Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5
23 December 2010
02 December 2010
All the President's Men
As president you reserve the right to pick your cabinet. You can have anyone and they need no credentials in the field they are charged with. They are also not expected to learn anything about said field and at times are not expected to do anything other than hand out business cards with their cushy title and use it for fodder at dinner parties and social events.
At times the job is given based on a real or percieved need for employment, prestige, power, or even at times a hobby/ time suck. At other times a person really needs employment because they have become accustomed to eating and having a roof over their heads.
At other times a job is given based on how good a friend you are or how fun you are. Even the president needs a chuckle from time to time and a class (cabinet) clown can provide just that cure. Sometimes it seems like would be easier to take this route, but logic tells me that in the long run it is truly no help, no matter how it feels to watch others seemingly reap benefits from it.
At times the job is given based on a real or percieved need for employment, prestige, power, or even at times a hobby/ time suck. At other times a person really needs employment because they have become accustomed to eating and having a roof over their heads.
At other times a job is given based on how good a friend you are or how fun you are. Even the president needs a chuckle from time to time and a class (cabinet) clown can provide just that cure. Sometimes it seems like would be easier to take this route, but logic tells me that in the long run it is truly no help, no matter how it feels to watch others seemingly reap benefits from it.
03 November 2010
Taking Control
It is no secret that my job is unfulfilling and I do not wake up with gumption in the morning. I have tried in the past to find things to do. After I was done with training and in the branch for a while, I emailed the trainer in Norwich for suggestions. She gave me a great list of things I could do and I started asking my assistant manager what I could do.
I was blown off on a daily basis. I was told I could not have an email account that would go outside the bank system or make calls to customers (with no reason I found). I was given permission to organize the tickets however. This went on for a few weeks so I stopped asking. Then we got a new head teller shortly followed by a new manager. I figured I would give it a go with these new people.
The head teller (who is now also assistant branch manager) treats me as though I am a child. She literally told me today that I am "good at organizing tickets" where she is not. I am sorry, but if you insist on being both ast. mng. and hd. tlr. you have to do both jobs and hd. tlr. includes teller work, which includes organizing tickets. How hard is it to put things in order? It is not even close to the most difficult part of her job.
The problem is she used to be in security so she is convinced that she is above this job. In reality, her training is far above Eileen and I at the very least, but if it was so great, would she not have been asked to manage the branch over the manager? She came just as my old manager was leaving. In other words, she could have taken that position seemlessly. Instead, she was offered head teller. That ought to tell you something right there, no?
Either way, while all the changing was going on and we had no management the manager from Wolf Rd., who also manages the district, was our "acting" manager. She was in our branch often and I came to rely on her for work help. She is also really nice and according to her husband, who I met at a company event, she is at least a little fond of me. She has taken to lending me books and bringing me hand-me-downs. Honestly, I appreciate it with how management here treats me.
Either way, we had a temporary CSR and she was just sent to her permanent branch a week or so ago. We are not looking to replace the hd. tlr. as the ast. mng. insists on doing that as well, but we are looking to replace the CSR. I emailed her and asked about the position, explaining that I knew I probably was not qualified yet. She responded and said we could talk when she returned from a business trip a few days later.
After she returned she injured her back so it was pushed off. She came in yesterday and we talked about it. She said I am not ready, but she is willing to help get me there. She is going to help me get my notary and into the training sessions they have here (there are two). She also said that I need to ask about being able to make calls to thank customers and I need to sell more and get more referals.
I am not particularly interested in this line of work, but I can only think that exceling and moving up the ranks will help. I figure if I do well here, considering I do not like it, I can do really well at something I like. Plus, sales experience and management experience say a lot and do a lot for you. I would very much like to add these types of things to my resume. I think part of the reason I cannot get out of here is that I do not have much to offer any where so why hire someone who is already employed, no matter how ungainfully?
She is supposed to send me a list of things I should be doing and I emailed her a few questions about getting my notary license, so I am making headway. I will probably keep track of what they allow me to do here and if they are unhelpful, ask her if I can go to another branch for training. I know of at least one branch where they are very helpful. They trained our old ast. mng. on just about everything. I would love to actually be helped. It is something that really does not happen here...
I was blown off on a daily basis. I was told I could not have an email account that would go outside the bank system or make calls to customers (with no reason I found). I was given permission to organize the tickets however. This went on for a few weeks so I stopped asking. Then we got a new head teller shortly followed by a new manager. I figured I would give it a go with these new people.
The head teller (who is now also assistant branch manager) treats me as though I am a child. She literally told me today that I am "good at organizing tickets" where she is not. I am sorry, but if you insist on being both ast. mng. and hd. tlr. you have to do both jobs and hd. tlr. includes teller work, which includes organizing tickets. How hard is it to put things in order? It is not even close to the most difficult part of her job.
The problem is she used to be in security so she is convinced that she is above this job. In reality, her training is far above Eileen and I at the very least, but if it was so great, would she not have been asked to manage the branch over the manager? She came just as my old manager was leaving. In other words, she could have taken that position seemlessly. Instead, she was offered head teller. That ought to tell you something right there, no?
Either way, while all the changing was going on and we had no management the manager from Wolf Rd., who also manages the district, was our "acting" manager. She was in our branch often and I came to rely on her for work help. She is also really nice and according to her husband, who I met at a company event, she is at least a little fond of me. She has taken to lending me books and bringing me hand-me-downs. Honestly, I appreciate it with how management here treats me.
Either way, we had a temporary CSR and she was just sent to her permanent branch a week or so ago. We are not looking to replace the hd. tlr. as the ast. mng. insists on doing that as well, but we are looking to replace the CSR. I emailed her and asked about the position, explaining that I knew I probably was not qualified yet. She responded and said we could talk when she returned from a business trip a few days later.
After she returned she injured her back so it was pushed off. She came in yesterday and we talked about it. She said I am not ready, but she is willing to help get me there. She is going to help me get my notary and into the training sessions they have here (there are two). She also said that I need to ask about being able to make calls to thank customers and I need to sell more and get more referals.
I am not particularly interested in this line of work, but I can only think that exceling and moving up the ranks will help. I figure if I do well here, considering I do not like it, I can do really well at something I like. Plus, sales experience and management experience say a lot and do a lot for you. I would very much like to add these types of things to my resume. I think part of the reason I cannot get out of here is that I do not have much to offer any where so why hire someone who is already employed, no matter how ungainfully?
She is supposed to send me a list of things I should be doing and I emailed her a few questions about getting my notary license, so I am making headway. I will probably keep track of what they allow me to do here and if they are unhelpful, ask her if I can go to another branch for training. I know of at least one branch where they are very helpful. They trained our old ast. mng. on just about everything. I would love to actually be helped. It is something that really does not happen here...
14 October 2010
East Greenbush Under New Management
We recently acquired a new manager at the branch. She seems very nice and really interested in the branch doing well. Since she got here we actually had 5+ account sales in 1 week. That just does not happen here. Maybe when the branch 1st opened...
Our temporary CSR left yesterday for Duanesburg. I actually feel like I might miss her, which is weird considering we did not really talk. We did not dislike each other, we just really have nothing in common, even though she is only a year older than me. I had a nightmare earlier this week about reviews and she was really mean. The manager asked her and my supervisor about my work habits/ ethic. She said all this stuff about me being in the back in an undershirt (because I don't like to just wear dress shirts so I will unbutton my shirt once I am done working some times) and my dad working on my car in the parking lot. I got really angry when she was saying things about my dad. That does NOT sit well with me.
They moved me to my old manager's station today. I kind of like that people cannot easily look at my screen, but I feel more watched/ accessible. Customers/ co-workers can just walk up to my station and easily know whether I am on task or not. Really not a fan of the idea... On the other hand, I do not have a phone until they come out and activate my jack. Although my supervisor does not seem to care. She still expects me to answer the phone so I now I need to walk across the room to do it. Kind of frustrating.
Oddly enough, we have managed to keep a steady number of 4 in the branch on weekdays and then just 2 on Saturdays (as they have said that is all we need). Even though at times we have had to pull other people from other branches, but always that steady 4. I will not say that at times people have not gone else where during the day (appointments and such) but we maintain our workforce here.
Our temporary CSR left yesterday for Duanesburg. I actually feel like I might miss her, which is weird considering we did not really talk. We did not dislike each other, we just really have nothing in common, even though she is only a year older than me. I had a nightmare earlier this week about reviews and she was really mean. The manager asked her and my supervisor about my work habits/ ethic. She said all this stuff about me being in the back in an undershirt (because I don't like to just wear dress shirts so I will unbutton my shirt once I am done working some times) and my dad working on my car in the parking lot. I got really angry when she was saying things about my dad. That does NOT sit well with me.
They moved me to my old manager's station today. I kind of like that people cannot easily look at my screen, but I feel more watched/ accessible. Customers/ co-workers can just walk up to my station and easily know whether I am on task or not. Really not a fan of the idea... On the other hand, I do not have a phone until they come out and activate my jack. Although my supervisor does not seem to care. She still expects me to answer the phone so I now I need to walk across the room to do it. Kind of frustrating.
Oddly enough, we have managed to keep a steady number of 4 in the branch on weekdays and then just 2 on Saturdays (as they have said that is all we need). Even though at times we have had to pull other people from other branches, but always that steady 4. I will not say that at times people have not gone else where during the day (appointments and such) but we maintain our workforce here.
01 October 2010
04 June 2010
Babysitting
I have babysat since I was about 13 for family and officially (for other people) since about 18, because I never really cared to deal with other people's brats. It is not the hardest job, but it certainly takes a lot of patience. I really enjoyed it most of the time, especially for one family who I sat for on a pretty regular basis.
Now I work with a 26 year old who needs to be babysat. This would not bother me, except she expects it. To me, that is entirely out of line. To be that close to 30 and expect people to wipe up your messes and hold your hand. She is the assistant manager. How on Earth did she get the position?!
I just feel like this should not even be happening. The new head teller starts the 14th, which will alleviate some responsibility (and communication) from the AM, L. This makes everyone pretty happy. My current boss, A. leaves the 11th. We are supposedly getting a new manager (male, thank God. Calm down the estrogen here), but he is stil in the interview process, holding up his beign in the branch. That is kind of frustrating.
A has informed me that she, K, and E are all planning on informing him of L's antics. It is all already documented and being a guy, who is informed of her behavior, he should be able to cut through the bull pretty quickly. I really could not be happier at this prospect. She will either have to shape up, resign (again), or get fired. I am ok with any of those options, honestly.
I have never had this kind of issue with a co-worker. I have had co-workers who were out-right mean, back-stabbing, or even too nice. She is just so far into herself that I am unsure if she even knows the people here are her co-workers. She really is not here enough to make that connection, I think. She is at risk of losing her benefits, a lot of her pay, and worse still, her job. None of this seems to affect her. It is people like her who make it hard for people who are legitimately unable to work. It makes me kind of mad.
03 June 2010
Working For the Weekend
Oh wait, I do not get one.
Anyway, work has been pretty heinous the past few weeks. I would say it all started March 15th, when I actually started in this branch. It is just such a cluster F here. Truly.
I have found that I probably should not have bothered listening to K. about A. or E. They are not the most cuddly people in the world, I will be the first to admit, but they are not evil like she said. I have had almost no problems with them to date. At least none in complete relation to me. They usually stem from issues with a co-worker.
The problem I have had is that since she left, K. has completely blown me off. She kept in touch for about a week, total. Now she does not respond to BBM or Fb. Fine, I get it. I am only someone people want to "deal" with, then get rid of a.s.a.p.
The other problem is with L. She just does not seem to give a shiz about this job. Which is fine, I cannot blame her on being upset for the situation/ branch she was thrown into without warning, but guess what? I was too. You do not see me whining like a 2 year old all the time and calling out of work on a daily basis, because I am an adult. She ought to give that a try some time. It works wonders for gaining other's respect.
25 May 2010
Major Suckage
Work started out well enough. My boss and I opened and there weren't a ton of customers, which is always a plus here. The AM came in later and did her thing. I got lunch around 1140, which is only 20 minutes earlier than I would have preferred. Around 145 or so the system crashed, which usually is fixed by the time we need to prove (3). Figuring this to be the case my boss left for an appointment at 2. I called the help desk to make sure they knew about this issue.
The guy asked me to go in the back and look at the server. I mentioned I was the only teller on and our AM does not have a drawer. I ran into the back and checked. It was trying to connect to an IP/ MAC addres, but couldn't. He had me turn it off, wait 5 seconds, and turn it back on. It started, I had to press F1 at one point, and then it just wouldn't go past a black DOS screen. It completely crashed.
They are building us a new server in Norwich and it will be delivered tomorrow morning, when we open at 7. My boss informed me that it will still take about an hour to get it up and running. I kind of want to yell "WTF??!!" at the president of the company, but feel that would probably make my employment a little less necessary than it currently is.
Now I am just cranky as heck. My boss is going to visit my step dad (ex step dad?) tomorrow and she goes "I don't want to be nosy, but I'm going to see **** tomorrow. ...What can I say?" I laughed and said not to bring anything up. If he asked about me she could comment, but other than that, it would be safer to abstain from the subject. We laughed about it and now I am just really upset with the world.
06 May 2010
12 -7 Shift
I was asked at the beginning by E. to switch my 7 - 1 with her for her 12 - 7. It's a longer shift, but that isn't the issue. The issue is that this job is awful and difficult and there's no forgiveness on either end. People at the bank expect you to be perfect and so do the customers. Mostly, it's just not worth the small amount of money I'm paid per hour (less than $10).
30 April 2010
Perplexing
I can't read my blog or any of my friends from the work computer, but I can check the East Greenbush Blog my boss writes also on blogspot. However, I can update mine. Yeah, ok.
I just found out I have "quota" time that gives me 10 minute increments of "bad website" time. Yay! I can look at my blog in 10 minute increments. That is kind of fun.
27 April 2010
Odd Duck Out
My work posts are beginning to relate more and more to wikipedia reading I've done. Every time I get bored and start thinking, I come up with weird thoughts. The first one was "What happens if you bite a vampire?" My manager goes, "Google it". I was like "I shall". I didn't find the answer, but I really enjoyed the wiki entry.
I wonder if Professor Sandra Silberstein thought about the lives lost by NOT going to war. Innocent people died on December 7, 1941 and more would have continued to die if we hadn't done anything. Some of them were military people who did sign up of their own accord, this is 100% true. Others, however, were military wives, people who just happened to live in Hawaii, etc. These people did not deserve to die and to not go to war would have been a travesty of the worst proportions.
University of Washington Professor and author Sandra Silberstein draws direct parallels between the language used by Roosevelt and Bush, highlighting a number of similarities between the Infamy Speech and Bush's presidential address of September 11.[14]
This I find to be sort of stupid considering that many presidents have pulled forth other presidents speeches to make a point. Franklin Delano himself purposely tried to reference the call to war from Wilson in WWI. This, however, was absolutely ok as he was a Democrat. I don't understand how there are double standards. I myself am mostly conservative, but refuse to side with a party or officially label myself because I want to leave room for growth and changing my mind. I think it's dumb that people rip apart people they don't agree with for things that someone they agree with has done and that's ok.
16 April 2010
Boring AMs at Work
One of the earliest recordings of vampire activity came from the region of Istria in modern Croatia, in 1672.[73] Local reports cited the local vampire Giure Grando of the village Khring near Tinjan as the cause of panic among the villagers.[74] A former peasant, Guire died in 1656, however, local villagers claimed he returned from the dead and began drinking blood from the people and sexually harassing his widow. The village leader ordered a stake to be driven through his heart, but when the method failed to kill him, he was subsequently beheaded with better results.[75]
What kills me is that no one bothered to think that perhaps the husband had abused his wife in life and she just needed assurance that he was DEFINITELY dead. I just feel like number 1 they were peasants, so people are automatically inclined to think poor people are difficult and number two he was probably abusive toward his wife. Husbands in those days often were.
*Reference: wikipedia "vampires"
P.S. "She is Nosferatu." "She's Italian?" 20 points to the one who gets it.
What kills me is that no one bothered to think that perhaps the husband had abused his wife in life and she just needed assurance that he was DEFINITELY dead. I just feel like number 1 they were peasants, so people are automatically inclined to think poor people are difficult and number two he was probably abusive toward his wife. Husbands in those days often were.
*Reference: wikipedia "vampires"
P.S. "She is Nosferatu." "She's Italian?" 20 points to the one who gets it.
01 April 2010
Changes
My best friend at work, K.S-C, is abandoning me in 2 weeks. I'm not mad, she's getting a job she wants so she can be happy. That's super important to everyone, but I'm going to miss her. She's the only person who is not only always nice to me (L is too), but K doesn't ever talk down to me and she always helps me, unless she's with a customer (and that's understandable). I don't know how I'm going to get anything done in 2 weeks. I don't think that I'll technically be allowed to call K once she leaves... work-related, I mean. We're Facebook friends, so obviously we talk, but I think my manager would freak if I called K about work.
I just don't know what to expect. K said that technically L defaults at the new head teller once she leaves. There's a certain amount of experience required to become head teller (so I wouldn't qualify) and I feel as though my manager doesn't trust me, and I'm not sure she should. I still feel like I bumble from time to time, so I wouldn't want to be in charge. I think it took K a year to be HT because I have a 1,000 cash limit until 6 months and then after that I think I still have a limit. I'm not sure I would even want to be HT. There are a lot of things I need to think about (and not blog here in case this should be found by work people).
Jen - any thoughts? I am definitely requesting your advice here.
21 March 2010
Going into Week 2
Yesterday was my first Saturday, and instead of working with the manager (which was the original schedule) I had to work with the brand-new assistant manager who doesn't actually know how the teller system works. At all. I had a complete meltdown around 130 and the AM had me go in the back room to calm down. The other part-time teller had come in to correct an issue with her drawer and helped me out, taking over the customers while I was chilling out.
I came out to prove my drawer at 2 (close) and the manager had come because the AM had told her about my break-down. She told me I did fine and that technically it was the AM's fault, not to be mad at her. She made me smile by the end, but I was not out until 230 and my dad had to sit in the parking lot waiting for me. That's a whole other story, relating to car issues I've been having as of late. Anyway, it was terrible and what bothered me most is that I was supposed to be helped (per the training instructor's specific instructions) until I really had the harder transactions down-pat. I wasn't.
I'm also looking into a part-time gig at AT&T in Rensselaer because that's where my stepdad has his account and I would like a discount if I have to have service through a company I'm not entirely fond of. Here's to hoping...
16 March 2010
Bank Teller
So, it's interesting, I pretty much royally f-ed up my teller test for NBT. I got a 93% on the written portion. Pretty good, but a 39% on the practical. I completely forgot that I was supposed to finish the scripts from class as they were part of the test. Kari (the head teller, the girl training me) had to remind me because I was utterly confused by the score and Glo's explanation of it.
...I'll do more later. I need to do something else.
...I'll do more later. I need to do something else.
02 March 2010
Written While at Dinner Tuesday
While waiting for my dinner tonight I wrote this in my planner:
The PURSUIT of SELF KNOWLEDGE
We spend our lives trying to fit a mold, be it society's, our own, our relatives, friends, lovers. We spend our lives trying to be something and never succeeding. We're told if we let go we can find contentment. What if contentment is really just satisfaction in failure?
Many great artists suffered their [entire] lives due to their dissatisfaction with failure. They refused to do anything displeasing to them, anything that degraded/ made them less than an artist. You could say they led miserable lives because they never knew face, wealth, or even comfort, but they had the satisfaction of knowing they were true to themselves.
Perhaps when the forefathers promised us "the pursuit of happiness" they actually meant the right to be self-aware and confident in that. If we could know who we are, what we want, strive for those things, and actually end up happy that would just be a fantastic little bonus, but if not we could always have the knowledge that we gave ourselves our all [because at the end of the day that's the best we can do and sometimes the only person we can please].
The PURSUIT of SELF KNOWLEDGE
We spend our lives trying to fit a mold, be it society's, our own, our relatives, friends, lovers. We spend our lives trying to be something and never succeeding. We're told if we let go we can find contentment. What if contentment is really just satisfaction in failure?
Many great artists suffered their [entire] lives due to their dissatisfaction with failure. They refused to do anything displeasing to them, anything that degraded/ made them less than an artist. You could say they led miserable lives because they never knew face, wealth, or even comfort, but they had the satisfaction of knowing they were true to themselves.
Perhaps when the forefathers promised us "the pursuit of happiness" they actually meant the right to be self-aware and confident in that. If we could know who we are, what we want, strive for those things, and actually end up happy that would just be a fantastic little bonus, but if not we could always have the knowledge that we gave ourselves our all [because at the end of the day that's the best we can do and sometimes the only person we can please].
Written Sunday at Dinner
While sitting in a small restaurant in Norwich waiting for my meal I jotted on an envelope I had information for my stay written on:
Business travel - most people look forward to it. It's glamorous - you get an expense account, the prestige of being a trusted employee, and the ability to see new, sometimes exotic places.
The reality - if you fly you see the airport, hotel, and where the meetings take place, including business dinners sometimes. If you rent a car you can only put so many miles on it because work will only cover so much. You get a crappy hotel and room - again because that's what work will cover. If you drive your own car work may not reimburse your mileage and if they do they don't take into account what you drive. [If you own an SUV this is a very bad thing.] If they do they still have parameters.
If you travel to a foreign country you need to adjust to any language barriers, time difference, et cetera within a limited amount of time and then see a bunch of important people you don't know [while] seem[ing] intelligent and distinguished [all the while fighting] jet-lag.
15 February 2010
...Job Situation
I was laid off from the hardware store on 1/29/10. I had gone in the week before for an interview at NBT Bank. I have since gone for a drug test in Albany and should find out tomorrow when I start (assuming I passed). I don't really want to be a bank teller, but I also have found that I don't qualify for unemployment this time around.
I need to find the time to get my EBAY sales finished. I still have 5 unsold items that I had purchased for this purpose. Once I unload them I'll probably give up on the whole EBAY/ DBA business. I need to look into dissolving it or if it's ok to just leave it open but not used for some time. I feel like I probably do need to do something legal considering I had to do something legal to get it off the ground. Paperwork...
I need to find the time to get my EBAY sales finished. I still have 5 unsold items that I had purchased for this purpose. Once I unload them I'll probably give up on the whole EBAY/ DBA business. I need to look into dissolving it or if it's ok to just leave it open but not used for some time. I feel like I probably do need to do something legal considering I had to do something legal to get it off the ground. Paperwork...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)