Shaley de la Torre

I am Shaley de la Torre and I had been working remotely since 2017 as a billing analyst for Upland Software. 

I was a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Computer Science in 2002 however, due to lack of skills in computer programming and the lack of tech companies accepting fresh graduates with at least 3 - 5 years of solid software programming skills I've decided to apply for companies that may require my basic computer skills. My first job was at a Freight Forwarding Company as a Sales Support where my main task was to assist all Field Sales in preparing quotes for clients, keeping records of updated airlines and seafreight rates & trucking packages. I communicate with customers and ensure their shipping needs are complied and coordinate with the Customer Service and the operations and ensure shipments are picked up and delivered to consignee in a timely manner.

I was given an opportunity to work in Lear Corp., an automotive company as a Data Analyst and thought it will be my first step towards working in an I.T. field and use the knowledge I learned from college. I analyze and generate daily report on wire harnesses needed for a particular model of a car base on the Engineers' drawings and send them to the operations in the manufacturing plant. However, due to re-organization and new requirements from the client, the Data Analysis tasks were re-assigned to the Engineers and we, the Data Analysts were idled but had to report everyday pending for re-assignment for more than 2 months. We helped out other departments in their admin tasks when needed. 

A manager from a previous company I worked for reached out and offered me a job to work for Aboitiz Logistics as a Customer Service Representative where my main task was to issue sales quotes to customers and handled newly acquired customers ensuring their import/export shipments are handled from pick up, customs documentation and delivery to consignee. I also issue invoices to the the clients based on their signed agreement and follow up for payment when they are due. 

I have worked in various Freight Forwarding & Logistics companies as a Sales Support & customer service however due to the recession in the US and then Europe which started in 2007, the export and import businesses had declined and companies were either reducing their staff or closing their business which made me decide to work in the BPO industry. I have worked as Tech Support and Customer Service Representative where we handle billing and sales inquiries, handle customer billing disputes and issue credits due to outages, resolve technical issues and upsell base on eligibility. 

But due to the ever changing KPI targets, business acquisitions and redundancy I've ended up hopping jobs from one BPO company to another until I've found work in a government hospital as a Job Order Clerk with a contract of up to 5 months only. Once the 5 months contract ends, we will have to work voluntarily without pay while waiting for our contract to renew. For the duration of 3 years, I have worked in the Admitting Section, the Philhealth Claims and the Billing Section learning all the admin tasks and processes as we wait for a regularization to become permanent employees. However, in 2016 my mother past away and became the sole breadwinner of the family. A 5 months delayed salary made me decide to purchase a laptop and applied for remote work while rendering voluntary service at the hospital. I was lucky to get accepted in Crossover For Work and I've been working remotely for more than 2 years until my contract was terminated last Sept. 10, 2019. I have enjoyed my time working with the team & collaborating with different departments of Upland Software which inspired me to apply and continue working remotely while learning new skills and establishing connections in different parts of the world.