Saya Sebagai Seorang Pekerja Pt2 - From tele-marketing to 'Floor Engineer' (kata asrul..hehehe) to data entry to housekeeping..I had it all..

After my degree, I decided to further my studies. At Glasgow this time..Scotland so-called shopping heaven..Studying in Glasgow was a total different experience for me than before because I went there as a 'FAMA' student. (self-funded, father and mother scholar..hehehe). And, when we (my bro and I) planned to go, what was sufficient financially was only our tuition fees and I was expected to find my own source of income for accomodation and foods. Things had not going as planned for my brother because, he struggled to get used of the living and studying environment there. I was also struggled to find time for part time work due to tight schedule of my studies. The classes were 9am-5pm everyday, plus extra hours after that for group assignment discussions (sometimes until late nite), which can dragged to my weekends since that's the only available time for all of us to discuss and do assignments. sigh...

It was only on my 3rd semester, when I finally get a chance to earn some income. Through JobCentre, I went for a job-trial as a market researcher for a market research company. It was 6pm-10pm shift job, pays GBP6.50/hour. As long as it did not overlapped with my class timetable, I was OK with it. Since the position title was market researcher, I had the feeling that the job more or less would be about calling people and answer questionnaires or something. I guess, my early prediction was wrong. I didn't really know back then that for a profit-getter organisation, anything associate with marketing should lead to generating revenue, although if it's just a market research. So it's not a 'you-ask-questions-and-the-other-person-(potential customer(s)-answer' kind of market research task. In some point, you will need to use your charm and influencing skills to the person you call to be interested to buy/use the product or services you're researching about and make them agree for the sales person (the tele-sales people) to call them later. I was struggled at first because, I am not much of a talker but the script did helped a lot..ha ha.. Since, I was working for evening shift and it obviously dinner time, it's quite hard really to get people attention. I got a lot of yelling, cursing and angry attack because of that. The database can sometimes turn you down, where the person had made it clear they are not interested but the other staff did not mark them appropriately, the name would pop up again on your screen on random ( even worst, if at the same day itself), and the results..you'll get the yelling. The job will pretty much depends on your performance as well (you can get extra bonus of being top performer). There's obviously certain target that you need to achieve. Thing s are OK when you're new coz your target can be pretty reachable. But as time goes by, you definitely need to gear up your game and that's where the pressure came in. I don't think I had much passion on the services they're marketing and I don't really give a damn on persuading the people as well. Plus, I have so much pressure in my studies already, I don't think, I need to add more stress to my life (need to reach the target, getting people being rude to you on a day-to-day basis, etc). So, I call it quit..huhuhu..

I later, found a job early in the morning, which suit my class timetable. It was a cleaning duties in a store called TK Max. I worked 7am-9am every morning then straight-away went to class after that. I can cuci mata while cuci the floor and pick my favourite stuffs..hehehehe... The job was very easy, sweeping and moping the floor and wiping mirrors. The pays? hmm.. I think it was GBP5/hour and it was just enough for my ASDA/TESCO (groceries) expenses and shopping cravings..hehehe.. From 1 cleaning to job to another, I was recommended by fellow Malaysian students to work at UGC Cinema plak, 4hrs per shift (6am to 10am), pays GBP 5.5/hour. Since it offers longer hours, I chose to work in the weekends at first, until I finished my semester. During my dissertation writings, I extended my working days to 5 days a week although sometimes, I do volunteer to do more to cover MC staffs. Had such a blast working here, not because I enjoyed collecting pop corns, drink waste, snacks and condoms so much..but the job was like a 'treasure hunt' quest. If you're lucky, you can get all kind of 'treasures' that people left behind inside the cinema hall the day before. Umbrella, GBP1 syillings, gloves and the best treasure of all.. Handphone!!! I'm not really proud of my doings and behaviour here. hehehe..But as Abg Zaki told me, "Buat aper nak rasa bersalah. Saper soh depa tinggalkan? Kalau imah tak amik, org lain yg amik".. hahaha..Setelah mendapat sokongan moral dari orang ramai..imah kuatkan semangat utk terus mengambil aper jer benda yg imah jumpa..hehehehe..In addition to being treasure hunter at the cinema, once in a while, when the supervisor got a cleaning tender somewhere else, she would recommend me to come a long. Yeay!! Extra hours!! Extra $$$!! By this time, people already gather, that my savings are mountaining..hahaha..working everyday and on weekends as well..huhuhu.. One of her usual tender was a cleaning duties at a horse-race stadium. It was my first time went to a horse-race track and some of us did put a bet on those horses. ha ha ha. While collecting glasses and rubbish, I did get a chance to have a peek on the races and good looking socialites at the VIPs podium.. hehehehe..It was good fun..I'm loving my life as 'Floor Engineer'.. and Hygiene Specialist..hehehehe..

After finished with my dissertation, I decided to find a fulltime job instead. So my friend/classmate, Fey and I went to a recruitment agency and the first assignment I got was a temp job as Data Entry Clerk, my first office job.. hahahah.. Got better pays of course, and for once, at least no brooms or mop or cleaning detergent involved. hehehehe.. Since I know, temping job will not be forever, I searched around for permanent employment. Through, newspaper ads, I came across a lot of Business Development position in various marketing firms. The ads looks interesting - Welcome to freash-grade, thus no experience needed since training will be provided and opportunity to run your own marketing firm in 1-2 years. So, I chose 1, and booked for an appointment for an interview. The office looks great and professional. The people looks confident and well-dress as well. Everything that you would expect a marketing professional would be. After being briefed about the company, the job ladder and stuffs, I was introduced to my so called mentor of the day. He was not bad looking..hmmm.. yummy yummy.. He's doing marketing for a low-cost phone line providers and the type of marketing he's doing? Face-to-Face, Door-to-Door , House-to-House marketing. So I follow him around for a day and observe the tasks. I've always been very skeptical about this kind of job and as if reading my minds, he kept telling me to keep an open mind throughout the day. Honestly, I agree for some type of services and products and promotions, direct contact marketing like that is the most effective way. But the job was totally not for me. And thinking of security issue, wondering around alone in the city that you know very little about and go house-to-house and inviting yourself inside strangers' home. It's just not suitable for me I guess. No running marketing firm in a year for me then.. hehehe.. Since that, I ignore all similar job adverts.

After a while the searching brings me to one of my former employer again, Marriot Hotel. I was maid in Scotland again.. huhuhu.. at that time this was the only fast track employment I can easily get hold of before I can find proper job. It's just so easy..I went to their open interview and the next day you can practically start working. And it puts at least GBP700ish inside my account. Kire OKla..Just enough for everything (if you live in such moderations, of course). Obviously, I need some $$$ to continue my living. Gas and electricity bills obviously did not came cheap- (At this point, I really missing campus life (living in Yarrow), where all these utilities were covered and I don't have to worry and sleeping in coldness to save). Kalau nak tunggu permanent employment somewhere else, mati kelaparanlah saya..huhuhu..Since I already had my experiences being a housekeeper before, things were fine. I had my own floor/division and was very semangat to ensure the rooms under my care were spotless.. So semangat nak jadi housekeeping cemerlang..hahaha.. and most importantly, I like it that I can watch TV while working.. hehehe.. (sempat tgk live EPL matches lagi kekadang..hehehe)..The most challenging part through this employment was during fasting month. Lucky it was winter time. So, the break fasting time was quite early..around 4pm-ish, although, I only managed to eat hotel biscuits only..huhuhu.. Because the job was based on shift-rotation, you won't have a fix weekends day offs. Not just that, because of the unpredictable rotation, I can end up working 9 straight days (can be even more if my next break schedule on the weekends) before getting the 2 days break. I hate weekends off because it will be useless anyway. The supervisor will desperately calls you up early in the morning asking u to turn up to work to cover absent staffs. (Obviously hangover cases la..grrrr..dah tau kerja next day, lagi nak gatal2 minum sampai mabuk..).

I'm not sure at one point, how long I should work that hard before getting the job I really want and suit the qualification. It was uncertain to me at that time, of when, I would get my 'office' job. Not a data entry job. Not tele-sales or tele-marketing job. But a real job. A professional position. Life was fun there. And I am comfortable there. But I guess, the pepatah saying, "hujan emas di negeri orang, hujan batu di negeri sendiri, lebih baik di negeri sendiri" is true. After my graduation day, I bin my plan to stay and work in the UK and decided to just go back home (Malaysia) and being close to family, where I should belong. I guessed, things can be much easier for me back home and I might be very much in demand..I think so..

How's my life as a 'pekerja' in Malaysia, then? To be continued...hehehehe..