I Don't Miss This Job
“You'll only get a few phone calls," the hiring manager assured me with a smile when I brought up my concern during the interview. I've worked long enough in reservations that this was hardly the case. Sure enough, I should've listened to my gut but I had no choice. I needed the job. In reality, it was two positions lumped into one. She also left out a major detail that would've likely influenced my decision: test calls. I hated them. I only found out when one of my colleagues mentioned it during my first week of training. I was pissed.
The office was constantly busy. Call volumes were heavy in the mornings. J worked the first shift at 7 am and by the time I walked in at 8, the wait button was already flashing. With my backpack still slung on my shoulders and my computer barely waking up, I picked up one call after another. Part of our team's monthly incentive was tied to the number of dropped calls so it was in our best interest to keep it low. When colleagues vacationed or called in sick, I was expected to juggle answering calls and doing my main job simultaneously. By the grace of God, I survived those tough days and months of slogging away.
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The windows in the office faced a brick wall. Sunlight basked my desk briefly for about 15-20 minutes in the morning. One day, I noticed the light falling on my notebook, pen, and binder clip. I retrieved my iPhone from my backpack and quietly took these photographs. It was a brief but soul-satisfying moment.
Victory.