Preparing to join a BPO does not begin by browsing through the pages in a job supplement you get along with your daily newspaper. Rather it starts long before that when your mind starts to play with the idea of joining a BPO or, a callcenter. You need to first make yourself understand that the next few years are going to be tough because you are going to get into a high paying job which would in turn demand hard work from you. The next few years you would be working night shifts at times and would be sleeping during your days. You are going to encounter a total change of metabolism because of which your stomach will give up at times and at times you would not be able to sleep during nights, especially during your weekends. You would find less time to interact with your friends for the first few days because it would be difficult for you to adjust. Your social life would be confined to the weekends.

Does all this horrify you? It will, anyone for that matter. But it is easier than it sounds. Is a BPO job worth all this sacrifice.The answer is; ‘yes’. It is worth it.

Slowly things would get normal for you. You would feel that this is normal and the others are abnormal. That is the truth. Working during nights is a change of body cycle for us because we are not used to it. But there are thousands of people around the world who work shifts and that is a part of their life.

Once you have developed the positive attitude in you, then starts the real preparation – understanding what are the pre-requisites for this job.

It is now more than 7 years that I have spent in the BPO industry. I come across various types of employees everyday, a few who are here only to earn some extra money so that they can pay off their mobile bills, yet others are here just because they have a dream bike that they want to buy, or probably a dream car. There are very less who are here to build a career, a rewarding career that no other industry can offer. This is probably the bane that this industry has. This is a reason for all the problems that this industry faces, including attrition.
Also the industry has not done enough to promote the “calling job”. The front line executives who are the main source of production in this industry is just another low profile job which no one would want to stick to for long. Anyone joining the industry would join in as a frontline executive, only to look for a promotion in the next 12 months. They would just want to get off the calling job and become a supervisor in less than a year. When this doesn’t happen they look for a change and jump companies.
Is the calling job, that uninteresting? The answer is ‘No’. It is one of the most interesting jobs around. You get to face a new situation every day, thus preparing you for challenges in life. You ability to speak develops and you become good at public speaking. You develop flair to talk and this helps you in developing good PR skills. It is just not another underpaid job, because the monetary factor attached to this job is huge, good salary and good incentives.
Then why is this not a most sought-after job? It is just because there is lack of awareness amongst the ones joining this industry and there is very little that has been done by this Industry to promote these entry level jobs.

For the ones who wish to join this industry, I would suggest to look at it as a long term prospect and set a target of building a career in this industry.

With the economy opening up and the kind of growth the BPO industry has seen, a lot of people wanted to enter the industry to reap the benefits of the growth and money that the industry had to offer. A few people started a few small companies in rooms, apartments and whatever space they could find, with whatever investment they had and could find. They started off with processes and campaigns that were absolutely unreliable, and that their friends and acquaintances in USA and UK could get them. What happened then was mushrooming of companies that were unstable. A few companies came into being which were unreliable because of the kind of processes they handled. These companies had only one motive, that of money making. They had their investments at stake and hence wanted to collect anything that they could. I had a few friends who were working with a few such companies, who once on a 29th of the month went to office only to find that the company never existed. Unlike these companies there were a few others who also started on a very small scale and then moved onto become huge organizations, take for instance Spectra mind which is now, WIPRO BPO. Hence the decision on which company to join holds a lot of importance.

There are a lot of factors to be considered when you are to decide which company to join. Your decision would depend on one of the following:

• Is your objective to build a career? If yes, then you should stay away from these small and unreliable organizations and should look for a few brand names which could guide you and offer you opportunities to grow. They have the capability to discover the talent in you and help you groom yourselves for the challenges ahead. These organizations, because of the kind of growth they anticipate can provide you with lots of opportunities for growth. They will offer you stability and reliability as also the satisfaction of working with a brand name. A few of these brand names include Infosys BPO, Xansa, Accenture, 24/7 Customer, Barclays, HCL Technologies, EXL, Convergys and but of course GENPACT. If you like to know a few more names, you can browse through the pages in the jobs section of any leading dailies.
• If your objective is just to earn a few bucks so that you can pay for that expensive mobile phone or, such other gadgets, or buy a few other things for yourself then any option you choose is immaterial. You can even stick with any of these small timer organizations.

If you are one of those aspirants who want to build a career in this industry, but who has been rejected by a couple of these big brands, then don’t loose hope. My advice to you would be to pick any of the good small companies around, as there are a lot many who are not big brand names, but are reliable for the short term and stay with them for a couple of months. During your stay with this company who can learn and perfect yourself on the skills that you were lacking, and prepare for the brand name you are aiming for. But one more thing to bear in mind is that the big brands you are aspiring for often looks for stability as a factor. So you should stay with you initial not-so-big brand company for at least a couple of years. The names and details of these companies could be obtained from any of the consultants around you.

It was 5 months without a job. To survive, especially in a city like that of Delhi, was a challenge. But I had to, just because I had no option. Interviews and rejections were now normal. So I now wanted the abnormal to happen-to get selected.
A day came; there was nothing special about it. But the abnormal happened. I got a job. It was now preparing to go to office for the first time. I started off with buying a few good trousers and shirts, a file to carry my stuff, a nice pair of shoes. But budget was again the deciding factor here. I was wondering how it would be to work in a multinational environment. I just couldn’t wait longer. I wanted to work.
I couldn’t sleep the entire night. I waited for the first ray of sunlight to tell me that it was dawn. Finally it came and I jumped out of my bed and rushed to get ready. It was time to go. I ran down the stairs to the bus-stop to catch the first bus and as I did that, I made sure that I informed everyone who came my way that I was going to office.
As I entered the gates of the company, my heart-beat increased. God knows what is in store for me. What is the Boss going to be like? How would my colleagues be? As I waited at the reception for the concerned person, my mind had become a question bank, full of questions which had multiple options.
The HR person finally walked in, answering all my questions and guided me through the office to the induction room. Here I was amidst a group of similar people; people like me, joining to kick start a career. My fear and hesitation vanished. The way the officials made us comfortable was admirable. We never got to feel that we have joined a new company. In no time we were one of them, and we behaved like one of them till about a few months back when I parted ways with them.

The environment in a BPO is the friendliest that you could ever find anywhere. Professionalism and culture is the mantra. What better way to start off a rewarding career than with people who lead you to where you want to go.