Mythbusting: Graduate telemarketing

The telemarketing industry is rife with misconceptions. Myths about poor (commission based) pay, unreasonable targets and no progression prospects are just some of the public misunderstandings about the industry that telemarketing employees battle against each day. rnMany graduates see telemarketing as scripted B2C sales calls; flogging double glazing and life insurance, however this is a world away from unscripted strategic and business critical B2B calling. They often also see telemarketing as a “stop gap” – not a real career but a transient job that people rarely engage in for more than a few weeks or months. In reality, the best agencies are full of motivated and ambitious people who have been with them for many years working their way up a varied career ladder. Telemarketing can not only be an exciting career path but a great stepping stone to various other prestigious professions. The Telemarketing Company explores how working within the industry can be perfect for many graduates and dispel some of the myths that may put some students off applying upon leaving university.rnOpportunities for the ambitiousrnTelemarketing firms have a wide variety of roles for graduates, from entry level to managerial posts. Agencies tend to have a high ratio of managers to agents which gives individuals lots of opportunities for progression into roles like client account management, team management, new business development or any of the other senior and junior management roles that all businesses need.rnTelemarketing is a good training ground for any industry that requires strong sales people who can use their professional skills to persuade people to buy. A lot of graduates move into sales or marketing roles for technology, recruitment, financial services and marketing businesses.rnVarietyrnOne of the common graduate misconceptions is that all telemarketing jobs are alike. In reality there are a vast range of clients, working environments and working methodologies that all differ from one outbound telemarketing agency to the next. This makes the industry not only an exciting place to work, but also gives great opportunity for flexibility and progression.rnTelemarketing appeals to a really diverse range of people. As long as you can embrace a challenge, enjoy learning, and are a great communicator (remember listening is just as important as what you say in telemarketing roles) a career as a telemarketer could be one for you. To be successful within the industry graduates need to be confident and intelligent, as well has having excellent communication skills, tenacity, optimism and integrity. Being generally charming and likeable is also always a bonus!rnRewardingrnTelemarketing agencies are full of people from a wide spectrum of backgrounds, with utterly different work and life experience. People’s ability is far more important than what they may or may not have done previously. However, generally it helps to have had some experience in a phone based environment, for example customer service, credit control, debt collecting, sales or research. Also for B2B calling, some experience of working in a commercial or office (rather than consumer facing) role is often very helpful.rnA career in telemarketing can be very rewarding for graduates, giving them the opportunity to learn about a variety of different businesses, how they work, what makes them tick and how they win new customers. Outbound telemarketing can give graduates exposure to a rich mix of other marketing disciplines, as well as allowing them to develop new and valuable business skills, whilst generating results which make a difference and which are recognised by colleagues and clients. Some of the calls graduates make are the beginning of a process which ends in a deal being signed for hundreds of thousands, or even millions of pounds.rnWith any job you have to take the good with the bad. However, working for a telemarketing agency can not only provide graduates with a wealth of opportunity within the industry itself, but also prepares them with fundamental skills that they can apply to a vast range of other professions.