Thursday, July 16, 2009

How NOT To Get Ahead In Your Job

My job is fine. After 2 1/2 years I am no longer drowning. I'm not even just treading water any more. I might actually be learning to swim. I know how to handle most tasks and I almost know who to ask if I don't know the answer. My desk is not yet organised and I have not had the time to get acquainted with old filing systems but I have reached the point where I would call myself competent in my job.

Here's the problem, they want me to learn another job too. I am not particularily interested in this new skill which involves programming a new machine and travelling to our other plant, perhaps even staying at a hotel for a few night. Athough a hotel can be fun, if you knew the city it was in you would not think it was fun. Of course, I will do it if they insist because I am a people pleaser and I try to do what is asked of me. There has been no mention of an increase in pay, only a 'this will make your job more secure' sort of hint. Since you all know that my biggest goal is not job security but an early/flexible retirement, that does nothing to motivate me. Now if they said that I would make more money and could work a four day/10hr per day work week then I might be interested.

When I first started at this job they hoped that I would be able to learn the quoting system. After I burst in to tears when my boss showed me his reverse Polish notation calculator, he decided I wasn't a math person. That belief has worked to my advantage because he left me alone and let me learn my job at my own pace. I don't think bursting in to tears would work a second time. They know me too well now.

Why can't I work at a place where they say, "Daizy, we need you to ride this horse every day and we are going to pay you extra for doing it." Or how about, "Daizy, we need another ice cream taster trainee." No, I never seem to work at places like that. At my last job they said they would be willing to train me as an outside plant engineer. They were so excited about it and I tried to look interested. Luckily for me and not so luckily for the engineer, he had to have surgery and was out for 3 months, then we all got laid off. One of these days I am going to have a job that really interests me. So far it looks like I'm going to have to create that job myself and hopefully, in a few more years I'll have the financial security to actually do it.

8 comments:

Petunia 100 said...

Daizy, I didn't really know where to post this comment.

I notice on your blogroll you have MP Dunleavey's blog "Financial Balance". She isn't writing that anymore, but has a new blog at self.com called "Save Like Me".

Just wanted to let you know.

Over the Cubicle Wall said...

I like the reverse Polish notation.

I am with you on staying in hotels though. That's fun about one time, and then it gets old. A work trip is just nothing like a trip for fun.

Ice cream taster sounds awesome.

Daizy said...

Thanks Petunia! I'll try to remember to update it. my computer just froze up when I removed the link so I'll wait til tomorrow to try to add the new one.

Daizy said...

You engineers are all alike. :P

Also being alone in a scary town is not fun. And eating fast food for breakfast lunch and dinner. Only fun once.

AlexK said...

Daizy I'm an engineer. Don't feel bad, I would also burst into tears if I had to use a reverse polish notation calculator! Those things are awful.

Anonymous said...

I hear ya! What I have right now is a job, just a plain old ordinary job, that I go to 40 hours a week. It's not great, it's not bad! I certainly wouldn't miss it if I left it, but I don't really know what else I would do if I weren't here. Sounds like we are in much the same position! If you figure out where to go be an ice cream taster, see if they have another opening and need more tasters. I could definitely get on board with that. :)

Daizy said...

AlexK, I'm glad I am not alone. He thinks we should all use the other keyboard too, the non-qwerty type. I think he lives in a different reality.

Daizy said...

change is a good thing, yes, it is definitely just a job.

I think I'll have to start my own ice cream business to get that ice cream taster job. :P