one of my thousand four jobs is a caller for the phonathon here at school.
we call alumni and friends of the college to raise money for the Roberts Fund, which gives scholarships to students to help them afford to come here.
and let me tell you.
when i first started last year, i was not too excited about calling and asking for money.
i know how my parents are with telemarketers [sassy], so i assumed that pretty much everyone i called would be the same way.
i was prepared to be hung up on at least every other phone call.
but thankfully, this is not the case at all.
this job has ended up being one of the most fun jobs i've ever had.
a) we start out the night with games and snacks. who wouldn't love that?
and b) most people i call are so sweet! i'm not allowed to share specifics, but i've had so many conversations with elderly people who just love hearing from us. they get so excited to have a conversation with someone who will listen, and it's even better that we're students from here.
they ask about my major and my plans for life, my hopes, and dreams, and goals, and then go on to tell me all about their time here at Roberts and the crazy things they did and how they met their spouse here and are still married and so in love, 50 or 60 years later.
i talked to a woman last night who was 94 and her parents fell in love at Roberts, had a bunch of babies, and the whole rest of the family tree has come here since.
that's not to say i don't get hung up on once or twice a night.
but who cares.
i call them back and go "i'm sorry, we must have gotten disconnected" and listen to them try to b.s their way out of it on the other end of the line.
i guess the point of this post is to say be nice to the telemarketers who call.
you can still tell them no, and be firm if you have to, but be respectful.
ask a little about their story or their day and you'll probably make their night.
the other point is that old people have awesome stories.
that is all.
-wildchild
they ask about my major and my plans for life, my hopes, and dreams, and goals, and then go on to tell me all about their time here at Roberts and the crazy things they did and how they met their spouse here and are still married and so in love, 50 or 60 years later.
i talked to a woman last night who was 94 and her parents fell in love at Roberts, had a bunch of babies, and the whole rest of the family tree has come here since.
that's not to say i don't get hung up on once or twice a night.
but who cares.
i call them back and go "i'm sorry, we must have gotten disconnected" and listen to them try to b.s their way out of it on the other end of the line.
i guess the point of this post is to say be nice to the telemarketers who call.
you can still tell them no, and be firm if you have to, but be respectful.
ask a little about their story or their day and you'll probably make their night.
the other point is that old people have awesome stories.
that is all.
-wildchild
2 comments:
i was a telemarketer for the metropolitan opera when i graduated college and i was the worst at it! the worst! i love that you call people back after they've hung up on you--that's boss. and yes. i just said boss.
That's so interesting! To be honest, I never thought there might be someone who wanted to talk to telemarketers (no offense). I love how sometimes the most unexpected jobs will turn out to be the most interesting! :)
-giedre
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