From working student to team leader in 11 years at Select VoiceCom

CEBU, PHILIPPINES — Mary Jane Blanco joined Select VoiceCom 11 years ago while still studying and already supporting her family as its breadwinner. She is now a team leader at the Cebu-based outsourcing company, guiding others through challenges she once had to learn to navigate herself.

Saying yes before feeling ready

“Before I started here, I was a very determined individual. I had to be because I carried a lot of responsibilities,” Blanco recalled.

When the team leader role came, she was not convinced at first that leadership was right for her, according to a company post published Oct. 7 to mark Customer Service Week.

“I realized that you can learn anything if you are focused on growth,” she said. “I didn’t think the role fit me until I actually tried it.”

Finding her voice in team meetings

An introvert by nature, Blanco once hesitated to speak in front of others, and leading team meetings left little room to stay in the background. Instead of waiting for the nerves to disappear, she started speaking anyway.

“Before that, I was afraid to speak up because I am an introvert,” she said. “But I stopped overthinking, jumped in, and learned by doing.”

Leadership also changed how she thinks about performing well. “Showing up for my team isn’t just about pushing for numbers; it is about helping them grow too,” Blanco said.

Eleven years on, she measures the change in the same terms she used to describe arriving. “Something I can do today is manage heavy responsibilities without fear,” she said.

Leaders grown on the floor

Select VoiceCom earned Great Place to Work certification for a fourth consecutive year in August. Blanco’s story is one career behind that workplace record: a frontline hire who moved into leadership.

For companies buying customer service from the Philippines, team leaders who came up through the ranks have done the work their agents do.

Buyers comparing business process outsourcing (BPO) partners can ask how frontline staff are prepared for leadership, and can start with the top 40 BPO companies in the Philippines list.

Select VoiceCom is currently subscribed as an Outsource Accelerator (OA) BPO Partner. Through OA’s Marketing, Sales, and Source Partner Hubs, the firm accesses a unified growth platform designed to convert high-intent prospects and accelerate deal flow in the outsourcing industry.

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Disclosure: Outsource Accelerator uses AI tools in the backend of its editorial workflow. Every article is reviewed and verified by a human editor before publication.

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