21 January 2006

The Zen of Telemarketing

Right after I graduated from art school, my goal was to work the least amount of hours I could for the most money so that I could have time in my studio. Which led me to, unbelievably, telemarketing, something I NEVER thought I would do, and which I am still loath to admit.

I would sit in a little carpet covered cubicle with a bunch of down-on-their-luck chainsmokers, and call people and ask them if they wanted to change their interest rate on their mortgage. I did this because in four hours a night I could make what I would make in an 8 hour day at my old job, so the remaining hours of the day could be spent at the studio.

Do you know anyone in the world that is nice to telemarketers? Okay, a few people say yes -- hence the fat funds -- but most people go to the greatest lengths of rudeness that any rejection can have.

It taught me a few things: 1)any verbal onslaught can be survived. 2) people, in general, enjoy being assholes. 3) rejection is meaningless. It's a zero-sum equation -- if you hadn't even tried, you'd be in exactly the same place. 4) Never give up. Someone will eventually say yes.

Better lessons than anything my student loans paid for, to be sure.

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