1. What exactly do you do?
- What field is your job in?
It'S A Merge Between Telecommunications And Receptionist Work. - What is your job title?
Receptionist - Please provide a brief description of the firm or organization that you currently work for (size and general description of what type of organization it is)
We answer remotely for small businesses and companies that either cannot afford to have a receptionist in their offices or do not want one. Instead of automated systems or monotonous answering, we offer warm and personalized help to our clients' callers. There are approximately 35 people working here.
- How long have you been employed in this position?
Almost 9 months. - How many hours do you work a week on average?
I'm full time, I work 40 hours per week. - Please provide a BRIEF description of your duties and responsibilities. (job description)
I'm full time, I work 40 hours per week. - Please provide a BRIEF description of your duties and responsibilities. (job description)
When someone calls one of our clients, the call will ring into my work station. I answer it with a personalized greeting and offer to help either connect the call to the person they're trying to reach, or (if that person isn't available) take a detailed written message or transfer them into the client's voice mail. Then I will email a notification to the client letting them know that they have a message waiting for them.
- What was your gross income last year? Please include any bonuses or incentives received.
12500 - What is your expected gross income for this year? Please include any bonuses or incentives you expect to receive.
24000 - Please list any benefits you have (Please include number of weeks vacation, sick leave and type of health insurance, retirement plan 401k)
We get medical, dental, and vision insurance as well as sick-leave (the amount of which depends on the length of time employed). We have a 401k plan available but I don't have any information about it at this time. - Do you feel you are under/well/over compensated at your current position?
I feel very well compensated. On top of being well-paid and given insurance, we are also treated to office parties and other fringe benefits.
2. Work environment!
- Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Explain
Yes, the entire job revolves around interacting with people. Not just in speaking to callers and clients by phone and email, but also the work environment--we're a really socially involved group. We help each other with projects and issues in the office, have daily meetings, and form friendships. It's really great--we even have a Director of Culture for the office.
- Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes - Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes - Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it
I work in an office in downtown Portland, OR. It's been renovated so that the walls are mostly knocked out and it's a big open, loft-like space with exposed brick and glass-walled cubicles. It's very modern and light, so it doesn't really feel like the typical, suffocating, cubicle-in-an-office setting.
- Please rank in order of importance from 1-8 (1- most important 8- least important) Assign each number once.
- 2 Income
- 1 Work Environment - co-workers
- 5 Work Environment - supervisors
- 4 Benefits
- 3 Hours
- 7 Level of responsibility
- 6 The actual "work" you do at your job
- 8 Job Title
3. How should someone new to the workforce get a J-O-B like yours?
- If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
When you interview, make sure you're warm, friendly, and articulate. Keep your computer skills sharp as well, everything is done with programs these days.
- What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours? Please be specific and explain why (e.g., social skills, organization skills, technical skills)
Social skills are an absolute must--you're talking to hundreds of different people in different walks of life every day, so it's essential that you not be shy. Computer skills are also important, because call centers mostly use computer programs to route calls, as well as e-mail to communicate with busy clients. Multitasking is very important, too, because you need to be able to take calls, jot down messages, get through your work emails, and not miss a beat--at the same time.
- Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Education no, not particularly. But training in the aforementioned skills would be ideal. - What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Keep a positive attitude, stay cool under pressure, and don't take it personally when callers are jerks--and they will be--because 99% of the time it has nothing to do with you.
4. How did you get your J-O-B
- How did you find your current job? (e.g. newspaper, internet, referral, etc.)
There was an ad on Craigslist for a Director of First Impressions. - What was the application process for your job? (e.g. submitted resume, paper application, electronic application, all, etc.)
I e-mailed my resume and a cover letter. - Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail? (e.g., number of interviews, who you interviewed with, group interview, individual interview, etc.)
Yes. The first interview was through a staffing agency, who asked the usual questions and then did a brief skill test--typing speed, writing accuracy, that sort of thing. The second interview was with the manager at the actual company. She gave a tour of the office, asked some questions about myself, and let me sit in with an employee for a few minutes to get an idea of the job. - If you can remember, what questions were you asked at your interview?
Somewhat typical questions about my skills and why I like working in the secretarial field, followed by more personal questions about myself (why I'd moved to Portland, what I was going to school for, et cetera). - Is this the job / field you planned to work in?
No - If your job is in a different field from your original plan how did you get here? Explain (Plan can be from high school/college/post college/personal plan)
My plan is to get my teaching degree and teach kindergarten. But bills don't pay themselves while you're in school :)
5. Background: Are you qualified?
- Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
There was training that revolved mainly around the specific software that we use to answer and direct calls, store client information, etc. We are also trained in proper phrasing and e-mail communication style. - Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain
Yes. I'd worked for 5 years as a receptionist before this. - Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain
I think my educational background was mainly irrelevant to the job, because the skills that I possess weren't gained through school. - If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare you for your job?
6. The Future and Beyond (FINAL SECTION)
- If someone were to observe you at work, what would he or she say is "fun" about your job?
The work environment and the co-workers/bosses. We have lots of fun at our workplace because the work itself is actually very straightforward and boring, but we don't believe in boring and stiff workplaces. There are giant plastic dinosaurs, fun inter-office games, and an in-house chat service to keep our spirits up. - What is (are) the most fulfilling aspect(s) and least fulfilling aspect(s) of your current employment? (e.g. fiscal, spiritual, type of work, hours, commute, compensation, etc.)
The most fulfilling are the friendships and the financial/personal stability that this place provides. The least fulfilling would be the work itself, which can be dry and boring at times. - Is your current employment part of your career plan? Why or why not?
I've been considering this. I really love this company, but I still plan to try my hand at teaching. - What are your current career goals? (Can be broad or specific)
I'd love to take on more responsibility and move up into a supervisor position here. I'd also like to help with the creative aspects of the job as well. - Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
It wasn't what I was expecting to love doing, but sometimes the work environment and people who surround you can override the negative aspects of a job.
7. A Day in the Life Of...
- 7 am - 8 am
- 8 am - 9 am
I arrive at 8:30am and begin by checking my work email. If we've added new clients to our database the previous day, I review these new accounts to familiarize myself. Then I set to work answering phone calls for our clients. - 9 am - 10 am
During this time I am still answering phone calls for clients. I direct their calls per their instructions and take messages when they aren't available. Because it's relatively early, our west coast clients will also call during this time period to give us their instructions and whereabouts for the day. - 10 am - 11 am
I usually have a 15-minute break around 10:00am. After that, I am back on the phones. This is the point of day when we have the most people on phones, so it isn't usually as busy. This affords me the opportunity to catch up on work email again. - 11 am - 12 am
Many of my co-workers are taking their breaks and lunches at this time. This puts more of a work load on those of us not on break, so it can get busy. That means taking multiple calls at once, or "juggling" calls. Phones are the sole focus during the busy times. - 12 am - 1 pm
- 1 pm - 2 pm
Back to the phones. Callers later in the day can be harder to deal with, because often they're still waiting to hear back from the person they left messages for earlier. Reiterating to callers that we did relay their messages, but that the person they're trying to reach is simply still unavailable is crucial. - 2 pm - 3 pm
We're pretty well-staffed at this point and not many people are on lunch or break, so this time period tends to be more relaxed. I am still on the phones and directing calls. Between calls, I will catch up on work emails, then if there is down-time, I will send messages to my co-workers to help cheer them up if I know they've had some frustrating or difficult callers. - 3 pm - 4 pm
I usually have a 15-minute break around 10:00am. After that, I am back on the phones. This is the point of day when we have the most people on phones, so it isn't usually as busy. This affords me the opportunity to catch up on work email again. - 4 pm - 5 pm
This is the slowest part of my day as far as call volume is concerned. Any new clients that we took on in the morning will be having their lines tested at this point. This means that our programmer is calling us using the client line to be sure that it works properly, and to be sure that we're answering it properly. Toward the end of the hour, I check my work email one last time, and at 5pm, I go home. - 5 pm - 6 pm
- 6 pm - 7 pm
- 7 pm - 8 pm
- 8 pm - 9 pm
- 9 pm - 10 pm
- 10 pm - 11 pm
- 11 pm - 12 pm