I Don't Know If I Can Handle My Job

[Nehssa]

Hello. I am 19 years old, and I've had A LOT of troubles finding a job. I finally landed a job in a call center, and I decided to start working there since I didn't have to provide any assistance, I would only have to contact people who had work done on their car and ask them a few short questions about their experience. 

 

I assumed that most people wouldn't be aggressive if it's just a short survey, but I was pretty wrong... lol.

 

My first day was great. I got trained and the rest of my calls were mostly very friendly and easy to do. However, the second day (which was yesterday) there were A LOT of people that were rude and aggressive. Then again, maybe it was just the weekend? 

 

I'm glad that I do not have to work today, I already need some time to collect myself and relax. I'm kind of scared for Monday, because I don't know if I can handle working in this place for a long time. I guess I want some reassurance that things will be okay, and some tips on how to handle these aggressive customers and how to not take it personally. 

 

I am thankful because so far, my supervisors are kind and helpful, and so are my co-workers. I just feel a lot of anxiety after I am done working, because I seem to block out everything and focus on work (which is good), but once I got home yesterday I felt really terrible.

 

I want to keep working here. It is easy, and it isn't as bad as other call centers. It gives me good experience with communicating with people. It pays pretty well and the people I work with are great. But I don't know if I can handle everything in the long run, and I am feeling very anxious about going back on Monday already 

Edited August 9, 2015 by Nehssa

[pinkgirl22]

(((Nehssa)))

 

I feel so sorry for you. I know how it is because I've been working more than 3,5 years in retail and I hate this job. In the beginning I even liked it and I could deal with stupid/angry/aggressive people. Not anymore. But it was just 2 days so try to give it some time. You said they pay pretty well??

 

Try and hang in there. Maybe it was just weekend craziness as you said. Rest well today and think you are not alone.

 

((Hugs))

[Orso]

I haven't done this work before but I suspect that some days will be really nice like your first one where you get decent ppl but others will have the cranky, crabby, mean ppl.  idk if this is possible, but could you ask one of your coworkers that you like if they have any good tips for not taking things personally?  That's not an easy one for me either. 

I wish you much success in the new job.  You can do it!

[downNotOut]

I've never worked at a call center, but my job involves working with the public, so I think I can sympathize. My experience is that the vast majority of people I deal with are good folks and it's pleasant to work with them. Unfortunately the few that are jerks make trouble way out of proportion to their numbers. And some days it seems like I get one jerk after another. Luckily those days are pretty rare.

 

I don't really have any advice except to echo what others have said about hanging in there and giving it a real try. Any new job takes some time to adjust to, and I expect it will get easier with experience. And Orso's suggestion about talking to coworkers is a good one. They're bound to have been through the same thing. At the very least they'll be able to sympathize, and they may be able to give good advice.

[HappyBunBun]

It might usually be that people think of you as the company that they are calling. Meaning that they have misdirected anger.

 

A bad way to deal with it is to think of them as contemptible, probably. Some people that work in US government and are customer facing seem to do that. Intentionally drawing things out. Playing dumb. That sort of thing. If I were doing that, I think I would just build up a huge resentment which only hurts myself.

[Nehssa]

Thank you so much for the advice and tips, they really mean a lot to me and I think I can go back in on Monday with better confidence than before.