The Beginning of an End

I am currently employed at PeopleSupport Phils located here in Baguio City. This is my first employment after my College studies.

At first, I was too finnicky on where do i go after schooling. I had to stay at home. Recuperate from the nerve whacking board exam for us Nursing graduates, and also to ponder upon working here in Baguio as well.

June 6. One o'clock in the afternoon. I walked my way to PeopleSupport wearing a corporate attire with my laptop (for I made my resume at a restaurant while dining lunch) and my resume (my first ever resume). The line was long then. Lots of people from different walks of life are infront of me. From my point of view, I see people with previous experiences in the call center industry. And I admit, i was intimidated. For I am then, a vagabond in the industry I am trying to be employed.

My lucid intervals stopped when the guard finally called our attention and informed us that it is already our turn for the interview. With trembling knees, I stood up. Walked like a very QUALIFIED individual for the position and headed towards the HR Department.

When my name was called for the initial interview and asked "how did I hear about the job opening at PeopleSupport, I opened my mouth to enunciate my answer, and it's like, I can't speak. My voice got locked in my voice box. So I cleared my throat (oops, sorry) and answered, From the internet. (man, that's is just my answer). There were more questions asked, and my tongue got tied. English has been quite difficult at that time. Damn!

After the initial interview, the typing test and vocabulary test came next. My hand is stiff and the time alloted was too short. Good thing I passed those two tests.

Round 3. The next interview, I was asked, "How do you define Customer Service?". Damn! I didn't have a clue. I told myself, Man, I am Nurse, do you expect me to know this stuff? I argued with myself what to say. There were lots of idea that popped-out my mind. But then on, I used my Nursing Concept on how to foster self-reliance. And poofed! It worked. And they told me, you can know proceed with the next step. I ca't hardly breathe by then. I never thought that this is how it is applying for a job.

The moon finally sets in. an I am still at PeopleSupport waiting for my final interview. There has been an ongoing rumor that call centers don't hire Nursing graduates. It is so ironic that all of us left from almost a hundred aspirants were all Nursing graduates. And that, we hailed from one institution, SLU. Instead of getting bored to death. What we did is to discuss all our experiences with our instructors and clinical rotations.

Clock kept ticking. Ticking like it's battery's running out. When it finally ticked at 10 pm. We finally set foot in the final interview. And luckily, I passed again. After everybody's finished, we had the contract signing. And poofed! The day finally ended.

I went home, with a smile on my face. I never imagined landing a job that very same day. Life treated me well that day. Though I consider it as underemployed, if my economic background serves me right, I didn't bother argue with my pride anymore. What's important for me is, I will be able to be independent. Free from the shadows of my parents, whom I depended on for my entire study life (that is how I termed schooling), the provider of my entire hierarchy of needs as Maslow coined it.

My friends, who have been waiting for hours congratualated me with a great big tight hug. They asked me what happened, and I told them every single detail of my experience despite the fact that I am already used up for the day.

June 6, 2008 ended with a bang. Now that I am regularized, my beginnings in unraveling my fortress here at PeopleSupport was still fresh, as if it was just yesterday.