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How Can A College Dropout and Former BPO Worker Enjoy Stable Income During This Pandemic?

August 26, 2020
by Jason Dulay 
Jason is the founder and CEO of Work from Home Roadmap and VA Bootcamp. Aside from teaching Filipinos how to succeed working from home, he likes traveling, playing board games, and drinking coffee.
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Question.

If your position in a company was made redundant, what will you do?

A: Magreresign and get a severance package

B: Continue working for the company, pero ibang department / role.

I think others would've easily choose A. (You'll get paid + you'll get to look for another job that you love.

But for someone who doesn't have a Bachelor's degree, it's a gamble.

Especially if you're holding a high position at you wouldn't know if you'll get accepted in other firms.

And that's what our JasSuccess guest, Mark, got himself into.

He ended up resigning and did some soul searching.

He did try to apply for a work-from-home opportunity but he failed in the interview.

"Nakakababa ng confidence. Feeling ko ambobo ko. Sinisi ko ang sarili ko dahil hindi ko tinapos ang course ko nung College, tapos hindi rin ako kumuha ng mga certification na pwede kong magamit sa job application nung nagtatrabaho pa ako sa call center. Overconfident kasi ako dahil matagal na ako sa kumpanya."

But this "boo" didn't made him quit.

He swallowed his pride.

Applied as an ESL teacher. He got accepted.

But then comes the big TWIST.

What is it?

Find out on this replay!

Introduction

Find out how Mark Beloso, a college dropout, and a former BPO worker enjoy a stable income during this pandemic.  Learn from his struggles and how he used it to improve himself and earn a six-figure salary per month as a freelancer.

Notable Quotes

  • ∙  If you have the opportunity if you the means and if you love what you're pursuing, and if it's in your heart to pursue studies, go for it.
  • ∙ Hindi naman porke wala kang diploma wala ka nang pag-asa mag-succeed sa buhay and it turns out na pwede nga naman pala.
  • ∙ It’s not about having a diploma, it’s a combination of different things to pursue success – don’t use it as an excuse. You can still be successful.
  • ∙ Kung ang goal mo lang is to have a job o specific skills, hindi mo kailangan ng bachelor's.
  • ∙Freelancing is broad, online marketing, or digital marketing hindi mo kailangan ng bachelor's kasi the skills that you need to excel, and to perform the task of an online marketer, you can learn those skills outside the college.
  • ∙ I don’t want to mislead people to give zero value for diploma, merong value but it really depends on your goals. But if your only goal is to get a job, get hired, or earn six-digit income in peso, pwede.
  • ∙ Pag-aralan mo yung industry mo like importante ba na merong degree, importarte ba yung mga titles kasi kung sa tech world ka usually hindi.
  • ∙ If you'll google it, there are successful people and most of them are in the tech world. It's all about your skills, kung anong kaya mong gawin and i-deliver sa table.
  •   ∙ I need to be honest, siguro kung hindi ko na meet si Jason , yung VA Bootcamp Community, siguro kontento na ako sa $5 USD / hour. So ang laki nang pagbabago.
  • ∙ I’ll try to live each day, I‘ll try to be grateful kung nasaan ako ngayon wherever it leads me. Although I have bullet points of things I want to accomplish in the future, I’ll try to enjoy my tasks. What you’re doing now leads you to your next steps. As long as I see myself that I’m growing like in every aspect, then I’m happy.

Journey to Freelancing 

  •  ∙ In 2003,  Mark Beloso experienced many adversities during his college days - a burnt house, Father's accident, and failed a grade.
  • ∙ Mark failed to graduate in college that led him to serve in church for two years – believing that it was his redirected higher purpose in life.
  • ∙ He transferred to Manila with a need to find work to support his two younger siblings.
  • ∙ He thought that for an undergraduate like him, the only work option is to be a call center (BPO Industry).
  • ∙ Mark stayed for several years in BPO since serving other people is his passion in life.
  • ∙ Unfortunately, Mark can’t get any higher position in the BPO industry since most of them still value and give importance to a diploma as standard qualifications.
  • ∙ He tried to find a worth fulfilling job and discovered freelancing.
  •  ∙ Mark is working as a Chief Ideation Officer in VA Bootcamp for 4 years now along with his freelancing journey.
  • ∙  He is now beyond grateful and enjoying his six-figure earnings as a freelancer every month.

Q and A

How does a lack of education/diploma can impact your confidence to work?

It’s a Filipino norm, kahit sabihin mo na you shouldn’t let yourself be affected mararamdaman mo yun, especially to a person who sees education as self-worth.  It really affected me since the structured job we have in our country requires at least a bachelor's degree holder.

How did you overcome your impostor syndrome?

It's a mindset thing, depende kung ano pinag-uugatan ng insecutities mo.  There are different techniques, you have to find what works for you.  For me, learn to love yourself. Treat yourself as I would treat other people.  Invest in something that will grow your self-worth. You can read from self-help books, workshops, meditation, videos, and more.

When it comes to freelancing is the bachelor’s degree really that important?

Yes and No. It all boils down to your goals.  There are a specific field and position that you can use in your advantage to incorporate your degree. But even without a diploma you can still land a client and live the life you wanted.

Do you feel good na napatunayan mo sa mga doubtful sa skills mo, now that you're successful?

Yeah, but if someone ever doubted me for who I am malamang napatawad ko na sila.  And whatever decisions I've made from that point on, It is not because gusto ko sila i-please or to prove them wrong. The decisions that I make in my life are mine alone.

Can you say that kindness is underrated as freelancers and regret is still giving all of us a hard time to achieve things?

In my experience, I don't see kindness as a problem in freelancers.  Kindness for me is respect. It's important. In terms of regrets, I'll try to accept things for what they are and focus on the present. Living in the present moment means letting go of the past and not waiting for the future. keep moving forward and live the present. Regrets don't really help you live in the present.  If ever you have regrets from the past take that as a lesson and use it to improve and grow.

Kailangan pa ba na imaging editor-in-chief para imaging content writer?

Hindi naman, kahit nga grade 6 English lang natapos mo basta dramatically it makes sense. Pwede ka naman imaging content writer. Meron kang kailangang aralin na mga principles na pwedeng mag guide sayo kung paano sumulat, pero it has nothing to do with your previous job. It's not really a requirement.

Where do you get your ideas to be inspired?

It's like for me creativity is what you can do to what you have.  It’s how you put bits and pieces together.  The concept of mindfulness will help.  Take time to observe and be curious then natural creativity will follow.  Don’t be afraid of the results. Keep experimenting.  Believe that something beautiful will come out.

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by Jason Dulay 
Jason is the founder and CEO of Work from Home Roadmap and VA Bootcamp. Aside from teaching Filipinos how to succeed working from home, he likes traveling, playing board games, and drinking coffee.

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87 comments on “How Can A College Dropout and Former BPO Worker Enjoy Stable Income During This Pandemic?”

  1. Sabi nyo po sir Ivann de Peralta eh... hehe.

    Sir Mark Belosa, writer pala kayo?! Take ko lang po ang opportunity na to to ask you for advice....

    Do you optimize your content for Google. Ph? And would you recommend for writers to optimize their content kung ang target demo nila is from Philippines lang at hindi from the US?

    Na pansin ko ksi na, kahit yung mga company like GMA, ABS and even Rappler... yung mga content nila is hindi optimized for Google. Ph

    Reply

  2. Mark, question - you can answer this or not, out of curiosity anong subject yung di mo na-complete? Can relate, I was also very academic-oriented especially during my high school days, and when in my last year in college, I never got to graduate on time (got involved more din into extra-curricular) - and also because of one subject - I actually had to extend for a year before eventually getting to graduate.

    Reply

  8. Yes, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, et al, they all dropped out of college and then made millions, this does not to say that you wiill not pursue a degree whenever you can.

    Reply

        1. Wow, talaga? Na-complete mo up to MS 22? Nice! Halos pareho case namin ni Mark, due to my involvement sa school band, may isang subject, I think MS 21, di na-credit of sorts.

          Reply

  20. Thanks, Mark - sorry to put you on the spot. I can relate re ROTC, yun na yun - was involved kasi sa school band (though in high school I was also active in CAT). Surprised though with Mahar, bow, na-complete niya ROTC.

    Reply

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