How would a Buddhist approach being a tele-marketer?

ravkes

I have a job where I generate sales leads for clients who sell software and hardware solutions for government and hospital entities. I make calls all day to high-level IT professionals in an effort to gain information from a potential prospect to qualify them as a closeable opportunity for the sales team. My job generally consists of finding ways to convince people to speak with a sales representative further about a solution over the phone.

I don't like my job because of the idea of convincing somebody to do something they don't want to do, and having to be overly aggressive in doing it. I think I am too nice of a person sometimes and very concerned with how people are feeling and in this job I feel like I annoy people more than help them.

I have worked in non-profits in the past and this was a good trait for that field, but here I feel as if I have to dump my core values (empathy, respect, compassion) for a quick buck (that, don't get me wrong, is vitally needed as a recent college grad. with loans..) - so I feel very conflicted, stuck and hopeless. It seems like my idealism, passions and true nature is being stifled by the extremely competitive, capitalistic, and greed-driven society that I loathe but must assimilate into in order to make a living..

What is a realistic way of looking at my job so I can be motivated to do my best? Anybody here in sales? Do you view what you do as having a positive impact in the world at large?

Thanks.

lobster

You are in the real world. Work hard so you can support a worthy practitioner/sangha.
Practice hard too.

jll

easy, just be honest.
no need to be aggressive or exagerate.
as a buddhist, we shd not lie.

anyway, you dont like the job.
start looking for sth else.

ravkes said:

I have a job where I generate sales leads for clients who sell software and hardware solutions for government and hospital entities. I make calls all day to high-level IT professionals in an effort to gain information from a potential prospect to qualify them as a closeable opportunity for the sales team. My job generally consists of finding ways to convince people to speak with a sales representative further about a solution over the phone.

I don't like my job because of the idea of convincing somebody to do something they don't want to do, and having to be overly aggressive in doing it. I think I am too nice of a person sometimes and very concerned with how people are feeling and in this job I feel like I annoy people more than help them.

I have worked in non-profits in the past and this was a good trait for that field, but here I feel as if I have to dump my core values (empathy, respect, compassion) for a quick buck (that, don't get me wrong, is vitally needed as a recent college grad. with loans..) - so I feel very conflicted, stuck and hopeless. It seems like my idealism, passions and true nature is being stifled by the extremely competitive, capitalistic, and greed-driven society that I loathe but must assimilate into in order to make a living..

What is a realistic way of looking at my job so I can be motivated to do my best? Anybody here in sales? Do you view what you do as having a positive impact in the world at large?

Thanks.

BhanteLucky

You should come work with me, as a Parking Inspector. Much more wholesome job.

chela

ravkes said:

I don't like my job because of the idea of convincing somebody to do something they don't want to do, and having to be overly aggressive in doing it. I think I am too nice of a person sometimes and very concerned with how people are feeling and in this job I feel like I annoy people more than help them.

I think you already know the answer. The question is not about what is acceptable for a Buddhist. The question is what is acceptable for you. You've already answered yourself.

I felt like you a for a long time, with various jobs I had. If you want to do something more meaningful, then you have to figure out a way to achieve that. A lot of people go through life doing a job that they don't feel reflects their core values. While some people can handle it well, for others it can cause a lot of suffering for them and ultimately other people in their lives because of how they handle their suffering. Of course, it's also important to remember that a lot of your suffering can be internally caused by the way you perceive something. But there is a limit to what you can change internally.

What I would suggest is that you spend some time reflecting with yourself to find out what you really like to do and what motivates you. Set some achievable goals and work towards them. Don't look for a quick fix, and be as flexible as you can. Although, you could look for a short-term bandaid while you're working towards achieving your higher goals. You can also keep it simple. Maybe you could work in telemarketing in a different way-- find a product or service that you feel is beneficial for people and then you won't feel like you are betraying your values so much.

lamaramadingdong

Om Mani buy my things
Om Mani buy my things
Om Mani buy my things

MaryAnne

Better a telemarketer than a bill collector! I don't know how those people sleep at night, Buddhist or not...

sndymorn

Buddhism should, like Judaism and their Rabbis with great issues, have a committee to add new occupations to the "wrong" list.

karasti

My husband is a tax collector, LOL. But he loves his job (he doesn't actually interact with the public much anymore but he did for a long time). Some people have different goals in mind with their jobs. If you mean your job to be a stepping stone to something or just to pay the bills until you find what you really want, then make sure you are consistently working towards where you want to be. When my dad started working when he was 17, his goal was to have a job that allowed him to get out of the workforce asap, he wanted to retire early and still have a lot of life to enjoy. He hated his job most of the time, but he retired at 47 and spends his time doing what he wants. I am a person who can work a job if I have to for a while, but I'd rather live on the bare minimum than work a job I hate. I quit my job 3.5 years ago to stay home with our kids, but I'll return to work before too long. I'm lucky I don't have to be in a hurry to work and can hold out until I find a job I will enjoy. I've worked telemarketing. I just made it about talking to the people and not the horrid part of the sales. I didn't like it at all, but I enjoyed the people I talked to. My stepdad works in sales and he LOVES it. He works for BMW and sells their equipment to dealerships and other companies. He gets a ton of travel rewards and a free car, lol. He develops good relationships with people, even the ones who don't buy his products. He enjoys the challenge of trying to hook the people who say no. But he's also not a Buddhist, lol.

Also remember, that if someone chooses to buy something, that is their choice. You aren't forcing them into it. If they don't have the ability to say no, that isn't your fault.

In the end, it depends on what you can do. If it's not working for you, then you need to recognize that and work towards finding something that'll work better.

ravkes

Thanks for all the responses folks.

jll said:

easy, just be honest.
no need to be aggressive or exagerate.
as a buddhist, we shd not lie.

anyway, you dont like the job.
start looking for sth else.

I like this one especially, very simple and true. I will probably start looking when I hit the year point.

shadowleaver

By saying: I have this really good service, I'll cut you an awesome deal, will you buy it from me?

ZendoLord84

I've been a telemarketeer.
It didn't feel right.
Sales didn't.
Doubt if this has anything to do with buddhism tough.

It's just...not a nice job, pushing people into buying stuff.
However, if you don't have a choice.
Just do it.
Gotta eat and such.

ravkes

iamthezenmaster said:

I've been a telemarketeer.
It didn't feel right.
Sales didn't.
Doubt if this has anything to do with buddhism tough.

It's just...not a nice job, pushing people into buying stuff.
However, if you don't have a choice.
Just do it.
Gotta eat and such.

Yep, not really a choice as of right now. Thinking about going back to school to get a nursing degree though - I'll probably do that after I'm done with a year at this telemarketing gig. A year of this work will definitely give me enough motivation to go back to school to get a specialized degree, skill-set and much more stable future that involves helping rather than hurting others.

andyrobyn

I think it would be a tough job - you already recognise that you are making unwanted calls to people at an unexpected moment which is unlikely to be at a good time for them and it is only possibly that will it be beneficial for them although it is you job to try and work out how it can be. I would attempt to keep mindful of this at all times whilst at work for it to work out best for all concerned.

riverflow

MaryAnne said:

Better a telemarketer than a bill collector! I don't know how those people sleep at night, Buddhist or not...

I had (yet again) the same bill collector calling the hospital where I work-- for a different employee this time-- and this time with some sort of rapid-redial and tying up all eight of the phone lines, making it impossible for ambulance services, doctors and patients to contact anyone in the hospital (!!!!). The man was very rude and belligerent and most of the calls he didn't actually speak-- you could hear the re-dialer ringing (all this seemed like a counterproductive way to try to reach someone-- calls with no actual communication going on at all). It was harassment plain and simple.

First of all, this is a violation of the Fair Debt Collections Act (which I recall from a previous job at an attorney's office). Secondly, any telemarketer or debt collector calling a hospital and tying up the lines like that is an FCC violation-- which I discovered as I was filling out an official complaint on the FCC's website. I spoke with the HR department and they had dealings with him recently also-- and had a phone number (the phone number showed as unlisted on the switchboard). I did a bit of homework on Google and found out a few more helpful pieces of information.

He called again and I had the call transferred to me (this time he actually on the line). I told him I was filing a complaint to the FCC. He never called again the rest of the day...