Call Centers.

[CaptainPlanet]

Is it just me or are the hellish places usually run by cackling 30 to 40 year old women with a grudge against anything resembling human joy.

 

I went for a job at a call center at a well known organization that did the usual song and dance about career progression and how great it is to work in their little dungeon, and how they'll hardly ever have to prod you with the flaming pitch fork.Then out came the KPI's the lack of penalty rates and the fact you need to basically make a full time commitment for a part time job.

 

I'll get offered the job, because I am awesome at simple interviews like that. There is little doubt about it but I don't know if I can be bothered with it all. The standard Call Center environment: Hip young middle classed young people in whatever transitional phase (or not), wearing trendy clothing that I honestly have no idea where they get, mothers returning to work and various other miss fits.. such as mid 20 year old failures like myself.

 

They have such wonderful promotional opportunities ! or so they like to say, yet after ten years the team leaders are still just team leaders and at some point between 3 months and 30 years you get burnt out and leave the company with nothing to show for it at all. If it is such a wonderful place to start a 'career' why have your team leader been in the call center for 15 years ? why do you have an enormous turn over ? Everyone quits in the end.

 

Or you get burnt out and become one of those cackling middle aged women yourself, or/and you get promoted to HR. I don't dislike a person because they work in HR - I dislike a person who works in HR when they don't know the difference between 'Murphy's law' and 'Newton's laws' (one guy actually got them confused).

 

I don't mind joining a company at the bottom I am excited about the prospect and I've got nothing against hard work. There is just something about call centers that makes me want to puke.

 

For example: The other day before my interview I watched some little girl talk to her friends about how she was rejecting some guy that works at the center and they were laughing about it - the clicks, the politics - these people are going to be awful. I swear she was making eyes at me already just begging for me to become one of her little band of followers so that she could inevitably shoot me down then brag to her friends about it.

 

I won't even start with the monotony. I don't want those places to rape and destroy my mind through repetition and being forced to take way too many calls, too quickly. That has got to be causing some brain damage.

 

Am I alone in my pathological hatred of these places ? Should I just bite the bullet and work there or is it reasonable to avoid those places at all costs seeking other employment in the interests of enjoying work ?

 

Are they actually a stepping stone ? Or is that just one big fat lie ?

[ImThatGirl]

They can be stepping stones. Where I work, some people started in call center, moved to processing, analyst position, and then management.

 

Takes great dedication and drive.

 

And tolerance might I add...

 

That's about all I have to say about that.

 

Does it pay well? What are your other job options?

[CaptainPlanet]

They can be stepping stones. Where I work, some people started in call center, moved to processing, analyst position, and then management.

 

Takes great dedication and drive.

 

And tolerance might I add...

 

That's about all I have to say about that.

 

Does it pay well? What are your other job options?

 

Some did, but the way I see it is that you're basically setting yourself up to make life a whole lot harder. They pay is alright its normal especially considering we have to work weekends and don't get paid extra for it, whereas at my current job I get the same rate and I do.

 

But they provide holiday and sick pay while my current job doesn't because its not permanent.

 

I also lack the ability to play the game and get promoted that way. So I think it might be an exercise in causing myself pain for no reason.

 

Its like a job I'm doing for money that I gain nothing else out of - I may'd as well do something I'll enjoy. But I'm not sure. I don't think I will do well in a call center anyway.

[ImThatGirl]

How?.......................

[renaissancewoman101]

I've worked at a call center once, would never do it again. I wasn't the one who answered the calls, but I screened their messages and did other things. It's amazing how ugly customers can get.

[CaptainPlanet]

How?.......................

 

Sorry did I do something wrong ?

[xXPusHedAsiDeXx]

I work in a Tesco call centre 5 days a week, it's alright actually I don't mind it. It's extremely mind numbing answering the same queries over and over from customers though. I'm quite happy to resolve customer queries and whatnot, but when they start interrupting me when they ask for an explanation is where the frustration starts building up. It's working environments like call centres that make you appreciate sex and cigarettes that little bit more.

 

The job prospects are fairly decent, but you have to literally lick someones * * * * to get where you want to be. It's quite annoying.

[CaptainPlanet]

I've worked at a call center once, would never do it again. I wasn't the one who answered the calls, but I screened their messages and did other things. It's amazing how ugly customers can get.

 

Customers don't worry me its the other people I'll have to work with.

[CaptainPlanet]

Customers don't worry me its the other people I'll have to work with.

 

No I lie but call centers scare me.

[ImThatGirl]

Sorry did I do something wrong ?

 

Lol - No not at all.. Sorry so short. I was just asking "how will it make life harder?"

[CaptainPlanet]

Lol - No not at all.. Sorry so short. I was just asking "how will it make life harder?"

 

I really think I am going to hate it very much. But I'm not sure and I'm not sure if I should take the job in the interests of it being a step up.

 

Then I lose the job I have right now which I can kind of stand. The hours are just unpredictable thats all.

[JadedStar]

Call center work is grueling and there are not many ways to glamorize it. It is for the entry level worker in most cases, so no, you won't only get "cackling" 30 and 40 year old women working there CP you will get a VARIETY of entry level people who do not have a lot of work experience, or who do have work experience and are unable to find employment in that field. The call center for the company i work for has people ranging from just out of school to retirement age. There is not one certain demographic that fills those slots.

 

It is what it is. Some people can move up from call center to management or other opptys. If you put in the required time and shine you can go places but it can be hard sometimes to break the paradigms and mindsets the people you might interview with for promotional opptys to realize you can do more than answer the phone and it is going to be competitive as a lot of others are also vying for those slots.

[ImThatGirl]

What type of position are you working right now Cap? You like it alright? Is money alright?

 

What would be the advantages to taking the call center position over your current position. You mentioned hours already..

 

Our call center here (which I'm not in,) only hires college graduates or people that have years of experience (mostly college graduates though.)

[CaptainPlanet]

 

If you put in the required time and shine you can go places but it can be hard sometimes to break the paradigms and mindsets the people you might interview with for promotional opptys to realize you can do more than answer the phone and it is going to be competitive as a lot of others are also vying for those slots.

 

So basically you put yourself in a very difficult position to begin with. I don't need to make my position any more difficult.

 

I don't have the right people skills the shine in that environment. Maybe I should deliver pizza's or something until I start school next year.

[CaptainPlanet]

Call center work is grueling and there are not many ways to glamorize it. It is for the entry level worker in most cases, so no, you won't only get "cackling" 30 and 40 year old women working there CP you will get a VARIETY of entry level people who do not have a lot of work experience

 

Sorry JS I was referring to the management team they introduced us too.

[metrogirl]

I started in the call center when I came to this company 18 years ago. I was one of those girls that would look up bus routes and schedules to help someone get from point A to point B. It wasn't a horrible job per-se, my problems were with the customers that would call everyday, the same customers calling for the same bus that runs every 10 minutes.....Hellllllloooo......The bus runs every ten minutes, walk out to the bus stop and wait for it. If I told you it is due at the stop at 8:13 and then again at 8:23 on Monday, and Tues, and Wednesday, then it is safe to assume that I am going to tell you the same thing again for Thursday.

 

I don't how what posessed me to stay so long in that department. I left when I reached 9 years and moved on to a different position in the company.

 

Call centers are stepping stones. Actually the call center here is hiring again and I told my son and daughter to apply and hopefully they will get their feet in the door, pass the 120 day probation period and then transfer to a different department.

[CaptainPlanet]

What type of position are you working right now Cap? You like it alright? Is money alright?

 

What would be the advantages to taking the call center position over your current position. You mentioned hours already..

 

Our call center here (which I'm not in,) only hires college graduates or people that have years of experience (mostly college graduates though.)

 

You certainly don't need a degree for call center work here, degree's are kind of a thing that you do and don't really need. They help they open up a lot of opportunities but they're not essential to have if you know what I mean.

 

They might advertise a job for a Grad - but you can get the job by working your way up (usually requires that you be female : I'm being realistic) aannd there are a lot of jobs you need a degree for other reasons.

 

Friend of mine dropped out of an Arts degree and become an Accountant, he simply lied in his first job interview and got experience after that so it didn't matter from that point on.

 

My job isn't BAD I just wish the hours were more certain thats something I'll have to talk to my manager about but there are lots of other jobs I could be getting in the meantime. I've got a bit of niggling back injury which basically makes manual labor uncomfortable and I'd like to leave it no worse than that - which excludes me from a large chunk of the jobs a bloke can do.

 

I'm working retail but I really don't think I would be able to excel in a call center environment its just the fact that I view it as a small step up that makes me want to take it and the size of the organization.

 

You know what I mean though ? why put yourself in a situation that will hurt you and into a job you're not suited too.

[CaptainPlanet]

The probation period is six months and you need to apply for advertised positions there is no such thing as a transfer.

[ImThatGirl]

^^ I definitely understand what you are saying... But... sometimes change is good, Cap! You could go in there and fake it til you make it as I like to say. Make new friends, have a good pay with set hours and all. And maybe move up and get out of your living situation.

 

See my sig... Sometimes to get different results, we must change direction.

 

PS You mentioned delivering pizza's above. I think the call center job would be much better!

[CaptainPlanet]

The last 'stepping stone' the guy who interviewed me had been there for 15 years..

 

The guy on the phones I listened into had been there for 5... in five years I'll be nearly 30 I can think of better things I'd rather be doing in that time.

 

I'm not sure about any of this. Pigeon holing myself into call center and customer service is also something I am afraid this move might do.

[CaptainPlanet]

Its weird because I get these feelings all the time and they're usually right a lot of things about this place just feel wrong.

[ImThatGirl]

Its weird because I get these feelings all the time and they're usually right a lot of things about this place just feel wrong.

 

But - isn't that usually the case with change and moving out of a comfort zone?

 

So I get all the points you mention and by all means, don't mean to seem pushy but this is how I see it.

 

- Retail, pizza delivery - - - > those are dead end jobs. Where will they get you?

 

- Call Center - - - > start of a possible true career.

 

- And of course college - - - > Is always good but will that mean you have to stay at home longer?

 

Want to make one more point. Often when a company has people that stay for years (low turn over rate,) it's because the company treats their employee's well!

[JadedStar]

Want to make one more point. Often when a company has people that stay for years (low turn over rate,) it's because the company treats their employee's well!

 

You better believe it!

[CaptainPlanet]

 

- Call Center - - - > start of a possible true career.

 

- And of course college - - - > Is always good but will that mean you have to stay at home longer?

 

 

If I get a degree in Civil Engineering it would probably lead to a career maybe not a career in Melbourne but I'm pretty sure it would be hard to not get some sort of job out of it.

 

If I'm not smart enough and Engineering is not my thing so long as I get some sort of degree (I've got a fair few credits) I can apply for the public service which is a really fantastic career. I'd be doing it now but I can't find an entry point.

 

There is also teaching high school.

 

I just don't see what options I have right now aside from going to school. I know that sounds pathetic but I can't think of anything I'd actually like to do that doesn't require a degree.

 

I'd even love to work in some sort of micro biol lab but that would require a degree in most cases.

 

For me it is like right now there a jobs everywhere but all require some sort of foot in the door to get experience that I just cannot get !

 

All the options I am seeing are laboring and transport work (scared of my back packing it in), call center and the retail jobs I might be able scavenge because I'm not female.

 

I know the economy is strong but its not for me ! I'm not seeing a lot of options.

 

I'm not entirely sure what career this call center is going to lead to either. I'd honestly rather just find a job I enjoy. In Australia we're more or less socialist as any job is going to be paying $17 plus per hour anyway its not as great as it sounds because things are a little more expensive. But its still good.

 

I'm just so bored with it all. I'm getting bored with it all and my work experience is starting to look pathetic in my eyes anyway.

 

I also don't see my chances of making it out of the call center being very high. I'm just trying to decide how bad it is going to be and if I might be better off looking for a dead end job I at least enjoy.

[ImThatGirl]

When will you start school?

 

If you have it all set to go - and the job you have now will be of an advantage to your schedule, sounds like you're all set.