Posts

Showing posts from October, 2007

14 Call Center Interview Questions & Answers

Image
The call center industry is one of the fastest growing in the country these days. As recently as ten years ago, there were only a few call center agents and the word call center was hardly ever used in the country. Today, almost every family has at least one member working in the call center industry. The reason for this boom is partly economics. In the Philippines, low paying jobs are very notorious and while call centers set up shop here because of the low labor costs, Filipinos decide to work for the call center industry because it pays higher than average wages. Consider this: if you are an average worker with an entry level position, you probably are getting paid seven to ten thousand a month; meanwhile, an average employee in the call center industry with an entry level position will get around fifteen thousand pesos a month, plus free dental and health benefits (HMO). Call centers also will pay your SSS (Social Security), PAGIBIG (home building fund), and PhilHealth (health ins
149 comments
READ MORE

Braving Manila - Tips for Probinsyanos going to Manila

Most people feel that moving to Manila (to study or work) is overwhelming... for good reasons. To a probinsyano , the word Manila means skyscrapers, job opportunities, fast paced life, confusing transport systems, pollution, garbage, smog, traffic, high cost of living, and crimes. All these can make a person who lives outside of Manila dizzy. Aside from the stresses of big city life, there is the whole preparation for the big transition. I myself am planning to move to Manila (to work) in a couple of days. I was looking for an article on the Internet for tips for people who are going to move to Manila, and I found none. And so I thought of writing this article. Here now, are tips for the probinsyano who is planning to go to Manila (for work). 1. Buy your ticket a month in advance. Scout the websites of established airlines ( Cebu Pacific , Air Philippines , and Philippine Airlines ) and major sea transport companies (like Super Ferry , Sulpicio Lines , and Negros Navigation ) for
Post a Comment
READ MORE

The Lie that was the Philippine History

What if I told you that much of what is written in your Philippine history books is false? What if I told you that much of what you read in your Philippine history books are just products of propaganda, deception, and lies? When you ask a Filipino about Spain's contribution to the Philippines, the typical answer would be Fiestas, Foods, and Surnames. You'd never think of Catholicism. You'd never think of unification. I myself, am guilty of this. When asked this question, I automatically see colorful banderitas , a sign that our history books gave too much emphasis on these trivial things. The most precious contribution of the Spanish to the Philippines is probably our nationhood. Has it ever occurred to you that if Spain never colonized us, we probably would still be small and separate kingdoms/sultanates up to this time? Our religion is also another big contribution that Spain gave to us. When asked what is Spain's contribution to the Philippines, these two shoul
16 comments
READ MORE

Remember, Remember, the Fifth of November

A couple of days ago, I was a senior Nursing student at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University . Today, I am a Nursing undergraduate with just days to go before going to Manila. I already knew that I wasn't cut out to become a nurse when I first got a taste of hospital work back in my sophomore year. However, it took me this long to gather the courage to stand up and say that enough is enough. My aunt said that it is such a bold move. My friends told me that I shouldn't do it. My parents said that I couldn't do it. I knew that it was suicide. So that you'll get the picture, let me describe my life. I may be twenty years old but I can say that I have lived only half of that life. You see, my whole life was school-home, school-home. I never went out. I would only go out with selected people. Yes, I am so reserved and guarding. This is why I have the emotional intelligence equivalent to that of a stick. A dog would probably score higher than me. Since, I always staye
Post a Comment
READ MORE

Embarrassing Ignorance

I remember somebody from TV saying that there are two deadly things in this world: apathy and ignorance. Today as I was browing the Zamboanga Today website, I read an article by Riza Locbao about the new title of Zamboanga City . In the past I have also wrote an article about this. However, when I read Riza's article, I get where all the confusion is coming from. Apparently, most people (who were against calling Zamboanga city Asia's Latin City) thought that the word Latin in the new title referred to the Romans. Riza Locbao goes to ask: What’s our historical connection to Latin? She even researched if there is a link between the Sama, Subanen and Tausog (who were the ancient inhabitants of Zamboanga city) and the Latins. All this confusion came from the misconception that the word Latin in Asia's Latin city referred to the Romans. How incredibly embarrassing! Yes, I am embarrassed for these people! This simple mistake could have been avoided if we just read mor
5 comments
READ MORE

Zamboanga City : Asia's Latin City?

When Zamboanga City was named Asia's latin city, a lot of people reacted to it. Some negatively and some positively. The primary aim of this new title is to drive in tourism. Some people said that it would be a rip-off. But Zamboanga city looks Latin as any city in Latin America does. In fact most cities in the Philippines can be branded as a Latin city. The British historian Arnold J. Toynbee went even as far as saying that "the Philippines is a Latin American country that was transported to the Orient by a gigantic marine wave". Zamboanga City having Chabacano (the only Spanish creole in Asia) as its language makes it even more deserving of the title. The term Latin or Latino is used to refer to anything or anyone that comes from Latin America. It is also used to describe something that has an affinity for Latin America. The term, Hispanic, meanwhile refers to anything with an affinity to Spain. Remember that Hispania and Espania mean the same thing: Spain. Latin
9 comments
READ MORE

PR Mania

The past few days my website for Filipino writers hasn't been doing well. From an average of 1000 visitors every day, it's now down to just 500 visitors a day. At first I thought maybe it was the upgrading and changes that I did. But I couldn't figure out which change triggered the massive drop. My other theory is that maybe the drop is a seasonal thing. Usually, I would find the number of my visitors falling during weekends (primarily because people are out on weekends). So I thought that the drop was influenced by the semestral break. Maybe students are on vacation. And then I learned about the Google dance . The Google dance is apparently something that happens when your PR is being updated. You get turbulent stats for your websites during the update. But after the update, all goes back to normal. Just a couple of minutes ago, I found my page rank updated. Although I am not sure if this is final already. These are the new page ranks of my websites: www.inwriters.net
5 comments
READ MORE

GQE - Global Quality of Experience Training Center

Last week I saw streamers around town advertising a job offer which includes free fare, board, training, and medical exam. In the streamer it said that the job was for Qinteraction (now Rain Maker). Anyway, the word 'free' in the streamer caught my attention. I thought, what the hell? So I went to their office one afternoon. I was then given a written exam which had the letters GQE in it which had me wondering. The exam was not so good (meaning it didn't properly evaluate applicants on their English skills). After the girl checked my paper, I was so disappointed 'coz I only got 70 correct answers out of 85 possible correct answers. My mom said it was a good score already but I knew I could do better. Why did they have to give an exam on super basic English anyway? I have already forgotten all about those rules and stuff. After the written exam, I was interviewed by their accent trainer. Luckily, I usually tend to adopt the accent of the person I am talking to. So he
9 comments
READ MORE

A Visit from the Dead

I remember this dream that I had a long time ago (actually just right after my grandma passed away). In this dream I was with my grandma. She was wearing a long fluffy night gown. I said fluffy because I could actually feel it rubbing against my bare knees. Yes, the two of us were dancing. The feeling that I had while we were dancing was elation. It was like being hugged by so many people at the same time and floating on clouds. The feeling was actually so real that (when I woke up), I realized that I was almost in tears. After a few moments of staring into blank space, I remembered that prior to that encounter with my grandma, I dialled this certain number on our telephone. Immediately, I got up and reached for the phone. I dialled the number and of course I got a signal which meant that the number is unrecognizable. However, the feeling that I had was just so real that it managed to make me try and dial that number even though in my mind I knew that nothing would happen. In fact this
3 comments
READ MORE