Being a student caller is an experience no one quite gets until they have done it. This is my third year as a student caller and I have heard everything. An overview of the job is that we call alumni and supporters of the college to see if they'll donate to the variety of scholarships the school offers. This job has taught me a lot and there are many things that anyone who has ever been a caller will understand.
1. The first call.
Oh the first call, it is the most nerve-wracking feeling. I was asking myself; What if I mess up? What if I forget how to read my script? What if the people are mean? What do I do? Why did I choose this job?
2. The first donation.
Nothing is more accomplishing than the first donation. it can be as little as $5 but it feels great. You can finally feel like you are apart of the team.
3. The first no.
To be honest, you'll have many more no's than yes's. That's the job. It's discouraging but it's all apart of the job.
4. Every No after that.
Trust me, you get a lot of them.
5. The rude people
When I first started working at the call center I assumed people would be nice and give me simple no if they weren't interested. But, I was wrong. Many people we call are very rude, whether they hang up on you or scold you for calling. Trust me, it sounds bad. But believe me when I say it helps you build quite the backbone.
6. The friendly old people
These old folks truly are one of the best parts of the job. Some people you speak to are so friendly and honestly, you could talk to them for hours. This makes talking to the rude people much more bearable.
7. The angry old people
8. The people who won't stop talking
Sometimes while calling,you happen upon that one person who wants to know everything about the school and everything about you. Someone I work with managed to talk to a single person for almost two hours. Yes, two hours, I wish I was kidding.
9. The first deceased person
This is one of the hardest parts about the job. We call people so many people in a night and when we call someone who has passed away it is always heartbreaking.
10. Getting really good at making up information
As callers, we are expected to know anything and everything about our beloved school. Well, sometimes it's hard to do so. That's when we learn to be good at making things up or finding a way to distract whoever we may be talking to.
11. Going into your "call center voice" during day to day conversations
After calling for so long sometimes our brains forget the difference between work and reality. I can't keep track of how many times I go into "call center" mode. Whether, I am talking on the phone to make an appointment or talking to my friends.
12. Making a difference
When I say that we make a difference I don't mean the raising money part. Yes, we do help students come to college who maybe couldn't before but that's not what I mean. The difference we make is when we call people who may not have talked to anyone that day. I believe we make a difference in some people's lives because for just a few minutes it shows they aren't alone. I realize we only call to attempt to raise money but my favorite part is reaching out to those that are alone. It makes the job that much better.
13. The memories
And the greatest part of the job is the great friends I have made. Throughout the last three years, I've met some amazing people. I'll never forget the jokes and laughs we had together. These people will remain my friends even after college ends. Because, callers who call together, stick together.
