I was a little nervous about work today, because I was going to start training at my second job. There was a lot to do in HR, because of the long weekend, so I was pretty busy, but I managed to get most of it done by 10:00am. I went upstairs to train with the temp who has had the job for the last 7 months. He’s leaving, because he’s moving back to Los Angeles.
I sat down with him and he started by showing me one of the systems they use in this department to keep track of clients. It’s a database that needs to be updated as people change jobs, positions, etc. It keeps track of everything. He showed me how it worked, and I took copious notes. It wasn't anything I couldn't handle.
Then, he started showing me another database. This one was really complicated, and there were a lot of different functions. I was starting to get a little overwhelmed, but his last day is tomorrow, and we only had today and tomorrow to train, so we both figured we’d better keep going.
I think he was doing a good job of explaining things, but I can only write so fast and it seemed like I was writing down things I would never be able to understand the next time I read my notes.
Then, he started explaining how the person in this position has to send emails to clients with documents attached that are updated every quarter. He was showing me where the folders were that contain the documents, the folders that contain the emails, the folders that contain the “rules” (because each client likes to receive the documents in a different way). It was VERY complicated.
When the boss (who is a doll) came over to ask how it was going, I confessed that I was feeling very overwhelmed. She said not to worry and that I could handle it. I wasn’t convinced.
After two hours, I went back to my desk. I had a headache, a stomach ache, and was completely unnerved. I immediately sought out my ride and asked her if I could talk to her privately. I explained that I was VERY hesitant to take this job. I felt like I was not up to it. I told her if I was JUST going to be doing this job, it wouldn’t be so bad, but I’m only going to get to focus on it 4 hours a day, and then will be focusing on HR the other 4, so my attention will always be divided.
I told her if I was going to have training for a few weeks (I trained MY trainee for over a month!), it might not be so bad, but tomorrow is his last day!
I told her that if I was a data entry specialist, and more experienced in this area, it might not be so bad, but that is NOT my strength. I’m an EA (Executive Assistant) and I’m more used to the basic day-to-day admin and organizational jobs, rather than maintaining databases!
I told her any one of those three things might not be bad, but the combination was really making me nervous! She is SO sweet and she immediately put me at ease. She said if I didn’t want the job, I didn’t have to take the job and she would get someone else. She understood everything that I was feeling, and I told her that in my few conversations with the boss in the last few weeks, she never explained to me what the job entailed, and I just assumed that it was similar to what I have been doing for the past 6 months!
My ride spoke to her boss, who spoke to the woman I would be working for, who emailed and asked me to come upstairs at 2:00pm to discuss it. I went in there and was perfectly honest with her, explaining to her exactly what I had explained to my ride. She said that she thought the temp had overloaded me, without meaning to, because he knew his time with me was limited.
She said I WOULD have training and support after he was gone, for as long as I needed it, because the other two people on the team are expert in the two databases. She said they would never just “throw me to the wolves” and expect me to just do it without help. She said they will either be showing me and I watch, or watching me while I do it, and I would be closely monitored, because the work is very important and they want to be sure it’s done right.
She explained that she’s going on vacation from July 15th until August 9th and that if I was willing to try the job until she got back, then we would review the situation. She said she didn’t want me working there if I was unhappy, and that I was a temp and wasn’t committed to anything. I told her I would commit to working for the next month and see how it goes.
I felt a LOT better when I left her office, because I realized I would have the support and training I need, and that I wasn’t locked into this job, if I didn’t want to stay.
I told my ride that I wished I could just stay 8 hours in HR, but I understand that they need me in this other department, too. The good news is – I got a raise! I had asked my agency for more money, since I had been working steady at this job for 6 months and was doing a good job. I was embarrassed today, because I felt like I asked for the raise before I knew what I was getting into and if I DIDN’T take this second job they probably wouldn’t want to give it to me! Well, now I’m going to try, and they know I don’t really want to do it, so I feel I deserve the raise!
So, the rest of the afternoon was a lot better than the morning! I learned a new database in HR, too! This is a database that keeps track of where everyone sits. HR receives emails every time someone arrives, departs or moves to another location. I took each email and input the appropriate information for each employee. It was fun and easy. See, I can learn!
When I got home, Eric was busy, busy, busy. He had taken apart the back room and rearranged everything. He was organizing and moving things around. He’s been making piles of things he wants to take with him in the RV, when he goes back to NY. He’s leaving the big stuff, but taking lots of his tools, because he will need them either for his bicycles, or to work, or to set up an apartment. It makes me sad to see him doing all this, but I understand that he’s doing what he thinks is best.
I did some research on the computer regarding sleeping habits of parakeets, because every parakeet I’ve ever had has slept with his head turned around and nestled in his back. That’s the normal position for most birds. Conrad likes to just hang his head and sleep. It looks like he’s about to fall off the perch! His head is almost touching his feet!
I was kind of freaking out, because it looked so weird, but I actually found a picture online of a bird sleeping like that and they say that some birds just like to hang their heads! Conrad is so cute and sweet, but I worry about him, because he’s still getting acclimated to his new home and I thought maybe his weird sleeping position was a result of stress. I’m glad to know that’s just the way he likes to sleep!
There was absolutely nothing on TV tonight, so I just played with Conrad, read my book (BLACK MAPS) and hung out with Eric. The summer has begun and TV has slim pickins’!
I feel a lot better about going to work tomorrow and I’m really going to do my absolute best and try to do a great job. I want them to see that I’m worth the raise they gave me (which was really nice). Eric says I’m worth a lot more and they’re lucky to have me. What a guy!