5 Money Lessons Every Call Center Agent Should Know

Back in my elementary days, the teachers used to decorate the classroom walls with handwritten quotes on cardboard saying, Honesty is the best policy. 

ADVERTISEMENT

And wherever this infamous honesty quote popped up, so shall the other: Money is the root of all evil.

I didn't know why, but somehow, it was implied that honesty and money are two opposing forces. You can have one, but not the other. It's either you're rich, or you're honest. You cannot have both. You cannot be both.

ADVERTISEMENT

Fast forward to the present, I realize it was probably because almost everyone was too uncomfortable to talk about money.

Sure, everyone talks about how they lack money: how they're neck-deep in debt, how they can't pay the tuition for their children's education, how they're struggling to even pay a dentist for a bad tooth extraction, how they can't keep up with everything that involves money.

ADVERTISEMENT

And yet, never did I hear any talks on how to cultivate their finances—my neighbors, teachers, even my parents. Nothing.

Except of course the typical, "Work hard, study hard, so when you grow up, you'll land a decent job and earn money."

That said, these are the 5 money lessons I wish I'd learned in school but didn't.

5 vital money lessons every call center agent should know

1.  A job is not the only way to earn a decent money.

We know there's this small group of people we call "business owners, entrepreneurs, solopreneurs" who can freely choose when to work, how to work, and go on vacation anytime. We also know that some of them didn't even finish college or high school. and yet, the ones who do ended up working for them.

Still, everyone around us continue to lecture about getting a secure job as the ultimate goal.

But what would happen though if everyone is open to opportunities outside a regular job? What would happen if teachers encourage us to study hard not only to get a job, but to explore possibly better options?

Mind you, I'm not telling you to quit your job and spend all your money to create a business you know nothing about. That would be far too extreme.

You wanna be on the safe side as much as possible. But not too safe that it keeps your mind closed and oblivious to every opportunity that comes your way.

If you currently have a job, maybe it's about time to think of an alternative source of income.

You might say, "But I'm already earning enough money to raise my family and save some for the rainy day."

In that case, good for you!

However, do you remember those Mondays when you didn't feel like working but you have to because boss is watching and he'll fire you?

You might reply, "Oh, but I love my job. I don't need a boss to watch me to get to work."

In that case, congratulations, you're one of the few employees who are genuinely happy with their job.

But to those of you who don't fit this rare category, (and there are millions of you) perhaps it's about time to consider another options.

Here's some of extra income ideas you might want to consider.

2. How much you save is more important than how much you earn.

Okay, I'm not saying that the wage difference between a CEO and a call center agent doesn't matter whatsoever. Because obviously, a CEO already has an advantage by receiving a fatter monthly sum than the agent.

But if that CEO is raking with credit card debt that aren't even paid on time and getting ridiculous loans that he would have been fine without, then you sure can bet that the agent who invests a large portion of his salary to something that grows is way, way richer than that CEO.

Think about net income.

Don't be like that CEO whose bank balance is descending to negatives and be like that agent whose money is growing even when he sleeps.

3. "Earning hard" and "earning smart" are two different things.

Those times when messages were still delivered through horses, the TV was still black and white, and the marketplace was only limited within the confines of a small town—those days are gone. Long gone.

Along with those changes came the internet, high definition TV, and worldwide marketplace.

Worldwide marketplace. Consider that for a second. Imagine that.

Worldwide marketplace: A place where 7.4 billion people on earth buy, sell, trade, and deal with money 24/7 f***ing 7. Imagine that.

And here you are working very hard, which is great. But have you ever asked yourself, "Am I working smart? Am I taking advantage of the powerful resources in my disposal so I could make me more money even when I'm sleeping?"

Because earning passive income is absolutely possible. You just have the patience to learn the art. Once you master it, then you have a better shot at living your life in your own terms.

Read: The 20 Side Hustles and Passive Income Ideas You Can Start Right Now

4. You may end up NOT working for your degree, but that's fine.

The sooner you'll get in terms with this likely possibility, the better.

Take a nursing course for example. This educational course is probably one of the most costly out there. And yet, how much does a nurse earn if she doesn't work abroad? Peanuts. That's what a nurse earns.

Note that I'm not mocking this profession in any way.  If being a nurse is your passion and joy in life and you can't imagine yourself working for another profession, then by all means, go for it. There is no such country without its nurses, and your profession is important.

However, if you feel tired, under-compensated, stressed out, and you're willing to leave it behind and switch to another career path, it's not too late.

And no, don't feel guilty about your parent's wasted tuition money. It's only truly wasted if you continue to be miserable for a career path you and your parents didn't know fully well 4 years ago.

I know a registered nurse who quit his nursing job. When he and his classmates got together in a class reunion, the dreaded question popped up "So where do you work now?"

He replied, "tambay lang".

Little did they know his "tambay lang"  means he's not working simply because he pays writers to write for ten of his blogs which are making him money 100k a month.

Switching career path isn't all that bad.

The message is this: do not try to resist change. Change is good. It's hard, but it's good.

Change means being open to every opportunity that may come your way, even if it means abandoning a career you thought you would be working for, for the rest of your life.

Besides, how could you and your parents have possibly known what's good for you 4 years ago? A world without time machine doesn't work that way.

5. Retirement before you go grey is possible.

Let's say you choose to stay in your job but will work on some side hustles. Great decision.  After all, it's also important to recognize that a lot of fresh graduates out there are struggling to land a job, even outside their degree.

Staying in your job while you side hustle, most of the time, is not only great but necessary for a healthy pocket and anxiety-free living.

Some people retire from their jobs at 25, some 30, and others 40. It doesn't matter how early you aim to retire. The most important thing to remember is: start now.

So what gives?

Well, I'm afraid the answer isn't all that fancy:  Start saving, educate yourself about money, then invest wisely.

Easier said than done, right? It's really not rocket science, but it's so damn hard.

Of course it's hard! If it isn't, then everybody would have been doing it by now.

But come to think of it, perhaps it being hard is for the better. Imagine if everybody is doing it. Perhaps it would he way, way harder to penetrate the market. Good for you though, that's not the case.

So if you've ever fantasize an early exit from the grasp of the demanding job and unreasonable boss you hate, it's about time you make it real.

Why you should care about money/ financial independence?

The answer is simple but others try to make it complicated.

Chances are, you want freedom, you don't want to worry about being fired or laid off anymore, you want to enjoy your life with your family and spend what little time you have here on earth with them. Or you just want to roll on your own, go to some exotic country and check off all of your bucket list.

Whatever your reason is, money makes it all easier. (Amarite?)

So use these 5 money lessons every call center agent should know to your advantage and you'll be closer to your money goals.

Back to the whole, Money is the root of all evil thing.

Money is only evil if it's used by evils. Don't use this bible quote as an excuse. If your impression about money was tainted by a corrupt politician, then by all means, blame the politician, not the money!

Blaming it on money is like saying women deserved to be raped for smiling at men. (Watch documentary rapes in India.)

This isn't the Lord of the Rings, where money is that malignant ring manipulating whoever takes hold of it to plot evil things. And you aren't Gollum either, so... quit bitching and start working smart.

And don't even play your "it's-not-about-the-money" card on this

Because brothers, sisters, it may not all about the money, but money buys freedom. And freedom is life.

No posts to display