*points to herself with both thumbs*
Meeeeeee!
Yep.
So strange, because when I came out of the 11:00am interview on Monday, I had such a peace in my heart about it. It went well, we laughed together a lot, I liked my new boss *Jess and thought she was lovely. The rest of the 'team' I belong to (HR/Admin/Facilities) are really nice, too. I was daunted being interviewed by a panel of FOUR people, but I did my best and left feeling I couldn't have done it any better.
3 hours later, I was offered the 4 week placement :)
The Oil and Gas Company I'm working for are looking for a PERMANENT Receptionist so hopefully this 4 weeks will turn in years and years :)
And, if it's only 4 weeks, it's a great experience and will look lovely on my CV as I think I'll get a pretty good reference out of this.
I didn't want to cancel 'last minute' on my 3pm interview, so I went and smashed that one later that same afternoon AND GOT OFFERED THAT JOB, TOO :) It was only a 3 week placement with no possibility of any longer as I was just going to be filling in for a staff member away on leave...but oh man, it was good to know I got offered it anyway. The lady who interviewed me for that job would have been my new manager too and she was lovely as well.
As I was going home that day on the bus, smiling away to myself because I had gotten 2 job offers, 2 different temping companies I'm signed up with called to offer me temp jobs, too :)
Look at me go, eh?
Too cool, JD. Just too cool.
So my first day at my new job was on Wednesday. I think that worked out well because after 3 days of trying to take on a new and busy role, I needed a few days of rest! Haha. Their reception post is a lot like my role at *Old company, so I'm hoping it will be a smooth transition and that I'll be ACES at it. I'm hoping to shine so they'll want to keep me ongoing. What sucks is, I have to apply for the permanent position after 4 weeks of learning it. If I don't get it, I may well have to train someone else when it's me who would have done all the ground work.
*sigh*
Just take it one day at a time, JD. You can't predict what's going to happen, you can only do your very best.
Alun was an incredible support on my first day and when I walked up the driveway to our home after a very long first day, Alun ran out to greet me, enfolded me in a big hug and wanted to hear every detail about my new job. I am so blessed to be so loved. It was such a blessing to tell Alun I really like it in the new company and that I think I'm going to be really good at the new job.
I have concerns, though.
I think I'M going to be the one who messes this job up for myself. I think it's ME who's going to make it 10 times harder than it should be.
This is why:
Because I'm a people pleaser
I'm a perfectionist
I'm a neat freak
and I'm an idiot.
Probably in that order, too.
My job at *old company* was hectic. I was racing around the entire time I was at work, cleaning, tidying, putting things away, arranging to have things fixed/repaired/replaced and answering anything staff asked of me with a big smile and a "yep, I'll get right onto it".
What was critical was that everything was neat and orderly. So keeping 2 main kitchens clean AT ALL TIMES with about 80 staff using them was a full time job in itself. I pride myself on the fact that since the first day I was hired, the kitchens gleamed. The bathrooms did. The entire office floors - both levels - looked amazing.
I took on a lot of responsibility for EVERYTHING office related in my old post.
I thought this new job would be the same and I was ready for it.
The thing is, it's not. The main thing my new boss wants of me - IS TO SIT STILL. To remain on reception THE ENTIRE DAY and TO NOT MOVE AWAY unless absolutely necessary (toilet breaks/lunch).
Instead of ME doing all the cleaning throughout the day - they have a DAY CLEANER. I'm gobsmacked by this. They have someone hired to clean all day! Isn't that mental?!?
(Isn't it lovely?)
Instead of me racing about all day tidying meeting rooms, bringing food and drinks to guests in meetings...a maid does it all.
Woah.
In my old job, I was responsible for maintaining and re-stocking office supplies - like all the cleaning supplies and office stationery. I walked around all day every day re-stocking, re-filling the coffee beans, canisters of tea and biscuits and making sure all staff had all the stationery they needed at all times.
In this job, THEY HAVE A MAN SOLELY FOR THAT. Yep. His name is Allan and he is hired BY A STATIONERY COMPANY to come in once a week and check over all the cleaning supplies and stationery. He then places an order for more stock, comes back when it's ready and REFILLS all the cupboards himself.
He unpacks all that stationery himself!!!
*mouth open in awe*
Can you believe that?!?
CAN YOU???
So...more than half of the job I was used to doing is done by 2 other people.
My new job - as I have been taught so far - is to sit on reception, greet visitors, direct them between all 3 floors of the building, call staff when parcels/catering arrive (staff order their own catering and put it out for guests - another thing I used to be responsible for in my last job but don't have to do in this job), hand out access passes and update floor plans as and when I'm asked...
...and that's all.
Surely that can't be all of it?
And yet, it is. I know, because I've asked. Repeatedly.
The day cleaner is the one who has to clean out the staff fridges, too.
I never have to touch mouldy food in the work kitchen again.
That blows my mind.
Now. Here's how I think I'll ruin it:
I'll slowly take on more and more of the cleaning. I'll tell you why. Because the 'day maid' is RUBBISH. She doesn't do a very good job and I see so much mess left in all the kitchens that it's already driving me a bit potty and I've only been there 3 days. She doesn't wipe down surfaces or clean the sink. There isn't a cutlery drawer in the dishwasher and no one seems to care. Staff don't care as they leave dirty/used dishes in the sink for the cleaner - who comes along at odd times in the day and shoves everything - willy nilly - into the dishwasher. Cutlery and plates and bowls - all of it, just shoved in like she's had to do it in some mad hurry when really, she has all day.
I can't stand it!
I want everything to be put in there in an orderly fashion.
Cutlery, dishes and cups then get shoved back into cupboards and that is not neat or orderly, either. Cutlery has 4 separate areas - teaspoons, spoons, forks and knives - right? But the cleaner puts everything in all of them - all the spoons, knives etc all mixed together. Like a mad woman. This bothers me greatly every time I have to go to the kitchen.
They have a regular newspaper delivery and it looks in all the kitchens (4 mains ones because there are hundreds of staff) as if papers have been piling up for months. They are scattered on all manner of surfaces and chairs. It looks so messy. So untidy. I go in there sometimes to fill up my water bottle and I have to refrain from sorting out the old papers from the most recent and putting all the old ones in a nearby recycling bin.
WHY HASN'T ANYONE DONE THIS BEFORE?
It bugs me. I feel I must fix it.
It is in my nature to care for people - which is what I think makes me such a great receptionist - but in my new role, it is not expected of me to offer guests beverages...it's the staff member's responsibility.
Oh no no no.
I want to change that immediately.
In these especially hot days, I want to follow "Hello! Please sign in" with "can I get you a glass of water?"
But I'm not allowed. Because it takes me away from the reception desk and is not expected of me, anyway.
Argghhhhh.
I need to STAY PUT. I need to not change my role because as it is, it's pretty bloody good.
JD. Don't ruin this for yourself.
Meeeeeee!
Yep.
So strange, because when I came out of the 11:00am interview on Monday, I had such a peace in my heart about it. It went well, we laughed together a lot, I liked my new boss *Jess and thought she was lovely. The rest of the 'team' I belong to (HR/Admin/Facilities) are really nice, too. I was daunted being interviewed by a panel of FOUR people, but I did my best and left feeling I couldn't have done it any better.
3 hours later, I was offered the 4 week placement :)
The Oil and Gas Company I'm working for are looking for a PERMANENT Receptionist so hopefully this 4 weeks will turn in years and years :)
And, if it's only 4 weeks, it's a great experience and will look lovely on my CV as I think I'll get a pretty good reference out of this.
I didn't want to cancel 'last minute' on my 3pm interview, so I went and smashed that one later that same afternoon AND GOT OFFERED THAT JOB, TOO :) It was only a 3 week placement with no possibility of any longer as I was just going to be filling in for a staff member away on leave...but oh man, it was good to know I got offered it anyway. The lady who interviewed me for that job would have been my new manager too and she was lovely as well.
As I was going home that day on the bus, smiling away to myself because I had gotten 2 job offers, 2 different temping companies I'm signed up with called to offer me temp jobs, too :)
Look at me go, eh?
Too cool, JD. Just too cool.
So my first day at my new job was on Wednesday. I think that worked out well because after 3 days of trying to take on a new and busy role, I needed a few days of rest! Haha. Their reception post is a lot like my role at *Old company, so I'm hoping it will be a smooth transition and that I'll be ACES at it. I'm hoping to shine so they'll want to keep me ongoing. What sucks is, I have to apply for the permanent position after 4 weeks of learning it. If I don't get it, I may well have to train someone else when it's me who would have done all the ground work.
*sigh*
Just take it one day at a time, JD. You can't predict what's going to happen, you can only do your very best.
Alun was an incredible support on my first day and when I walked up the driveway to our home after a very long first day, Alun ran out to greet me, enfolded me in a big hug and wanted to hear every detail about my new job. I am so blessed to be so loved. It was such a blessing to tell Alun I really like it in the new company and that I think I'm going to be really good at the new job.
I have concerns, though.
I think I'M going to be the one who messes this job up for myself. I think it's ME who's going to make it 10 times harder than it should be.
This is why:
Because I'm a people pleaser
I'm a perfectionist
I'm a neat freak
and I'm an idiot.
Probably in that order, too.
My job at *old company* was hectic. I was racing around the entire time I was at work, cleaning, tidying, putting things away, arranging to have things fixed/repaired/replaced and answering anything staff asked of me with a big smile and a "yep, I'll get right onto it".
What was critical was that everything was neat and orderly. So keeping 2 main kitchens clean AT ALL TIMES with about 80 staff using them was a full time job in itself. I pride myself on the fact that since the first day I was hired, the kitchens gleamed. The bathrooms did. The entire office floors - both levels - looked amazing.
I took on a lot of responsibility for EVERYTHING office related in my old post.
I thought this new job would be the same and I was ready for it.
The thing is, it's not. The main thing my new boss wants of me - IS TO SIT STILL. To remain on reception THE ENTIRE DAY and TO NOT MOVE AWAY unless absolutely necessary (toilet breaks/lunch).
Instead of ME doing all the cleaning throughout the day - they have a DAY CLEANER. I'm gobsmacked by this. They have someone hired to clean all day! Isn't that mental?!?
(Isn't it lovely?)
Instead of me racing about all day tidying meeting rooms, bringing food and drinks to guests in meetings...a maid does it all.
Woah.
In my old job, I was responsible for maintaining and re-stocking office supplies - like all the cleaning supplies and office stationery. I walked around all day every day re-stocking, re-filling the coffee beans, canisters of tea and biscuits and making sure all staff had all the stationery they needed at all times.
In this job, THEY HAVE A MAN SOLELY FOR THAT. Yep. His name is Allan and he is hired BY A STATIONERY COMPANY to come in once a week and check over all the cleaning supplies and stationery. He then places an order for more stock, comes back when it's ready and REFILLS all the cupboards himself.
He unpacks all that stationery himself!!!
*mouth open in awe*
Can you believe that?!?
CAN YOU???
So...more than half of the job I was used to doing is done by 2 other people.
My new job - as I have been taught so far - is to sit on reception, greet visitors, direct them between all 3 floors of the building, call staff when parcels/catering arrive (staff order their own catering and put it out for guests - another thing I used to be responsible for in my last job but don't have to do in this job), hand out access passes and update floor plans as and when I'm asked...
...and that's all.
Surely that can't be all of it?
And yet, it is. I know, because I've asked. Repeatedly.
The day cleaner is the one who has to clean out the staff fridges, too.
I never have to touch mouldy food in the work kitchen again.
That blows my mind.
Now. Here's how I think I'll ruin it:
I'll slowly take on more and more of the cleaning. I'll tell you why. Because the 'day maid' is RUBBISH. She doesn't do a very good job and I see so much mess left in all the kitchens that it's already driving me a bit potty and I've only been there 3 days. She doesn't wipe down surfaces or clean the sink. There isn't a cutlery drawer in the dishwasher and no one seems to care. Staff don't care as they leave dirty/used dishes in the sink for the cleaner - who comes along at odd times in the day and shoves everything - willy nilly - into the dishwasher. Cutlery and plates and bowls - all of it, just shoved in like she's had to do it in some mad hurry when really, she has all day.
I can't stand it!
I want everything to be put in there in an orderly fashion.
Cutlery, dishes and cups then get shoved back into cupboards and that is not neat or orderly, either. Cutlery has 4 separate areas - teaspoons, spoons, forks and knives - right? But the cleaner puts everything in all of them - all the spoons, knives etc all mixed together. Like a mad woman. This bothers me greatly every time I have to go to the kitchen.
They have a regular newspaper delivery and it looks in all the kitchens (4 mains ones because there are hundreds of staff) as if papers have been piling up for months. They are scattered on all manner of surfaces and chairs. It looks so messy. So untidy. I go in there sometimes to fill up my water bottle and I have to refrain from sorting out the old papers from the most recent and putting all the old ones in a nearby recycling bin.
WHY HASN'T ANYONE DONE THIS BEFORE?
It bugs me. I feel I must fix it.
It is in my nature to care for people - which is what I think makes me such a great receptionist - but in my new role, it is not expected of me to offer guests beverages...it's the staff member's responsibility.
Oh no no no.
I want to change that immediately.
In these especially hot days, I want to follow "Hello! Please sign in" with "can I get you a glass of water?"
But I'm not allowed. Because it takes me away from the reception desk and is not expected of me, anyway.
Argghhhhh.
I need to STAY PUT. I need to not change my role because as it is, it's pretty bloody good.
JD. Don't ruin this for yourself.
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