You're Too Helpful

Sorry for posting a little late this time. I meant to blog last night but I was just too exhausted when I got home from work. I don't know how many of you have ever started at a new job, only to find that someone you work with feels the need to give you constant advice. It happened to me at retail and it's happening now at my office job. And I'm not talking about the person responsible for training you, I'm talking about another random employee that feels the need to divulge their 'bountiful' wisdom.

It's frustrating. It doesn't usually come from a bad place, instead from a desire to help, or in some cases a need to feel important. The hard part is being the new guy and trying to navigate the many pitfalls of turning down that help. Yesterday, for instance, the receptionist at my job kept trying to get me to start on payroll. I don't know how to do payroll (at least at the time I didn't - now I'm prostar!), and I really didn't want her training me on it. She doesn't know it very well, and I knew the way she did it wouldn't be the way my boss wanted me to do it. Not to mention, my boss is a MUCH better teacher. So, I wanted to wait for her. It was crazy hard trying to tell her to step off, especially since she's always so nice and helpful.

After payroll was done, and my boss had once again stepped out of the office, she kept inserting herself into my work, trying to correct my mistakes or make me more efficient. It was positively irritating!! A lot of the corrections she'd insisted on were, of course, wrong, and at this stage I wasn't concerned about efficiency. I was concerned about being thorough and getting it right.

In my experience, the best way to handle it is with patience (although that was difficult yesterday, I was SO grumpy). If you just smile, nod and go to your happy place, they'll usually leave you alone and you can go back and redo your work in the way you'd rather do it. But, you will come home exhausted and unwilling to do anything but sleep, eat and watch TV.

Feeling Ambitious

This week, I'm feeling ambitious. I've already submitted my piece for the week, but I think I'm going to go for the gold. I'm going to submit again before the week is done. No, this will not be my new standard. That would be too hard to maintain for the rest of my life. BUT, there are a number of deadlines cropping up for several places I'd like to submit to. AND, since I'm feeling mildly energetic this week, I figure might as well go for it.
It's definitely been a challenge to produce as much material that's required for my weekly submission goal, but I"m also having a lot of fun with it. Having a reason to be creative helps get me to sit down in front of the computer and write. Not everything is my best stuff, but that's not the point right now. I'm just building a habit, getting in the rhythm of putting words down on figurative paper.

Sidebar: still loving my new job. My boss and her husband bring their dog to work with them every day. I love it. There's no better way to shake off a bad mood (or even just slip away for a small break) than having a friendly pooch waiting for affection. Today when I pulled up she kept trying to follow the car (making it difficult to pull in) because she was so excited to see me. And when I left? Even harder to pull out of a parking stall when the dog remains less than two feet from the side of your car, walking alongside it. I was worried she'd try to follow me out of the parking lot. I think she just enjoys having someone pay her a ridiculous amount of attention. It's mostly men where I work, and they usually just ignore her and well, work. Not me. I've always got time for a stream of baby talk and a tummy rub. And in return, she brightens my day, every day. Yep. This sure beats customer service

It's Friday

Well, it's Friday and I'm officially wiped out. I've never had a Monday to Friday job before, and I think it's going to take some getting used to. Working regular hours is new to me.

It's been a tough go this week. I've managed to write every day but not as much as I wanted to, and I'm leaving it until tomorrow to make my weekly submission. I'm too tired to give a piece my full attention. I'm going to get a good night's sleep and get it turned in tomorrow. Trying to submit every week does not mean turning in shoddy work, after all.

I love my new job, but I can't believe how tired I am when I get home every day. I start looking at the clock, wishing for bed, at 7:30. I'm sure part of that is because it's winter (I require an obscene amount of sleep in winter) but I think the rest of it is because I'm finally doing something all day.

When I was working retail, there were always long periods of inactivity, stretches of time filled with boredom and trying to look busy. At my new job, I have tasks to work on all day. And I love it. But man am I ever tired. I'm hoping this weekend will restore me, as well as allow me to catch up on my writing. I've fallen behind on a few projects, and if I don't catch up now I'll just keep falling further and further behind. The hard part is being productive when all I want to do is watch tv and sleep.

My First Day at the New Job

Today was my first day at my new job and I know you're all at the edge of your seats waiting to find out how it went. (And if you aren't I don't care, you're going to hear about it anyway).

Honestly? It was fantastic! My brain hurts from the amount of stuff I'm going to have to learn, but finally I have a nice, quiet desk job. My days of customer service related hell are over. It's going to take some time to master the various tasks I'll be responsible for, but once I do I think this new job is going to be exactly what I'm looking for. That might sound inconsequential to you, but having worked three previous jobs that I couldn't stand, I have to tell you that it's not. It's HUGE.

My favourite highlight of the day? The company I'm working for is adding on some extra office space and when they're finished I'll have my own office! I'm so excited! I've never had a desk job before and I was already so delighted that I'd have a work space to call my own, a desk I could decorate with pictures and what not. And now, I'll have my very own office! I can't tell you what that means to a hermit like myself!
In conclusion, my first day was great. Everyone was super nice, the work is challenging but definitely doable and - knock on wood - I think this is a job I could stick with and enjoy for a long time. Hooray!

Three Days to Go...

I just realized something when I went to write my blog post today. I never told you that I quit my job. That's right, my days at the makeup counter are numbered. To three. I have just three days left starting tomorrow. Thursday will be my final day and on Monday I begin my new job.

Now that I only have a few days left, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on my experiences working there.

There were definitely some perks. I know I'll miss the free products from my counters more than anything, not to mention the discount. And I did become rather fond of several of the girls I worked with, but it was definitely the right decision.

For one, the money sucked. FYI to anyone out there who's thinking of applying to a Beauty Advisor position, if it isn't one of the main counters (Lancome, Estee Lauder, MAC, Clinique), it isn't worth it. It's retail, so your base pay will be horrendously cheap, and unless you work for one of the heavy hitters, your commission will amount to nothing. Which mine did.

It didn't help that I had to pay for parking. That's right. The department store where I worked was in a mall downtown and we got absolutely no discount on parking. Which meant $12.00 a day during the regular season and $25.00 a day during Christmas (and by Christmas, I mean November 1st - February 28th). So, in order to make any money at all, I've had to beg loved ones for rides to and from work for the entire winter season.

The other problem with working downtown was the clientele. Downtown is basically the hub of activity for weirdos, hookers, drug addicts and shoplifters. Despite seven months - almost to the day - of working there, I just couldn't get used to drug addicts and hookers shamelessly trying to put their makeup on at our counters. I wasn't a big fan of chasing them away either. That seemed like more of security's responsibility, not mine.
In conclusion, obviously this job wasn't for me. There was just no way I was ever going to be a lifer. I worked with some women who are, and I just don't get it. But what do I know? Maybe it's their calling. Maybe it's what makes them happy. Not me.

I'm very excited about starting my new job. Sadly, it's not a writing job, but I don't mind. It pays a lot better than retail, and I won't have to deal with customers on a regular basis. That's right. I found myself an office job. I know this means I probably won't have as many funny stories for you, but I'm looking forward to a little more peace and quiet. I've always enjoyed working on my own, putting my head down and just losing myself in the zen of a repetitive task. For me, it's like meditation. I've never appreciated having my thoughts disrupted by customers.

I promise I'll give you the run down of my new job after my first day next Monday, but in the meantime I plan to soak in all the weird my makeup counter has left to offer. Just in case I'm low on writing material one day.