At BPO 24 hour services we see on a daily basis the lack of opportunities in the Philippines yet often its touted as the opposite in the media.
We are not hear to argue with the powers at be though but simply to find a solution to the problem that in many cases are purely based on greed and profit. The drive for nursing is one yet why is it I find more than 50% of my agents have nursing degrees when its very likely they will never use them?
They would have been better off becoming Microsoft Certified in something as it has a global usage and more importantly something they can do remotely. But also something that beats the local market rates, the issue though is that people do need to get trained as a Virtual Assistant and not simply “be one”. Ok most people can do things like research websites for someone but what about preparing someone’s presentation for a meeting? What about doing the company website and keeping it up to date. These are things that a virtual assistant needs to be able to do and something we are trying to get people to learn.
But when you look around the Philippines who is training people in these skills and others like it? There is the springing up of SEO and Social Networking professionals but are these eventually going to be a fad? Social Networking may continue to evolve at the same time is that going to be its downfall? That people simply lose interest and move onto other things. SEO is a constant battle for rankings on the web but if more and more resources need to be piled in to maintain a ranking at what point does it become too expensive to bother with?
For me its all about being flexible and as a virtual assistant that is constantly developing existing skills and adding new ones. The morning may be spent doing the SEO but in the afternoon processing emails, web chat, calling and receiving calls as well as many other routine tasks. Alongside learning how to develop the business and looking for things that add more hours to the virtual assistant but improve efficiency and productivity for the company.
In Minglanilla there is very little opportunity for work and I think the virtual assistant roles are probably one of the biggest ways to escape poverty without even leaving home. Getting a jump start on the ladder of progress with international salaries on the doorstep. Only problem right now is making sure people are capable of doing it and are committed to improving their English language.
