How did I get here? It’s a pertinent question, I think, and one that I think about lot. Does anyone PLAN to be a manager in a call centre? I hope not, it displays a depressing lack of imagination.
So why am I doing it then? What lead me to this point. It’s not an obvious route I’ve travelled, that’s for sure. 17 or so years of education for a start – how much of that did I need? I mean, I know i studied calculus and passed exams on it, but i’m damned if i can remember how to do it or even what it’s FOR now. I think I’ve taught myself more than any teacher has; if something interests me i suck up information like a sponge,often to the exclusion of stuff I should actually be doing.
I read voraciously, though it’s the internet rather than print these days, and just go and find stuff out. No, school rarely taught me things i was interested in, but it laid down a few foundations. University taught me how to talk to people – well, mostly. I was a gawky, awkward wreck to be honest, but I still made some friends.
My first real job taught me more about people than anything else. I was great at the technical side of things, but I couldn’t deal with my staff. I was dreadful and useless and blamed THEM for not liking me, rather than me for giving them no reason to respect me. By the end of my time there, I hated the company for not training me, the staff for not talking to me and myself for failing.
So then to my latest job; I’m older, and that makes a difference. I’ve stopped feeling like the world owes me something and I’ve stopped caring much what people think of me (with a few exceptions). I mean i’d obviously rather people liked me than not, i’m not a masochist, but I don’t lose much sleep at the thought of someone thinking I’m a miserable sod. I’m me now, moreso than I think I have been before. Gibberish? Possibly, but I know what I mean.
What was the question again?
