I work for my university in one of the least desirable jobs imaginable -- as an 'alumni fundraiser'. Living in Quebec without proficiency in French is tough so realistically, this is my only option as an anglo. I have a great boss and the work environment is not intimidating, but at the end of the day we are still calling people and asking for money. This can really suck.
The range of angry and irate responses I have received over the years is both lengthy and frustrating, though most days I can take it all in stride. There are inevitably going to be shifts where you're running on 3 hours sleep having just completed that 10 page paper on Faith Healing in Protestant Confederate Canada, and you will take things personally. I try to get up and take a walk after particularly trying calls, sometimes I drink another cup of coffee. Neither of these really help --but the last thing I do is tell the alumni what I really think.
Last night at work a friend of mine just snapped and after being hung up on he called the person back. Get that? He called the number back and said in a pleasant but firm voice, "You know, I really don't appreciate being hung up on mid way through a sentence-"
And that was it, hung up on again. But the revenge! So sweet! So satisfying!
It was a small step for mankind.
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