Let's talk about my Professional Bumming Career this time.
I've been working in the BPO industry for less than two years now. Six months with my first company and then a year and two months with my recent employer. Honestly, the reason why I worked in the BPO is the fact I thought its the easiest way to earn money for any undergraduate like me plus the common idea I've had that it's just about answering calls and talking to some fat redneck @sshole on the other side of the planet. Two years ago, I was begging my dad to buy me a LOMO Diana Camera but he told me I need to go find a work and buy the god damn camera with my own money - so I did what he said even though it took me more than a year to fulfill my dream of buying that cheap camera.
I enjoyed my first few months with my first company. My passion for learning is just incomparable. I was excited with the pay I was getting every fifteenth of the month, my new circle of friends, the western culture that the company is trying to inject, everything was great. But... I came to a point I got tired of it all. I was young, I was partying, I thought my ATM card is forever gonna dispense cash. I quit my job.
I became a professional bum for three months after that. Destiny brought me to my current workplace. I've probably had the same excitement with my previous employer when I joined my recent company. The only added thing is that I know I was here for redemption and I'm not getting any younger again. So aside from late night partying, eat-all-you-can/drink-all-you-can stuff, sex and rock & roll, I know I was in for a different journey. I've tried studying the industry and until now I'm never close to finishing my research.
In less than a year, I got promoted to a higher position. It's funny because when I told my mom about the news, it seems like she has no idea about what it means. She has no idea about the rat race. She has no idea about how some people could sacrifice friendship, reputation, dignity and put everything at stake for that chance of a higher raise. She has no idea about the crab mentality that has plagued the culture of this industry I'm in. I just laughed about it.
In my previous post I told you how unpredictable my current workplace is. I love it. I love the suspense and the adrenaline rush. I easily get bored doing the same old stuff so some reshuffling and revamp really helps me challenge myself. It keeps me sane.
One day at work, I was introduced in a meeting by a colleague as the youngest supervisor in the company. I felt a sudden unexplained feeling about the citation. Should I be proud that I have achieved such a feat so early in my career or should I fear that what I'm actually experiencing was just the tip of the iceberg?
If there's one lesson I've learned in my less than two years experience being part of this industry, I think it's the fact that I've learned to pay respect to the unique stories of the 350,000 chess pawns that are part of this industry. Each have their own unique amazing story. Mine? I'm sharing it.
