So another one of my coworkers has given her notice. Since I have been there the course of 16 months, four professional staff have either gone to other offices or have left the college, and 2 support staff have left either requesting another department, or leaving the place entirely.
We have hired 3 new professional staff within the last month. The one that I worked with closely when he started told me this is not what he was expecting and thought he might not actually come back the second day. One of the other new counselors I overheard her in the break room with her fiancee saying she has applied to positions at other places already.
When my commiserating buddy told me she was giving her notice I was devastated, but not surprised. She hated it as much as I do from the moment she got here. She would tell me how much she would dread coming to work, how as soon as she got to work she would just wish for the day to end...the exact way I feel. That is not a way to live.
I recently have received a promotion and an office, which many would think would remedy the situation. It has just caused me added responsibilities of being the technical person of the office (of which I am not that technical). I am not running a system that we barely received any training on, and now I have to create workflows a basically create all means of communications coming out of our office. If this happens, this will trigger that email, however if this happens, they get another email instead...all automated...and to ensure they receive the correct email. I got the basics down, but the stuff that is coming my way, is VERY advanced. Way over my skill set. I am feeling even more uncomfortable that I have in the past.
I want to be happy. Life is too short to spend a majority of your day wishing it was over. There has to be happiness out there for me somewhere. I keep chasing happiness and keep ending up in worse situation than I was in before. It is pretty hard to explain on interviews, that you make one bad choice after another. I guess I have to suck it up for now...but seeing the track record of the office and the length of how long people actually stay reassures me that it ISN'T me...but unfortunately doesn't help my overall being.
Showing posts with label job. Show all posts
Showing posts with label job. Show all posts
Monday, June 11, 2012
Friday, November 12, 2010
When one door closes, does he open a window?
I have been pretty down and out lately. I went from one job that I am treated like a child to another. I don't know how the managers I have got into their positions. None of them should be managerial positions. I have been really hoping for a better opportunity to arise to get my a** out of this crummy situation. Sadly not much has been going for me lately. Every weekend I spend with my mom by bringing her to our house. I love my mom and would do anything for her, but I have to be constantly "on" for her. No sad face, no sighs, or she gets completely offended. Last weekend she slammed the door in Jeff's face because he was putting the heat up for me in the middle of the night because I was complaining of being too cold. The thermostat is near the door to our guest bedroom and he didn't put the lights on or anything. I agree you shouldn't have your door slammed in your face in your own house. Jeff mentioned this to my mom and she flipped a lid. I dealt with crying and mood swings the rest of the day. So I got that on one end, and a miserable job on the other. I interviewed for a position at a school I thought would be a perfect fit. The position would have been great, the commute even better, and it had the grad program I would have liked to pursued, but sadly after weeks of waiting I find out yesterday I didn't get the job. I am not sure what God's plan for me is, but I wish it involved some happiness. I am praying a window will open with a better opportunity. I know what I don't want, I don't want another position like I currently have or like the previous one before that. I have been going backwards in my advancement.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Jack of all trades
I have come to the point where I realize I am definitely selling myself too short. I have unfortunately gone from good to ugly, to bad to degrading. I am hoping when the next move does present itself, it is for the better. I need to start going in the right direction. The past two positions I have taken have been two major step backs. I knew that going in, but I thought I would make the best of it and make it even better. I was wrong on both. No offense to community colleges out there, but working at one, you don't get much respect. As much as you want to spout about you are the academic vice president, or the executive vice president, many of you are in that position because of your connected county croonies got you there. The CC I was at was very poorly run, and very reactive in all of its decision making. I really thought I was living out the show "Community". That show played on the stereotypes of community colleges, not about the students, but moreso the education and it's administrators. That show is spot on many of the times. I suggest if you have not taken the opportunity to see Community, definitely tune in on Thursday nights on NBC. Even if you have no experience at a community college, you will definitely get a kick out of it. And who doesn't love Joel McHale????
OK, back to my position at said CC. I took the position of admissions advisor. Which is basically an admissions counselor at any other CC, but this particular CC really had some bad titles for all their positions. Basically anything that would be a director elsewhere, was a coordinator here. Anyway, I should have known when the recruitment department didn't really have a physical space. It was kind of lumped inbetween academic affairs and registration. Being next to registration made sense, but being next to and practically on top of academic affairs, not so much. The way the area was set up almost looked like i was the admin for the academic affairs office. I don't know how many times faculty or other departments would come in asking me to make a copy or do this or do that. And I would politely tell them I was not part of that department despite my physical location. This caused lots of tension between recruitment and academic affairs. It was an unforeseen blessing in disguise that I came though. I fought tooth and nail for us to have our own space. It was awkward and uncomfortable to meet with prospective and current students in this space. I would be advising a student and the VP would come out of his area talking about confidential information or dropping f bombs. Many times students would want to cut their time short with me because they felt so uncomfortable. I brought this up to student affairs and it fell on deaf ears. It really made work unbearable. I was there to help prospective students with their college search and current students with their advising, and didn't have a proper space to work with these students. This was my job and I couldn't perform to full capicity because of this unfortuneate setup. Finally after a year and after I had moved on because I just couldn't take any more, they have finally moved the recruitment office to a new location. However, I hear that they have to go into another department to make copies (which we were doing a lot of with different flyers, mailings, etc.). I feel bad because my immediate coworkers were awfully nice and supportive and are stuck in this place. That department got no respect whatsoever. Yes, I know how much recruiting do you really need to do at a community college, but everyone has to keep their hand in the big student pot, otherwise you lose your edge. But they way things were done here...they wanted to stay competitive and recruit more students, but you need to have a place that will make students feel welcome, and that wasn't it.
I started my search shortly after being there because I saw so much disarray that I certainly did not have the ability to change ( I could but if your name wasn't connected to the county, no one wanted to hear you or your "ideas"). I applied to many positions, and exhausted my job search by applying to anything and everything I was qualified for and overqualified for (as I did with this position here at the CC). I knew I was overqualified for this position but thought I could use my knowledge and experience to make a difference. What I didn't realize is that a CC is a big political pool. I was offered an interview where I am currently at, and was excited. The position on paper sounded great. Dealing with admissions, overseeing all student matters, coordinating events, etc. However the position said education required, high school diploma. How could a position that sounds so familiar at what I did previously ask for such little education. I spoke with and met with my supervisor and she seemed great. I could relate to her. She was ambitious she could see that in me. I had 3 interviews for this place. 3. Oh, and I forgot to add, there was also "homework" assigned to me. Yes, homework for an interview. I had to submit a writing sample and edit a website page. For what I am constantly referred to as a secretary. I should have known that a place that makes you jump through hoops for a secretary labeled position was not the place for me...but again I thought, I will make the best of it, it puts me geographically where I would like to be.
I was very wrong again with my decision making. I am referred to as "I should be a mother hen to the grad students". When I hear the term, "mother hen" I think of an old lady who tries to be a motherly type and smothery type of person. I don't want that to be part of my job. I don't have my own kids yet, I certainly don't want to be that way to already feeling entitled grad students. I will be a mother to my own kids not to this spoiled ones. There are other various tasks that come my way that make me go "huh"? I have to be a photographer and take pics of all the grad students for the display case downstairs. Before I got here there was someone on staff who did just that, took pictures of staff and students, made any type of prints, etc. Of course now that I am here and this guy is no longer, that I guess falls on me. I don't even have my picture in the case (my predecessor is up there in my position, as with all the other boards around the building). Why should I have to use my own camera for this. Like I want pictures of these students on my camera. I should have lied and said I don't own one (that would make the mouth drop of the chair who probably makes 10x what I make in a year). But I am not a good liar at all. This is the person that constantly refers to me as a secretary. I love it, it makes me feel so special.
Another "issue" that has come up is who will stock the graduate student kitchen. The grad students have their own lounge on the fourth floor of the building. The floor also houses another department. The other department constantly complains that the grad students take their tea and coffee, which I have been ordering for them as of late (before me I don't know who did it, as my predecessor never did). I have sent many an email telling the grad students that they are only to use their space and not the other departments space. But what more can I really do. There are 114 grad students. I am on the second floor and they are on the fourth. These students are old enough that I shouldn't be acting like their "parent". There have been countless meeting about such a frivolous issue. So now I am housing break room products in my office for the grad kitchen on the fourth floor. If I put it in the cabinets up there it will just walk. I have put in numerous requests to have a lock put on the cabinets, however my work orders have been ignored. I didn't know I would the supplier and keeper of the grad kitchen.
It has made me realized though I can't sell myself short. I need to find something that will fit my needs and qualifications. I am tired of these positions where I am jack of all trades doing ridiculous stuff no one else wants to do. I didn't work hard all my life to be that person. So here is hoping my next move is the right one.
OK, back to my position at said CC. I took the position of admissions advisor. Which is basically an admissions counselor at any other CC, but this particular CC really had some bad titles for all their positions. Basically anything that would be a director elsewhere, was a coordinator here. Anyway, I should have known when the recruitment department didn't really have a physical space. It was kind of lumped inbetween academic affairs and registration. Being next to registration made sense, but being next to and practically on top of academic affairs, not so much. The way the area was set up almost looked like i was the admin for the academic affairs office. I don't know how many times faculty or other departments would come in asking me to make a copy or do this or do that. And I would politely tell them I was not part of that department despite my physical location. This caused lots of tension between recruitment and academic affairs. It was an unforeseen blessing in disguise that I came though. I fought tooth and nail for us to have our own space. It was awkward and uncomfortable to meet with prospective and current students in this space. I would be advising a student and the VP would come out of his area talking about confidential information or dropping f bombs. Many times students would want to cut their time short with me because they felt so uncomfortable. I brought this up to student affairs and it fell on deaf ears. It really made work unbearable. I was there to help prospective students with their college search and current students with their advising, and didn't have a proper space to work with these students. This was my job and I couldn't perform to full capicity because of this unfortuneate setup. Finally after a year and after I had moved on because I just couldn't take any more, they have finally moved the recruitment office to a new location. However, I hear that they have to go into another department to make copies (which we were doing a lot of with different flyers, mailings, etc.). I feel bad because my immediate coworkers were awfully nice and supportive and are stuck in this place. That department got no respect whatsoever. Yes, I know how much recruiting do you really need to do at a community college, but everyone has to keep their hand in the big student pot, otherwise you lose your edge. But they way things were done here...they wanted to stay competitive and recruit more students, but you need to have a place that will make students feel welcome, and that wasn't it.
I started my search shortly after being there because I saw so much disarray that I certainly did not have the ability to change ( I could but if your name wasn't connected to the county, no one wanted to hear you or your "ideas"). I applied to many positions, and exhausted my job search by applying to anything and everything I was qualified for and overqualified for (as I did with this position here at the CC). I knew I was overqualified for this position but thought I could use my knowledge and experience to make a difference. What I didn't realize is that a CC is a big political pool. I was offered an interview where I am currently at, and was excited. The position on paper sounded great. Dealing with admissions, overseeing all student matters, coordinating events, etc. However the position said education required, high school diploma. How could a position that sounds so familiar at what I did previously ask for such little education. I spoke with and met with my supervisor and she seemed great. I could relate to her. She was ambitious she could see that in me. I had 3 interviews for this place. 3. Oh, and I forgot to add, there was also "homework" assigned to me. Yes, homework for an interview. I had to submit a writing sample and edit a website page. For what I am constantly referred to as a secretary. I should have known that a place that makes you jump through hoops for a secretary labeled position was not the place for me...but again I thought, I will make the best of it, it puts me geographically where I would like to be.
I was very wrong again with my decision making. I am referred to as "I should be a mother hen to the grad students". When I hear the term, "mother hen" I think of an old lady who tries to be a motherly type and smothery type of person. I don't want that to be part of my job. I don't have my own kids yet, I certainly don't want to be that way to already feeling entitled grad students. I will be a mother to my own kids not to this spoiled ones. There are other various tasks that come my way that make me go "huh"? I have to be a photographer and take pics of all the grad students for the display case downstairs. Before I got here there was someone on staff who did just that, took pictures of staff and students, made any type of prints, etc. Of course now that I am here and this guy is no longer, that I guess falls on me. I don't even have my picture in the case (my predecessor is up there in my position, as with all the other boards around the building). Why should I have to use my own camera for this. Like I want pictures of these students on my camera. I should have lied and said I don't own one (that would make the mouth drop of the chair who probably makes 10x what I make in a year). But I am not a good liar at all. This is the person that constantly refers to me as a secretary. I love it, it makes me feel so special.
Another "issue" that has come up is who will stock the graduate student kitchen. The grad students have their own lounge on the fourth floor of the building. The floor also houses another department. The other department constantly complains that the grad students take their tea and coffee, which I have been ordering for them as of late (before me I don't know who did it, as my predecessor never did). I have sent many an email telling the grad students that they are only to use their space and not the other departments space. But what more can I really do. There are 114 grad students. I am on the second floor and they are on the fourth. These students are old enough that I shouldn't be acting like their "parent". There have been countless meeting about such a frivolous issue. So now I am housing break room products in my office for the grad kitchen on the fourth floor. If I put it in the cabinets up there it will just walk. I have put in numerous requests to have a lock put on the cabinets, however my work orders have been ignored. I didn't know I would the supplier and keeper of the grad kitchen.
It has made me realized though I can't sell myself short. I need to find something that will fit my needs and qualifications. I am tired of these positions where I am jack of all trades doing ridiculous stuff no one else wants to do. I didn't work hard all my life to be that person. So here is hoping my next move is the right one.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Wishlist
Great song from Pearl Jam. One that just popped into my head thinking of a blog topic. I am not going to list a bunch of wishes, but I will focus on one...wishing that I was happy in what I do. I know there are others who can relate to me. I am envious of those who cannot. I really should have known better that working in the physics department at an ivy league school would not be for me. I feel so isolated. There are staff that work there too, and some of them are very nice, but there are others who I feel like hold this big giant wall up. It has felt very unwelcoming. I like a work environment that has a culture of being a "team". Here it is very much like if it doesn't fall under their realm they won't even deal with it. I try to help as much as I can with what little I know even if it doesn't have to do with grad students. I am tired of the if it doesn't pertain to me don't bother me aura that is oozing from here. One of my previous jobs, whenever it was someones birthday we would go out for lunch. If someone was getting married or having a baby, we would have a shower. Or someone or myself would bake goodies and bring them into the office just because. You didn't feel like you were a nuisance if you asked someone a question. It was welcomed to come over and have a brief conversation to make the work day feel less like work. I enjoy that open door feeling, and I do not get that here at all. I am not looking to socialize, I know that is not what work is about. But being friendly and having a friendly culture makes those 8 hours a day just a little more pleasant.
The other day I saw a job posting at a university close by that is KNOWN for its student centered focus. I have always been drawn to this university. I didn't know about it when looking for colleges for undergrad, but had I known about it I definitely would have considered it. It is somewhat similar to my alma mater and being I don't think I would want to work at my alma mater and taint my experience working where I went to school, I would think this is the next best thing. The position was for Assistant Director for Graduate Admission. I was like YES! It is a sign! So I took my time to create a new cover letter instead of just changing a few words here and there of my current one. I wanted to take the time on this as I thought this could be it. I applied for it on Friday morning. Later that day I wanted to check out the description one more time. Well it seems they changed it to Transfer Admissions...which is fine, I wouldn't mind pursuing that either, but my cover letter was geared towards graduate admissions! I emailed the director of graduate admissions to clarify the change I saw in the job description. She in fact said yes there was an error and the job description had been changed. I emailed her back saying I would still like to be considered for the Transfer position as I enjoy all aspects of admissions. However once you apply for a position you cannot edit your application. I asked if I could send her a new cover letter expressing my interest in the transfer position and she didn't write back this time. Jeff says it was Friday afternoon don't look too much into it, but I do. I miss the element of admissions. And for a minute I thought I would have an opportunity, but I have a feeling my app won't even be considered now.....here is wishing that I have the opportunity that I will be eventually happy with what I do....
The other day I saw a job posting at a university close by that is KNOWN for its student centered focus. I have always been drawn to this university. I didn't know about it when looking for colleges for undergrad, but had I known about it I definitely would have considered it. It is somewhat similar to my alma mater and being I don't think I would want to work at my alma mater and taint my experience working where I went to school, I would think this is the next best thing. The position was for Assistant Director for Graduate Admission. I was like YES! It is a sign! So I took my time to create a new cover letter instead of just changing a few words here and there of my current one. I wanted to take the time on this as I thought this could be it. I applied for it on Friday morning. Later that day I wanted to check out the description one more time. Well it seems they changed it to Transfer Admissions...which is fine, I wouldn't mind pursuing that either, but my cover letter was geared towards graduate admissions! I emailed the director of graduate admissions to clarify the change I saw in the job description. She in fact said yes there was an error and the job description had been changed. I emailed her back saying I would still like to be considered for the Transfer position as I enjoy all aspects of admissions. However once you apply for a position you cannot edit your application. I asked if I could send her a new cover letter expressing my interest in the transfer position and she didn't write back this time. Jeff says it was Friday afternoon don't look too much into it, but I do. I miss the element of admissions. And for a minute I thought I would have an opportunity, but I have a feeling my app won't even be considered now.....here is wishing that I have the opportunity that I will be eventually happy with what I do....
Thursday, September 23, 2010
a place for everything and everything in its place
I have been on this kick to try to be even more organized. I have to say it is a very daunting task. I am trying to be more organized at work and at home and maybe I am biting off more than I can chew.
At work I came into a position that my predecessor was in for 26 years! Suffice it to say she had her own way of doing things, keeping organized, or lack thereof. I came into 26 years things done her way. All ways I would not have done things. So I am currently going through all files, and folders, and documents to try to make them more efficient. On top of that I am trying to figure out what is the right way of doing things, as I have come to find out there were a lot of things done incorrectly in the past 26 years. This in itself is a very large task to take on. I have actually gotten a big chunk of it accomplished. I really should have taken a picture of the before of how my office was set up. Basically there was a piece of wood held up by two small file cabinets on one side of the wall. The computer was on that piece of wood. On the other side of the office was the desk with the phone. NOW, if you were me you would think this a quite asinine setup. I quickly changed that. I have since acquired a bookshelf, moved some stuff around and have made it as organized as I possibly can with what I have to work with. I still have the constant piles on my desk, but I guess that will always be the case. If I had a bigger desk and not a teachers desk where the chair doesn't even fit underneath it, I think it would bother me much less. Now back to work to try to get more organized....Wish me luck.
At work I came into a position that my predecessor was in for 26 years! Suffice it to say she had her own way of doing things, keeping organized, or lack thereof. I came into 26 years things done her way. All ways I would not have done things. So I am currently going through all files, and folders, and documents to try to make them more efficient. On top of that I am trying to figure out what is the right way of doing things, as I have come to find out there were a lot of things done incorrectly in the past 26 years. This in itself is a very large task to take on. I have actually gotten a big chunk of it accomplished. I really should have taken a picture of the before of how my office was set up. Basically there was a piece of wood held up by two small file cabinets on one side of the wall. The computer was on that piece of wood. On the other side of the office was the desk with the phone. NOW, if you were me you would think this a quite asinine setup. I quickly changed that. I have since acquired a bookshelf, moved some stuff around and have made it as organized as I possibly can with what I have to work with. I still have the constant piles on my desk, but I guess that will always be the case. If I had a bigger desk and not a teachers desk where the chair doesn't even fit underneath it, I think it would bother me much less. Now back to work to try to get more organized....Wish me luck.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Job Jumperoo
I don't want to be a job jumper. I just can't find a job that is the right "fit". At my last job our VP of Student Affairs was very big on "FIT". He even conducted presentations on this. Finding the right fit has proved to be more productive, happy, successful. But how do you find that right fit? This job I even told the hiring manager I was trying to find the right fit, and she convinced me this was the place. She said it had everything I was looking for. I believed this was more of a counseling role, somewhat similar to admissions but without having to do presentations, the travel, and instead of working with undergraduates, I would be working with graduate students. However most of this job is data collecting, number crunching, accounting and troubleshooting. Anytime there is a problem concerning a grad matter, I am the one to fix it, even if it is something the student should really do for them self. If a student doesn't get paid for some reason, I have to hunt down why and fix it. If a student hasn't heard back from the housing office, I have to look into it for him. At the end of the day and even during the day I have that feeling that this is certainly not the right fit. When will I find the right fit? I am hoping my next move will be the right one and put me on the right path.
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