We had a new Engineer start, fresh out of college, and he was terrified to call people at first. Now, only a few months later, he much prefers it as a more effective means of communicating.
I had a job where I made 20+ calls per day. I worked there for almost 2 years, and hated it just as much the day i quit as the day i started. They weren’t even particularly difficult calls, just processing orders and looking up part numbers.
That being said now I sit in zoom meetings which don’t seem that different but I find them 100x less stressful.
Absolutely a concern. But calls build rapport, which makes people more likely to help you.
So that’s the question you always need to be asking: do I need this in writing? If not, then a call is enough. If you do, then even if you do call, insist on getting the info in writing. Sometimes this means writing the email yourself, and asking them to confirm.
My very first job, right out of school and before Uni, turned out to be almost only be “make calls” (not a call-center or anything, it was administrative tasks that required calling partnered businesses).
I only had that job for 6months or so, but I’m glad I had it. I still prefer Mail, but very often making a quick call is the way to go, and not being afraid of them makes your life way easier.
Millennial with the opposite experience here. Once upon a time I’d use the phone all the time, could spend hours wandering the house and talking with friends, and calling anyone for any purpose was never a problem.
Then I got a job answering phones for Comcast, was there less than a year before I quit. It’s been about two decades since then but it installed a hatred of phones in me that has lasted to this day.
We had a new Engineer start, fresh out of college, and he was terrified to call people at first. Now, only a few months later, he much prefers it as a more effective means of communicating.
The youngest millennials are turning 30, what you have there is a gen Z engineer.
So an Engen-Z-er?
I’ll show myself out
Whoa, how did that happen?
I had a job where I made 20+ calls per day. I worked there for almost 2 years, and hated it just as much the day i quit as the day i started. They weren’t even particularly difficult calls, just processing orders and looking up part numbers.
That being said now I sit in zoom meetings which don’t seem that different but I find them 100x less stressful.
My problem is, if I call someone and they lie to me I’m the one who gets fucked, if I send an email they get fucked if they lie.
This is why I never read my work emails
Do both.
Absolutely a concern. But calls build rapport, which makes people more likely to help you.
So that’s the question you always need to be asking: do I need this in writing? If not, then a call is enough. If you do, then even if you do call, insist on getting the info in writing. Sometimes this means writing the email yourself, and asking them to confirm.
My very first job, right out of school and before Uni, turned out to be almost only be “make calls” (not a call-center or anything, it was administrative tasks that required calling partnered businesses).
I only had that job for 6months or so, but I’m glad I had it. I still prefer Mail, but very often making a quick call is the way to go, and not being afraid of them makes your life way easier.
Edit: forgot to say, I’m Gen Z I guess.
Millennial with the opposite experience here. Once upon a time I’d use the phone all the time, could spend hours wandering the house and talking with friends, and calling anyone for any purpose was never a problem.
Then I got a job answering phones for Comcast, was there less than a year before I quit. It’s been about two decades since then but it installed a hatred of phones in me that has lasted to this day.
I worked in a callcenter for 4 years. I have zero fear of work calls, but I still avoid calls to a rediculous extent in my personal life