Back in the rat race, ah, sort of

I started working yesterday as a phone representative for a company employed by charity organizations. My job is to basically call up people and ask for donations. It's amazing the skills these people have. No wonder they're so good. I've learned some tricks of the trade and the smartest one is that they give their employees rebuttals for any type of negative answer. In the first three hours I kept getting countless 'no' and hang ups and I felt useless and unable to do the job. Just as I was contemplating quiting a very generous man decided to uplift my spirits and donate $25. I was so happy. I know how annoying telemarketers can be but this is the first time I have been in their shoes and really got to experience their side. They are just people trying to make a buck like anyone else.

One thing I think that I will take away from this experience (and I generally never take anything worthwhile from low wage, dead end, entry level jobs) is how to talk people and be assertive. I have talking on the phone or to people in general because I tend to get very nervous and my mind goes blank. I am so glad that I don't stutter but I do get cold, clammy hands, shaking voice and painful butterflies in my stomach. It's something that I'm trying to overcome and improve upon. This will really help me out I think.

We'll see.