New job - how long to settle in?

Samanthamum

I have been a SAHM for many years and never had a job. Last week I started a job in a call centre. The staff are very nice, hours to suit, but it is VERY boring and repetitive. Also targets to meet, abuse down the phone, all for minimum wage. I really need the money, but am depressed and tired as it is so dull.

How long do I give it? I dread going in every day as the work is mind numbing, but all I could get after months of searching. I keep telling myself it is not forever and will help get me another job, but the week is dragging already! I have also been at home for 15 years so work is a shock to the system to say the least.

passatrider

I would give it a a bit longer yet as it will be a shock to the system to start with.
If after a month you still feel the same then look for something else instead.

MrsManda

Though it's boring it's your first job and therefore you need to gain the experience. First jobs at any age are likely to be boring, especially as you're used to being able manage your own time. You really need to give it at least a month, not just so you know you've given it your best shot, but perhaps more importantly, in order to future employers that you are capable of getting up every day and doing a full day's work in a working environment without giving up.
Plus the longer you stick it out, the more likely you'll get a good reference which can be important in proving you are capable of working.
Good luck, hope you settle in soon

gingerdad

I would suggest your best trying to stick it out for a couple of months and then start looking for somthing else. it is always better trying to get a job from another job and it gives you a few months recent expernice for the cv..

i know how hard that will be to sit the, worked in a number of call centres over the years some better than others. but it will keep the money coming in and give you a chance to get somthing better quicker.

hope that makes sense.

valos_mummy

Agreed, just try and stick with it for as long as you can, because it's experience on your CV. I worked at one for about a month, dull as dishwater and people getting shirty down the phone. The only good thing was it was for a drinks company, so there was a lot of lovely hot drink choices, which were free and plentiful!

Mudd14

I normally wait at least 1-2 months before deciding.

horsechestnut

I worked in a call centre for over 2 years! I could put up with the boring bit, it was the rudeness and abuse on the other end of the line that got to me.
I was very well qualified and it was the only thing that I could get at the time, having been made redundant. Despite my qualifications, I took another part time course whilst I was working there ( I used the whole of my annual leave, one day a week for term time.)
Yes it did take 2 years for me to find another job, but I then stayed in that for 10 years, until I retired.
Can you also do part-time studying to widen your choice?

grastgirl

Have you got a probabation period? It should give you an indication of how long they think they need to be sure about you, and therefore how long you should give it.

To be honest, horrible as it sounds, I'd have thought at least three months would be the minimum. It will probably take about a month before you get used to the routine (think about how your kids were when they started school/nursery), then you can start thinking about your next move.

Errata

OP - it seems that your main problem is the boredom of it all. You'll have to accept that, in the same way as people in the past who did factory work were bored to death by it.
Tough it out - accept that it's boring, and spend some time doing some hard thinking about how you can use it as an opportunity to further develop your analytic, people and conflict resolution skills and what you can learn on the job which will get you a job that you want - if you know which job would tick most of the boxes. No job will tick them all, and all jobs have boring areas and periods.

preciousb

I have a similar issue with my line of work. Just started recently. 4 days to be precise. I was a student before so really only did the 1 day part time job etc. So i havent had any proper real experience or worked full 8 hour days.

But i just started, so far feel uneasy with the job, mixing with new people, settling into a new routine. It feels like the first few days at a new school.

But everyone ive spoke to has told me to man up and just deal with it. Its life lol. So therefore i have just forced myself to go in everyday. The hope is i will stop getting bored and start to accept its a routine. Later on after gaining some experience, i will apply for something else. I am hoping to last in this job for atleast a year.

getmore4less

Identify the key to being succesfull.

Is any one doing well and what makes them succsessfull.

If this is just min wage and no bonus what's the next move?

Where are people moving to?

Make friends(even if you don't realy like them), when they move on networking is another way to get your next job(referal bonus can help).