Testimonials From A Telemarketer

By Erin Lin on June 25, 2014

Yes, I am that girl.

The one who calls you while you’re in the middle of driving or having dinner with your wife and kids. Or maybe you were just lying on the couch enjoying a bag of chips while watching the new episode of “Game of Thrones.”

You fumble for your phone and utter that familiar “hello?” with a mix of politeness, yet hesitation.

And then you hear it.

“Hello, Mr. Bernard. My name is Erin and I’m a student calling on behalf of the University of Illinois. Just to let you know-”

*click*

You hang up and toss your phone aside and continue to whatever it is you’re doing without having any second thoughts about the person you just hung up on.

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Yes, as I stated before, I am that annoying, bothersome, inconsiderate beggar that people commonly associate with the name telemarketer.

And I suppose you’re thinking, well why in the world do I care about what a telemarketer wants to say about their job? All they do is pester you for your hard earned money.

Like that cliche statement says, there’s always two sides to every story and honey, a telemarketer’s story is far from just begging.

To you, we are the random calls, the unnecessarily enthusiastic people on the phone, the sneaky little thieves that waste your time and eye your wallet. From your viewpoint, we call you and bother you and ruin your day and your mood.

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Now I am by no means trying to complain and whine about my job, because let’s face it, not everyone’s occupation is a walk in the park.

But there are misconceptions about this job that people can only see from their point of view. Very rarely do you hear someone pity or think about what it is like to be eighteen years old while sitting in a calling room for hours on end and getting yelled or cussed at by 30, 40-year-old alumni. In my case, I am a student telemarketer, but this also applies for those who rely on this as an actual career.

So to clear some things up, we are not overly ecstatic people nor are we thieves that steal your money. At the end of the day, it is a job and we are people just doing what we have to do for a living.

We are still very much human and even though we try incredibly hard to develop a thick skin, sometimes getting hung up on stings and sometimes hearing the tone of a very angry, rude alumni can leave a pain in your chest.

And on those off days, sometimes the lack of respect and impatience you receive day in and day out can truly leave a mark on your mood.

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Being someone that nobody likes and calling people that absolutely want nothing to do with you is hard to accept, but there are some other things that people don’t realize about being a telemarketer.

Out of those two hundred people you call in a day, you might just meet that one person who is kind enough to talk to you and establish a connection with you about their undergraduate days and laugh with someone they will never meet and listen to someone they will never have a chance to talk to again.

For a couple glorious minutes, you will realize yet again that there are still people who act like human beings; you begin to see that no matter how many off calls you make and how many rude men and women pick up, there will always be one that is willing to put the money talk aside and treat you like an equal who is worth their time and their patience.

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I have heard stories from 80-year-old alumni who are so lonely that for them, someone who is willing to ask them about their college years and what they are doing now in retirement is more human contact than they get in a day.

I have heard stories about the World Wars, their path to success, the death of their loved ones, the passion for their careers and words of encouragement and support from a stranger to an upcoming sophomore in college.

So yes, I am a telemarketer and I suppose no matter how much I try to sweet talk it, I will forever be known as a beggar.

But even in rags and a looked-down-upon reputation, I am able to see and experience the world and its people for what they are.

 

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