A Job!

I got a job! I am an education consultant. I sit at a computer with a headset on for four hours waiting for the phone to dial people who put their information on an education site in hopes of going back to school. I am a telemarketer-type person who confirms their information that would clear them to talk to schools about enrollment. "Are you a U.S. citizen? Are you at least 18? Have you graduated high school or obtained a GED? Are you currently enrolled in school?" etc. However, most of the time I get answering machines or they had no idea they clicked a button to go back to school, they were just applying for jobs, or it' s a high school kid, etc.

Then when I get a "sale" or whatever you call it when I get a person all the way through the process of applying to the schools I get numbers written by my name on the white board. Sometimes one of my bosses will write a fun hang man trivia on the board and when you hit a certain number, you get to guess a letter. They also serve us lunch/pizza on Fridays. Overall it's a pretty easy and chill job, where time actually goes by fast. I can also study in between calls when its slow. The only cons to this job are 1) sometimes I get yelled at by grouchy old people who cuss at me and 2) I am supposed to be hitting a quota of 2.5 applications/sales an hour, or at least 8 a shift. I'm on a three week probation/trial period right now, but if I don't get the numbers I need, I could get fired. Which is why I even got this job in the first place, is because people got fired. Right now, I have worked three days on the phone and got 5 the first day, 6 the second day, and only 2 today. However, people who have been there longer typically do better, so I think I will eventually get more confident and persuasive and do better. Plus part of it is luck in getting people who are actually wanting to go to college and not get a job.

This job really has opened my eyes to how sad the economy is right now. So many people just start giving me a sob story about how there is no way they can go to school right now, because they need a job first to even pay rent, or their spouse answers the phone and says they are out looking for jobs and they don't know when they will be back. The moments that really make this job is when I talk to people who honestly want my help because they are looking to better their life and further their education, like when I talk to single stressed moms who just thank me over and over for helping them get set up with online schools. Also, if I ever talk to a telemarketer real person again, I will never be rude again...especially cause sometimes that just means you get put back on the "call back tomorrow" list if you just hang up without asking to be taken off the list ;)

We will see in three weeks if I still have this job! Wish me luck cause I hate hunting for jobs and this pays $9 an hour, 20 hours a week, which is more than I hoped for.