Virlea C. Surigao – Customer Service Representative

virlea-surigao-profileHi! I’m Virlea C. Surigao. You can call me Virl. My story, just like everyone else’s, is unique on its own. I was single-handedly raised by my mum. It was tough but I think it made me the strong woman that I am today. I am now married to the most wonderful man who has been nothing but supportive of my career choices.

I am a licensed Elementary Teacher but I went in a different direction and worked in the BPO industry. I have an extensive background as a Customer Service Representative. I’ve worked in various accounts in the industry and became immersed in both sales and customer service.

I am passionate about helping people which is why I made sure I always put my best foot forward in every email or call. One important lesson I learned working in the BPO industry is that, you need to practice compartmentalisation at all times. You cannot bring your issues at home to work and vice versa to be effective in what you do. While I enjoyed my job, I figured it was time to move on especially when my husband and I transferred to our own home which is a little bit far from the city. I love our place but not the commute.

Three years ago, I took a leap of faith and jumped into my freelancing journey. I didn’t have much luck though. I virlea-surigao-profileexperienced rejection after rejection but I never stopped dreaming. So, while I was applying for a virtual assistant position, I tried my hand at online teaching. I enjoyed teaching English to both Japanese adults and kids alike. They are passionate about learning and polite at all times. I learned a little bit of the Japanese culture just by talking to them on a daily basis. I enjoyed it so much that I got promoted to a premium tutor position for young learners after 2 months. It was a good run but I am the kind of person who likes to continuously challenge myself. I realised that while teaching is both fun and rewarding, my journey has to end.

I am positive that the values and experiences I had from my previous jobs will be instrumental in making me an efficient virtual assistant. I may not have the necessary skills yet but I am resilient and fully committed. I maybe a novice but everyone starts at zero.

As Mario Puzo, author The Godfather, says, “Great men are not born great, they grow great.”

For a copy of Virlea’s resume please click here.