 |
Journal | Friends | Calendar | User Info | Memories |
'My Corduroyed Life' - Mark A's Journal
Although the word 'new' is pushing it for a job that I've been doing for three months...
Thing is with this is where to start. As is the way with all jobs, my like/ dislike for it since I started it has fluctuated. I don't think I've ever met anyone who's completely happy in their job, and who never has a problem at work that makes it less in enjoyable than it might be. However, to even the extremely unperceptive, regular readers will have gleaned that I've not had an easy settling in.
When I first arrived, I was shown my desk. That was it. No induction and no welcome. No nothing other than a quick demonstration of how to use a mail merge, told to ask if I had any questions, and then sat down. I know that I was spoiled in the touchy feely Careers Service, but this was obscene! My friend Gary who was redeployed a month later had exactly the same treatment. I can't believe that a University institution can be so damned lax.
I also started at the worst time (apparently). I was dropped very much in the deep end within the busiest period of the year, and expected to cover a backlog. The guy before me created a filing system that I simply cannot begin to comprehend. The guy was either a genius and I can't see his system, or a complete incompetent. As such, I started falling behind. I was taken in for a discussion about it after I failed to meet some deadlines, and it was pretty much "Bad Mark; work harder." I wasn't given any practical solutions, and was left demotivated, and doubting my own ability to do a job that shouldn't be any more difficult that the one I was actually good at in the Careers Service.
Living without flexitime has proved interesting. Initially, I hated not having the leeway of rolling in on the very last moment. However, once I'd got used to it, a set time to arrive actually suits me. However, when it comes to working late because a job has to be finished no matter what, I lose the hours I put in. And I've had to do that on more than one occasion. I find that difficult to accept, and resent it. Also, I set that I'd only have half hour lunches, which means that I can't meet friends for lunch. I discussed this with the administrator, and he finally agreed to relent and let me have an hour lunch on Wednesdays as long as I stay an extra half hour on that day. I do like leaving work at 4.30 every day though! That's nice.
However, all that crappo was over a month ago. In a way, I'm glad I didn't have time to blog about my new job, and completely bitch about it on what was basically a first impression that was warped by the circumstances of when and how I started. With a little more time, I've discovered that the job can be very rewarding, and worthwhile. It's nice to see when I get my students in and they're studying English and they're thankful for my help. I took a group on a campus tour, and was in my element a couple of weeks ago, and that was great.
I writing this, and thinking that it doesn't really matter any more, and this it isn't a new job. However, I'm conscious of the fact that I was always talking about Careers, and regularly mentioned my job. Since starting in Languages, I've said pretty much nothing about it other than that I'm having to work harder. This is still true, and to be fair, I got away with murder at Careers for the simple reason I was experienced and quick at my work, and as the project wound down, there was less and less to actually do. Of course I was going to get a workload in a department that actually is healthy!
Basically, my job involves a lot of administration for a number of EFL courses. This includes keeping student records (personal details, exam results, etc), sending out offer letter/ liaising with academics about applicants, a large amount of customer care/ attending to the front desk, minute taking, and other office stuff. On paper, it's probably not as interesting as the Careers Service. However, dealing with the foreign students as I tend to, it can be more challenging, and also some interesting things come up. Dealing with a man called Mr Shitty from India required a certain amount of professionalism!
The staff are nice people too. They're a little older than the staff I used to work with, and as such are all marriage and kids type people. Meh! I didn't go to work to make friends, and they're all pleasant enough to work with...
In a nutshell, it's just another stopgap. Sometimes a little more stressful than I'd like, the job is maybe a little more grown up than my previous position. It's tolerable, but I am looking elsewhere.
Have fun,
M
Current mood:
optimistic.Current music: 78 Stone Wobble by Gomez.