Q I’ve noticed lots of job postings for telemarketers that promise high income. Are these jobs for real? I’ve got strong sales experience, but what else do these firms look for in applicants?
A Strong stamina, thick skins and no conscience. OK, perhaps that last trait doesn’t apply to every telemarketer — just the ones who scam unsuspecting victims out of money. And that’s BIG business.
But let’s start with the reputable firms. Telemarketing is just another term for telephone sales. Whatever product or service you’re selling, it’s a difficult business. Just think about how telemarketers are often treated by people who get calls at their homes. Usually what they’re selling is about as desirable as another season of misery watching the Knicks, and you can’t get them off the phone without having to be rude and hanging up (sorry about that, Ma). But telemarketers are trained for this, so they sit at a desk with a list of names and numbers and drill through them until they finally hit upon someone who’s interested.
As for qualifications, any type of sales background is enough to merit consideration, because turnover tends to be high and compensation is generally based partly if not wholly on commission. If you’re going to pursue a telemarketing job, just be wary. The industry is filled with scam artists promising to fix people’s credit, reduce their debt, send them on free vacations or provide other products and services that either don’t exist or aren’t what they claim. And working for one of these disreputable firms is no way to make a living.
Q My co-worker is driving me insane. Every time she opens her mouth she utters a hackneyed phrase. If I hear “The bottom line is . . . ” one more time, I’m going to lose it. Or “go postal,” as she would say. Help!
A To be perfectly honest, at this moment in time I personally feel sympatico with you. However, regardless of how annoying it can be, at the end of the day you need to help your colleague raise the bar. Going forward, you need to step up to the plate, to think outside the box, to take your game to a whole new level. If she’s a friend, she’ll appreciate your taking action sooner rather than later, and the two of you can land on the same page. If not, well, the bottom line is, you’ll just have to deal with it — it is what it is.