time, I had problems with my log-in information so I was not able to practice scanning the tolls and navigating the systems needed in my line of work.

                So, there.

                Days passed. Expectations went higher. It was the second month and we have to be exposed to live calls already.

                I cannot forget my first call, the tone of the voice of my customer, and my stupidity. It was the most stupid day in my life.

                I used the system from the training environment so I was not able to pull-up the information I needed to deal with the customer on the phone. The customer became upset. He dropped the phone.

                My team leader (TL) stated, “You are using your system under training environment (with a frown). He pointed at the person seated beside me and said’ “Teach her how to pull-up the system under productions (imperative!)”.

                I really felt so embarrassed for my stupidity.

                I have experienced so many hung-ups. I was also able to earn three critical alerts (call violations) in just one call. I have received several incident reports. And worst, I was the lowest performing agent in our team.

                For three months that I have endured my first job, I experienced crying every after shift because of the grave frustration I felt for not being able to hit my daily goals for my digits.

                Though I already found comfort in my team’s company (exception for my TL), I already learned how to enjoy taking calls and how to assist customers in resolving their issues (exception for the presence of my TL), and I already learned how to laugh with both my customers and co-agents (especially when my TL is on leave), I still feel like I have no space for that line of work, that I am of no use because of being the lowest performing agent.

                I am a person who only has low tolerance for frustration and I realized I already shed high volume of tears for the frustration I experienced from my first job. I realized I already need to let go the job because I felt like I am already hopeless, that there’s no other way to let myself improve anymore. Aside from that, I am actually an anti-consumerist. I cannot be a sales person.

                I am not a sales person. I am not used to working in delays. I am moulded to please my clients. I am honed to work on my clients’ concern with urgency. For that, I am not really for the job.

                I was not able to say goodbye properly. The circumstances needed me to move on so fast.

                It was July 22, 2010 when I signed my second employment contract. I started the training last July 26, 2010, my first day on my new job.

                I found the company more employee-oriented. I felt the support for newbie from my new superiors which I was looking for. I love the casual approach of the people from the administration as well as from the management. I enjoy the floor designed with cute stuffs. I like the funny people in the account. I really love the nature of my account. Over-all, I like it better than the first.

                I may have broken the adage “Winners never quit, quitters never win”.

                It is because I do believe that “Greatness does not solely rely on just attacking your goal using your strength. Greatness largely depends on where and how you use your strength appropriately to achieve those goals.

                And, the first step to greatness is accepting your weakness.

                For that, you have to be strong to say you are weak. You should have the strength enough to set aside what you have already started and to save those untangled things that are still remaining.

                In walking through the journey, you should know when to stop and when to track the different route. Both of these will save you from untimely instance of being lost in the jungle which will keep and help you achieve your goal by allowing you to continue the journey still as a whole.

                Quitting is not always bad. When we feel like we already reached the point of levee, we need to stop in order to save ourselves from the gravest harm we could have from moving forward.

                                                                                                                                                     -The Quitter