Sure,we all hate those annoying phone calls from telemarketers trying to sell useverything from house loans to windshield repair. But, have you ever triedlooking from their side of the telephone?

I worked as a telemarketerselling jewelry over the phone for six weeks, and it was one of the hardest tasksI've ever done. I had to go through a lot of training to do something most of usdo every day: talk on the phone. The shifts are long, and the work is hard. Theyput me in a cubicle with a phone and some papers. There were many others around,but I was busy and couldn't talk to them. The people I had to try to sell to hadno money, didn't want what I was selling, or couldn't speak English. They couldsay anything they wanted, and I had to have a comeback. A supervisor was alwaysmonitoring me, and I got in trouble if I didn't sell enough, or said the wrongthing. I always had to be pushy and not take no for an answer. It was really hardand stressful. So, the next time a telemarketer calls, be polite and rememberthey're just doing their job.