I over exaggerate a lot. It’s not the worst job in the world. But it’s the worst job that I’ve ever had. Mainly because it’s one of the only jobs I’ve ever had. Telemarketing. Phoning people and asking them questions. Trying to sell them something. Getting hung up on. It all just really sucks and makes you want to die.
My thoughts when being hung up on.
Some corporation called me the other day telling me that my long distance calls would only cost 2 cents from now on. To which I replied, “Oh great!” Little did I know, my response would enable them to sign me up for some other type of bill. I didn’t even agree to anything, they just worded it in a confusing way which obviously tricked my small brain. Some kind of sorcery if you ask me. I told the guy over the phone that I had to go even though I hadn’t finished his questions. He started yelling at me. “No! You can’t go. You still have to tell me your email!” Click. I realized that I’d already told him too much.
He called me back a little later asking for my email and I told him that I didn’t want the service that he was selling. He got really upset and hung up on me. Like a little girl.
I remember working at a call center. It’s literally the worst job. I worked next to my friend and we would talk between our calls. Once someone answered the phone we would put on our fake voices at lightning speed. I hated everything about that place. I hated calling people and disrupting their day. I hated being hung up on. I HATED using the military alphabet. ‘V’ as in Victor? ‘I’ as in I hate you so much.
Tell me how much you hate yourself after you say 'P' as in Papa.
Sometimes people would be really cool and answer all of my questions. In fact I seem to remember telling someone I loved them. I think the call center recorded some of the calls so they probably thought I had Tourette’s or something. Others would tell me that they couldn’t talk because Dancing with the Stars just came on. Decent excuse. One time I called someone named John Lennon. “Hello is this John Lennon?” That kind of thing doesn’t happen too often.
I quit after about 3 weeks. It wasn’t too strenuous, but I just hated taking time away from someone’s day. I try to be polite when telemarketers call me, since I know what life is like on the other end of the phone. But it’s just so tempting to yell at them. Or tell them that no one loves them.
What do you say to telemarketers that interrupt your precious down-time?
Lily In Canada 
I always say, “you’ve caught me at a bad time, you’ll need to call back.” then they either don’t or I just repeat the same line. Simple. Haha!
I could NEVER be a telemarketer.
Yeah that’s always a good move. I just hate having to be harsh to people, ya know? Why do they have to call in the first place? Ughgh.
I love this one
That’s the best! If only I had known about it before so I could’ve put it in my post! I’ll have to consult you before I publish anything just to make sure you don’t have any funny ideas that I forgot!
When you write a post always ask 2 questions
1. What would Homer do
or
2. What would Jerry say
One of them will usually fit
Hahaha yes!
I have done telesales as well! Awful, awful, AWFUL job. It was my first job out of school and I was hopeless at it.
I am useless at sales jobs.
If someone was rude to us we would pass their number around and everyone would ring up pretending to be from different companies selling different things.
Ah, the memories. Shame none of them are good ones.
Me too! I have so much trouble trying to sell things to other people. Especially things that I couldn’t care less about.
That’s awesome about sending the numbers around haha
Oh, suckiest job ever.
We ones had someone phoning us like that too. In the end, he more or less became our friend :). He told my father that everytime we didn’t agree on his offer, he slammed his head to the door, and that one day we would hear that a young guy had died due to head wounds… But all as a joke of course.
I hope.
Hahah I like that! I like when people can laugh about the situations that they’re in. Lol maybe he really was banging his head against the door all this time. Once a day everyday. He’s probably dead now.
Fantastic post, Lily!
I give you credit for toughing it out.. for awhile!
I sure wouldn’t…
Thanks! I rarely tough things out. This was as close as it got!
Within about 15 seconds i just stop them and say i’m not interested and to take me of their list. It must be the worst job ever.
It really is! So much disappointment. That’s what I try to do too. Stop them before they get their hopes up…and so they don’t waste their breath!
My work does a lot of annoying phone calls. I’ve barely done them because I come off as very unpleasant and fake. I’d always feel bad ruining someone’s day which I would easily do with a phone call.
Yeah I hated that too. It’s so cringe-y especially when you know that someone doesn’t want to talk to you. Avoid phone calls at all costs, my friend.
Really? F as in foxtrot?
It’s literally the worst.
Oh God! I tots understand your pain. I once called someone and said “B as in Beaver” and obv couldn’t go through with the remainder of the call ’cause I was too busy ROFL-ing.
I did this internship once where I had to sell a service. Not over the phone but by going door to door of small businesses in the city. It was fucking hell! Those people hated me but I think I hated myself more.
Hahahah B as in Beaver will stop all professionalism in it’s tracks! So perfect!
Omg door to door would be the absolute worst. I feel like it would be more painful having people slam their doors in your face than getting hung up on! Oy! Bless your soul for enduring such hardships!
I usually act like they’ve said something totally unrelated and go from there
Them – “Hi, we’d like to sell you magazine subscriptions”
Me – “Interesting, but we live in an apartment and don’t have room for a swimming pool”
Hilarity ensues.
I feel like you always have the best responses for my questions. Maybe I should do a post entitled “Reasons why El Guapo is so cool” whadda think? Has potential!
Ha – I only look good because you give such great setups in your posts.
On my own, I’m just a ponytail with limericks and polls. 😉
I think we discussed this before that I used to work in telesales a couple of years ago, I sold gas and electric and ended up actually being pretty awesome at it as I was one of the top sellers in the country, I hated it though and it gave me depression.
I left the company to go to France, then I ended up going back last summer where I could only manage two weeks on the phone and couldn’t handle it anymore. Walked out in the middle of a call and went to the pub. There were loads of cool people there the first time which is why I lasted six months, when I went back they had all gone.
It’s definitely a terrible job to have and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. But it’s not the WORST job to have, at least you get paid a basic rate and you’re sat inside. That door to door sales bollocks is definitely the worst, I did four days of that before just leaving. It’s commission based pay only so if you don’t somehow get yourself into someones house and make them give you their bank details then you’re not getting paid.
Okay, I have to agree with you that door to door sounds way worse. And working for commission sounds super hard especially for me since I clearly don’t care about anything. I guess any job is good if you work with good people, ya know? I think it makes all the difference since you have to spend every day with them. I guess I didn’t really get to meet anyone at my job because we were on the phones the whole time.
We don’t really have telemarketers here. WIN! Finally. SOMEthing decent about this place. LOL. Even if we did, I very rarely answer the home phone. ESPECIALLY if I don’t recognize the number on the caller ID. I don’t know your number by heart? You lose. Better text me.
I always wondered if there were standards words for that alphabet thingy. I make up my own. P for Pretending?