NationStates Jolt Archive


Do you ever get the feeling...

Dakini
19-06-2006, 17:01
that you're horribly not suited to your job?

Right now I have a job calling people and getting them to do surveys over the phone. A lot of people seem to assume that I'm selling them things even after hearing my speil and insisting that I'm not selling them anything or asking for money. I'm also not really pushy enough to really insist that they participate.

Oh well, only nine more weeks.
Cannot think of a name
19-06-2006, 17:06
that you're horribly not suited to your job?

Right now I have a job calling people and getting them to do surveys over the phone. A lot of people seem to assume that I'm selling them things even after hearing my speil and insisting that I'm not selling them anything or asking for money. I'm also not really pushy enough to really insist that they participate.

Oh well, only nine more weeks.
I did that once. You can take comfort in knowing that not being suited for that job is a good thing. It also taught me to really really question survey results unless I can see the questions taken and the sampling method.

The problem with telling them that you're not selling anything is that salesmen say the same thing, only you're not lying.

I ended up having my own little survey going based on how people reacted to the survey. It gave me a not so great impression of New Jersey, but that's only of the people who where home in the mid afternoon and would put up with a survey about voter initiative system.

My favorite survey was the one that was designed to create support for not relocating displaced mountain lions.
Dakini
19-06-2006, 17:12
I'm polling people all over the US, I've found that half my list for Pennsylvania is populated with very nice people and the other half are all assholes. People in California are never home in the morning it seems, but when they are they're nice and will do the survey if they have the time.

I also think that my favourite people to call are the older men who are retired. One guy was all excited to be talking to a canadian and was on about how he made trips to Ottawa and Toronto and how nice they were.

I dunno, I don't see why people have to be so rude about it, some people who don't want to take the poll are nice, they'll say "no thank you" but other people just hang up on me.
The Nazz
19-06-2006, 17:12
I tried sales for a while--did okay with electronics, but not so good with insurance and cars. Didn't have the stomach for it. Honesty was not the primary concern at either the dealership or the agency I worked for, so I didn't fit in very well. On the plus side, I went back to the warehouse as a result, where I injured my shoulder, went to the doc and then to college (since I wasn't qualified for much else), and it's been all uphill ever since then.
WangWee
19-06-2006, 17:14
that you're horribly not suited to your job?

Right now I have a job calling people and getting them to do surveys over the phone. A lot of people seem to assume that I'm selling them things even after hearing my speil and insisting that I'm not selling them anything or asking for money. I'm also not really pushy enough to really insist that they participate.

Oh well, only nine more weeks.

If you were suited to that job you'd be a total wanker...
Cannot think of a name
19-06-2006, 17:18
I'm polling people all over the US, I've found that half my list for Pennsylvania is populated with very nice people and the other half are all assholes. People in California are never home in the morning it seems, but when they are they're nice and will do the survey if they have the time.

I also think that my favourite people to call are the older men who are retired. One guy was all excited to be talking to a canadian and was on about how he made trips to Ottawa and Toronto and how nice they were.

I dunno, I don't see why people have to be so rude about it, some people who don't want to take the poll are nice, they'll say "no thank you" but other people just hang up on me.
If you're calling us (California) too early in your morning then it's really early in our morning. Nothing good comes from a call that early (actually, a total lie. The only reason I'm even up right now at 9am is I got a call for work, at a racetrack, yay me!).

The old dudes are the greatest, male of female. I would end up talking to them off topic until it became obvious I was doing that and had to curb it down. Wisconsin seemed like it was full of nice people, which has held true from all the people I've actually met from there. I'm starting to get a kind of warm spot for that place because everyone I encounter from there is 'good people.' That state might be where that concept came from, I don't know.
Cannot think of a name
19-06-2006, 17:21
I tried sales for a while--did okay with electronics, but not so good with insurance and cars. Didn't have the stomach for it. Honesty was not the primary concern at either the dealership or the agency I worked for, so I didn't fit in very well. On the plus side, I went back to the warehouse as a result, where I injured my shoulder, went to the doc and then to college (since I wasn't qualified for much else), and it's been all uphill ever since then.
I got hired to sell cars but ultimately didn't show up on the first day. I was going to sell Mazdas and thought I'd do it until I could afford the new RX-7 turbo that had just come out. I think ultimately I decided that my soul was perhaps worth a little more than a Japanese sports car, no matter how cool it was.

Though I probably could sell VWs like crazy.
Eutrusca
19-06-2006, 17:22
that you're horribly not suited to your job?

Right now I have a job calling people and getting them to do surveys over the phone. A lot of people seem to assume that I'm selling them things even after hearing my speil and insisting that I'm not selling them anything or asking for money. I'm also not really pushy enough to really insist that they participate.

Oh well, only nine more weeks.
I'm perfectly suited to my current job! :D
Whereyouthinkyougoing
19-06-2006, 17:23
My roommate in the US had had a job like that selling National Geographic videos. His favourite people to call were actually Canadians - he said they were all polite and interested and actually kind of delighted that he called and offered them such a good deal.

Of course, that was a good ten years ago, so by now Canadians are probably just as inundated with telemarketers as the Americans and hate them just as much.
Cluichstan
19-06-2006, 17:26
If you were suited to that job you'd be a total wanker...

You've got a thing about wanking (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=488272), I see... :p
Pure Metal
19-06-2006, 17:30
tried cold-calling for an org called AIESEC, an international student body trying to get work placements for other chapters around the world.

i sucked. so bad :P

only did it once or twice a week for a semester though
Kanabia
19-06-2006, 17:33
Yep. Every time I work. :p
WangWee
19-06-2006, 17:40
You've got a thing about wanking (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=488272), I see... :p

It's the internet, what do you expect?
Cluichstan
19-06-2006, 17:47
It's the internet, what do you expect?

Why, more of it, of course! :D
Dakini
19-06-2006, 17:50
If you're calling us (California) too early in your morning then it's really early in our morning. Nothing good comes from a call that early (actually, a total lie. The only reason I'm even up right now at 9am is I got a call for work, at a racetrack, yay me!).
Oh no, I don't start to call California until at least noon (in this timezone) so it's 9 am or later when they start to hear from me.

The old dudes are the greatest, male of female. I would end up talking to them off topic until it became obvious I was doing that and had to curb it down. Wisconsin seemed like it was full of nice people, which has held true from all the people I've actually met from there. I'm starting to get a kind of warm spot for that place because everyone I encounter from there is 'good people.' That state might be where that concept came from, I don't know.
Hmm... well, next time I can get some new places to call I'll see if I can get any Wisconsin people then.
Dakini
19-06-2006, 17:53
My roommate in the US had had a job like that selling National Geographic videos. His favourite people to call were actually Canadians - he said they were all polite and interested and actually kind of delighted that he called and offered them such a good deal.

Of course, that was a good ten years ago, so by now Canadians are probably just as inundated with telemarketers as the Americans and hate them just as much.
Well, I'm inundated with telemarketers, but I'm still polite to them. I usually let them do their speil and wait for them to pause before I tell them that I'm broke and can't buy anything. However, politeness has its downfall when it comes to really pushy charities. If I have one more person try to give me a guilt trip for not wanting to spend $100 I don't have to feed starving african children I may have to kick some ass.
The Nazz
19-06-2006, 17:57
Well, I'm inundated with telemarketers, but I'm still polite to them. I usually let them do their speil and wait for them to pause before I tell them that I'm broke and can't buy anything. However, politeness has its downfall when it comes to really pushy charities. If I have one more person try to give me a guilt trip for not wanting to spend $100 I don't have to feed starving african children I may have to kick some ass.
And that is why the answering machine will always be superior to voice mail. ;)