‘Job opened my eyes to potential of BPO industry’
AFTER COMPLETING her degree in accounting, along with a minor in banking and finance at the University of Technology (UTECH), Modielle Calder did all she could to get a job in her chosen field.
But as time went by and she was still without gainful employment, Calder, who is now the senior human resource (HR) site manager at international outsourcing firm Vista Print, decided to take whatever job she could get. “When I started in the BPO sector I had no clue what it was,” she told BPO
Jamaica. “I needed a job, and my plan was to work for one of those money marketing companies like JMMB or an accounting firm. But that did not work out.
“So I was looking in the newspaper in search of a suitable job, and I saw a vacancy for an office manager which had some accounting component to it,” recounted Calder. “I applied and got the job as the operations manager, which is basically doing payroll, managing the facility and administration staff.”
She had heard a lot about Vista Print, and taking on this role allowed her to learn more about the outsourcing sector. “When I got the opportunity, it opened my eyes to the potential of the industry. The BPO industry is really about, people serving people,” she related.
Calder excelled in her role, grabbing the attention of the firm’s hierarchy in the process. But what came next for this St Ann native was completely unexpected.
“The person who was in this position left, and the opportunity came for me to oversee HR,” she recalls. “I had no intention of going into HR, whatsoever. That was never my plan.
“As a matter of fact, when I was doing my undergraduate studies, HR was one of the degrees that was offered, and I decided that it was not one of the areas I was going to take.
“However, my boss had confidence in my abilities, and although I did not have the necessary training, I just brought my own style to the role and responsibilities of an HR manager,” she added.
Calder is now convinced that the possibilities are endless for anyone who wishes to make a career in the BPO sector.
“Even though the industry has been around for a while, the stigma of BPO being a means to an end still exists. But I can say that if you are willing to work hard, this can be a very rewarding career. If you establish yourself and work well, the opportunities are endless,” she said.
“In almost all business operations, whether small or great, you have to prove yourself by starting from the ground up, meaning that you start out as an agent then grow and make a name for yourself,” Calder argues.
“You are learning on the job and increasing your job scope. I guarantee that what you will learn here will help you in any other position,” she stated.
However, Calder does not intend to stop there and is daring enough to dream of holding the top job in a BPO firm. “I would love for it not to be so surprising for someone in HR to rise to the position of CEO of a BPO company. It should not be far-fetched,” she remarked.
... I can say that if you are willing to work hard, this can be a very rewarding career.