Aye, but the words, "I'm just doing my job" does not absolve them of anything. These people go into this job knowing that they are universally thought of as unpleasant (hated by some), so they shouldn't be surprised by the emotions they evoke.
My old roomie used to be a telemarketer; successful enough at it to pay his share of the rent and utilities. The ploys they use to hook people are underhanded at best, illegal and mean at worst.
One of the first things they are taught is to keep a person talking, to keep the line open. It is the polite people, who don't know how to hang up, that get hooked into buying things.
The second I find out it is a telemarketer, I say, "I'm not interested" and hang up...unless the call comes in after 9:00 p.m., then I'm rather harsh in telling them that disturbing people after 9:00 is rude and inconsiderate and hang up.
