Is working for a call centre in your mid thirties a failure?

asajj

year-zero wrote: »

Thanks for all the positive replies. I wasn't expecting them to be honest, there are lots of good points.

But seriously, in the real world, it is considered a bit of a loser job. This really is my impression of it.

- Your accomplishments are treated as "team effort", not as your work as an individual.
- Other departments avoid you unless they've got an angry customer to transfer to you.
- Important changes happen, but you are the last to know.
- You are treated like a chronically disobedient child.
- Customers snigger when you go through the mandatory phone script. (Not in a nice way)
- You are constantly clearing up others' mistakes.
- Your desk position and team alignment change every 2-3 months.
- Everyone around you is obsessed with status.
- The people around you talk openly about drugs, partying, and casual sex, despite being 40-plus.
- The same 40-plus people will habitually pull in sickies.
- People outside work consider you a flake.
- You look in the mirror and think "really?"

The stigma of working for a call centre is very real. People just flat out think you are an idiot and a loser. I've worked here for 2 years, but it's still really uncomfortable to live with working this job.

Well, half of these at least available in "real job" environment too :P
Do you like working there? If you are happy working there, it is no one's business to tell you that it is not a real job.

I worked at call center when I was young, after finishing uni. I didn't think to stay there for long but I didn't think it was a losers job either. I didn't have parents to back me up financially or emotionally so I had to work and support myself. If I stayed there till the mid 30s, I might feel the same as you, I don't know that.What I know is that it is not too late to change it.

paddyrg

People who judge your character by your job don't have worthwhile opinions. Should we call people who clean streets for instance second class because they provide a valuable public service? Of course not. Anyone who tries to make you feel insecure about where you work is themselves insecure about their own job/worth, I guarantee it. F@$% them. Really, who cares? You get up, go to a job, earn money, pay your bills, pay your taxes, there is nothing to argue against.

If YOU are bored/unhappy in the job, that's different, and you can start thinking about options from the stability of an existing job. But really nobody adult should even question, let alone snark about your work - simply none of their business

xapprenticex

I think we can all agree that op is not happy with his job.

OP get your lyfe-rite then come back and update us.

/thread

System

I have worked in call centres when I was 21-27 - with about 18 months - 2 years gap in that period. Most colleagues were of that above age range - so when I was 26, I had 21 year old colleagues. Though I did see the odd person my age (36) and above.

I have been debating should I go back to call centre work at my age. The problem with call centres, they have such a high staff turnover. One CC I worked for, there were 24 of us that started together and trained in two groups. I left there 19 months later and I would say, out of the other 23, there were just 3 or 4 left. Then there many call centres have a young 'vibe' about them.

There are still CC staff in their 30s plus as when I have rang various call centres - I have spoken to over 30s. They make comments, such as 'just 2 years older than me' when stating my DOB etc.

There are positives and negatives with call centre working. Some customers, thought as because they cannot see us, they have every right to be abusive. Then we had to give them warnings to tone down their language then on the 3rd warning, the call was terminated. I wish I could dispose of the few abusive customers at my work (retail) as only security or managers can throw out abusive customers.

Some older customers prefer to speak to a more mature voice as they feel more confident about it.

There is a bank call centre I would like to work for, but one in 6 weeks, they ask their staff to do a 10pm finish. There is a car park there, but a waiting list. I don't apply for that because of that week as I am worried I will miss the bus, staying outside for 25 mins, that time of day, esp winter, isn't wonderful - no public car park for 10 min walk away either.