How can I escape my call centre job?

[2orangey]

This will be my fifth year working in a call centre. I need to get out!

It is low paid work and stressful. Since I am seen as one of the more responsible longer term workers, (a lot of people leave after less than a year) I am given extra responsibilities but there is no extra compensation for this.

I feel like I am stuck in a dead end. I am late 30s with no children. I have vague ideas of retraining for something but I have no idea what. I wish I had a vocation or passion but I don't. Right now I just want a 9-5 office type job. Don't care about pay so much. I just don't want to be on the phone all bloody day.

What training can I do that isn't too expensive and will lead to something? I have vague thoughts of book-keeping or nhs admin but really not sure.

So sorry to hear this OP. However you will have got some really good skills from this. For now I would take any responsibility they offer fir your CV.

There is an organisation called career shifters and a book called what colour is my parachute which both might be useful to help you figure out what you want to do.

@partyatthepalace thank you for your advice! I will look into career shifters and what colour is my parachute.

I think I need to try and be positive and consider what I can add to my CV. However, I am well aware that most people including future employers don't see call centre work in the best light.

There are quite often threads on here of people considering re-training for bookkeeping/accountancy so there might be some good advice/perspectives to be found there.

I have also seen various threads on getting a foot in with a civil service job.

I may not be a representative sample but I don't have a negative perception of someone with callcentre experience, certainly not someone who stuck it out 5 years and took on extra responsibility.

Our admin team has been recruited from people who'd never worked in an office but showed the potential from their past experience and skills to pick up what we needed from them. They do a really good job.

@user184628462 thank you for your advice.

Call centre work is generally looked down on by the general public though and honestly I can see why. We get the bare minimum training and then it is pretty much 'sink or swim' , hence why a lot of people leave after a few months.

I am happy to hear you wouldn't just dismiss my CV outright. I will look out for the threads on bookkeeping. I basically lack confidence in switching to something different. But if others can, why not me?

I did it, I worked in a a few call centres then started doing collections, from there I moved into
a role in credit control which was mostly admin with collections involved. I interview really well which helped, I now do a ‘soft’ credit control role.

I spent a long time working in call centres and absolutely hated it. It’s awful work and you get treated terribly by staff and customers, so I really feel for you OP.

I found it really difficult to get out. I think employers really do look down on you for working in call centres. My circumstances are a bit different as I started working in my husbands business but book keeping might be a good way to go, if you speak to your local college they will usually be happy to help you find a course. Also just apply for any and every admin job that comes up, it will make it easier to apply for the next one that you’d really like to have more relevant experience. Best of luck to you!

I’ve said it in various threads before but totally willing to help. I’m an independent career coach (ex-corporate HR, now working for myself) and happy to give you a free hour of coaching, just to help you clarify what options you have and could go for. No obligation, no strings, just from one MNer to another. PM me if you fancy it 😀

Due to covid related redundancy, I've recently started working for a company where some people work in a call centre environment. The whole place has a mentality of high turnover, low pay and low expectations. If someone is better, like yourself, I think they simply get to do the work everyone else lacks the skills for. I think it's a company mindset rather than the role you do.

Think of all the tasks that you do and what skills you use to do them. Look at what job descriptions list these skills, apply for them. Your skills will be far more than you think and far easier to use in different environments. Just get applying. It's scary I know and in a tome like this but as long as your employer doesn't know you're applying, you have nothing to lose.

If you don't know what you want to do, let your next job guide you! Could be fun