Monday, June 16, 2008

Quick College Cash - Telemarketing

In the past six years, there have been many times near the end of the semester when I have resigned to living on ramen noodles and easy mac. During these times I have often turned to telemarketing to make ends meet. Here is an overview of the pros and cons of telemarketing.

PRO

  • They often hire everyone who applies. Turnover tends to be high and they are always looking for new people.
  • You can work part time and during the night.
  • They generally pay more than minimum wage. The typical rate is $9-$10 per hour, and sometimes one can make much more. I once worked a telemarketing job that paid $12 per hour plus up to $500 per month in bonuses.
  • You can work for a week when you need money, quit, then work again three weeks later when you're broke again.
CON

  • High Stress - Telemarketing jobs are intense. Besides the occasional break, you will be busy the entire time you are working. Bring caffeine.
  • They will treat you like a child.... its just that type of environment
  • Unethical - most telemarketing positions involve convincing people to give or spend money that is against their best interests. Teleresearch and inbound call centers do not suffer from these problems.