Work - Ease and Effort

Currently, I'm working at a call center as a telephone interviewer. I call residents and ask questions about health and health practices. In a minute I will share my long list of reasons this works for me. First, the link to the questionnaires we use. Sometimes people are reluctant to answer questions over the phone. We give them the direct link to the study. So, check out the CDC and know where those statistics you read in magazines, see on the news, and hear in the media come from.

Just for fun, I have linked to my script. Eight hours a day I call and ask these questions. Imagine having this kind of information about a person you were planning to date, marry, or go into business with. If you have the attention, it is a long script, but with efficiency takes about 14 minutes to complete. Of course, it can take longer, depending on the responses.

I interviewed for the third time with the state agency for the same job they have passed me over for the past four months. At the end of the interview they ask if I have any questions. I could not remember it. Just drew a blank. On the way out I saw someone I know who shared that she too had received a rejection letter. As we shared our experiences in job search, she said we need to set higher standards. Then I remembered my question. "What's in it for me? Money notwithstanding, how does accepting this job serve me?"

I have committed to interviewing as practice in showing up authentically. Living my life freely and truthfully. When I choose another job, I expect my happiness to increase, my joy to overflow. Today I like what I do well enough and here's why:

1. I work in a friendly environment.
2. I am close enough to walk to work.
3. I work inside.
4. I have natural light - large windows within six feet of my cubical and trees outside.
5. I set my own schedule and can easily make adjustments.
6. The dress code is WAY relaxed.
7. There is great diversity amongst the employees - age, gender, race, ethnicity, expression
8. I get paid weekly.
9. There is filtered water available free of charge at all times.
10. I learn about varying choices of people across generations, populations, and incomes. 
11. I get to practice convincing arguments.
12. This is a low stress job. We come in, make our calls, go home. It could be and has been different, but today there are no worries.
13. I get to practice living in the moment, letting go and moving on, opening to the next opportunity, and keeping a smile in my voice. People get angry. They shout and cuss and slam the phone down. Next call...
14. I make a difference. 

Sometimes I can feel that I am making a difference. Other times I just know. Mostly I just ask questions without input, but occasionally the respondent needs to share their life story. There is no place for me to enter individual responses, but people need to say their piece. I am thankful to be there in those moments. I am also reminded again of why I like this job with it's brevity of interactions rather than a field in which I might spend 50 minutes in the process.

I've been checking out the customer service at home gig, but so far haven't found anything that works. Alpine Access requires travel to their office for training. West at Home requires $30 for a background check. When I know more, you will too. If anyone has better info, do say.

Until later... Hi-ho, hi-ho...

Make My Day

"Hello. I'm calling for..."

That's what I do. I call.

I work at a call center and spend eight hours a day calling respondents to ask questions about their day to day living habits that might effect their health. I'm not a telemarketer. I am neither selling nor soliciting. I gather information from private residents that translates into data used for local, state and federal funding. I encourage you to participate. And yet, many people refuse because...

I'm not interested. One interesting facet of the study process is that you get to consider your daily habits in an objective light. The questions are very specific and ask you to classify and quantify your responses. Rather than a dialogue, I will be asking questions with specific guidance.

I don't have time. We are happy to call at a time that is convenient for you. Since your input is important, we will accommodate you. People are willing to donate money to a cause or spend their time watching reality TV, but not invest in their communities over the phone.

What are you going to pay me? Completion of the study is part of your sharing of your time and talent toward shaping your community and deciding how resources will be allocated. There are some compensated studies, but the amount is nominal rather than value. People are rarely impressed with the offered compensation.

What difference can I make? I mind my own business/pay my own bills/am healthy... Community agencies have invested time and money in education programs. Surveys are one way of assessing the effectiveness of those programs and deciding which need to be changed. During the survey process we also share information that may be new or a review of health concerns, conditions, or considerations.

I am not allowed to converse with respondents. The questions are read verbatim and answers entered electronically. This system allows immediate and accurate recording of data which is separate from respondent identifiers.

I like my job. I learn something new every day. Some people insist on sharing more information than I ask. That's fine as long as they continue the study and answer the questions asked. There are lots of people who do not visit a doctor and consider themselves healthy. There are more people who need education on the warning signs of life threatening conditions. I can't tell them. I tell you.

We are inundated with information. There are TV commercials, radio ads, billboards, pamphlets, flyers, and books. The TV doctors report, share, and advise, as do doctor's offices, if we get there. Apparently, this is not reaching the populous, or we are not paying attention. Or maybe we don't think it matters.

During the CPR training this week the video scenario shows a mother at lunch with her daughter who is choking. She freaks and shouts for help. How is it that we do not automatically know how to help a choking victim? Same for the kid who faints, repeatedly and the mother sits at his side screaming, "Somebody help me! He's fainted again."

Please call 9-1-1. The operator will talk you through what to do next. During the health study I do not offer answers. There are only choices.

The next time someone calls and asked you to participate in a health study, please take the time to understand who is sponsoring the study and what they are investigating before you completely dismiss the call. Your opinion really makes a difference. And your participation makes my day.

Thank you for your time and cooperation.

Work Situation Update

One of the advantages of going out to work is that the creative brain gets to rest while the analytic brain trudges along. However, I find that I am WAY less creative when I am working. I think in small spurts that seem to fizzle after a few seconds. My current job requires me to be constantly on task so I have little scraps of paper with snippets of ideas and concepts. The problem is that I am so tired I can't even imagine working on the blog I started in my head.

I am thankful to have found  One Word. You get one word and one minute to write. It works. Lately I have been too busy to log on, but I can stop and take sixty seconds to write with abandon. You can too. One minute. One word. Wherever you are...

Write on!

Commitment in the Face of Disappointment

I got the letter today. Not the one I was waiting for, but from the same company. My letter thanked me for interviewing and wished me luck in my job search.

I am disappointed. Which is to say, I had expectations. I am more than qualified for this position. I have the experience and commitment to do the job well. I can imagine several reasons they may have passed on me and will have to keep these in mind as I reconnoiter.

I have vast experience which makes me a great candidate. I gathered that experience though numerous job changes. I longest stint with any company was three years and I counted the days to make that. Companies looking to place a strangle hold on me will be disappointed. Doors open both ways.

I like change and am willing to take on the task of both being who I am and shifting perspectives. This is my personal mission. I get to show up and show out. I am free and unlimited. Sometimes that is frightening to those who are stuck.

Since I was passed on this round, there is something better available for me. I get to relax and allow life to carry me. Monday I will send out another round of applications. I will call and schedule another state test. I will read, write, and garden.

I shake off disappointments and left go of expectations - repeatedly.

Life is good. (Hold on to that.)
All the time. (Regardless of the situation or circumstance.)

That was the end, but I remember that I have a new favorite video: