A Few Tips on Passing the Call Center Screening Process

Attention fresh graduates, out-of-work youths and all other job seekers out there! ^_^


The call center industry in our country has continue to grow each year. Are you looking for  a job that pays well? Are you willing to work in shifting schedules? Do you have above average spoken English Skills? Then, maybe working in a call center is the job for you. Being one of the call center agents for about 3 years now, allow me give to you a few tips on how to successfully pass the Call Center Screening Process.

Disclaimer: You might encounter a few grammatical errors below or anywhere in my blog, please don't be hard on me. You see, I am not perfect 'cuz nobody is. I am just trying to help. ^_^ 

A call center screening process has typically 3 stages:

First Stage: Initial Interview
Second Stage: Examination or Assessment
Third Stage: Final Interview with the HR Manager or Account Manager



Initial Interview

It can be conducted either in person or over the phone. If you're applying online, most likely, you will receive a phone call for an initial interview over the phone. Usually, the interviewer asks a series of questions (like 3-5 questions) about you.

Most Common Question on a job interview:

“Tell Me about Yourself”

At this point, the interviewer is looking at your resume, thus, there’s no need to repeat everything you wrote on your resume.

Tip: Give answers that would say more about your character as a person like…

Basically, I’m the kind of person who enjoys working with different kinds of individual. I think the thought of working with different kinds of people of different characters and how one would adapt or adjust with each other is very challenging and I like/love challenges. I enjoy variations and can appreciate individuality.

Common Mistakes: Beginning the answer with “I am and I live in . In other words, please stop telling what’s obviously written in your resume.

Continue reading more tips about Passing the Initial Interview through this link.

Please click here to read about Tips on Passing the Stage 2 of the Screening Process: Examination.

Please click here to read on how I answered the Final Interview: Interview with the Account Manager

I'd be glad to help as much as I can. Feel free to contact me:
Yahoo ID: monzavenue 
Skype ID: monzavenue 

Advantages and Disadvantages of Working in a Call Center Company

Evidently, the industry of call centers as well as the rest of the Business Process Outsourcing has become a blast for many Filipinos. Since the start of the rise of this industry, the unemployment rate has drastically lowered significantly. Being in the call center industry have its own advantages and disadvantages that you have to consider especially if you are regarding it to be a resort on having a job that can fend you your daily needs.

Continue reading...

- Guest Writer:LemonWriter
- Posted on Monz Avenue

Interview with OFWs: On Working Abroad

I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. In fact, I was raised by a wonderful single parent yet financially-challenged lady, my mom. Ever since then, surviving in this crazy world has always been a challenge. My mom had tried working as a secretary, promo girl, dressmaker, cook and I’ll-ask-her-later-cuz-i-forgot-kind-of jobs. Now that I have come of age and my mom is not getting any younger, I feel like it is now my turn to give her a happy and fulfilling life that she deserves. Don’t ask me about my dad, he has always been out of the picture. He’s like a catch-me-if-you-can type of dad. No, I am not Leonardo DeCaprio’s son. How I wish!

Anyway, I believe that working abroad will not only widen my horizon but will also potentially improve my career life. But just like any first-timers, I have fears on what’s in store for me out there. What will be the challenges that I’m going to encounter? So I made a little interview and my interviewees were the OFW blogger-friends that I met here in the so-called blogosphere. I sincerely thank them for their cooperation. I really am grateful. So read on and learn from the veterans. ;p

Note: You will be seeing cute faces below however please be aware that this is not a dating site.^_-

Click on their names to go to their respective sites. :)


Reesie of Reesie.net, USA

Me: How long have you been working as an OFW?
Reesie: 4 long years.

Me: Wow! That’s quite long already. What’s the biggest challenge that you have encountered as an OFW?

Reesie: Communication and culture gap. Conversational english (US) is way different than the Formal English that was taught to us since kindergarten. It took me a while to learn their slang and colloquial language. Additionally, I had to listen very well to my boss and co-workers when they spoke considering that their accent was difficult to understand, at first. My bisaya accent was so prevalent back then. It took me a year to adjust, adapt, and immerse in their languange.
But one major challenge that is very hard to overcome is the loneliness. Being alone and away from your family and friends is frustrating and unbearable sometimes. The first six months were the worst ones. The only thing that can get me through each day is the taught that I am helping my family back home- that they have a decent life because of me-to say the least.



KJ of KrisJasper.com, UK

Me: How long have you been working as an OFW?
I moved here Feb 2003.


Me: What’s the biggest challenge that you have encountered as an OFW?
Hmmm.. luckily my agents had put me in a cool workplace (up to now) I was the only foreigner before so it was cool! The only challenge I guess is just becoz I have chinky eyes they always assume I can speak chinese. LOL!

If you're thinking if I miss Pinas! Oh yeah! definitely! But good that there's TFC, everytime I see these terrible politicians arguing with each other, that puts me off from "early retiring" in Pinas. lol!


Rye aka Flamindevil, Malaysia

Me: How long have you been working as an OFW?
I’ve been in KL since August 18, 2008. I’m turning 8 months old. Yippee

Me: What’s the biggest challenge that you have encountered as an OFW?
Being away from my family and friends has been the biggest challenge yet. There are only two things which can happen when you’re working abroad--- either you’ll survive or not. The first few weeks were hell. I missed my family and friends terribly. Being away from one’s comfort zone is not the easiest challenge that a person may encounter. Most of the times, I still have to prepare my food after a hard day’s work. Even if I’m dead tired, I have no choice.

What are the pros and cons being an OFW?
I learned to be independent here in KL. I believe I matured fast. I made bold decisions without consulting my parents. I learned and realized that one could really survive and make it if he wants to. ‘If I Can, I will because I’m good at it.’ However, there are still times when I get lonely as much as I dun wanna entertain the idea. It usually happens during birthdays and holidays. I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic of the times when I was in Manila . I sometimes feel deprived of familiar warmth and affection. I inevitably wish for people who could light up my need for familiar faces, familiar voices and tested bond.

Sherwin, Iraq

How long have you been working as an OFW?
Worked in Saudi Arabia for 3 years and another 3 years in Iraq.

What’s the biggest challenge that you have encountered as an OFW?

Working abroad was like searching a needle inside the dark room, clueless and totally blind. I don’t have any idea what path I’m walking through but aside from those, I have learned to stand on my own feet, making decisions without somebody’s influence and live my life everyday as exciting as riding on a bicycle for the first time. A doubtful skin is all I have (maybe it’s just the thought that I’m a Filipino) and the fact that I’m in a religious Muslim country where the perfect intensive authority is implemented. But then again, I was able to gain experience when it comes to my chosen profession.

There you have it. The very inspiring answers of our OFW blogger friends. Hmm... I'm just soo excited to work abroad.

I Am a Call Boy!

"I am a call boy." That's what I tell everyone who asks me about what I do for a living. And then, as a response, they'd look at me from head to toe and then they're like "Really? You look too decent to be one!" And then I would say, "Yeah I know! That's why I'm getting paid more than what an average call boy gets. Haha!"


Actually, I'm working at a call center. I started wayback in November 2007 at one of the pioneer call centers in Cebu. So how is it like being a call center boy for more than 2 years already? Well, I can't find a single adjective that would perfectly describe my call center life so far. So let me say it's been stressful yet fun enough to get you going. At first, it wasn't an easy thing. I had challenges with the shifting of schedules and not to mention, speaking with Obama err Americans from different states. Imagine changing your biological clock so you could stay awake the whole night and sleep the whole day. Imagine taking a cup of coffee almost every hour to stay awake. Before I joined the BPO industry, I was never a coffee fan.

Luckily, after one whole year of taking calls, I was transferred to the e-mail team. The same support, the same products but cooler way of providing customer service. I was very glad, at least I didn't have to listen to the rants and complaints of customers.


But despite of the challenges of being a call center agent, generally, I think working at a call center is still way better than other rank and file jobs. Why? Because stress is in every job. It is part of every job. Well, at least call center managements provide fun and recreations to somehow help their agents cope up with stress such as Team Socials once a month and Team Buildings… and of course, not to mention, higher compensation and benefits and a lot more! Ask me, I’ll tell you more.