Do You Remember... And I've Learned...

I heard the words 'call center' since third year high school... and for some reason, even if people mentioned that the pay it offers has great perks, I still didn't buy it.

 Honestly, I don't like this job... but I have to slap a smile on my face to sound friendly... So plastic!!!

So, upon desperation, I worked at a call center ~ Sykes Marketing, still recall???!!! Then I got sick... Then, after several months, I worked at another call center ~ Sykes Asia, just recent. But after knowing that I would be terminated after 5 months... I decided that this career path ends there. Last year, 2011, I know that it's not for me, so I applied at several call centers ~ but upon the entry of 2012... I have cancelled all of them. Not that I don't want to work (I really do, honestly)... I just don't want to be there anymore.

I believe that seven months is long enough...

What I realized in the span of seven months is that the pay ~ might be higher than that of an average clerical job... and it totally changes everything! I am like... it's so difficult to explain.

My mom advised me to try something else... and I think she's right...

Anyway, I have applied at some financial institutions ~ I know it might be a bit difficult to enter here, but who knows???!!! It might not be aligned with my college degree but I make sure I learn from it... learn to be humble.

A 2012 Call Center Agent

If you aren't aware of it ~ I have sent over 50 job applications through JobStreet.ph last December 2011 ~ and my!!! It's not the best feeling. I have received over 20+ calls and text messages within a span of a week... actually, last week!

 Yup! I will be starting 2012 as a Technical Service Call Girl!!!

Last Saturday, my sister asked me on the job hunting progress ~ I mentioned that I have a test with this company... but I would end up being a call center agent for just 2 months. I initially wanted to reject this offer because I want to work full time. But she had a point to tell me to give it a try ~ it's much better to have a job than to stay at home not doing anything but being on Facebook for the next 2 months.

If being a couch potato for two months would make me look like this (see picture above), I will venture into another industry!!!

So yes, I will start the year as a call center agent... most probably for a night shift ~ but it's a pioneer account so none of the other agents have nothing to be proud about.

May this be a better year for all of us!!! Photo by yours truly!!!

Anyways, I'm wishing you all a happy start to your 2012!!!

Employer Calls after Christmas Day

I went to bed at around 7:11 AM, so that means... that I would wake up in the afternoon, right???!!!

Ok, around 3 PM, there was this employer who called me on my mobile phone telling me that I have a job interview at around 9 to 10 AM. Oh my gosh! My first call!!! Then they told me it's at Makati ~ Oh my gosh!!! It's so far away!!!

Anyway, I applied at Jobstreet.com... and the photo will show you how desperate I am for a job!!!

 Yup! I applied for 43 positions in several companies within a span of 3 days!

So far, I had 2 employer calls and I think about 3 or 4 text messages... all inviting for interviews. I specifically like the last one because the locations is just at Pasig... I mean, I don't want to go all the way to Makati every day just to work... because I'm not willing to spend more than PHP 100 (a little over USD 2) per day.

Anyway, I will be ironing my customer/technical support representative clothes for the coming week... and hopefully, one of them buys it and lures me in ~ auto hire!!! I just wish that if I will be in the BPO industry again, I just wish that it's in a non-voice account... because I don't speak well ~ just check my YouTube videos and find out for yourself! =)

Pre-Employment Requirements and Contingency Plans

I will continue to search for a job... promise!!! I just can't do a walk-in application with only my NBI clearance renewal fee. As I have posted just recently on my Facebook page, I wish that my previous company will allow me to claim my half-month salary plus 13th month pay since I have completed my clearance 6 weeks ago. I could have done my clearance about 2 to 3 weeks prior to that... but I was sick!!! Question: Why do I always get sick after employment, is there such a mystery???!!!

Anyway, I will be calling [Previous company] later because I really need to know if I can claim my pay... I mean, pre-employment requirements are not affordable... the NBI clearance, the pre-employment interviews and all that jazz have to be carefully planned. Argh!!! Anyway, that's part of the working life, right???!!!

So, what have I learned from working in the call center industry... or basically anything else???!!! I should save at least 1 month salary (preferably 2 or 3 months) just in case I will have an abrupt termination all over again, or in case I get sick... so I don't have to rely on my parents or my aunt for check-up fees.

Anyway, I hope that before December ends, an employer will call me for a pre-qualifying and a final interview and that by this coming January, I can start working right away!!!

Armand Félj... Makeup Tutorials on YouTube???!!!

I'm not sure if you have watched some of my YouTube videos, but there are some people who said that I have 'great' skin, 'great' eyebrows... so on and so forth. But the truth is ~ I don't have those... I am just enhanced by the invention called... makeup!!!

For me, makeup isn't meant to entirely change what you look like...

For those of you who didn't know, I started using cosmetics during my sophomore year in high school... and that was the most terrible experience I had. Since there was no YouTube, no tutorials online... I pretty much love caking it on and say that I am flawless!!! But everything has changed over the span of about 10 years!!! =D

 I am not a makeup artist ~ so expect that I bloop some times!!!

Anyway, just to give you info: I am not a person who typically wears a fully furnished face all day!!! That's not me!!! I like have a moisturizer on, some powder, light blush, curled lashes, clear mascara, slightly darkened brows... and that's pretty much it!!! There are times I'm only using moisturizer and powder!!!

 I prefer looking like I don't wear makeup!!!

Anyway, I see beauty gurus who keep on rambling about M·A·C, Bobbi Brown, Make Up Forever, Shu Uemura, and the list goes on ~ and for us Filipinos, it takes about one-fourth of our salary to use those... plus you can only buy those on high end department stores like Rustans!!!

You don't need to drain your entire bank account to buy a bottle of foundation...

About Armand Félj on makeup???!!! Well, I believe that you don't have to spend an entire year's salary on buying M·A·C brushes or spending an entire pay check to buy one color of eyeshadow!!! So, what do I use???!!! Honestly, I use makeup you can buy from department stores of any malls, from drug stores, from supermarkets ~ but due to safety reasons, I do not buy from side street vendors or from bazaars (tiangge).

BE SAFE!!! Do not just buy affordable brands!!! Make sure that they are trustworthy, but affordable brands!!!

I learned from YouTube too, but not everything I watched from there helped me... I mean, not one method will work for anyone, right???!!! I have learned from them but I have my own way, too!!! I try to do shortcuts, and I do some which take time but give the best results!!!

How people apply their makeup is not for everyone!!! It differs, too!!! If you're sloppy or pristine!!!

I will be focusing as well on product reviews starting the last week of December (it's pretty much a busy week for me)... but I will make sure that I can do all of those without just slapping color over me!!!

Just a reminder: beauty is not always what is on the outside... the inside counts more!!!

I will be posting makeup toots soon... I know ~ the more haters right???!!! But at least amidst the hate, there are still people who look good on the outside... but as well in the inside!!! =D