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Do you know what you're doing at work?

Started by bgmnts, August 09, 2018, 09:04:35 AM

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bgmnts

I have worked in around 6 or 7 workplaces these past 5 years and I must admit I have barely been able to work out how things work in every single one, it could be my lack of focus or my slight autism I don't know.

I am usually just help, I have never had any real responsibility or agency over what I do, I just follow orders and usually dont understand why or what i'm doing in regards to the process or plan and take no joy in my work; like a member of the Einsatzgruppen.

Does anyone else have a job like this? Or am I just a thick twat? Both? What do you do in these situations?

Sebastian Cobb

Nah. Nearly everyone's winging it.

I've had a boss describe me as an expert in something before when I've known just enough about something to know I know fuck all about it.

Buelligan

Quote from: bgmnts on August 09, 2018, 09:04:35 AM
I have worked in around 6 or 7 workplaces these past 5 years and I must admit I have barely been able to work out how things work in every single one, it could be my lack of focus or my slight autism I don't know.

I am usually just help, I have never had any real responsibility or agency over what I do, I just follow orders and usually dont understand why or what i'm doing in regards to the process or plan and take no joy in my work; like a member of the Einsatzgruppen.

Does anyone else have a job like this? Or am I just a thick twat? Both? What do you do in these situations?

Yes I do.  Unfortunately, I also have an abiding affection for efficiency, order, process, which means that although menial, I know exactly how many seaux of grapes fill a hotte, the number of seaux in a given rang, how many seaux, hottes or rang it takes to fill a remorque, the best (safest, most space-saving) way to stack an infinite number of different items in a given space, how to stop the bottling machine jamming, where the gloves are, how to store industrial quantities of eggs so's they get used in the correct order, the quickest way to clean windows perfectly, where the lighter gas is, how to mix the perfect G&T, the best way to fold king-sized bedding alone, how to unblock toilets, how many carafes are needed for any given number of people, where you left your keys and phone, when that salad was put in there, how to tell a perfect fig, how to keep cut flowers fresh, when the toilets in the annex were last done (I also know not to call them toilets), how many chlorine tablets you need for a pool that size, what the chef is thinking of right now, where your gold sandals are, how to park all of the cars in this garage and still have access for everyone, the best place to get good bread at this hour, emergency telephone numbers, who made that reservation, what you've hidden behind that wardrobe and when you did it.

Bazooka

I teach 2-4 year old Chinese kids of course I wing it, and wing it well I do. Doing just enough, without getting figured out is a skilled job in itself.

Norton Canes

Quote from: Buelligan on August 09, 2018, 09:38:26 AM
I also have an abiding affection for efficiency, order, process, which means that although menial, I know exactly how many seaux of grapes fill a hotte, the number of seaux in a given rang, how many seaux, hottes or rang it takes to fill a remorque, the best (safest, most space-saving) way to stack an infinite number of different items in a given space, how to stop the bottling machine jamming, where the gloves are, how to store industrial quantities of eggs so's they get used in the correct order

Sounds like the basis of a brilliant board game.

Icehaven

Quote from: bgmnts on August 09, 2018, 09:04:35 AM
I have worked in around 6 or 7 workplaces these past 5 years and I must admit I have barely been able to work out how things work in every single one, it could be my lack of focus or my slight autism I don't know.

I am usually just help, I have never had any real responsibility or agency over what I do, I just follow orders and usually dont understand why or what i'm doing in regards to the process or plan and take no joy in my work; like a member of the Einsatzgruppen.

Does anyone else have a job like this? Or am I just a thick twat? Both? What do you do in these situations?

You've probably just been poorly trained. It wasn't until several years after I'd had two very short-term jobs in Call centres, during neither of which I had a sodding clue what I was doing, that I realised it wasn't because I was dim, it was because no one actually told me. We had a week's training before 'going live', but that was largely taken up introducing ourselves, learning about the company, a bit of basic telephone manner training and a very brief overview of where our role fit into the organisation. We were told we'd spend the first few days shadowing someone more experienced, which basically meant listening in on their calls which were virtually meaningless as we didn't know what they were talking about, then we were supposed to know what we were doing, which obviously no one did. One of them was in a motor insurance office so we had customers needing cover notes, demanding to know why we weren't paying out, wanting quotes, quite complicated and detailed stuff which we had precisely no knowledge or training for. It's not until you work somewhere where you're adequately trained and introduced to the job properly that you appreciate the difference it makes.
Also by the sounds of it you've not stayed anywhere for more than a few months, and it takes a lot longer than that to get a proper understanding of how somewhere works. I'd say about 18 months at least.
Or you might just be daft, I don't know.

Paul Calf

Quote from: Sebastian Cobb on August 09, 2018, 09:32:25 AM
Nah. Nearly everyone's winging it.

I've had a boss describe me as an expert in something before when I've known just enough about something to know I know fuck all about it.

An expert is someone who knows one thing more than you do.

Paul Calf

Alternatively, if you were talking to Einstein and he suddenly became 20% more or 20% less intelligent, would you notice?

checkoutgirl

Quote from: Sebastian Cobb on August 09, 2018, 09:32:25 AM
I've had a boss describe me as an expert in something

I had that a couple of months ago. Although he called me an "SMA" which I didn't understand. He explained it meant Subject Matter Expert as in I'm the only person in the office who has a decent understanding of this subject. As regards my job, I have a bit of a grasp of it which I should do after 4 years but it's all in the air at the moment as my boss left for good last Friday and I'm a bit lost without him. I need a project and direction and guidance and structure which is thin on the ground at the moment.

If you have 5 jobs in 4 years then you'll never really understand your job because you're not there long enough.

Buelligan

Quote from: checkoutgirl on August 09, 2018, 10:17:31 AM
I had that a couple of months ago. Although he called me an "SMA" which I didn't understand. He explained it meant Subject Matter Expert as in I'm the only person in the office who has a decent understanding of this subject.

Looks like you guys could do with an SE (spelling expert) too.

New Jack

#10
I've been a Subject Matter Expert. IBM's name for the last man standing on that account in this hemisphere. I stopped using the abbrevation SME on my CV as most recruiters think it means I owned a small business (have put it as its own job so I can expound upon the role being technical, but fuck me, calling yourself an SME seems too jargony for most places)

(I edited out my Universal Credit rant because I'm sick of it myself but thanks Buelligan!)

Buelligan

I'm sorry for your trouble New Jack, really am.

I remember when I couldn't find enough work to eat (and had no rights to benefits).  It was really horrible.  The thing that did me in most was the thought of not being able to take care of my cats.  Luckily for me I now have a job I don't enjoy and my cats are dead.

edit to add:  oh, you bugger, you've edited.

Wet Blanket

I know what I'm doing in terms of the work in hand, but existentially, as in what the fuck am I doing here? Jesus, Mother of God! I have no idea, but the thought never leaves my head

ZoyzaSorris

In my last work outside the house (I have intermittently worked from home for three years in the bohemian fields of music and writing, neither of which I regrettably know anything about at all) I knew it (basically being a Adobe Creative Suite monkey) far too well - I could complete my work in about fifth of the time allocated and would have to pretend to be busy whilst not looking like I was spending hours on the Internet, which I was. Quite painful, given the awareness of my rapid hurtling to oblivion and all. Made me feel like I was slowly dying to be honest.

pancreas

Quote from: Buelligan on August 09, 2018, 10:48:11 AM
Luckily for me I now have a job I don't enjoy and my cats are dead.

Well I laughed, if it helps.

Hobo With A Shit Pun

Mainly browsing C&B, and anywhere else more interesting than my work. Which is a lot.


Captain Z

SME already stands for 'Small-Medium (sized) Enterprise' so they probably had to choose between SME2 or SMA for Subject Matter Expert.

Clownbaby

My last job was at a M&S food packaging factory and I spent most of my time standing around waiting for something to do and/or eating freshly cooked battered prawns as they came along the conveyor. They never ordered me in some proper boots for wearing on the factory floor despite my repeated asking so I just kept stealing other people's

QDRPHNC

Bit of both.

Some parts of my job - luckily, the parts that matter - I'm very good at. The organization, paperwork, budgeting, scheduling, not so much. Luckily I have kind of a Work Dad who is very good at all that stuff and knows that I'll probably let it slip through the cracks, so he'll prep an estimate sheet or whatever for me so I just have to drop on my estimated hours. Its a completely unspoken system,, but I am eternally grateful to him for this.

Shoulders?-Stomach!

Quote from: Captain Z on August 09, 2018, 02:26:15 PM
SME already stands for 'Small-Medium (sized) Enterprise

Always with the acronyms, fucking sci-fi

im barry bethel

Quote from: Buelligan on August 09, 2018, 10:48:11 AM
I'm sorry for your trouble New Jack, really am.

I remember when I couldn't find enough work to eat (and had no rights to benefits).  It was really horrible.  The thing that did me in most was the thought of not being able to take care of my cats.  Luckily for me I now have a job I don't enjoy and my cats are dead.

edit to add:  oh, you bugger, you've edited.

You ate the cats?

Depressed Beyond Tables

Quote from: checkoutgirl on August 09, 2018, 10:17:31 AM
I had that a couple of months ago. Although he called me an "SMA" which I didn't understand.


dex

I'd say the same as others have, its a bit of both for me. There are some things I know my stuff with and others I totally have to wing it, blag and learn as I go.

It's all good when you deal with a safety critical workload unless something goes wrong and likely dies...


New Jack

Quote from: Captain Z on August 09, 2018, 02:26:15 PM
SME already stands for 'Small-Medium (sized) Enterprise'

Tags: Local production of Peter Pan directed by George Osborne

I work in signal engineering so winging it is much harder (and much more dangerous) to do than some other jobs. People who are clueless often get found out but some still blag their way through a career.

Twed

Quote from: Nice Relaxing Poo on August 09, 2018, 09:01:19 PM
I work in signal engineering so winging it is much harder (and much more dangerous) to do than some other jobs. People who are clueless often get found out but some still blag their way through a career.
Like DSP? I want to be in that field. I know what the Furry Transform is, and Noquits Theorem. Please hire me.

mothman

I'm a SME. I'm also an IO. The next step is to be a Senior IO, but having seen what they do I'm not sure I want to be one. That said, today I went to an Impact Challenge session (basically a peer review for team accomplishments) having avoided them for two years, and it was OK. Reckon I might double down when I get back from my hols.

Quote from: Twed on August 09, 2018, 09:04:06 PM
Like DSP? I want to be in that field. I know what the Furry Transform is, and Noquits Theorem. Please hire me.

Nah Railway signalling.

magval

I didn't when I was teaching and it nearly killed me so I stopped teaching.

I don't really now, either, in my shite HR job and matter of fact I was approached about it today, albeit in a reasonably supportive way, but I think that's the fault of those who should have trained me.

With teaching it was my own fault.

I don't think I've ever really known what I was doing. I can't mentally commit to these careers that I know aren't 'the one' but can't find 'the one', either.