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Can you please provide me with any tips and advice at how to excel in my role, if I eventually get a job in a call centre?

 

I want a quick, full time job with an immediate start that I can do from now until college next year in March.

 

Call centres fit the bill since they obviously have high staff turnover rates!

 

I think I have a fare chance at getting a job; a few weeks ago, in the evening I sent my resume out for call centre roles, I got calls at 9am the following morning from every role I applied for, two of which I turned down interviews for and one where I attended the interview and was successful (got through to the final interview) then turned it down due to another job I thought I got, but actually, didn't:o

 

I have applied for over close to 50 call centre related roles this weekend so by Monday I am expecting a few calls.

 

I also have a "final assessment" Monday, where if I am successful, I would start Monday lol.

 

Another recruitment company I interviewed with said they were going to put me forward for roles, of which are supposedly coming up all the time!

 

I probably wont get the role l on Monday given that it is so hard to get any entry level job these days, however, if I am so lucky as to obtain a position at that call centre, I need ALL the tips you former call centre workers can come up with, it will also greatly assist me in interviews for call centres!

 

I am not afraid of the job lol, it is just from now until college. I am really motivated and aware customers will utter every name under the sun to me, my dad was a call centre operations manager many years ago and he trained people in how to deal with making outbound calls.

 

 

Any tips? Advice? Preferably from ex call centre staff! Or at least know someone that has worked in a call centre if you are to give out advice!

 

Cheers.

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I'm guessing that the interviewers would have given you some idea of what a 'day in the life' is like.

 

Did you get a chance to ask to see the call centre floor so that you could get a feel for it?

 

Call centres are high turnover due to the pressure in the main.

I have several friends who have worked in them.

Each found that training was brief and a 'hit the ground running' approach was used so it was a quick train up of the equipment and database and then basically learning the script.

Stamina and ability to not take things personally were essential.

 

Plus a simple thing..making sure to have adequate water to sip through the day - some of my friends didn't think about how much they would be talking but losing your voice is not great just after starting a call centre job!

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I did some call center work while in college since it had flexible hours and paid more than minimum wage. How can you do well at the job? Don't be rude to people on the phone, ever. Even when they're cursing, screaming, and totally nuts you need to keep your cool. Get used to apologizing for things that aren't your fault and do not make promises you can't keep. Most call centers provide you with decent training to handle difficult callers, but it can wear on you especially if you're the sensitive type.

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I did it the summer I was 17...it was inbound calls, I'd NEVER do outbound. Even with inbound, I lasted less than a week before I quit. It was horrible. I'd rather do anything else. I have no idea how to excel at it...tbh I'd say just sticking with it longer than a couple months would be excelling. and I guess don't take more breaks than you're allowed? This was 14 yrs ago but I remember we basically signed in and out with our phones and they monitored how long you were gone to be sure you didn't take a 12 min break instead of 10...ugh.

 

They would randomly monitor our phone calls too so I guess ALWAYS be polite, you never know who is listening in.

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I did it the summer I was 17...it was inbound calls, I'd NEVER do outbound. Even with inbound, I lasted less than a week before I quit. It was horrible. I'd rather do anything else. I have no idea how to excel at it...tbh I'd say just sticking with it longer than a couple months would be excelling. and I guess don't take more breaks than you're allowed? This was 14 yrs ago but I remember we basically signed in and out with our phones and they monitored how long you were gone to be sure you didn't take a 12 min break instead of 10...ugh.

 

They would randomly monitor our phone calls too so I guess ALWAYS be polite, you never know who is listening in.

 

The breaks thing was another reason why I mentioned sipping water.

The experience that my friends had was that breaks were rare and that was the only time you could nip to the toilet.

Her experience was only two years ago...maybe things have changed since.

There are bound to be organisations that run call centres in a better way but as yet I haven't heard of any.

 

Absolutely agree on being polite no matter what is thrown at you. Abuse is common and it can also be personal abuse (this is what my friends encountered) is common, especially if dealing with the public.

 

 

If ever I

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I use to work at in collections-students loans like 10 years ago for a well-known credit card company and the job just wasn't for me. We had 4 weeks of training, everything from understanding student loans, how to use the system, how to use multiple screens, etc, etc. They also trained us on how to talk to the customer and always talk with confidence-because most likely the customer will "take over" the conversation when they are angry. I did mostly outbound calls-which was killer and once in a while got inbound calls. I had to deal with alot of angry customers, very smart-ass people, using profanity, etc, etc. Not only that, I think if I can remember we had to make weekly goals...like our main goal was to get a payment out of the customer no matter what. "Pay by Phones" where the customer pays my check over the phone was the big deal-because we would get credit and incentives if we got alot that day. Every call is recorded and everything that you do on the screen-whether it's clicking on a box/looking up acct info is recording. Every 2 weeks we would get a quality review where the manager would pull up some of the calls I made and she would listen to them-I also had to listen to them-to see if we were following the correct procedures. It was weird listening to my own voice! If I wasn't making goal, manager would tell me I had to be louder and be more "aggressive" on getting past due accounts. Alot of the times we had to "threaten" them by saying stuff like-if we don't get a payment now, we will forward your info to the credit bureaus and it will ruin your credit, etc, etc. It was all based on meeting their goals and productivity. I only lasted 6 months, I couldn't take it anymore. Some people were good at it, I guess its not for everyone. Its a good job for students.

Edited by Lipitor11
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yeah I don't believe people running the businesses are very intelligent a lot of the time - see, if you have to threaten people in order to get a payment off of them, chances are they will avoid you're services at all costs and they will tell their friends and family what a travesty the company is.

 

Any idiot who is in the business of managing a team should KNOW that the most ..successful businesses delight their customers and get repeat business and referrals!

 

I still cannot believe there are places out there that think it is optimal for their business's to try to push people into buying things they don't need or cannot afford.

 

Why not just match up customers to things that COULD benefit them and then extol the benefits of said products, to customers who will actually BENEFIT from the product???

 

WHY push people who WILL NOT benefit from a product or service, to spend money they don't have on something that will not benefit them?

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thefooloftheyear

I respect any kind of honest work, but quite frankly id rather dig 8' deep ditches with a teaspoon in the freezing cold before i'd subject myself to that...

 

TFY

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So anyways, I gather all I can do is:

 

- follow the scrips; read it at home until I am familiar enough with it to be able to sail through it, and focus on the other things I have to do whilst reading the scripts (on the computer, writing customer details down wholst talking on the phone)

 

- Turn up early. Be willing to work a little overtime since there are 50 people in life that are desperate for the job if you wont do it to perfection.

 

- Sip WATER to prevent losing your voice

 

- avoid idle chit chat, if a customer rambles on, be cheerful and utter animated responses, but then change the subject immediately back to the transaction " so, by the way, I just need to confirm what type of transaction you wish to make before I forget :) "

 

- I am prepared to talk literally non stop all day, taking 80 calls a day. I know I will be putting down the phone and picking the phone up immediately.......

 

- I know people will scream and shout at me. I have had a lot of experience in dealing with irate customers and it doesn't phase me because I don't take it personally at all, they are angry about a service they didn't get or a product that didn't work after all, I am comfortable appeasing people who are swearing and shouting.

 

 

 

Even if I do it all ^^^^^^ what is the chance that I simply wont be able to sell enough products, even if I follow all their advice to a T...????????????????????

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Due to the high turnover rate, wouldn't they rather keep a staff member that is always early to work, doesn't take breaks, and is eager and has a very pleasant phone manner yet who DOESN'T manage to find many customers who wish to give their money to the company?

 

OR, would they rather dismiss an otherwise stellar staff member who simply has bad luck in making sales, and then have to spend three or more days training a new person up?

 

If I am otherwise fantastic but, to begin with, I do not manage to sell a lot, will they give me a chance f I am eager to learn and spend extra time improving, or would they rather give me the boot?

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There is a fashion store, a child's store, that is opening in a new shopping plaza soon and they want to interview me. They seemed really keen on me, due to my experience tutoring children English overseas, my nanny experience and also the fact I have a lot of prior retail experience.

 

If I were to get the job on Monday, umm, I would not be able to go for the kids clothing store interview?

 

What to do?

 

They wouldn't be happy with meat the call centre if I were to accept their job, IF I do indeed get it on Monday, only to have to take Tuesday off to interview for other potentially more prosperous positions?

 

The kids clothing store is about interacting with mums and their kids, enjoying chatting to people, and giving great customer service.

 

The call centre jobs are about making sales at all costs.

 

I would RATHER work in a kids clothing store during Uni. Plus I have a long term future there since they have agreed to take me on full time if I am successful, they said they would then happily reduce my hours to cater for my college classes.

 

With call centre work, Id have to QUIT once Uni started!

 

 

 

Help lol. Interviews coming up, I need to think on my feet I cannot afford to be ambiguous, I need a job but surely a job with a long term future would benefit me opposed to a call centre job that Id have to quit once college came up?

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thefooloftheyear
There is a fashion store, a child's store, that is opening in a new shopping plaza soon and they want to interview me. They seemed really keen on me, due to my experience tutoring children English overseas, my nanny experience and also the fact I have a lot of prior retail experience.

 

If I were to get the job on Monday, umm, I would not be able to go for the kids clothing store interview?

 

What to do?

 

They wouldn't be happy with meat the call centre if I were to accept their job, IF I do indeed get it on Monday, only to have to take Tuesday off to interview for other potentially more prosperous positions?

 

The kids clothing store is about interacting with mums and their kids, enjoying chatting to people, and giving great customer service.

 

The call centre jobs are about making sales at all costs.

 

I would RATHER work in a kids clothing store during Uni. Plus I have a long term future there since they have agreed to take me on full time if I am successful, they said they would then happily reduce my hours to cater for my college classes.

 

With call centre work, Id have to QUIT once Uni started!

 

 

 

Help lol. Interviews coming up, I need to think on my feet I cannot afford to be ambiguous, I need a job but surely a job with a long term future would benefit me opposed to a call centre job that Id have to quit once college came up?

 

Why dont you learn how to tend bar and get a job in a busy restaurant or club? I know its not for everyone, but thats how I did it when I was going throug school....I made $200-300 a night back before you were even born working the door and tending bar in those days...not bad..:laugh:

 

All kidding aside, restaurant and club jobs are gerat for college students...Stay away from the chain places and you can make more in one day than in an entire week in some other min wage gig...and at least you wont be so dejected that you come home and kick the dog(just a figure of speech of course)

 

TFY

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If I am otherwise fantastic but, to begin with, I do not manage to sell a lot, will they give me a chance f I am eager to learn and spend extra time improving, or would they rather give me the boot?

 

It has no bearing on whether or not you are a nice person. What they look for is how aggressive you are on calls. If you are unable to make the targeted amount of sales they show no mercy. What you receive is a tap on the shoulder and are told you can go home.

 

I'm serious...there's no job security when you work in a call centre.

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Citizen Erased
Due to the high turnover rate, wouldn't they rather keep a staff member that is always early to work, doesn't take breaks, and is eager and has a very pleasant phone manner yet who DOESN'T manage to find many customers who wish to give their money to the company?

 

OR, would they rather dismiss an otherwise stellar staff member who simply has bad luck in making sales, and then have to spend three or more days training a new person up?

 

If I am otherwise fantastic but, to begin with, I do not manage to sell a lot, will they give me a chance f I am eager to learn and spend extra time improving, or would they rather give me the boot?

 

They will not care at all if you're early to work, if you don't reach your goals they will replace you with someone that will.

 

The reason they have high turnover is its a crappy work environment, they literally don't care at all about their employees. It's all numbers numbers numbers. If you're ok with that, go right ahead.

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Why dont you learn how to tend bar and get a job in a busy restaurant or club? I know its not for everyone, but thats how I did it when I was going throug school....I made $200-300 a night back before you were even born working the door and tending bar in those days...not bad..:laugh:

 

All kidding aside, restaurant and club jobs are gerat for college students...Stay away from the chain places and you can make more in one day than in an entire week in some other min wage gig...and at least you wont be so dejected that you come home and kick the dog(just a figure of speech of course)

 

TFY

 

 

I have tried the club and bar thing. Believe me. I honestly didn't have the knack for it.

 

People wouldn't even let me work for free in order to gain experience. Some people are genuinely inept in the area of hospitality.

 

I tried working at a high end restaurant. It is more fast paced than retail and I also have weak wrists due to my prior eating disorder - I cannot carry three plates IF there is two HEAVY, large plates with steak and soup, in the same arm. I am being honest, this is not laziness, I just physically have weak wrists and cannot ALWAYS carry three plates out.

 

Please don't make comments about laziness being the cause

 

- I have tirelessly applied for hospitality based roles and I have done MANY unpaid trials. I was very happy with working for free for hours on end, time after time, I tried my very best but I simply don't meet the standards required to get a job in a fast paced establishment.

 

I also have a mild case of Aspergers Syndrome and for some reason, it renders me " undesirable" for hospitality based jobs, yet for retail and sales I did well in in my prior jobs. There is just something about hospitality that I don't "fit in" with. Yet for retail, I have always excelled at the jobs I have been given in the past that were in retail.

 

Given that I looked for quiet literally years for hospitality based roles to no avail, I figured I just didn't " get it" when it came to hospitality, and instead I figured retail, admin or call centres may be a better option since I had never failed at any of them the way I did for hospitality. Many experienced waitresses and hospitality managers will attest to the notion of some people simply not being " right" for hospitality, irrespective of how hard they may try.

 

Case in point, an attractive woman on Loveshack I know of, she mentioned that she memorized the entire menu on night two of her job and she still got fired. She was admittedly a little "different" to other people. Obviously, some people like her and I just don't "fit in" with the hospitality culture in spite of our best efforts.

 

I always did well in retail so that is where I am heading.. As soon as I get this online admin certificate out of the way I will know Microsoft-everything- well and I can start to get into temping agencies. I believe I have a much better shot at admin/retail and maybe even call centre work than I do hospitality.

 

 

 

 

There are only so many years and so many free, unpaid trials one can do and get rejected after, before they come to the conclusion that " hmm, maybe hospitality simply isn't my thing"

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They will not care at all if you're early to work, if you don't reach your goals they will replace you with someone that will.

 

The reason they have high turnover is its a crappy work environment, they literally don't care at all about their employees. It's all numbers numbers numbers. If you're ok with that, go right ahead.

 

 

 

I am here to make money between nor and college next semester.

 

I am driven and hard working and therefore it kills me to not work - meaning, I will take any crappy job that comes my way until something better comes along, or college starts and I have to study full time hours.

 

Given my area I excelled in is no longer an option (personal training), I now have to suck it up and make the best out of my predicament.

 

I don't mind a job in the Sydney CBD that is easy to get to, pays above minimum wage and pays fill time wages! I will happily suck it up and make non strop calls where my objective is to extract as much money as possible.

 

Of course, I would rather work in admin, retail or as a pharmacy assistant, hence why I am currently completing online courses (one in community pharmacy and the other in business admin) so I can stand a better chance of getting a more desirable job during or maybe even before, college starts!

 

I figure it doesn't hurt to have a less than desirable job until I get something better, and while I actively work towards getting a better job.

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They will not care at all if you're early to work, if you don't reach your goals they will replace you with someone that will.

 

The reason they have high turnover is its a crappy work environment, they literally don't care at all about their employees. It's all numbers numbers numbers. If you're ok with that, go right ahead.

 

And it would have been much more helpful if you had told me where you got that idea from, such as who told you that, and has someone that has worked at a call centre told you? If so, it would have made sense.

 

The fact is, you have called me a 'moocher", "lazy" and " unmotivated to work hard" in prior threads, so unless you actually have sources where you get your advice from, your advice screams to me like it is a personal attack against me, since you have made it clear that you think lowly of me for living at home and a few other reasons.

 

I believe you want to give negative advice because you want me to feel bad, because you believe I deserve to feel crap.

 

 

 

 

Can people please tell me where they get their advice from now on? It helps when I know you either found out first hand, OR from a person who worked in a call centre.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

 

 

And can people who have negative personal views on me please stop posting in my threads? I don't want to have anything to do with people who think I am a good for nothing lazy moocher.

 

 

 

I will press the alert button if more people who have previously insulted me come onto my threads.

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thefooloftheyear
I have tried the club and bar thing. Believe me. I honestly didn't have the knack for it.

 

People wouldn't even let me work for free in order to gain experience. Some people are genuinely inept in the area of hospitality.

 

I tried working at a high end restaurant. It is more fast paced than retail and I also have weak wrists due to my prior eating disorder - I cannot carry three plates IF there is two HEAVY, large plates with steak and soup, in the same arm. I am being honest, this is not laziness, I just physically have weak wrists and cannot ALWAYS carry three plates out.

 

Please don't make comments about laziness being the cause

 

- I have tirelessly applied for hospitality based roles and I have done MANY unpaid trials. I was very happy with working for free for hours on end, time after time, I tried my very best but I simply don't meet the standards required to get a job in a fast paced establishment.

 

I also have a mild case of Aspergers Syndrome and for some reason, it renders me " undesirable" for hospitality based jobs, yet for retail and sales I did well in in my prior jobs. There is just something about hospitality that I don't "fit in" with. Yet for retail, I have always excelled at the jobs I have been given in the past that were in retail.

 

Given that I looked for quiet literally years for hospitality based roles to no avail, I figured I just didn't " get it" when it came to hospitality, and instead I figured retail, admin or call centres may be a better option since I had never failed at any of them the way I did for hospitality. Many experienced waitresses and hospitality managers will attest to the notion of some people simply not being " right" for hospitality, irrespective of how hard they may try.

 

Case in point, an attractive woman on Loveshack I know of, she mentioned that she memorized the entire menu on night two of her job and she still got fired. She was admittedly a little "different" to other people. Obviously, some people like her and I just don't "fit in" with the hospitality culture in spite of our best efforts.

 

I always did well in retail so that is where I am heading.. As soon as I get this online admin certificate out of the way I will know Microsoft-everything- well and I can start to get into temping agencies. I believe I have a much better shot at admin/retail and maybe even call centre work than I do hospitality.

 

 

 

 

There are only so many years and so many free, unpaid trials one can do and get rejected after, before they come to the conclusion that " hmm, maybe hospitality simply isn't my thing"

 

 

Fair enough...I hope you dont think I was being judgemental..just making a suggestion for you...:)

 

Best of luck to you..

 

TFY

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Fair enough...I hope you dont think I was being judgemental..just making a suggestion for you...:)

 

Best of luck to you..

 

TFY

 

 

Not at all! I so wish I could get a job in a nice restaurant or bar.

 

I actually handed my resume out in the Sydney CBD not long ago and I got a call back - I had a trial the next day and he told me that I was a hard worker but he just didn't think I stood a chance next to the other people who were coming for trials who had more experience than me. I then pointed out to him politely that " I need to start somewhere, would I please be able to come in and work for free one or two days per week in order to gain experience and get up to scratch with your other team members?"

 

He said " I will think about it"

 

He never got back to me. So yeah, with bars, you NEED to be able to walk into the job, know how to use their register immediately without being any slower than a long term staff member, and be the right "fit".

Furthermore, I need to be shown how to use new registers and I cannot just go up to a new register and KNOW where everything is, and be able to use it as fast as regular staff. Not everyone is a super fast learner, some people learn things at a very average pace, but once we learn things we do a great job!

 

And no that is not key for me being " r e a l l y s l o o o ow". I am NOT like "that" either:lmao: I have had to operate very detailed registers and I have successfully done so at a very very fast pace without errors. I just need to LEARN it, I cannot walk up to a register and do it as fast as the other staff who have been there longer.

 

I have had friends who could simply go and get jobs in cafes, restaurants and bars because the owners liked their personality and they seemed eager and hard working. I would apply for the same places when I had more experience than they did, and I would be turned down due to not being the "right fit"

It was deeply hurtful that my friends in high school got to work and save money to do nice things, when I was desperate to work yet my personality and demeanour made me too much of a bad fit for hospitality. A few people I know are like me - they are good at customer service in a retail or admin capacity, but they sucked in hospitality based roles.

 

For instance, in hospitality:

- You MUST carry three or more plates at once, even if one plate has a large steak and the other plate has ANOTHER large soup bowl on top)

-You HAVE to be able to carry too heavy plates in one hand and the plates are often piping hot.

Sorry but I tried my very, very best yet the pain of being burnt was too much for me, I would rather not work than have to endure that much physical pain.

 

Some people are cool with getting burnt from too hot plates where as I would put the burning plate down and take out the other plates and then come back for the burning plate, that literally made my eyes cry with pain. My partner is able to handle hot things hence he is an assistant chef, and he wouldn't be if he was averse to pain the way I am.

 

I have received some good feedback about my efforts in hospitality; I have had a supervisor recently tell me " geez you are a good worker!" when I had to take on a food serving role at event work due to the bars being shut down (where I usually work). And event work is NOT bar work - You are at a simple to use register that you can literally learn upon seeing it (only 4 types of spirit mixers, 3 types of wine, 3 types of beers and crisps and water LOL)

 

I can pour a beer and I have poured beer after beer constantly during shifts that I am not on register - and I have been on register and pouring beers at the same time at some events. Sadly, being able to pour beers isn't enough for me to get someone that is willing to employ me at a bar. I have a good knowledge of beers too. I am a beer enthusiast and love trying beers from every country I can as well as local beers and ciders.

 

 

 

 

 

I have never tried call centre work so I may not be able to sell enough things or convince enough people to give to charity (if I get he charity job on Monday),

Edited by Leigh 87
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Also - be mindful that busy Sydney CBD bars and pubs get on average, 50 resumes handed in per day.

 

There are a heck of a lot of desperate people in Sydney and in Australia, and many of them flock to bars and pubs for the chance of getting trials and hopefully, a job.

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It has no bearing on whether or not you are a nice person. What they look for is how aggressive you are on calls. If you are unable to make the targeted amount of sales they show no mercy. What you receive is a tap on the shoulder and are told you can go home.

 

I'm serious...there's no job security when you work in a call centre.

 

This is true.

The friend I spoke of, where she worked they had a board at one end of the office which had everyone's names on it and kept track of calls and sales.

Once or twice a week she would go in to find that a colleague's name had been removed. Those who were removed were not spoken of - that was one of the company rules.

 

Leigh, I think you would be better off with the retail job, you have experience in that, they sound accommodating in terms of uni and all that you have said about hard sell sales roles makes me think you would hate a call centre as hard sell is exactly what they are.

 

I work in finance and have done for over 25 years. I have done all sorts of roles along the way, accounts payable, manager of an accounts payable team of 8, finances at head office for a large retail superstore where I worked up and became a supervisor of a team of 4, I stood in as a financial accountant for the UK sector of a global company. I am not a qualified accountant so the only things I could not do in that role were sign offs but I did everything else.

In my more recent roles I have got into financial analysis as I have a knack for Excel and wanting to get to the bottom of revenue and cost discrepancies. I have to have a cast knowledge of how the whole company works, plus procedures and a good knowledge of our products so that I can spot one single sale of one single type of product where something is not right.

 

I have also worked on and off in accounts receivable.

I am absolutely not suited to accounts receivable - this is the money chasing side. The reason is exactly the same as why I could never do hard sell sales roles. It's not in my nature at all to be pushy. I have had to be when I have done accounts receivable and I simply hated it! It requires similar pushiness to that of hard sell sales roles.

From all you have said I don't think it's in your nature either and this isn't in any way intended to offend. Some people 'fit' sales and some don't.

I could do the type of retail you mention though - the children's clothing as it's interacting with people in there looking for something.

 

I think you would e a whole lot happier in that retail role.

While doing that you can keep with the courses you are doing and get up to scratch with Microsoft (MS really doesn't take a lot to get used to when getting started - plus if you don't know how to do something asked of you you can look it up online. I still do this myself. There are a tonne of instructional videos online for Excel.

Once you have that down you can then go for temp roles should you want/need to in future.

 

No one here is attempting to insult nor put you down.

The descriptions of call centres that folk are giving here really are truthful ones. My friend used to come home (she was my lodger) in tears just about every evening. She has done various sales roles and is good at them but she had never worked a call centre before and vows that she never will again.

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Leigh if you are offered the job, take it. You can still manage other interviews because call centers often have odd hours, for example they want you calling when people are actually HOME so you may work 11-7 instead of a typical 9-5 and you could interview other places before work. Likewise, if you are looking at retail, you should be able to interview with them either before or after the call center job hours since they also stay open later.

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I would rather work in retail - I have an interview this week at a kids clothing store.

 

But if I get the Job on Monday at the call centre, they will expect me to tie up my affairs and cancel other interviews. Money is money, however, is it common to last in a charity orientated call centre if you are not making HUGE amounts of sales? What if people hang up or are dead against donating to charity EVEN if you read from the script and you are great on the phone? If I were to get the Monday job at the call centre, tomorrow, I may not last more than a week or two if I am not meeting ridiculously high sales targets.

 

Or are the sales targets reasonable for charitable organisations? You make 80 calls a day, on average, exactly how many are we supposed to make sales from?

 

I have a great phone manner I have been told, as long as I am good on the phone and I am pushy, then surely the managers cannot expect me to make sales from people who ARE NOT open to donating money?

 

The retail job, on the other hand, wouldn't fire me as long as I turned up on time, was a fast enough learner and interacted well with all the customers........ Maybe I should just continue to look for retail jobs, HOWEVER; retail IS sales driven these days, even retail has KPI targets!

 

If I am successful tomorrow I will be tempted to just started working for the call centre and tough it out until March of next year, earn my 23 per hour and take home 700 a week until college.

 

I would then, of course, have to quit once Uni started.

 

At least with retail I could maintain a permanent part time role...

 

Rather than accepting the instant money of the call centre job IF it is offered to me, should I turn down instant money and be broke for possible a month or two longer while I try to find a retail driven job?

 

 

 

 

 

IDEA: how about I work the 30 hours a week at the call centre IF I get the job, and have money coming in whilst I search for a retail job????? And on my one day a week off I can use that day to schedule interviews for retail jobs? They always tend to ask what days you are free......

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Leigh if you are offered the job, take it. You can still manage other interviews because call centers often have odd hours, for example they want you calling when people are actually HOME so you may work 11-7 instead of a typical 9-5 and you could interview other places before work. Likewise, if you are looking at retail, you should be able to interview with them either before or after the call center job hours since they also stay open later.

 

 

 

I would be late for work potentially, as I live a hour and 30 mins away from the Sydney CBD as it is... attending a retail interview OUTSIDE of the CBD at 9am, finishing at 9.30 and then only having until 11 to get to work is too stressful, the train system is not the fastest.....

 

I would, however, have one day per week off as it is 30 hours a week to begin with!

 

I would interview on my days off for sure, or TRY to schedule interviews before shifts IF the interviews were located near enough to the CBD of Sydney.

 

I will be SO happy to finally have an income, believe me......

 

However, it would be nice if I could get a job that I could keep during college.....

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Leigh,

 

 

I haven't read the entire thread, but I would advise not working at a call centre.

 

 

Overall, they're not very humane places.

 

 

I know you are working very hard to succeed and build a solid life plan going forward, so it's important to be very mindful of the types of environments and people you are exposed to, if you want to keep building self-esteem and maintaining a positive attitude whereby you're in the frame of mind to make your dreams happen.

 

 

Just my 2 cents ...

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