Friday, May 15, 2009

Hung up

It seems like it's an answer for some people who just don't have enough respect for you to give you a straight "Yes," or "No thanks." They just hang up.

Let me explain my job a little bit. I work for Vector Marketing, which is a company that hires anyone over the age of 18 to sell kitchen knives. Note, this is a scary prospect when we try to target people who barely received their high school diploma. And another note, these knives are sharp. I would know and you can see the proof from the nicks on my hands. So when people call me, they are looking for a job.

Working at my new job as a receptionist has opened my eyes to how the "little people" are handled. I know in job searching that you treat the gatekeepers like gold. Receptionists are gatekeepers as well. Treat me like gold, will ya? It's also interesting how people will demand information, thinking that you purposefully denied them such details in the first place. And when they ask you stupid questions, an equally stupid response is justified, right? Well, I hope so. Okay, okay, I know that despite what the other person on the line without a fully functional brain is asking but I end up holding out until they ask the question they should have asked in the first place. Please people! Think things through first!!

Another interesting thought I've had is that maybe I may rush through my script as if I've read it a million times (which I have) and I mumble through some basic stuff, people either don't listen or don't hear me. Whichever it is, it's annoying. Okay, that's partly my fault, yes I admit. But when I think it's been explained and they still ask me what the company does I just want to scream into the receiver, "PEOPLE! IF ONLY YOU WOULD LISTEN TO ME IN THE FIRST PLACE INSTEAD OF PUTTING 'SELECTIVE HEARING' IN GEAR, I WOULDN'T WASTE MORE OF MY BREATH ON THIS STUPID PHONE CALL!"

Okay, yes, I'm going on in a bit of a rant. But I desperately beg people to think twice before opening their mouth on the phone about how they might sound to the poor, emotionally exhausted receptionist on the other end.

For those of you reading this, please take this post in all the humor that I could possibly put in (even though I really do mean this stuff).

This is just a small description of my new "after graduation" job. Yay for having a bachelor's degree!

3 comments:

  1. Sarah! This makes me laugh. I work as an operator on campus in the call center and seriously I feel your pain. My favorite is the, "It's your job to know the answers to my questions," line. Oh! And there is the occaisional, "I know they work there, I talked to them just 6 months ago." I mean, don't they think people might change jobs?! Anyways, this made me laugh a lot.

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  2. Congrats on graduating! This is Natalia! It has been so long. I hope all is well for you!

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  3. welcome to my life as a secretary. i should call you sometime (on your work phone) and annoy you with stupid questions. lol. keep in there. it won't last forever.

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