Boredom in work?

[Zjuggernaut]

I work in a call centre in claims management regarding the likes of PPI, credit agreements, loans, that kind of stuff and quite frankly.. When I enter the building I enter a time warp so every minute feels like 10. I know a lot of people don't like their jobs and it's not meant to be exciting but I'd like ideas in how to keep myself a little more enthusiastic about my work.

So far I've been told to set personal objectives to keep myself going which I'll try out tomorrow but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to stay entertained long enough so I don't feel like dying in my chair.

 

[Gikoku]

Stop looking at the clock.

Bring something interesting to read if it's allowed so you can have something to pass the time when you're not doing anything. You can also feel free to stare at women's assets when they're around, kills a few seconds.

Personally, I prefer jobs where I'm often moving on my feet as opposed to sitting around all day, time moves much quicker (especially on busy days) when I'm in those jobs for some reason. Not to mention if I get to talking with a customer who is not only fun to talk to, but also isn't an airhead, time ends up flying by.

 

[Zjuggernaut]

I usually avoid looking at the clock.. But there's 3 clocks within 15 feet of me. I want a job where I start and finish earlier (I'm 10-6:30) and I'm up and about. But beggars can't be choosers.

 

[cheezMcNASTY]

Can't help you too much. At my first job the manager would let us smoke in the basement when it was slow.

At my second job we were on our feet a lot.

Third job I could spend half the time doing whatever the hell I wanted. Eating, laptop, guitar, book, whatever.

Fourth job I was constantly too busy to worry.

Fifth job I'm once again in the land of guitars, books, takeout, and shooting the **** with co-workers.

Judging from my own personal experience I think that if they won't let you read you should find a new job.

 

[Tsuyu]

Call Centre jobs are only behind watching paint dry when it comes to being boring.

Trust me, I spent 2 years on one.




































But then I took an arrow in the knee.

 

[Zarkes]

100% of my job, no sir this isn't customer service would you be interested in buying a phone?


!@#$% you.


Yes Sir.

 

[Dark Drakan]

Keep yourself busy, when you have no work to do organise your desk/work space or clear out things you dont need so you can find the things you do easier.

 

[Zjuggernaut]

The problem is, is it's phone call after phone call. After one, the next one comes straight in so there's little time to do anything. 90% of people don't answer and 5% aren't interested and 4% don't qualify. Most of my day is spent there going "For f*ck sake." I really want a new job.

 

[Dark Drakan]

The problem is, is it's phone call after phone call. After one, the next one comes straight in so there's little time to do anything. 90% of people don't answer and 5% aren't interested and 4% don't qualify. Most of my day is spent there going "For f*ck sake." I really want a new job.

Then id say you shouldnt be in that line of work, they normally start giving you targets to hit too.

 

[Zjuggernaut]

Then id say you shouldnt be in that line of work, they normally start giving you targets to hit too.

Well they rushed us through training (4 weeks worth in 2 days) and threw us out on the phones with no experience or knowledge basically. My target is to get from £728 in deals to £1000 which I can do.. I just don't really want to. I don't care about the commission we get, all I want is the money but this job isn't really worth it for the pay. It's stressful and miserable.

 

[Dark Drakan]

Well they rushed us through training (4 weeks worth in 2 days) and threw us out on the phones with no experience or knowledge basically. My target is to get from £728 in deals to £1000 which I can do.. I just don't really want to. I don't care about the commission we get, all I want is the money but this job isn't really worth it for the pay. It's stressful and miserable.

Start looking for something else as soon as you can before it starts to run you down.

 

[cheezMcNASTY]

Well they rushed us through training (4 weeks worth in 2 days) and threw us out on the phones with no experience or knowledge basically. My target is to get from £728 in deals to £1000 which I can do.. I just don't really want to. I don't care about the commission we get, all I want is the money but this job isn't really worth it for the pay. It's stressful and miserable.

There's a reason it has one of the highest suicide rates. Just saying.
As much as it pains me, retail really is the best job to start at. Apply to a few stores in your area when you're not working and give your current job 2 weeks notice once you've lined something up. 2 weeks is the standard courtesy amount here, it may be different on the other end of the puddle.

 

[Firis]

Work at a restaurant, best job experience of my life. I honestly enjoy it, when it's slow no-one worries about you using your phone or messing around, so long as you straighten up when a customer walks in.

 

[Zjuggernaut]

Thanks for this. I'm currently looking into retail jobs at the moment, it doesn't help that my current job has me working 42.5 hours a week. It's a lot to take in at 17. Might see about doing something simple as a waiter or something because it's a little easier.

 

[Zarkes]

Everyone should be a waiter or at least do some fast food, best to start out there.

Being the servant is quite..humbling.


Every summer I work at a used car lot, you learn everything ground up and the business side of it is invaluable. I'm a working man now and I didn't have a clue in a man's world and that **** set me up.

 

[SelfAppointedGunslinger]

Looking after donkeys never gets boring so wouldn't really know. They never stop surprising me with some of the things they do, have to keep your eyes open when it comes to looking after any rural animal really I'd imagine, they're not as dumb as they look.

 

[Tsuyu]

Donkeys are such asses.

 

[Angel]

If you are fortunate enough to be in an area with employment options then I would echo the previous recommendations to look for something else but do not quit this current job until you have definitely got something new to go to. Anything where you have to meet the public head-on is going to be stressful because you will always be the first person they vent to/complain about/abuse/stalk.

Restaurant work can be insanely busy, rewarding and sometimes stressful if you get fussy customers coming in - but if you're allowed to earn tips that you don't have to share out then you can make quite a good bit of dough, meet interesting people and work better hours. Plus there's usually some sort of discount involved and a meal provided if the hours are a little unsociable.

Working in a shop depends on the size of the store and what they are selling - check out the reputation of the shop you want to apply for because sometimes it can be a place where its known for shoddy goods, poor customer care, looooooong lines of people returning stuff that has obviously been well-used for the past 3 months yet they are throwing bits of their Statutory Rights at you to intimidate you into handing over the contents of the till as compensation...you get the idea. Small stores can mean long hours of doing crap-all, busy stores can mean long hours of monotony - it depends on the job position, the company and the people you are with.

Avoid the hotel and leisure industry like the plague unless you actually enjoy abuse on a daily basis. And unless you are into the whole competitive scene, don't get a job that will insist upon you achieving targets to earn above-the-breadline-style wages. Bar work can be incredibly fun and offers quite a bit of money too - pick the right pub/bar and you're laughing.

If you can handle it and the hours fit (and you keep it above board with Mr. Inland Revenue), get a couple of part time jobs that are different to each other and see which area you prefer. Also, ask around mates and their families to see if anyone knows of anything going begging work-wise. Sometimes knowing someone who can get you an interview or probationary period working elsewhere can be handy.

And if you're stuck in your current job for the foreseeable? Keep trying to set yourself those personal targets, no matter how small or arbitrary they may be. Make sure the days/times you're not working involve you having a good time, doing the things you enjoy, being with the people you like and no talking about how crappy your job is. Off the clock means just that

P.S. If you happen to ever call our house and I answer, apologies in advance for how unbelievably rude I will be to you. Nothing personal.

 

[Tsuyu]

The only positive thing about the call centre were I worked was that people called us because they wanted to buy the crap I was selling. My heart goes out to every unfortunate soul that has to call and annoy people at home. Not only does it suck for obvious reasons but they probably also have a quota of sales to make which makes it very stressful too boot.

 

[Angel]

I just won't do it as a job - I'm the one who immediately signs up with the TPS (telephone preference service - stops cold callers) and has a sign on the window at the front of the house telling a whole host of people to F-off because whatever they're peddling, we don't want it. So to become the person I try to avoid would most likely make my head asplode.

When I was at college, all my mates worked in a call centre for Zenith (double glazing company). Sure, the pay was great and the commission was even better but everybody hated it. I worked in a pet shop instead - less stress, more reptiles