So, I've been at my job for a little over a month. I'm still in the setting up meetings and asking other people about their jobs and processes stage. I do a lot of research about best practices in my field. I go to meetings where I don't say anything, but I write down questions and then either ask my boss or my husband* afterwards. I go to campus events where I wear a nametag and look useful, but really I just skulk around listening to what's going on and try to blend into the wall.
Very occasionally I get assigned a task. And every single time, I mess it up.
Scenario #1:
Hey, NGS, can you make these changes to this spreadsheet and then send it to this email address that includes all the relevant parties?
Sure, only when I try to send the email, it gets flagged for having files that are too large and although it is in my "sent items" folder and I never got a bounce back email, it is never sent. My boss is all "hey, did you send that email because I never got it." Me: . . .
Scenario #2:
Hey, NGS, can you help this faculty member* get their student a permission number?
Sure. I even explain to the faculty member exactly what I'm doing as I go through it step by step. Only, whomp whomp, it turns out I gave the student permission for the wrong class.
Scenario #3:
Hey, NGS, can you help this student with this paperwork and then send it over to this email address?
Sure, no problem. Only then I realize I have forgotten to ask for an additional bit of paperwork from the student and when I get an email back from the person asking about the paperwork, I have to email the student and the student never gets back to me. This paperwork still has not been completed.
Scenario #4:
Hey, NGS, can you update this list so it's accurate?
Sure, no problem. Only...this entire list doesn't make sense and I can fix it for our department, but no one other department. Good luck!
Scenario #5
Hey, NGS, send an email out telling everyone X fact.
Sure, not a problem!
Five minutes later an email comes back telling me that X is not actually a fact. *sad face*
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*My husband and I have the same employer. We work in the same building, a floor apart. He is one of the faculty members that I work relatively closely with (as a matter of fact, he is the faculty member from Scenario #2).
You guys. Please reassure me that eventually I will do something right in this job!
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Hey, all! Don't forget to fill out this form if you want to receive a holiday card from me! Cards are ordered and I'm going to try to get them sent out next weekend.
Yikes. Well, I'm sure that everyone knows you're on a learning curve. The good thing is that they keep giving you tasks, so that means they have faith that you'll settle in and get things right at some point!
ReplyDeleteYes, everyone is reassuring that it's going to be okay. Fingers crossed that turns out to be true!
DeleteLike Nance said, it sounds like there is a large learning curve. I do hope people are being patient with you for now, but I know for sure you will get it all!
ReplyDeleteI do think I'll get there eventually!
DeleteAs a person who has hired a lot of people, we always assume that it will take three months for them to get up to speed on who is who, how the systems work etc. and then sometimes three or six more months to get how we like the communication, perfect the processes, and learn more about how the markets work and then three more months to be able to articulate things properly to the proper person at the proper time. I don't know exactly what you are doing, but I think one month is still new and you may have a couple (or more) more months before you are feeling more comfortable with the processes. I think also the knowing when to ask questions or when to question a process takes a while to get to too!
ReplyDeleteYes, I know logically that a month is still really new. It's just that I focus on the losses, rather than the wins!
DeleteI am just about positive that you are getting many things right. In the meantime, keep on 🚚ing. 😎
ReplyDeleteI will! The only way to learn is to keep screwing up.
DeleteYou're doing fine! Out of all of the jobs that I've had there was only one (1) that I walked into on day one with a clear set of duties that I took to like a duck to water and thrived on. Every other job started with literally NOTHING to do or only peon assignments and it took months to chisel my way into every single work task to build the job that should have existed when they hired me.
ReplyDelete#1 - if in doubt bcc yourself on the emails
#2, #4, #5 been there done that/am doing that. I get #5 quite a lot.
#3 people not answering emails is the bane of everyone's existence. I like to joke with my boss that we should start not answering emails and see if it is as good for our careers as it apparently is for everyone else.
Oooohhhh...bccing myself on the email would have been a good idea. Next time I'm doing that! Eh, if the student never responds to my email, it's only going to hurt her in the end. I've done my due diligence!
DeleteOh god, this is completely what the first few weeks at a job are like - plus, half of these sound like it's not actually your screwup.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember if I filled out the form, should I fill it out again? How do we send you one?
You're right - a bunch of these weren't my fault, but since my name is the one on them in the end, it does make it look like I am at fault to a larger audience. Oh, well, my immediate supervisor knows what's what.
DeleteIt looks like you have not filled out the form, so if you want a card, fill out the form! https://forms.gle/nxFZtATKPkktpd8c6
DeleteI'm sure you're doing many things right already. We tend to notice the things that go wrong more than the things that go right. You're still learning anyway.
ReplyDeleteYes! I'm still learning. I remind myself of this regularly.
DeleteOh Engie, this sounds rough and also really, really familiar. I hate those first days at a new job where you are still figuring things out! For what it's worth, these all sound like either normal learning curve types of things or flukes that you couldn't have prevented. Like others have said, I'm guessing there is a lot more Getting It Right going on, too, and these just stick out because it sucks to have things go wrong. Hang in there! Things will get better!
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly the pep talk I needed, Suzanne. Things will get better!
DeleteI think all jobs are like that in the first little while! There's always a steep learning curve - and you'll get in the swing of it in no time!
ReplyDeleteYes, thank you! It will get better, I know it!
DeleteThere must be so many things you doing perfectly, NGS! These seem like fairly small missteps--the kind you'll probably never repeat again. (On Duolingo, I remember the rules I learned through making a mistake better than the ones I just guessed right.)
ReplyDeleteI like the image of you wearing a nametag, looking useful, and making copious notes! :)
Hey, wearing a nametag and lurking around listening to other people talk is a perfectly acceptable strategy.
DeleteUgh, that sounds like an unpleasant situation! It's not fun to feel like you're not doing a good job. BUT, I'll echo the other commenters and say I'm sure there are a lot of things you're doing right- and, it'll get better. These are things that happen to everyone, and you're just hyper focused on every misstep because you're new. Hang in there!
ReplyDeleteHa! I think what bothers me is that a lot of these things aren't my fault, but my name is on them so the wider audience sometimes thinks I'm incompetent. Which, to be fair, I kind of am, so maybe they are on to something! LOL. It will get better. I just need some more time.
DeleteWhen I took the job I just vacated, the person told me it would take a year to feel like I had any clue about what was going on. THIS IS SO TRUE. I felt like the stupidest person on the planet. It took a full year and, honestly, after two years and 3 months on the job I still felt like I was often in the dark.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds very normal, but it is so stressful. I felt like I was drinking from a fire hose and, often, drowning.
Gah - that sounds very depressing as I write it out, but I felt very, very demoralized. And then, slowly, I did get the hang of things. And while I always felt like a bit of an imposter, other people seemed very happy with my efforts. So I think everyone, to some extent, is in the same boat.
You're doing great, I know it. Hang in there. And vent ALL YOU WANT. It can be very overwhelming to process the rigors of a new job <3
YES! My boss told me that I will have to be here for a whole year to understand the cycle of things and what I will be doing most of the time. I think that's right. I just need to get over the fact that I'm not immediately useful, which is what I sort of wanted. LOL.
DeleteI always felt this way during the first month or two of a new job. That's why I get so nervous working for someone other than myself. So I see you. I hope things get better for you soon. 😘
ReplyDeleteThings are already better. I don't have to send draft emails to my boss for approval before I send them anymore! LOL.
DeleteIt's hard to feel so out of place, but it's so normal! I had a job where I just couldn't keep hold of the twisting, changing nature of things, even months in, and my next job, I was a few months in and suddenly thought, wait--do I know what I'm supposed to be doing? I feel like I kind of do? And it was Glorious. You'll get there!
ReplyDeleteOh, I can't wait until I get to the feeling of knowing what I'm doing. I answered the phone today and no one else was here to back me up and I figured out the puzzle all by myself! But that's pretty rare.
DeleteYou will!!! Starting a new job is tough! But you will get MANY things right!
ReplyDeleteIt's already getting better. It's just shocking the number of mistakes I made without even realizing it!
DeleteThere is such a learning curve to a new job. Many tasks require what feels like the endless peeling back of the onion. I have learned this from training my new hire! You'll get the hang of things. Just be patient with yourself which is easier said than done!
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm trying my best to make sure I don't beat myself up over this. I only know what I know!
DeleteOh gosh, new jobs. Sigh. Of course, I've been at my job for 7 years and still mess things up with regularity. Only the fact that others do too makes me feel better.
ReplyDeleteHa! I wonder if anyone ever really feels confident that they're doing a good job at anything?
DeleteIt will get easier! I work at a University and some of the things still don't make sense to me (I know what I am doing now, but some procedures don't have a logic to it). One thing that always helped me a lot I'm recent years: talk to people in person from every once in a while if you are in touch with them on a regular basis. They automated so many procedures for us that often me as the organizer or the person wanting something am just another number or e-mail. If you know the person in charge it gets much easier. It's a learning curve but you can do it!
ReplyDeleteYes, I have already realized that sometimes just walking over to someone's office can help a lot! Plus it gets me out of my chair!
DeleteI once worked for a small Catholic grade school running their marketing stuff, tyring to encourage people to enroll their kids in the school. I sent out a postcard mailing with a misspelling. For a school. Ouch. It'll get better. My gut did churn while reading this and I did look at the daycare kids, who I really wish would all just go home so I can curl up in my bed and be sad today for Reg's basketball disaster, and I thought HEY, THIS AIN'T SO BAD.
ReplyDeleteHa! It's all working out, I think. My supervisor seems pleased with the work I'm doing. It's just a matter of time before I develop an expertise (hopefully).
DeleteIsn't Reg's basketball situation pretty much wrapped up? Or has something terrible happened?!
New jobs are TOUGH! That's part of the reason I haven't seriously looked for a new one is because I haaaate the learning curve that comes with a new job. I hate feeling like I don't know anything! These all seem very normal mistakes to make in a new job, but I know it's very hard not to beat yourself up about them! You will get to a point where you feel confident and know the processes like the back of your hand. <3
ReplyDeleteOh, I promise I'm not beating myself up over it. It just feels like if I'm given a simple task, I should be able to accomplish it! LOL. Oh, well, you're right that in X number of months I'll feel more confident.
DeleteThis will take time. Getting settled into a new job is stressful, there's a lot to learn... especially how other people work, communicate and organize their stuff. You'll be ok, I promise.
ReplyDeleteI will be okay. It's just very exhausting right now!
DeleteWelcome back to academia... where we make every process as complicated and opaque as possible! It's likely you will never know exactly what you are doing! (LOL but with a grain of truth...)
ReplyDelete