Putting the Pieces Together

I have been on the job 4 days now and I'm starting to "get it." Some things were not difficult to do, but if I had to do the same thing in a slightly different way, I couldn't do it. I locked up. It's because I had no context for what I was doing to make those small leaps from one method to the next. (Each location I work with does things slightly differently.)

Today the woman I am replacing showed me some small errors I made yesterday. At the time I was doing it, I didn't know what I was doing or why. As she originally was showing me how to do this thing, I must have missed a step as I was taking notes on the process and the keystrokes I'd need to use. So, I kept screwing it up.

Also, she uses WAY too many pronouns for my liking, and it makes for a lot of very unclear instructions. "You do that just like you did that other one, and this is just like those that we did before." I know "before" isn't a pronoun, but it also is not concise, as I need these instructions to be if I am to understand WTF she is talking about. I mean, BEFORE? Before when? I've been there 4 days. Does she mean an hour ago? Two hours ago? A day ago?

There are a lot of processes I'm learning, none of which apparently have a name. :( I am never more lost as when she tries to explain something to me verbally. I need visuals. I need to touch the keyboard and flip through the papers myself. And if you're going to describe something verbally, for the love of Pete, please use concrete terms instead of vague pronouns.

Anyway, I returned to one stack today to finish up where some pieces were waiting to come in since the last time I worked on it. It was nice. Instead of just thinking there was something wrong, I was able to pinpoint exactly WHAT was wrong, how to get back to it in the system, and how to fix it. That was a nice moment today. That, and learning there's another guy in the office that doesn't work as early (and leave as early) as the rest. Turns out he used to sit in the desk I'm sitting in, do this job, and actually developed some of the organization methods they use in my office. If I get stuck after everyone leaves at 4pm, I still have someone to look to for info now. Phew! What a relief!

All in all, I think I'm going to like it a lot. I love watching the people work outside as the planes come and go. I feel like "we" really do something necessary, which I need to feel good about my job. I have had jobs before where I wonder if society would even notice if we were gone. With THIS company now, people would REALLY notice if we were gone! :) The office is quiet, which is a nice change from the science lab with the 8th graders. :) I can get a lot more work done. When I get work done, I feel better about myself. This is a good thing.

Also, you gotta love when owners are not too "big" or too busy to stop and eat some of Abby's excess Easter candy from the basket on my desk. ;) I love when they sit and pick their favorite colors. I find that endearing, and I don't even know them yet. They just seem so REAL! That is so refreshing!!!