This is the "advice" section and I have advice to give. Hopefully the fact that I have been in this industry for over a decade will be cause to heed some of it. If not, hey I tried.
When looking for a company to work for:
Know what you want. If you only want to sit and answer calls dispatched to you, then don't apply at companies that require more than that. If you only can work part-time then say so and don't apply at the companies who require long hours of availability. If you have subjects you refuse to talk about, then don't apply at a no-taboo company. All of these things will only waste their time and your own.
Be truthful when interviewing:
No good can ever come of making things up. If you have no experience in trolling, just say so and ask for training. If you cannot convincingly do an accent, then don't say you can. If you are not familiar with fetishes, don't act like you are. Don't say you are available X-amount of hours a week when you know darned well you cannot do it. If you have children home, are taking classes, have a job outside the home, just admit it from the start and don't try to hide it.
Interview the company :
You will have questions; so ask, ask ask! Question how long they have been in business. Ask if their merchant account is Adult, ask how they handle chargebacks, ask about training and self promotion and exactly what is required. Ask what kind of equipment they expect you to have; is it okay to use a cordless phone, what features should you have or not have on it? Are you required to have high-speed internet access? What kind of hours does the company require of its ops? Is it a log-in and log-off situation or is it shifts? Is management easily available if you have a question or concern?
Don't badmouth previous companies:
It makes you look bitter and jaded and is not desirable. Many companies will ask, and rightly so, where have you previously worked. Answer truthfully but don't go into a negative tirade. A simple " I worked for XYZ company and we just did not mesh/I wasn't happy with the call volume etc" is sufficient. If you are asked for 'dirt' on a previous company, I would be wary of the company doing the interviewing. And don't say you will bring over clients from your previous company. All that says is that if you are willing to do that to a prior company then you will do it to this company as well.
Talk to the ops who work there:
If a company has nothing to hide then they will welcome your talking to current phone ops who are taking calls for them. Keep it short, but ask the girls how long they have been with this company, if they have ever missed a check, if a check has ever bounced, what the call volume is like, etc.
Look at the company website(s):
Do they look professional and attractive? Are they easy to navigate? Do they clearly provide 2257 info? Do they clearly state the pricing and what manner of payments are accepted? Do they clearly offer the company name for billing purposes? Or ... are they sloppy, do they contain questionable content, do they conceal the pricing info, do they conceal the actual company name?
Don't take the first job offered or say yes on the first interview:
Take the time to do your research and give serious thought before committing to a company. Do more than one interview; no doubt you will have more questions as you think through what you have learned. Jot them down so you remember.
Red Flags !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Beware of companies who are "always hiring"; obviously there is a reason they have such a high turnover and cannot keep girls!
Beware of companies just starting out. I realize all companies have to start somewhere but most companies that appear out of nowhere disappear just as fast!
Beware if asked to do a "test call". This is not something that legitimate companies require!
Beware of companies whose contracts say you can only work for them. If you are considered an IC (Independent Contractor) they cannot, by law, require exclusivity!
Beware of companies that foster Drama. We have all seen them on this and other boards, those companies who are always being mentioned in a negative way or always seem to be feuding with anyone and everyone. If they are spending all their time on feuds and drama, they have no time to run a business in the manner it should be!
And Beware of any company that promises you too much. Like your momma always said "if it seems to good to be true, it probably is"!
Respect the profession: This is a job. Yes, you may be able to sit home and take calls in your jammies, but it is still a job and you have your company expecting you to treat it like such and you have your callers expecting the same. Be professional and provide excellent customer service to your clients, they are paying good money to speak with you.
Please don't take on this profession thinking that you can hide it from your husband, boyfriend, significant other, room mate etc. It never works! You may be able to keep it a secret from friends or relatives for whatever reason, but you cannot do this job and keep it from those you live with.
Understand why callers call. There are many reasons they choose a phone call over a porn mag.They are looking for acceptance and non-judgement. They are looking for some variety outside of their marriage. They are lonely. Whatever the reason, be grateful that they called and be grateful that they called you.
Don't refer to your callers as "perverts, weirdos, sick-os" just because they are into something that you may not find as 'normal'. If they did not have these extreme fantasies, you would be out of a job!
Hopefully you will take this to heart and take it in the manner it was offered.
I love and respect this profession and those who make it their business to do it well.
Allie
When looking for a company to work for:
Know what you want. If you only want to sit and answer calls dispatched to you, then don't apply at companies that require more than that. If you only can work part-time then say so and don't apply at the companies who require long hours of availability. If you have subjects you refuse to talk about, then don't apply at a no-taboo company. All of these things will only waste their time and your own.
Be truthful when interviewing:
No good can ever come of making things up. If you have no experience in trolling, just say so and ask for training. If you cannot convincingly do an accent, then don't say you can. If you are not familiar with fetishes, don't act like you are. Don't say you are available X-amount of hours a week when you know darned well you cannot do it. If you have children home, are taking classes, have a job outside the home, just admit it from the start and don't try to hide it.
Interview the company :
You will have questions; so ask, ask ask! Question how long they have been in business. Ask if their merchant account is Adult, ask how they handle chargebacks, ask about training and self promotion and exactly what is required. Ask what kind of equipment they expect you to have; is it okay to use a cordless phone, what features should you have or not have on it? Are you required to have high-speed internet access? What kind of hours does the company require of its ops? Is it a log-in and log-off situation or is it shifts? Is management easily available if you have a question or concern?
Don't badmouth previous companies:
It makes you look bitter and jaded and is not desirable. Many companies will ask, and rightly so, where have you previously worked. Answer truthfully but don't go into a negative tirade. A simple " I worked for XYZ company and we just did not mesh/I wasn't happy with the call volume etc" is sufficient. If you are asked for 'dirt' on a previous company, I would be wary of the company doing the interviewing. And don't say you will bring over clients from your previous company. All that says is that if you are willing to do that to a prior company then you will do it to this company as well.
Talk to the ops who work there:
If a company has nothing to hide then they will welcome your talking to current phone ops who are taking calls for them. Keep it short, but ask the girls how long they have been with this company, if they have ever missed a check, if a check has ever bounced, what the call volume is like, etc.
Look at the company website(s):
Do they look professional and attractive? Are they easy to navigate? Do they clearly provide 2257 info? Do they clearly state the pricing and what manner of payments are accepted? Do they clearly offer the company name for billing purposes? Or ... are they sloppy, do they contain questionable content, do they conceal the pricing info, do they conceal the actual company name?
Don't take the first job offered or say yes on the first interview:
Take the time to do your research and give serious thought before committing to a company. Do more than one interview; no doubt you will have more questions as you think through what you have learned. Jot them down so you remember.
Red Flags !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Beware of companies who are "always hiring"; obviously there is a reason they have such a high turnover and cannot keep girls!
Beware of companies just starting out. I realize all companies have to start somewhere but most companies that appear out of nowhere disappear just as fast!
Beware if asked to do a "test call". This is not something that legitimate companies require!
Beware of companies whose contracts say you can only work for them. If you are considered an IC (Independent Contractor) they cannot, by law, require exclusivity!
Beware of companies that foster Drama. We have all seen them on this and other boards, those companies who are always being mentioned in a negative way or always seem to be feuding with anyone and everyone. If they are spending all their time on feuds and drama, they have no time to run a business in the manner it should be!
And Beware of any company that promises you too much. Like your momma always said "if it seems to good to be true, it probably is"!
Respect the profession: This is a job. Yes, you may be able to sit home and take calls in your jammies, but it is still a job and you have your company expecting you to treat it like such and you have your callers expecting the same. Be professional and provide excellent customer service to your clients, they are paying good money to speak with you.
Please don't take on this profession thinking that you can hide it from your husband, boyfriend, significant other, room mate etc. It never works! You may be able to keep it a secret from friends or relatives for whatever reason, but you cannot do this job and keep it from those you live with.
Understand why callers call. There are many reasons they choose a phone call over a porn mag.They are looking for acceptance and non-judgement. They are looking for some variety outside of their marriage. They are lonely. Whatever the reason, be grateful that they called and be grateful that they called you.
Don't refer to your callers as "perverts, weirdos, sick-os" just because they are into something that you may not find as 'normal'. If they did not have these extreme fantasies, you would be out of a job!
Hopefully you will take this to heart and take it in the manner it was offered.
I love and respect this profession and those who make it their business to do it well.
Allie
