The fact that you are understaffed is your company's problem, not yours. If you're not getting OT pay or big bonuses, you should consider cutting back the hours or finding another job.
Precisely. theprodigalrebel is allowing his company to remain understaffed by working lots of extra hours to get things done. That's called a "sucker" or a "doormat." And before I'm accused of attacking him, let me say that just a few short years ago, I was the sucker/doormat who worked tons of additional hours to meet imaginary deadlines.
I actually agree with what everyone said - I feel like such a sucker sometimes. But here's my rationale:
It's the call center industry - there's always a metric fuckton of hell to deal with and someone else willing to do it. I started out as a CSR four years ago -the bottom of the barrel. For my trouble, I have been compensated OK and have seen growth professionally. I was a CSR, then Senior CSR, Subject Matter Expert/New Hire Mentor, Trainer, Senior Trainer - and I am now typically delegated tasks owned by the Training Manager and/or Director. Apart from overseeing new hire training and ongoing skill training, I also support the IT Field Ops and Resource Center teams in analyzing and reporting application issues that impact our productivity -kind of a BA Lite.
I am doing all of this backbreaking stuff because come January, when it's time for the results of the Annual Talent Review, I want to move up to Assistant Training Manager. I feel like I have invested enough time and energy into this gig that it would be a bad decision to leave before getting 'Manager' into my job title. And that would be a good thing - my employer is well-regarded in the industry and local job market. People who left after reaching that position have traditionally done exceptionally well for themselves elsewhere. Most job offers I have received this year would have me do what I was already doing last year.
It sounds like hell but then I look at folks who have been working as CSRs for as many as 8 years - and I think making Assistant Training Manager in 5 years kind of makes up for the trouble. Ah, the old carrot-on-a-stick...
What sucks is work used to be a 15-minute drive until last year before we relocated to accommodate expansion that is only now taking effect.