Well, tomorrow's the big day for my call center job interview. I've prepared as best I can, but I still find those behavorial interviews tough. I've got all my answers ready but I still don't feel 100% confident with my explanation to them that just because I've job hopped through several call centers that I can still be a good candidate to hire. I'm trying to focus on the positive aspects like the fact that I've gained a lot of experience and learned a lot about myself through these various jobs (basically I'm more mature than I was back then and I know the cause of most of my past performance issues). If they push for to many details though, it's gonna be tough. Also questions asking for examples of assertiveness, problem solving, convincing people, decision making, using judgement, etc. I've been struggling with some of these (I seem to have an easier time recalling past failures than sucesses...go figure). I know that they probably won't ask a lot of the questions I've been re-hearsing and maybe even some unexpected ones. If the interview doesn't go as well as planned well, that probably means that I'm just not ready for call centers again. I'm trying not to pin too many hopes on this job, but I sure hope I can find something else as good if I don't this one.

Wish me luck!

Don't be to tough on yourself

What will be , will be

They are probally not going to hire you becuase you have all the correct answers to the questions , but more for the way you represnt yourself (and potentaly their business).

To me you sound reasonably ready for the interview .....


Ask yourself

If I dont get the job will I be any worse off than You are before you go for the interview.

In my mind the only answer can be only "NO", you wont be any worse off as you are looking for work when you go into the interview

If you don't get the job you will be looking for work when you come out of the interview also

so really will anything have changed ?????

Remeber one thing

A job is really nothing more than someone willing to give you money to do something they want done.

You obviously have the experence they are looking for

You have had time to evaluate why the other jobs didn't work

You probally have a good idea that the ADD has been very instrumental in the demise of the jobs.

But now you are going in to the inteview armed with the knowlege that you have gained about ADD and its potentially detramental effect as long as it is in control of you, but you also know now that if you are in control of it then it can be one of your greatest strengths.......


My 2 Can-ADD-ian cent's worth from

The Happy Garbage Truck Driver

excellent answer. Garry is quite right. I've nothing to add, but hope everything turns out well!

Best of luck Canuck!

I think they'll gobble you up, anyone who has already done call center work and wants more yeah baby.

Thinking that if you can turn your bad experiences (you say failures, I read experiences) into lessons learned might be to your advantage to mention in the interview.

Shouldn't be too hard for you to convince them that you are now more mature and ready to stay in one place longer.

It is difficult to spare the manpower for training if someone is just planning on leaving in less than six months. I'd guess that is probably one of the top interview screening purposes.

Yup, exactly. Each failure was a lesson learned toward maturity. Call centers are indeed a great place to pick up that experience and you've been there & done that & have the tee shirt to prove it.

Thanks for all the support, evreyone! ANd by the way, I just found out this morning that it's going to be a phone interview this afternoon. If they like what they hear, I may be called back for a face-to-face interview.

Well, I survived my phone interview yesterday. I think I made it through okay except for when I was asked what I was doing during the longer periods of unemployment on my resume. I basically explained that I was job searching, doing some hard thinking about career decisions, talking to guidance/employment couselors, etc. which was basically the truth in each case. Anytime I would have to explain why a previous job didn't work out, I basically turned a negative into a positive by explaining how it was a learning experience for me. I feel I did the best I could under the circumstances, in fact way better than on my last phone interview for a similar position back in March of this year. Now I'll be in suspense for the next few days to see if I get a phone call for a face-to-face interview or a "rejection" letter. I would really like to get this job but if they decide to go with someone else, no worries. At least I'll know what weaknesses to work on for my next job interviews. In fact, immediately after the phone interview was finished, I did a self-assessment of how I thought the interview went, as far as strong points and weak points. It's a technique I picked up from a local cable access show on job searching tips. They say it's always a good idea, right after a job interview, to go someplace quiet where you won't be disturbed and to go over your interview performance while it's still fresh in your mind. That way, you can pick up on any weaknesses and improve on them for next time.

Ok Canuck

we will all be waiting in suspence then

Well, I finally got an answer on my my phone interview. Unfortunately, it was the dreaded "rejection letter". At the bottom of the letter they gave the phone number of their Human Resource Dept. and suggested I give them a call if I have any questions or concerns, etc. I called and left a message today asking for some feedback from my phone interview and possibly the reason why they decided to reject me as a job candidate. So I guess for now it's back to "pounding the pavement". Sigh....

Sorry to hear that

But you were looking when you started

your looking again

nothing has changed

except the date

and you are more in tune with your self

I finally was able to speak to the Human Resource person regarding my job application. The reason she gave me for not accepting my application was that their organization had received a ton of applications for the limited number of positions available and they had to make some tough choices to screen out excess applicants. From what I understand, it seems that I lost out to someone who seemed to have more of what they were looking for as a match for the Customer Service Rep. position. They said my phone interview went fine.

UPDATE!! UPDATE!!

Just thought I'd let you all know about a recent development on this job that I was turned down for. The week before last, I got this message on my answering machine concerning some inbound customer service rep positions that I might interest me ( the message was left by a temp agency called Adecco; I had an interview and did some testing with them this past summer and they kept me in their files in case something came up that would be a good match). I called Adecco and lo and behold, the "Inbound Customer Service Rep. Positions were for the exact same company that sent me the rejection letter. As a coincidence, the company that had rejected my application, also happened to be one of the employers that Adecco provides screening/interview services to. So, to make a long story short, this temp agency offered to act as a kind of go between to try and "re-activate" my job application, so to speak. I was brought in to do some testing and a "face-to-face" interview, following the template/guidelines required by Adecco's client. I "survived" the entire process, provided my references, and figured all I had to do was wait. Wrong! the temp agency calls me back to say that their clients wnated verbal confirmation of my written references by the exact people who provided them. Well, I spend an entire day trying to track down the references in question. For my first written reference, I discovered, much to my chagrin, that the person in question was no longer with the company. For my other reference, their human resource department was only able to confirm that I had actually worked there and was unable to confirm the information on the reference itself (it was in the form of a performance evaluation since the company's official policy is not to provide references). An on top of that, the employer who wanted the references wouldn't accept this one because it was too "old" (it was dated from 1996-97). Undeterred, I called up a former work collegue from one of my previous jobs and he said he would gladly provide a reference for me. Even the employment guide/counselor who has been helping me get job leads through the "Job Developper Program" offered to give me a reference. I then forwarded this information to Adecco and sat back to wait in utter suspense. Well, my answer finally came this afternoon. Unfortunately, it was another negative. The girl I was dealing with at the temp agency, much to her credit, did everything she could short of negociating to try and convince their client that I was an ideal client but alas, to no avail. Apparently they had reservations concerning my ability to work in a fast paced environment in addition to my ability to handle stress effectively. So now it's back to square one again. I must say on the plus side, this is the closest I've come in months to actually landing a job. Kind of sucks being shot down on a technicality but I think maybe this is a sign that I should've stuck to my original plan and avoid call center work like the plague.

Canuck,

do you really like call centers that much? from what I remember you said you don't like a lot of aspects of the job!? anyway, I didn't read you're last message but read all the other's....first of, why a call center? to me and a lot of other people a call center is a COMPLETE nightmare especially for someone who has ADD! I worked at Apple's call center(inbound telesales) a few years back for 8 months and finally quit thank god!!! oh man, I was ALWAYS stressed and ****ed off, it was amazing..I have temper issues so that REALLY didn't help in this type of position...I would get off the phone and constantly complain about everything to co-workers..NO ONE, liked the job, but I was easily the biggest complainer...anyway, I would suggest getting a job that is in a company(not call center) way less stressfull....where I live there are TONS of call center jobs around, its pretty easy to get one...you know why?? because most people HATE working these types of jobs, the turnover rate is incredible...if you need cash fast, I can understnad, if not, I would suggest applying for regular customer service/sales job at companies..a LOT easier..I know becasuse I have done both...everyone is different though.

Well Cameron, I'll level with you. The reason I have been such a masochist by trying to get back into call centers is that I unfortunately happen to live in a city where call centers are one of the main employers and as such, are constantly looking for people. That plus the fact that they seem to be the only places I can get into with my experience that are willing to pay at least double-digit salaries. I remember enjoying the clerical/admin. work from my previous call center jobs and have tried applying for general office clerk type positions, but the pay is pretty lousy (usually around $7-$8 CDN). Lately, I've been trying to compile a list of all my skills, talents and experience based on exercises found in the Job Search book "What Color is Your Parachute?", but it hasn't been easy. I have a pretty good general idea of my core talents, skills, and interests but I always wonder if I'm missing something. I feel that what I have to offer employers outside the call center field is somewhat limited and I have neither the money, nor the particular motivation to go back to school for re-training in a different field. I had considered it last year but I found it extremely difficult if not impossible to settle on a specific course of study. I guess I had to struggle so hard through University plus my 6-month business/computer course, that I don't feell I could stnd going through that whole process of tests, exams, etc. As far as my interests abilities go, I have very good artistic abilities and wouldn't mind working as a commercial artist or cartoonist, but just don't see myself going back to school. I have always had an interest in science, but math and physics are a struggle for me. I would love to try translation since I'm fluent in both English and French (my mother's French-Canadian and I grew up in the province of Quebec), but it takes a 2 year university course (ugh!). I talked to someone working in the field and asked if there was a "backdoor" entrance into this type of career but she said you have to gain experince first so that you can prove to prospective clients/employers that you are competent. The best way to do this would be to start translating for friends, acquaintances, colleagues, etc. in order to build up a reputation and references. I tried it but so far, no luck. The reason I mentioned this is because when I did some testing a couple years back to see if my problems stemmed form a learning disability, I scored in the above average to superior range in the area of Linguistic, Problem Solving and Technical skills. I was surprised at problem solving and technical abilities being two of my strong points but I guess having worked in such a difficult environment as call centers, these strengths never even got a chance to come to the surface.And would you believe, when I did an interest test/survey while consulting a career counselor last year, My scores were: Scientific=21, Office Operations=17, The Arts=15, Social 4 and Business 6. Now I realize these tests are never 100 % accurate but it is food for thought.

AS for your suggestion of regular customer service/sales jobs, I have come to almost loath customer service. Maybe my perception has just been distorted by the type of customer service I'm most familiar with: call centers. I seem to prefer jobs wehere I can work with information or things as opposed to people. Not I would be qualified enough for these type of positions with the type of work experince I currently have. That's why I'm trying to find my highest and strongest tranferable skills which would enable me to find the type of job I want without going back to school. According to the book "What Color is your Parachute?", it's entirely possible and many people have apparently been successful using this approach.

Just one last word on call centers: I don't think I have to worry about landing a call center job any time soon; so far I've struck out twice when applying at two different call centers. I think when they look at how many I've gone through, that immediately sends up a red flag for them. That plus it's getting to be difficult explaining in a positive fashion why I've gone through so many (at least 3 due to job related problems, one was layoff due to downsizing) call center jobs in the pas 7 years. I wish I had a clearer work objective in mind to speed things up. I've been to an employment counselor and a guidance counselor but all they did was confuse me further. That, plus they can't seem to think outside the box when it comes to career selecting, job-searching, etc. Well, at least that's the impression I've been left with from my own personal experience.

Canuck,
Are you open to looking at receptionist-type jobs or travel agency work?
How about an Int'l airport?

Fluent French just seems too valuable not to use!
Are you old enough to work at a winery (I'm in California and they're everywhere here)?

I looked at the monster work search for your area and mainly see Home Depot and Security Guard openings.

Hi Canuck,

I have taught English and I see you have good written communication skills with proper punctuation. I think a mention of your written communication skills should be in your resume. Also there is no reason to lead with job history in your resume. To get a job more in line with your interests you might want to lead with a skills section in your resume. That way the spotty job history will not be the first thing upon which a reader focuses. You have mentioned some problems that you have had with people in the past, but I bet you have some positive people skills as well. They should be mentioned in the skills section of your resume.

Think of it this way: You have learned from this experience. You now know you need to keep those references current.

How does your resume look on the page? Take your heading for instance.

Canuck Smith
898 Maple Road
Wonderland


Compare to:

CANUCK SMITH
898 MAPLE ROAD
WONDERLAND

I didn't bother to center things, but you get the picture. Play around with fonts and spacing until you get a look you really like. You should not have more than two fonts in your resume and you should avoid an excess of bullets running all the way down the page.

Hi Coral,

I apologize for taking so long to reply. I kind of had the blues for a while and didn't have much interest in anything, including the ADD Forums. Don't know if it was the side-effects of my current medication ( Amantadine and Clonazapam combined) or just discouragement at the apparent lack of progress in my unemployment situation.
In any case, the Holidays seemed to have done me good because I've started the New Year in a bit of an upbeat mood. I have some possible job prospects lined up courtesy of my employment couselor who has registered me in this government-sponsored program that helps people transition back into the work force. It's kind of like a job placement program but you still have to do an interview with potential employers. Your salary is paid by the provincial government and the program can last up to 6 months. You're only paid minimum wage but you can negociate a higher salary if the employer agreeing to hire you accepts to add his share to your wage. It all depends on the situation. But the great thing about it is that it's designed for people who have been out of work for a long time and are somewhat fearful and lacking in confidence when it comes to re-entering the workforce. It's also available for people going back to school and who need something to tide them over till they start their classes, etc. Basically, it's designed as a stepping stone back into full-time employment. Plus, it enables you to gain experience in a given field that matches your skills and abilities so that once the program ends, you have that much more to add to your resume. The potential references you can gain are also a big plus.

Anyway, I digress. I meant to thank you for the resume tips. I had actually found the same recommendation (i.e leading with skills instead of job history) in a book called "101 Answers to the Toughest Job Search Questions" which I found at my local Human Resource Center. Their version is called the "Job Hopper's" resume and is designed especially for people who have a long history of short term jobs.

As to your inquiry concerning my people skills, yes I've been told that I am very "personable" and I get along well with others (although I can be impulsive and very "thin-skinned" at times", especially when confronted by criticism), but I always make an extra effort to be polite and courteous towards others. I even make an extra effort to avoid using expletives in emotional situations, unless of course I'm extremely angry and totally lose all self-control. It's just that I suffer from low self-confidence and low self-esteem. I have difficulty standing my ground in confrontational situations which is why I used to suffer so much whenever I had to deal with irate customers in my past customer service jobs. That's probably why I would rather work in a jib where I dealt with information or things all day long instead of people. But of course, that's an ideal world and we all know we aren't living in one of those so hopefully if my psychiatrist ( whom I'm seeing this coming Friday) can sort out what medication would be best for me, maybe I can start making some headway.

Hi Canuck,

Thank you for getting back to me. It sounds like you are in a good situation as to work. I think the Canadians may be ahead of the U.S. when it comes to government vocational help. I hope you find a good job placement. If you have the choice of several interviews, then you can interview the interviewer a little and try to gage the possibilities for longterm employment. Good luck to you.

You will do great!!!! Dont think too much about it...

How did the job interview go????