This is so not typical of me for those who know me well. I actually feel very stressed now!! Immense stress! Not due to my exams (even so, it's not of this extent)... but due to a temp job!! I really dunno wat I got myself into. It's really shit!
I was actually enjoying my freedom yest. After my last paper, I was happily shopping in bugis and swinging a shopping bag after a purchase. I was still dreaming and making plans to celebrate this newfound freedom. I embraced this wonderful feeling so much that I kept smiling to myself. Then at 5 plus, a company I applied for temp job called me (I'm not naming the company. I applied cos I worked there before. Actually just trying my luck also, while I'm searching for a perm job). I was actually quite shocked they actually got back to me. And the person on the other line was asking, "Today's your last paper right? You still looking for a temp job?" I was like win liao, she actually noted it! I'm happy and sad. Happy cos got extra income, sad because I haven even rested officially after my papers. So today, I went for their typing test and interview. Anyway, I really think these are stupid. They will just employ you no matter wat's the outcome. While waiting for these, I got to know 2 other gals. And we have different fates. They have a separate interview as me. Their job paid them 45 bucks a day 8 hours for making phone calls. For me, I got 50 bucks a day 8 hours for answering phone calls. Think I strike a better deal? Wait till you read more. After the test and interview, as predicted, we got the job. We rush to the company's other branch but head towards diff dept.
The supervisor I attached to is a ‘no-nonsense’ man. He made sure the rules and regulations are loud and clear to me. He also warned me that this job is not of rosy environment. However, he said the job shouldn't be too tough for me cos he said the temp staff that are working currently are diploma holders. And me, as a undergrad, should have no problem with it. I was like thinking to myself wat sort of holy crap is this! I hate it whenever ppl assume that as undergrad, you are more superior than other levels of education. Allow me to sidetrack a bit. I still remember that for my first job, my boss also said something like that. But she cruelly used it as a weapon to me. She was teaching me some complicated software and expect me to catch it in the 2nd or 3rd time. But I din. And she told me right in the face saying why A level student can be so stupid and not know such easy things. She said that to me twice. I really hated her. She really hurt me and made me felt so stupid. And I start to wonder whether I got into tjc by chance. it's until I worked in other places that I understand wat is heaven. I still felt very angry and unjust when I think about it. I’m paid $4 an hour only when the market rate is at least $5. No cpf, nothing. AND I'm covering duties of a permanent staff but paid a temp salary. I felt so overexploited. But after that job, I’m so convinced my hey days are coming cos the pay that I draw just get better and better with every job and the duties are so much easier. But with this job, I'm so sure my hey days are soon over.
Today, after one hour of briefing and a stack of notes, I'm expected to answer the calls. Mine is a general contact line so anybody with any issues might call. I was so stressed because I really don't understand how I should handle them. In the end, I was told that my job scope only requires me to just record the messages and need not answer to their enquiries at the moment. However, it is so much easier said than done. The ppl that called actually expect something to be done and left unsatisfied if you said you will convey their message to the appropriate officers. Firstly, some of them have urgent issues that need to be settled. And this msg conveying is such an inefficient process and they are not stupid to not know this. And these ppl might have already called more than one time. And by the time, they made another calls, you know they are going to sound really nasty if you said you will convey the msg AGAIN. Secondly, there is this ‘no phone’transfer rule. So sometimes, the person calling just wants to find a certain person in a dept and want you to put him through. And you tell him things like you will ask the person to get back to you, he asked what's the difference? But the fact is we ourselves, the temp staff, do not even have the extension list. And I've one person today confronting me on phone “you are the operator right? How come you dun have?” however, I can only apologise to him repeatedly since there's really nothing I can do. And before I know it, he hung up the phone. I haven felt so bad for a long time. Somehow, I feel this job is for ppl to vent their frustrations at me, which I really hate it. For those that know me well, know I can never handle harsh words well. Thirdly, the calls keep coming in. you can't rest at all!
By the time it was time to knock off I was so relieved! But guess wat? We need to stay back for a temp staff briefing. So the 5 of us, temp staffs, manning the helpline went to see our ‘no-nonsense’ supervisor. He asked whether we are coping well. I was so eager to step out and said I'm feeling very stressed. but guess wat the other 4 said? They said they are coping fine! I was like are they kidding me or impressing him? I just nod my head slightly in the end, betraying my heart. Our supervisor then replied saying he's glad to hear this and will teach us more things in the near future. he also casually commented how some temp staff quit the next day or two because they can't handle the work. And doesn't that sound like wat I was planning to do? Suddenly, his head turned towards me and asked “you'll be coming tml right?” I've no time to act or think at all. Before I can really understand the implication of that statement, I said “yes”. It's after that that I really feel like killing myself. Why did I say it? OH NO!!!! and I started to look very blank and loss in my own world. He was still talking but I wasn't listening. Then, he popped another question asking whether we faced any difficulties or doubts. I thought everybody will say no because it passed our working hours by 20minutes already. And know wat? The other 4 temp staff bombarded him with millions of questions. I almost fainted. I saw many foreign languages floating in the air. I dunno wat they are talking about. It was only then that I realized something:
THOSE THAT STAYED ARE ELITES.
DAMN! Why did it not occur to me at all? Oh NO…. wat holy shit I got myself into again??!!! And as if I wasn't stressed enough, our supervisor mentioned one more thing. “Pls remember to print your call history” I almost froze. I was putting ppl on hold most of the time today cos I enquired other staff for all the darts they threw to me. I didn't check but I am 100% sure that i have answered less than 8 calls. And I saw a temp staff scribbling 40+ incoming calls and 20+ outgoing calls in a paper for the supervisor. I can't believe my eyes. After 5 more minutes of torture, I managed to drag a drained self out of that place. I can't imagine I have to handle this episode for tomorrow and the days to come. Someone pls help me. Wat should I do? Or maybe I should just start to gather more guts to quit the job. Yes, I think I should...
I was actually enjoying my freedom yest. After my last paper, I was happily shopping in bugis and swinging a shopping bag after a purchase. I was still dreaming and making plans to celebrate this newfound freedom. I embraced this wonderful feeling so much that I kept smiling to myself. Then at 5 plus, a company I applied for temp job called me (I'm not naming the company. I applied cos I worked there before. Actually just trying my luck also, while I'm searching for a perm job). I was actually quite shocked they actually got back to me. And the person on the other line was asking, "Today's your last paper right? You still looking for a temp job?" I was like win liao, she actually noted it! I'm happy and sad. Happy cos got extra income, sad because I haven even rested officially after my papers. So today, I went for their typing test and interview. Anyway, I really think these are stupid. They will just employ you no matter wat's the outcome. While waiting for these, I got to know 2 other gals. And we have different fates. They have a separate interview as me. Their job paid them 45 bucks a day 8 hours for making phone calls. For me, I got 50 bucks a day 8 hours for answering phone calls. Think I strike a better deal? Wait till you read more. After the test and interview, as predicted, we got the job. We rush to the company's other branch but head towards diff dept.
The supervisor I attached to is a ‘no-nonsense’ man. He made sure the rules and regulations are loud and clear to me. He also warned me that this job is not of rosy environment. However, he said the job shouldn't be too tough for me cos he said the temp staff that are working currently are diploma holders. And me, as a undergrad, should have no problem with it. I was like thinking to myself wat sort of holy crap is this! I hate it whenever ppl assume that as undergrad, you are more superior than other levels of education. Allow me to sidetrack a bit. I still remember that for my first job, my boss also said something like that. But she cruelly used it as a weapon to me. She was teaching me some complicated software and expect me to catch it in the 2nd or 3rd time. But I din. And she told me right in the face saying why A level student can be so stupid and not know such easy things. She said that to me twice. I really hated her. She really hurt me and made me felt so stupid. And I start to wonder whether I got into tjc by chance. it's until I worked in other places that I understand wat is heaven. I still felt very angry and unjust when I think about it. I’m paid $4 an hour only when the market rate is at least $5. No cpf, nothing. AND I'm covering duties of a permanent staff but paid a temp salary. I felt so overexploited. But after that job, I’m so convinced my hey days are coming cos the pay that I draw just get better and better with every job and the duties are so much easier. But with this job, I'm so sure my hey days are soon over.
Today, after one hour of briefing and a stack of notes, I'm expected to answer the calls. Mine is a general contact line so anybody with any issues might call. I was so stressed because I really don't understand how I should handle them. In the end, I was told that my job scope only requires me to just record the messages and need not answer to their enquiries at the moment. However, it is so much easier said than done. The ppl that called actually expect something to be done and left unsatisfied if you said you will convey their message to the appropriate officers. Firstly, some of them have urgent issues that need to be settled. And this msg conveying is such an inefficient process and they are not stupid to not know this. And these ppl might have already called more than one time. And by the time, they made another calls, you know they are going to sound really nasty if you said you will convey the msg AGAIN. Secondly, there is this ‘no phone’transfer rule. So sometimes, the person calling just wants to find a certain person in a dept and want you to put him through. And you tell him things like you will ask the person to get back to you, he asked what's the difference? But the fact is we ourselves, the temp staff, do not even have the extension list. And I've one person today confronting me on phone “you are the operator right? How come you dun have?” however, I can only apologise to him repeatedly since there's really nothing I can do. And before I know it, he hung up the phone. I haven felt so bad for a long time. Somehow, I feel this job is for ppl to vent their frustrations at me, which I really hate it. For those that know me well, know I can never handle harsh words well. Thirdly, the calls keep coming in. you can't rest at all!
By the time it was time to knock off I was so relieved! But guess wat? We need to stay back for a temp staff briefing. So the 5 of us, temp staffs, manning the helpline went to see our ‘no-nonsense’ supervisor. He asked whether we are coping well. I was so eager to step out and said I'm feeling very stressed. but guess wat the other 4 said? They said they are coping fine! I was like are they kidding me or impressing him? I just nod my head slightly in the end, betraying my heart. Our supervisor then replied saying he's glad to hear this and will teach us more things in the near future. he also casually commented how some temp staff quit the next day or two because they can't handle the work. And doesn't that sound like wat I was planning to do? Suddenly, his head turned towards me and asked “you'll be coming tml right?” I've no time to act or think at all. Before I can really understand the implication of that statement, I said “yes”. It's after that that I really feel like killing myself. Why did I say it? OH NO!!!! and I started to look very blank and loss in my own world. He was still talking but I wasn't listening. Then, he popped another question asking whether we faced any difficulties or doubts. I thought everybody will say no because it passed our working hours by 20minutes already. And know wat? The other 4 temp staff bombarded him with millions of questions. I almost fainted. I saw many foreign languages floating in the air. I dunno wat they are talking about. It was only then that I realized something:
THOSE THAT STAYED ARE ELITES.
DAMN! Why did it not occur to me at all? Oh NO…. wat holy shit I got myself into again??!!! And as if I wasn't stressed enough, our supervisor mentioned one more thing. “Pls remember to print your call history” I almost froze. I was putting ppl on hold most of the time today cos I enquired other staff for all the darts they threw to me. I didn't check but I am 100% sure that i have answered less than 8 calls. And I saw a temp staff scribbling 40+ incoming calls and 20+ outgoing calls in a paper for the supervisor. I can't believe my eyes. After 5 more minutes of torture, I managed to drag a drained self out of that place. I can't imagine I have to handle this episode for tomorrow and the days to come. Someone pls help me. Wat should I do? Or maybe I should just start to gather more guts to quit the job. Yes, I think I should...
oh yah, i found out from the other 2 gals that they have a slack day today (-__-)"""!!!
7 comments:
dear serene.... my advice is to PLS quit the job.. not point making yourself miserable.. this is yr life! sure there are better jobs elsewhere.. JIA YOU! =)
Love,
Sue Yi
I beg to differ... maybe you shouldn't put so much pressure on yourself and go on with it. There're ways to deal with tricky callers. Be patient or at least sound patient. Pacify the callers as much as you can. And never tell them you are new! Nobody likes to be attended to by a newbird.
probably you could ask ur fellow temp colleagues abt the qns they get from the callers and find out how they respond to them? Then maybe u won't feel so tensed up when u meet with the same problems again.
nian fen
this is actually only part 1. there's also part 2 and 3, and perhaps 4. i try to pen them down during the weekends. sigh... anyway, i haven quit the job although i hate it.
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