# I'm glad to be back in the workforce, and... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 15, 2012, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763 "2012-09-15T04:21:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/21 "2012-09-15T18:16:57Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > 1. I am happy to place you on the Do Not Call list and have already figured a way around how you could still get calls for the next thirty days while your request wends its way through channels. After all, I do not wish to speak with you ever again, either. There is no need to swear at me while I read the legalese I am required to read. What you can do is hang up while I finish reading it for the benefit of our legal department, but I guess some people just like to bitch. If you didn’t make the call in the first place, the annoyee wouldn’t need to swear at you. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/22 "2012-09-15T18:20:21Z")
> [@](#): > Sorry there are so many jerks in here, **dropzone**. Good luck in keeping your cool until you can find a better job. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/23 "2012-09-15T18:43:15Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > Sorry there are so many jerks in here, **dropzone**. Good luck in keeping your cool until you can find a better job. **dropzone** would have been fine if he had just opted to fly under the radar. He could have said his job was Elephant Dung Analysis specialist, temporary assistant to Al-Qaeda, home repossessor, Gitmo Torture Advisor…anything better than a telemarketer and we would have focused on the content of the OP. ---
**Author:** ![MrBerious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MrBerious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrBerious)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/24 "2012-09-15T19:38:36Z")
You know you’re in for a fun ride when **Omg a Black Conservative** is the voice of reason reply to a pit thread! ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/25 "2012-09-15T19:55:21Z")
The next time “Rachael” from cardholder services calls, I’ve got my wife’s whistle ready to blow. Lately we’ve been getting calls about twice a week at dinner time. The phone IDs the number (last night’s was (971) 213-1942) as “Financial Ctr”. [http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-971-213-1942](http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-971-213-1942) Yes, I’m on the do not call list, but I think these scumbags look for people on the list just because they may be more vulnerable. Sorry your job has been made tougher by these criminals. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/26 "2012-09-15T20:08:32Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > And if you’re referring to flirting with co-workers, don’t they make telemarketer pay too, and so shouldn’t be above getting involved with fellow employees? They are flirting with coworkers who are paying the bills before they marry MUCH better than these clowns but who are flirting back to pass the time so there are TWO people not working. My friends, **OMG** is right (and you can frame that rare agreement, **OMG**!). I have been out of nearly any form of work since December 2010. Prior to that I had jobs with companies that were heavily affected by the bad economy, and my last job that did not have me on contract ended nearly five years ago. At that time I was paid over three times what I am making now, but as the economy and culture rejigger I am thrilled to have a job. Any job. My unemployment insurance ran out ages ago. My wife is working in customer service and could write a book describing the abuse she endures every day for ten bucks an hour. One daughter is disabled enough to not really be employable except by a company that is understanding about her mild retardation and occasional seizures. You know: nobody. On the other hand, she is not disabled enough to qualify for disability. Her sister works parttime at Subway and makes just enough that we don’t qualify for food stamps. I am not a woman with small children so I do not qualify for Welfare or Medicaid. I grabbed the first job that was offered, but will be out of here like a shot if anything else opens up. I owe that to my bills. I do not love this job, but I am determined to make the best of my time at it. I owe that to my employer. Maybe not two weeks’ notice, but hard work until 5:00, when I hope someday soon to say, “I shan’t be in tomorrow.” And I want to reiterate that I am not going through the phone book selling aluminum siding to apartment dwellers. These are current customers who accepted an agreement that stated we will occasionally contact them with special offers, and that is why the Do Not Call Registry does not block my calls until I put them on it. But all they have to do is say “no thank you” and hang up. If they say it and do not hang up I am required to continue my pitch. This is an annoyance to both of us because I know it is probably a waste of my time. However, sometimes they change their minds and I make a sale, so it can be to both of our advantage if I do not hang up first. This also points out the value of caller ID. Whether our name or all zeroes comes up, they have the choice of answering the phone or not. And if they choose not to they can lift and drop the receiver to break the connection. There is no need to set the handset aside so I can listen to their birds. The laugh will be on them when the birds learn to say, “Hello, may I speak with Mr Jones? Mr Jones? Hello, is Mr Jones there?” every morning at sunrise. Birds are sadistic like that. Finally, I am very happy for all of you who express your hatred of telemarketers and who would rather die than work as one. This means that you have never yet been in such desperate straits that you will do anything to support your families. I hope you can continue that for the rest of your lives, but ask that you dial back the hate. You have the Do Not Call Registry. You get far fewer telemarketin calls than you once did. You won. But remember that you may end up in the cubicle next to mine. Sit down, shut up, make the best of it, and count your fucking blessings you have a job. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/27 "2012-09-15T20:16:35Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > The next time “Rachael” from cardholder services calls, I’ve got my wife’s whistle ready to blow. Lately we’ve been getting calls about twice a week at dinner time. The phone IDs the number (last night’s was (971) 213-1942) as “Financial Ctr”. |I am curious why you would even take that call. It is obvious that it is from a telemarketer. Before I started this job I would have thought that the whistle was unnecessarily cruel treatment for some poor sap who is just doing her job, since it is her bosses that are the criminals creating the lead list. After only a week of hearing weird shit on the phone lines, including calls to Canada and the UK, I wonder if “Rachael” will even notice it. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/28 "2012-09-15T20:34:22Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > |I am curious why you would even take that call. It is obvious that it is from a telemarketer. I usually don’t take it. I let it ring through to the answering machine. But I have to stop my wife from picking it up - she has a phone-answering tropism. But I’ve decided to fight back with physical abuse. There was one victim at the link who was using one of those loud air horns. That sounds like much more fun than merely letting it ring. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/29 "2012-09-15T21:43:39Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > I usually don’t take it. I let it ring through to the answering machine. But I have to stop my wife from picking it up - she has a phone-answering tropism. > > But I’ve decided to fight back with physical abuse. There was one victim at the link who was using one of those loud air horns. That sounds like much more fun than merely letting it ring. Just to point out that that is almost certainly illegal, the call will almost certainly be recorded, and if they have your phone number they can probably track you down fairly easily. Not that I dislike the _idea_ of doing that to cold callers, but I’m not sure it’s worth a prison sentence. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/30 "2012-09-16T02:20:29Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > …I know that the well has been poisoned against telemarketers, often because of the actions of some telemarketers. I understand your dilemma, but I could never be a telemarketer, never in a million years. Telemarketers have poisoned the well against my job too. I’m the exact opposite of a telemarketer. I recruit for PAID Focus Groups and PAID research studies. If I’m calling you it’s because I want to _give_ you money for your opinions. If we’re calling from our database, people who have signed up with us to be notified of studies they might qualify for, it’s ok, they know us. That’s 90% of our calls thank goodness. But there are times we have to do cold calls, if the demographic is so specific we don’t have many or any in our database. Those are not fun. Practically the first words out of my mouth are “I’m not selling anything” or “This is not a sales call” but a lot of times I don’t even get that far. At least most of them just hang up or politely say “I’m not interested” before hanging up. I don’t get berated often and only once have had a horn in my ear. I just think to myself (never out loud) “That’s too bad, you might have just missed out on $250 by not giving me a chance to tell you why I’m calling” and go on to the next person. The only time I’m really offended is when it’s people other than the people I’m trying to reach who say “They wouldn’t be interested” and hang up. Excuse me, you just turned down maybe hundreds of dollars meant for someone else, without even asking them? Woah. I always think to myself (never out loud) “Hmm, I hope somebody sometime turns down money on your behalf without asking you first.” I love what I do. It’s not always easy, but it’s fun to give money away. I love it love it love it when people qualify and I sign them up. Sometimes they’re in-person focus groups, sometimes they’re telephone interviews, sometimes they’re internet interviews. In all cases, they get paid for giving their opinions. I like being part of that. Just so people know that “Marketing” calls are not always from people who want to take your money. Btw, surveys and paid focus group/research studies are not covered under the Do Not Call list. ---
**Author:** ![al27052](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@al27052](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/al27052)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/31 "2012-09-16T02:28:37Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > I understand your dilemma, but I could never be a telemarketer, never in a million years. Telemarketers have poisoned the well against my job too. I’m the exact opposite of a telemarketer. I recruit for PAID Focus Groups and PAID research studies. If I’m calling you it’s because I want to _give_ you money for your opinions. > > If we’re calling from our database, people who have signed up with us to be notified of studies they might qualify for, it’s ok, they know us. That’s 90% of our calls thank goodness. But there are times we have to do cold calls, if the demographic is so specific we don’t have many or any in our database. Those are not fun. Practically the first words out of my mouth are “I’m not selling anything” or “This is not a sales call” but a lot of times I don’t even get that far. At least most of them just hang up or politely say “I’m not interested” before hanging up. I don’t get berated often and only once have had a horn in my ear. I just think to myself (never out loud) “That’s too bad, you might have just missed out on $250 by not giving me a chance to tell you why I’m calling” and go on to the next person. The only time I’m really offended is when it’s people other than the people I’m trying to reach who say “They wouldn’t be interested” and hang up. Excuse me, you just turned down maybe hundreds of dollars meant for someone else, without even asking them? Woah. I always think to myself (never out loud) “Hmm, I hope somebody sometime turns down money on your behalf without asking you first.” > > I love what I do. It’s not always easy, but it’s fun to give money away. I love it love it love it when people qualify and I sign them up. Sometimes they’re in-person focus groups, sometimes they’re telephone interviews, sometimes they’re internet interviews. In all cases, they get paid for giving their opinions. I like being part of that. > > Just so people know that “Marketing” calls are not always from people who want to take your money. > > Btw, surveys and paid focus group/research studies are not covered under the Do Not Call list. I used to do this. The pay pretty well sucked. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/32 "2012-09-16T02:42:42Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > I love it love it love it when people qualify and I sign them up. As I have never qualified–and I can hear the disappointed tone in the caller’s voice–I hate you right back. Given that you are from around these parts I will assume you are one of the people disappointed that I did not purchase aluminum siding during the past six months. 😃 Really, with specifics like that I felt extra sorry for the person who called. > [@](#): > > Btw, surveys and paid focus group/research studies are not covered under the Do Not Call list. We call for various major charities, which are also not covered. At least they are charities most people have heard of, but I would still feel uncomfortable asking for credit card numbers over the phone. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/33 "2012-09-16T02:54:16Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > As I have never qualified–and I can hear the disappointed tone in the caller’s voice–I hate you right back. 😕 I never said I hated you. I said I could never do what you do. My heart goes out to you because I couldn’t do it. I don’t have the steel. As far as not qualifying, you’re hardly alone. Oftentimes it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack to fill the requirements of a study. > [@dropzone](#): > > Given that you are from around these parts I will assume you are one of the people disappointed that I did not purchase aluminum siding during the past six months. What are you talking about? I just said I don’t sell anything. And yeah **al27052** , the pay is not great, but it beats a thousand other jobs where the pay is just as bad but working conditions are worse. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/34 "2012-09-16T03:11:49Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Just to point out that that is almost certainly illegal, the call will almost certainly be recorded, and if they have your phone number they can probably track you down fairly easily. > > Not that I dislike the _idea_ of doing that to cold callers, but I’m not sure it’s worth a prison sentence. Sounding an air horn into a phone could get you sent to prison??? ---
**Author:** ![Beastly\_Rotter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@Beastly\_Rotter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beastly_Rotter)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/35 "2012-09-16T03:26:50Z")
What are you wearing? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/36 "2012-09-16T03:29:00Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > 😕 I never said I hated you. I said I could never do what you do. My heart goes out to you because I couldn’t do it. I don’t have the steel. I WAS JOKING! NOTE THE BIGASSED GRIN I FOLLOWED IT ALL WITH. But you were complaining about how salesoids like me made your job harder and I was riffing on that. > [@](#): > > What are you talking about? I just said I don’t sell anything. Not having installed siding recently was why I didn’t qualify to make money with my opinions. Perhaps I was not clear. But I am just the person you want doing those surveys because I can pretend convincingly that I did get siding and, though I will deny it, I have an opinion about everything. A fully considered, deeply held opinion that I am glad to put forth. Just be sure that you give me little time and space to express it because my opinion will likely change to an opposite fully considered, deeply held opinion if I talk or write for too long. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/37 "2012-09-16T03:43:05Z")
I don’t get rude to telemarkerters. I just hit the end button. I’ve never had to do that job, I managed to find a job cleaning toilets instead. Those people on the other end of the call are only doing it because they can’t get a job cleaning toilets. I feel sorry for them. **dropzone** , I hope that you get a better job soon. I don’t hate you, I just don’t want to talk to you. If you call, I will check my caller ID and not pick up the call. I kinda figure that if its important, you will leave me a message. No message, no call back. **Equipoise** , I’d love to be in your surveys…but if you just cold call me…it will go to voice mail. I like doing telling people my opinions. Give me a PM and I will pay attention because there is a big difference between cold calls and an inventation to communication. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/38 "2012-09-16T03:59:42Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > .. > 2. I know the call shows up on your caller ID as a bunch of zeros rather than our company name. We are trying to fix that, but it is taking surprisingly long. . No, they are not “trying to fix that”. They are lying to you. You are lying then to your customers. Why not try sign twirling? Fresh air, excerise, the ability to look yourself in the mirror again… ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/39 "2012-09-16T04:10:27Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > **dropzone** , I hope that you get a better job soon. I don’t hate you, I just don’t want to talk to you. If you call, I will check my caller ID and not pick up the call. I kinda figure that if its important, you will leave me a message. No message, no call back. It would be better if you answered the phone, said you weren’t interested, and hung up. Then we won’t call back for three months. If I get an answering machine we’ll call back tomorrow. If i am calling you then you are a subscriber who has agreed to us calling you. > [@](#): > > Those people on the other end of the call are only doing it because they can’t get a job cleaning toilets. That is really uncalled for and you have a very counterproductive and childish attitude toward the value of time in the telemarketing trenches. I have been passed over for real inside sales jobs, the kind where you build up a customer base and they start calling _you_ and you get insurance and real money, because I don’t have enough experience making cold calls. Cleaning toilets would be no advantage in those cases and could mark you as a person who was too inept to get a job in telemarketing. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763/40 "2012-09-16T04:19:09Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > It’s easy to be careless with superlatives, but I assure you that I’m not being glib when I say that this is hands-down the dumbest thing you’ve said since joining the board. Not at all. Again, I’ve done telemarketing before. Depending on what the telemarketer is offering and who they’re working for, you can actually get products or services which can save you hundreds of dollars a year. It always amused me when I would call people and the first thing they say is “Not interested”. ETA\> In fact, the one thing I learned by being a telemarketer is that 99% of the consumer population is stupid. Far too many people think they know something when, in fact, they know nothing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-glad-to-be-back-in-the-workforce-and/634763.md?page=3)