Working in a bank call centre? Opinions?

Lredrumking on 13/04/2020 - 23:06

Hi guys i'm 25 turning 26 and i'm really annoyed with myself because i don't have an established career
i have a degree in accounting / marketing

after graduationg, i worked at a few small accounting firms but hated the job every time. i was unemployed for a while and then finally find another accounting role (at an accouting firm) last october. I enrolled to do my CA and thought to myself, let's give this a proper go.

But long story short, i lost motivation fast because i honestly hate this crap. I got stood down from my role due to the corona because i'm still new it was too hard for me to work from home on my own. TBH i would of got fired anyway.

Anyway, i've applied for a debt collection division in a call centre at one of the big 4 banks. I wanted to get a customer service position but al i could get is debt collection role. I have an interview coming up and hope to get the role. However, at the same time, i'm not sure where exactly i'm going with this. I was hoping to get into this role and try and move around and upward internally within the Bank. Has anyone had experience doing this?

I feel like i'm really wasting my potential and just feel so directionless with life.

Has anyone had experience working in the call centre of a bank? how was it? is it possible to get promoted?

I hope to work in a more technical position in the future, i was thinking of studying coding or something but the issue is i'll be working in collections not customer service so i'm not sure if that will inhibit my ability to move up.

Any thoughts and options? do you think i'm making a big mistake throwing away my accoutning career/CA for a entry level banking/collector position?

Education & Work

closed Comments

  • Baa on 13/04/2020 - 23:20
    +6

    I don't think the jobs are the issue here, it sounds like you have given up too quickly into a new career.

    Hard for me to understand the time and effort going into getting a degree (having never studied) and then giving up in said field in 6 months.

    I had no clear idea of what I want to do in life until the last few years (currently 36), however have always worked my ass off in every job I have had to progress as much as possible and have been successful in building a career for myself.

    I am going to study now, to not further my career as not sure if I will ever be more senior than I am now - but at least allow me to move to a path I am more interested in.

    I don't see a clear progression path from working in a bank call centre to a technical role. My wife has many years experience in banking and the call centre tends to be a dead end aside from the rare few who become team leaders or managers in their respective teams.

    • redrumking on 13/04/2020 - 23:23

      Thanks, i should elaborate i really (profanity) up after graduating, i spent a year working at a bad firm, didn't do well there, got fired, then worked at another firm, had a terrible attitude, got fired, then was unemployed for a long time got into a relationship with an awful person, it consumed all my time, then got a job at another firm only to be stood down form corona
      i guess i just have so many bad memories of accounting just want a fresh start.

      • fossilfuel on 14/04/2020 - 00:04
        +2

        Might be worth doing the career quiz and see where it takes you. No point going into customer service/debt collection if it's going to consume your soul. Accounting didn't work out but what about marketing?

        • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 10:54

          i did the quiz and i got 53% analytical, 26% creative, 20% admin,

          all the results were not related to accountig or banking :/

          • fossilfuel on 14/04/2020 - 11:26

            @redrumking: What were the top results? Might be worth upskilling and applying for jobs in those areas and steer clear from accounting and banking or you'll continue to be disatisfied.

      • Baa on 14/04/2020 - 00:08

        My wife has the call centre managers reporting to get right now of a financial institution and she has redirected many of her lending and service officers into collections currently due the large influx due to COVID.

        This may be recruitment to deal with that, but it sounds like it ranges from heartbreaking to abusive at times.

        Have you thought about looking to use you degree in different ways? In my industry I know a few technical accountants which deal with the application side of things more than the accounting side of things. I also know lots of ex accountants who have given up on it in their early 30's!

  • [Deactivated] on 13/04/2020 - 23:23
    +8

    Are you sure you will find motivation in debt collection? Not a very constructive job.

    • redrumking on 13/04/2020 - 23:24

      Yes to be honest i'm not sure. I mean, if there's room for progression of course but i just don't knwo what to do. Should i go back to accounting?

      • [Deactivated] on 13/04/2020 - 23:49

        Progression will mean becoming a team leader and moving up the ranks in the call centre. Suggest that if you take this route and want to work in head office that you'll need to hustle and network hard to branch into other parts of the business. A lot of people have done it, just takes time and perseverance.

        Good luck.

        • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 09:31

          thanks

        • Cheaplikethebird on 14/04/2020 - 11:29

          Have spent time working in call centres. There's a lot of competition for Team Leader roles if they come up and they always go to someone who has been in the role for a few years to prevent a mutiny. Usually goes to someone motivated with good relationships within the team, I'm going to guess this may not describe you. Also (and this is completely from my own experience, but) more often than not TL positions go to female staff as there is a belief out there that women do better in low-level management positions.

    • sghetti on 13/04/2020 - 23:52

      Depending on your attitude/morals, debt collection can be heartbreaking and leave you feeling terrible.

      The situations you intervene in, people losing livelihoods, homes etc. Given everything going on at the moment most of them are ramping up their hardship fte. The stories you'll hear will be horrible, you'll have to go home at night with many of these in the back of your mind.

      Like I said above, it depends on how that will sit with you when you clock off, will you think about the people that you repossessed their house, told them to dip in to their super to pay arrears off, badger them on what assets they can sell to cover shortfall? Not all of it will be bad, but that will be a reasonable portion of it.

      • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 09:31

        hmmm, i suffer from a bit f OCD maybe this isn't a good job for me.

        • sghetti on 14/04/2020 - 11:03

          Yeah, there's no way I could do it. It would be a horrible job for me, some find it suitable. Ultimately the person/family/partnership has signed up for the loan, accepted the risk and signed a contract for repayments over the term of the loan. They're ultimately responsible, but I just couldn't work based off of that, sh!t happens and people get in to trouble. The worst time is right now, so many had a stable income in industries that are now decimated and they had no idea to see it was coming.

          They're now at risk of losing everything.

  • CyberMurning on 13/04/2020 - 23:36
    +1

    You don't even know if you will get that debt job so just go to the interview and think later

  • Pootie Tang on 13/04/2020 - 23:39
    +3

    Did debt collection for Westpac after they offered me a job on their IT help desk which then didn't materialise, I had already given notice.

    Besides the 4 week training course on whatever it was, working as a debt collector was up there with the worst jobs I've had and if not the worst. I became quite apathetic. Lasted a year or so. Work colleague died in a car accident and they offered me 4 severance as I was losing interest in the job real quick and was about to get fired for lifting a block code on an account by accident. I also put notes on and account calling a customer a wench, however if you look up it's true meaning it's not as bad as you think.

    Don't do it.

    • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 09:38

      dam man, maybe i should stick to accounting or wait until i get an inbound role?

      • Pootie Tang on 14/04/2020 - 10:22

        Yeah, if I had my time to tell my younger 23 yo self would be don't do it. I only worked part time as well. 25 hours a week over 5 days, might have been better if I crammed it into 3 days. Money was decent but damm. Outbound is the devil, inbound wasn't great.

        Look up true fortnightly etc and try justifying that to customers on mortgage repayments.

        It could be a walk in the park though with Covid going on as you might just be referring heaps of people to a special team for repayment breaks but first point of call will be you.

        Don't expect to get promoted from collections. Be very rare I would think.

        Moral of the story, better to have a job than not but as soon as I got my foot in the door is be looking elsewhere asap. Good luck

      • Cheaplikethebird on 14/04/2020 - 11:35
        +1

        Good luck getting an inbound role atm when every Tom, Dick, and Harry who just got fired from their hospo job will be competing for the roles and they at least have a bit of customer service experience.

  • Mechz on 14/04/2020 - 00:09

    There are lots or roles advertised internally so you don't have to just progress upwards within the call centre. I was at WBC 16 years ago and went from CS to comms officer to ops and then process analyst which took me to another corp job doing call centre reporting and analytics which I then leveraged into an IT role in 2011.

    Banks are great places to network professionally and quite often there's secondments so they and you can test the waters before making a permanent move between departments.

  • theHMASfriendship on 14/04/2020 - 01:18
    -2

    Sounds like you'll be a massive banker…

  • THX on 14/04/2020 - 01:24
    +2

    I know a few people working in debt collections and it's tedious work calling customers that get angry and dealing with them. Definitely not a fulfilling job but you can move around departments after a while (under a year).

  • asun88 on 14/04/2020 - 02:50
    +2

    Started my career in a big 4 bank call centre role. Debt collection team is probably the lowest tier out of them all. You are better off sticking to an inbound call centre role. Plenty of call centre jobs in the banks, don't settle for a debt collection role.

    In terms of progression, forget about it. You can only progress in a call centre environment by becoming a senior, team leader or manager. Keep in mind, each batch of recruits there are only a handful of stand outs lined up for the next promotion.

    I left the bank to another large company after two years because I could still see that the two batches before me had good people already waiting. Even though I was a top performer in my group, there was no way I wanted to just to 'wait' it out. Keep in mind banks don't give big pay rises until your title changes.

    After two years with another company I went back to the big 4 bank again. This time I was able to come in at a higher level position in risk management. After another two years, I've left the bank again for another position. I have friends who started in the same group as me in the beginning but they didn't leave. Let's just say by me leaving and coming back, I was able to earn about 50% more than if I had stayed.

    In short, banks are a great place to learn and make connections. You may get an opportunity to move up but it's literally 50% timing, 40% how much people like you and 10% skill. What you can do however is a secondment. Which is basically a placement into another area of the bank at your current salary. Hopefully if you get a 12 months secondment and do well, that team will eventually give you a permanent position.

    Banks have plenty of opportunities but don't be afraid to jump around for the next payrise or title. You need to use your existing experience to get the next job, don't just wait inline like 50 other people of you.

    • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 09:36

      dam , should i turn this down and wait for customer service / inbound call center opportunities?

      • Mechz on 14/04/2020 - 10:59

        They will let you move sideways into CS after a few months if those roles become available.

      • asun88 on 14/04/2020 - 12:20
        +1

        Have to be strategic. If you turn down the debt collection role, then they may not call you back for another role. I would still go for the interview, smash it out the park. When they offer you say you don't think it's suitable for you. By that time if you have already made a good impression they are more likely don't want to lose you and possibly place you in another role.

  • AustriaBargain on 14/04/2020 - 03:35
    +1

    Talking all day for a living would give me a headache.

  • o53djz7qTPY4der on 14/04/2020 - 06:46
    +8

    To be honest, if I were you, I'd just focus on not getting fired, again.

    • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 09:35

      this is what i'm a bit worried about, if i get a role in collections or not, what if i dislike it? another short term job on my resume? my resume already looks terrible.

      • o53djz7qTPY4der on 14/04/2020 - 10:49
        +1

        If you can afford to keep pissing jobs up the wall, then crack on.

        If not, you're going to have to make the most of it. Get what you can from the job - call centre training, access to internal job postings, perhaps look into secondments or leadership roles. These can all be things you can take with you to the next role you're in. Just make sure you don't get fired and be actively engaged in the role.

        If you show intiative, contribute to the culture and workplace in a positive and constructive way you'll be valued at most organisations. If you're a negative nancy with no objective or motivation, you'll be replaced. It really is that simple.

        I'm not saying it is easy to do this in a job you hate but if you have little choice and a resume that looks crap, then you really need to have a long, hard look in the mirror and ask if it's the roles that are the problem or the person filling them?

      • Mechz on 14/04/2020 - 11:00
        +1

        Your resume is written by you, no need to put something on there if it's not what you want to be seen.

  • kerfuffle on 14/04/2020 - 06:50
    +5

    Looks like you'll be getting that holiday now; I knew it was you as soon as you said you were almost 26 and worked as an accountant

    do you think i'm making a big mistake throwing away my accoutning career/CA for a entry level banking/collector position?

    Considering that you're currently unemployed, I don't think you can be picky with what jobs are available to you at the moment. Plus it doesn't sound like you enjoyed accounting anyway

    • o53djz7qTPY4der on 14/04/2020 - 06:54
      +4

      Spot on.

      Everyone should be thankful to have a job in this current climate. Regardless of whether you like it or not.

    • That Guy on 14/04/2020 - 08:45
      +2

      I hate this type of attitude (although it all comes together to paint a picture of OP's work ethic) it's so incredibly short sighted, you can't career progress on government handouts sitting at home.

      OP you need to work on not losing your next job what ever that may be, your resume is going to start looking pretty bad.

      • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 09:33

        Yes i admit my attitude is very bad, i'm trying to change. My resume already looks terrible. That's what i'm worried about - suppose i get this job in collections and hate it, another year wasted, another short job on my resume :/ .

        Feel like i'm just digging a hole bigger and bigger. That's why i'm worried about getting this job, or whateve my next job is.

    • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 09:32
      -4

      very strange stalker post.

      • kerfuffle on 14/04/2020 - 09:36

        Well, you clearly joined this place because you couldn't post on the other one, am I right? Your constant complaining of how much you dislike accounting is pretty distinct (always starting off how you're almost 26 etc.), so it didn't take much to put two and two together …

        It sounds like you need to talk to a counsellor or psychologist if work is making you that miserable

        • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 09:39
          -1

          nah i got IP banned years and yeas ago from WP and eveyr time i post a new account they ban me. the mods on there are real nazis.

      • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 11:05
        -1

        would you like a medal or something?

    • loke on 14/04/2020 - 12:18
      +2

      Yeah… same poster, a lot of the same advice every time.

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/495143

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/462114

      Your/my comment from last time too:

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/462114#comment-7380805

      Employee turnover rate is always high in a lot of high pressure small firms who do timesheet billing; I'm now working in a very different place with a better work culture.

      if you go into tax accounting you should always aim to get your tax agent license (or BAS agent license). It is very different to have another source of income compared to an employee.

      (this one isn't by the same poster though:)

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/529328

      • kerfuffle on 14/04/2020 - 12:28

        Looks like this account will be in the penalty box then and OP will go back to Reddit about not being able to get over his ex and hating his accounting job

        OP, get a Mental Health Plan. Sounds like you need it

  • pantsparty on 14/04/2020 - 07:02

    No, you are not making a mistake. Accounting is not for everyone - if it makes you miserable than the sooner you give it up the better.

    Saying that I don’t think you will find debt collecting to be any more satisfying.

    • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 09:34

      hmm thanks, what should i do then? shuld i try get into customer service instead?

  • Mentallysick on 14/04/2020 - 08:15

    Get your degree on CA. That is the best thing to do.
    No job is satisfying. It is all about how much you make at the end.

    • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 09:34

      but in accunting i come home every night and feel depresed and miseable is it normal to feel like this after working? (i've only ever worked in accounting)

      • Mentallysick on 14/04/2020 - 11:30

        yes it is but its ok. Thats life.

  • Third_Gear on 14/04/2020 - 08:17
    +1

    I started my career path in a call centre and after a year managed to transfer out into a paper pushing job and from there transition quickly into a better role. If you are smart, motivated, polite, and know how to make friends in an office environment you can easily move ahead very quickly.

    • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 09:34

      even in collections?

  • EightImmortals on 14/04/2020 - 08:23
    +3

    "I feel like i'm really wasting my potential and just feel so directionless with life."

    Welcome to life. Might I suggest you look for meaning outside of the narrow parameters of mere 'work'? Is there something (productive) you LOVE to do? Then do that until the money starts coming in. If you can't do that then look at any job as what it really is, a means to an end. Most people work because they have to acquire money to transact in the world we've created. So if you can come up with some larger goal of what you can use the money for or engage in the pursuit of happiness and fulfilment with the realisation that 'work' and 'money' might add to your character growth but ion the end are only a small part of the equation you'll eventually find your way.

    Hint: It's not 'out there'. :)

  • shaybisc on 14/04/2020 - 09:48
    +3

    Didn't you realise that accountancy was incredibly boring while you were studying it? Like, immediately.

    • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 09:56

      yes major life regret.

      that's i why i thought i could work in a bank call centre, study coding move into analytics or something
      maybe i should turn down collections adnwait for a customer service role

      • kerfuffle on 14/04/2020 - 09:58

        maybe i should turn down collections adnwait for a customer service role

        You're currently unemployed; are you sure you can afford to be picky with jobs? You won't know whether you dislike debt collecting as well unless you try.

        • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 09:59

          Probably not, but what i'm worried about is if i get this job, and dislike it or do poorly, then i will have another short job on my resume/fired again :/

          • kerfuffle on 14/04/2020 - 10:03

            @redrumking: I may be wrong, however I would think it would be better to be employed rather than have gaps of unemployment on your resume, even if you were only in the role for a few months.

  • Godric on 14/04/2020 - 09:54

    Better off doing Sales, work hard, produce high numbers and you'll be noticed

    • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 09:56

      i'm not a good salesmen

      • Godric on 14/04/2020 - 10:01
        +2

        No one starts good, you get good.

        GL though.

  • onetwothreefour on 14/04/2020 - 10:02
    +1

    I'd say don't do it OP, looks like most of the comments here have put you off so if it's so easy to dissuade you from going for this job even if you did go ahead and work there it's probably going to be the next job that you are going to get fired from/quit. You need to find a role that you will be able to stick at for at least a couple of years to show potential employers that you can be loyal/a good employee. Having said that you might need to take anything you can get, from what you have said above I wouldn't hire you.

    • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 10:07

      Yes this is what i'm worried about, thank you for your comment

      my resume is starting to look very bad, and i'm actually LUCKY that the corona situation happened because i probably would of got fired from my last job but instead i have an official letter stating i was stood down due to corona.

      Hmmmm, maybe i should just turn this down and wait for something better, because now at least i have the excuse for corona . but my resume does look bad with big gaps and short jobs.

      feel so stuck with life ugh

      • 20percentcorrect on 14/04/2020 - 10:19

        You don't have to put this job down on your resume. Take the job, get some money and see if you like it. If not leave and don't put it on your resume.

  • kanmen on 14/04/2020 - 10:54
    +2

    Going to add a different perspective here than all the high performers on here, will probs get negged. I'm the same age as you and I have intelligent friends who are so capable but are still studying/finding their own way. In 2020, this is normal. We have the opportunity and the ability to take the time to find out what actually works for us, try different career paths and slowly find our own way. Yes this means we'll 'settle down' slower, but would you rather be stuck in a profession you don't like or take your time to find what actually suits you as a career for the rest of your life?

    I read your story and realise that could have almost been me, I was aiming to do an accounting degree due to familial and societal pressure and ended up doing an arts degree (waiting for the negs) and although I had a love-hate relationship with it, its lead me to what I do now and I literally can't imagine doing anything else. I am so glad I did not pursue commerce.

    Not gonna tell you what to do re: this job, but long term I recommend volunteering and trying different things, whatever this may be for you. You probably have potential, but the hard part is figuring out how to utilise it to maximise your input into society but also your own happiness, satisfaction and needs.

    • redrumking on 14/04/2020 - 11:06

      dam i wish i was brave enough to do what you did but like you i was pressured and did commerce.

      • netjock on 14/04/2020 - 12:28

        Didn't you also do Marketing? Isn't that something you might explore?

        My 2c. 2 weeks of job experience in high school I followed my dad to see what his job was like and no thanks. Didn't do that well out of high school but did land in commerce and majored in accounting & finance.

        Did a few job hops and ended up being a manager 3 years after graduation for an ASX25 company. Then went to London and worked in top FTSE50 companies managing hundreds to billions of GBP in revenue / cost. I don't do tax accounting or statutory financial reports (the compliance side) I work in strategic decision side of the business.

    • fossilfuel on 14/04/2020 - 11:36

      Yes this means we'll 'settle down' slower, but would you rather be stuck in a profession you don't like or take your time to find what actually suits you as a career for the rest of your life?

      Absoutely agree. Recently, a careers advisor told me that graduates would have jumped between 7 different fields and over 25 jobs by the time they retire. Don't be complacent and stick to what's familiar and hate going to work everyday. There's so many different jobs out there so it's worth looking around and applying for jobs that you like.

      I know someone who did many years at law school, hated it and jumped ship to policing. He's thriving in his new role.

      • netjock on 14/04/2020 - 12:30

        graduates would have jumped between 7 different fields and over 25 jobs

        Learn to question statistics. If that is the average then there is someone who did 14 different fields and 50 jobs.

  • nomoneynoproblems on 14/04/2020 - 11:51
    +2

    How do you get fired from 2 different jobs? I've never been fired once in my short 8 year career.

  • Moderatorhamza23 on 14/04/2020 - 12:39

    Comments are closed (account issue).

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