Give Everyone a Chance
The majority of job postings listed “work experience” as one of their requirements. There also are job openings that say VA newbies can apply but must have “BPO experience.” This is the start of the first elimination process.
Other job openings will even state the age requirement of the job despite having a law against it, such as Republic Act No. 10911 or the Anti-Age Discrimination in Employment Act.
Then there’s the interviewing process. Getting an interview is a win in and of itself, especially considering that for every job posting, 100 people apply. However, despite the many hours of preparation before an interview, the interview process itself seems to be like a landmine for many job seekers.
There are good candidates that perform poorly in interviews for a variety of reasons, and many HR managers failed to notice these prospective possibilities as a result. I read an article about someone who had the unpleasant experience of interviewing a job candidate. However, since he trusted the person who had suggested the application, he ended up hiring the applicant, who went on to become one of his company’s top performers. The talents and potential of a person looking for a job cannot always, or even frequently, be accurately assessed during a job interview. Many people who have had several unsuccessful job interviews unquestionably go on to have great careers.
Also, if only it were possible, HR managers could explain to the applicants why they failed the interview so that the next time they have an interview, they have a better chance of passing. But of course, this seems to be the least of the concerns of recruiters because of possible risk factors and their heavy workload. Job seekers keep making the same mistake in every interview.
They say almost all the skills needed for jobs can be taught. How much time and money are spent processing the applications of hundreds of applicants versus giving an applicant who has potential despite a lack of experience a chance to prove himself or herself for 1 to 3 months in the company? If he or she is not a fit, the company can always let her or him go.
Because of this predicament, many aspiring VAs would provide their valuable time for free to businesses in order to gain the necessary work experience. Many businesses would even profit from this unfortunate circumstance by providing unpaid internships to prospective VAs. Others might even advise these prospective VAs not to sell themselves too short by offering a very cheap hourly fee merely to have the “experience needed.” Can you truly blame the wannabe VAs?
So many employment prospects are moving in the same direction, generally toward those who already have work experience and a job.
We at the virtual hub think that job seekers are people, not simply statistics. By providing and promoting opportunities for training and paid apprenticeship programs, we will give aspiring VAs a chance to gain work.