A Case Of The Mondays: Vent Your Work Spleen Here

[Mindthinkr]

@emma675 I feel your angst. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

17 hours ago, BookWoman56 said:

@GHScorpiosRule, do focus on what @Bastet said. You're past the "Will they or won't they" stage of the process. Right now it's just checking off the boxes of things they need to confirm before they make the final offer.

Oh I am, I am so focusing on this. And after a call from my former recruiter, who (whom?) I can now speak to freely now that the noncompete has expired, I feel better. If there was a red flag, they'd let me know right away.

17 hours ago, BookWoman56 said:

In the meantime, while you're at work, is there any kind of mindless, tedious stuff that needs to be done? Like scanning in hundreds of documents or organizing the folder structure of stuff (that you would be allowed to reorganize without someone throwing a hissy fit)?

Nope. Not today. There was work yesterday and the day before. But now I'm at a standstill. Maybe I'll go reorganize my email folders!

17 hours ago, BookWoman56 said:

To the extent possible, just do busy work so that you're not sitting there staring at your phone or refreshing your email account every 30 seconds

This made me laugh. Because I was TOTALLY doing the bolded on Monday and Tuesday! I'm doing much better today.

17 hours ago, BookWoman56 said:

They're keeping you informed of the progress and you can reasonably expect that once the conflicts check is done,  you'll get a phone call or email. Assuming that nothing unexpected pops up in the conflicts check, you should be getting positive news soon.

That's what I keep telling myself. Maybe I'll just go into another show forum and nitpick.

So sorry to hear about your issues at work @emma675.  How's the job going otherwise?

[bilgistic]

3 hours ago, emma675 said:

I share a cube wall with the most unpleasant woman. We don't work on the same team but I do support her team with communications when they have client-facing projects.

She talks smack about her boss and teammates behind their backs (I don't think she realizes or cares that I can hear every whisper through the wall), she smokes like a chimney so her area reeks of nicotine (and she's had pneumonia this year), she only seems to eat McDonald's and Starbucks, she coughs incessantly, and every sentence is punctuated with this weird closed mouth giggle. Oy.

You reminded me of my former cube neighbor who took a 20-minute smoke break every hour. He was part of a financing group that our company bought/took over. He was horrifically homophobic, misogynistic and racist (loudly with clients on the phone), and talked to his family like they were trash and he was superior. I reported him after I got fed up with his slurs and his defending a certain political figure's "locker room talk". He never again spoke to me or so much as looked in my direction again. He had to know it was me who reported him because I was the only woman sitting near him in a sea of conservative white men.

[hoosier80]

There's one on our team who takes at least 20 minute (or longer) smoke breaks, plus lunches that are well over one hour.  Yet they leave early every day.  Not sure how they get in 40 hours unless they come in super early (like 6 a.m.).  We have nothing to do at 6 a.m.   Boss did it so he could leave earlier in the day, hit the clubs later I guess.

The smoker, who is really thin, acts like they're all healthy, then you hear them cough up both lungs daily.  Are you ok?  Oh yeah, no problem.  Then if I sneeze or cough due to allergies, they tell me I should probably see a doctor.  Thanks, I've got it covered, been to an allergist and my primary doctor is aware, also.  

I find out today that the Dip got a new car.  Ok, fine.  Yeah her older Benz was falling apart, so she got a Jag.  What?  She does not have big money.  I don't get it.   Her hubby doesn't make big bucks either.  When I get into the office, she's socializing, of course.  Did very little all day.  Couldn't get into one app, I go to help and I'm like well you have 123 up and you're trying to get into 456.  Totally wrong site address.  And the name is in the address.  

Yesterday, during a weekly meeting, discussion about changes upcoming for a client.  Mentioned one app that Dip always acts like she's in charge of - but not really.  Anyhow, like 3 of us at once said, wait didn't this client do something different than the rest of the clients on this app?  Dip hemmed and hawed, no clue.  Loved the meeting moderator, as he didn't let her off of the hook.  If it's different, it may take more time, so she needed to find out ASAP.  The account manager for the client, pulled me to the side and said, I don't want to sound like I don't trust Dip, but...….yeah, I get it.  So I sent her a message to call this project manager, who implemented that app, they would know the details.  Nope, she was waiting until someone else got into the office.  Yeah that person was out yesterday and today, possibly the rest of the week.  I'm like, done.  I'm out of it.  

Then I overheard that this other guy, who is the biggest gossip, does very little (went on vacation an entire week and no on missed him - seriously no one missed him) was promoted.  To what -senior gossip analyst?  Just so over this place.  I really need to find something else to do.

[bilgistic]

Senior gossip analyst!

[theredhead77]

I wonder what people think of my schedule. I come I  between 730 and 8 and leave at 4. I'm holed up in my office all day,  working through lunch and get online when I get home. Today I left at 3 to beat a massive rain storm, popped online when I got home and worked until 6.

My boss isn't in my office but I know he doesn't care but the gossip mill probably does. 

[BookWoman56]

I think the gossip mill focuses on people's schedules more when there's a question about productivity. That is, they pay attention to the person constantly complaining that he/she can't get stuff done because of overwork and is chronically late with deliverables, yet who consistently seems to spend minimal time in the office. In my situation it's a little different because I work from home and am in central time, as opposed to my colleagues, who are mostly in eastern time or pacific time. But routinely I am online at 8:00 my time, and my colleagues don't get to the office or online until about 9:30 or 10:00 their time. I really don't care about their schedules as long as the work gets done, although I'm aware that one of my colleagues takes the occasional day off without recording it in the system as PTO. I'm sure if challenged, she would claim it is comp time, even though IMO she does the absolute minimum possible and hasn't really worked late hours or anything like it in at least a year. 

What I do care about and bitch about to a former colleague is the person who manages a team that I work with. He is notorious for not reviewing stuff on time that he has to approve, and often waiting until the last minute to review stuff he should have been monitoring previously, so at the last minute he'll throw a fit that what his team did isn't what he wanted them to do and they have to rework whatever project they were doing. He ignores emails, has to have someone IM him to remind him to dial into meetings he's supposed to attend, etc. My guess the reason he's always last minute on anything is that, per my former colleague and a couple of other colleagues, his daily routine consists of strolling into the office around 10 am, going to the gym around noon for an hour or two, going out again around 3 pm for an hour-long coffee break, and then leaving the office at 4:30 to avoid some of the rush hour traffic. When he's actually in his office, he is consistently on his personal cell phone. About every couple of weeks he'll attend an important meeting and make it sound like he and his team can't possibly do XYZ because they're overworked. Dude, your team is overworked because you underwork. 

[Bastet]

10 minutes ago, BookWoman56 said:

I think the gossip mill focuses on people's schedules more when there's a question about productivity. That is, they pay attention to the person constantly complaining that he/she can't get stuff done because of overwork and is chronically late with deliverables, yet who consistently seems to spend minimal time in the office.

But there are still people who are oddly obsessed with other people's schedules when there's no reason for it.  Nothing about the "offender's" productivity,  their schedule impacting someone else's, their hours being conveniently timed to not be there when the bulk of the work needs to be done, or anything like that.  Just someone who comes in early and sees a co-worker arrive significantly later and grouses about it, despite the fact the one who arrives later also leaves later and thus works the same hours and is equally productive, just at different times (or the reverse, where someone who comes in later sees someone leaving much earlier than them, but doesn't account for the fact that's because they got there a lot earlier, but let's be real - morning people are more judgmental against those whose day starts and ends later than vice versa :-)).

[BookWoman56]

34 minutes ago, Bastet said:

But there are still people who are oddly obsessed with other people's schedules when there's no reason for it.  Nothing about the "offender's" productivity,  their schedule impacting someone else's, their hours being conveniently timed to not be there when the bulk of the work needs to be done, or anything like that.  Just someone who comes in early and sees a co-worker arrive significantly later and grouses about it, despite the fact the one who arrives later also leaves later and thus works the same hours and is equally productive, just at different times (or the reverse, where someone who comes in later sees someone leaving much earlier than them, but doesn't account for the fact that's because they got there a lot earlier, but let's be real - morning people are more judgmental against those whose day starts and ends later than vice versa :-)).

Those busybodies who obsess over someone's schedule when it doesn't affect them or the work in any way are likely to be the same ones who obsess over other crap, such as wardrobe choices, office romances, etc. I just fail to comprehend why anyone gives a fuck about somebody else's schedule, unless there is a direct impact on productivity. I am not a morning person by choice, but I force myself to get up fairly early because I have caregiver obligations that begin about 30 minutes after I get off work, assuming I am getting off about 4:30 my time. In terms of schedule, the best job I ever had was doing contract work for 3 years for an organization that didn't care what my schedule was, as long as I was available every couple of weeks for a phone meeting. I could work in the middle of the day or the middle of the night; nobody cared as long as I got my deliverables done on time. I wish more companies recognized that some people function better outside of the traditional 9-5 range. 

Edited August 2, 2018 by BookWoman56

[bilgistic]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

But there are still people who are oddly obsessed with other people's schedules when there's no reason for it.  Nothing about the "offender's" productivity,  their schedule impacting someone else's, their hours being conveniently timed to not be there when the bulk of the work needs to be done, or anything like that.  Just someone who comes in early and sees a co-worker arrive significantly later and grouses about it, despite the fact the one who arrives later also leaves later and thus works the same hours and is equally productive, just at different times (or the reverse, where someone who comes in later sees someone leaving much earlier than them, but doesn't account for the fact that's because they got there a lot earlier, but let's be real - morning people are more judgmental against those whose day starts and ends later than vice versa :-)).

YES!

The shithead broker I used to support couldn't stand that I came in at 9am never mind that I regularly didn't take a lunch break nor leave the office until 7pm. Just because he got up at 5 and did cross training or whatever the hell doesn't make him a superior human being. He got to the office a whole half hour before me because any time he'd throw a tantrum about wanting me in early for whatever reason, I'd beat him in. And he'd be gone by 6pm at the latest. He has a wife and kids, you know! He is automatically a more worthwhile human!

[theredhead77]

8 hours ago, Bastet said:

But there are still people who are oddly obsessed with other people's schedules when there's no reason for it.  Nothing about the "offender's" productivity,  their schedule impacting someone else's, their hours being conveniently timed to not be there when the bulk of the work needs to be done, or anything like that. 

Exactly! I'm sure I've shared this before - at my old building someone must have complained to HR about my hours because HR told my boss that I needed to work my shift as scheduled in the time-clock software. My boss was all NOPE! TRH works the hours the business dictates and he's far too busy to care if I come in at 8:10 one day and 7:33 the next. To this day I'm pretty certain the person who complained was someone within my overall department (but not on my team) who had (has?) a boss that is a stickler for the 'set schedule' (even though her job doesn't dictate it).

[GHScorpiosRule]

7 hours ago, bilgistic said:

YES!

The shithead broker I used to support couldn't stand that I came in at 9am never mind that I regularly didn't take a lunch break nor leave the office until 7pm. Just because he got up at 5 and did cross training or whatever the hell doesn't make him a superior human being. He got to the office a whole half hour before me because any time he'd throw a tantrum about wanting me in early for whatever reason, I'd beat him in. And he'd be gone by 6pm at the latest. He has a wife and kids, you know! He is automatically a more worthwhile human!

I remember you telling us this! As for myself, if I'm working through lunch, then I'm not docking myself--meaning it shows up on my timesheet as NOT taking a lunch break. The associate just yesterday told me the partner flagged more docs, not realizing I'd already scanned the previous ones, and this time he wanted me to also name them in a way shows the order that they are in the bloody files. She tells me this five minutes before I'm supposed to take a lunch break, and because this office won't pay overtime, I have to take a lunch. And she says all of this has to be completed by 4. Can't make that deadline if I take a lunch and she tells me I should do what she and partner do--work through lunch. Sure, you're not paid by the hour like I am. So, I work through lunch, but I note on my timesheet that I didn't take lunch. 

3 minutes ago, theredhead77 said:

Exactly! I'm sure I've shared this before - at my old building someone must have complained to HR about my hours because HR told my boss that I needed to work my shift as scheduled in the time-clock software. My boss was all NOPE! TRH works the hours the business dictates and he's far too busy to care if I come in at 8:10 one day and 7:33 the next. To this day I'm pretty certain the person who complained was someone within my overall department (but not on my team) who had (has?) a boss that is a stickler for the 'set schedule' (even though her job doesn't dictate it).

This is me on my contract assignments. That's because I don't trust the metro/train system because something is always breaking down. So I end up coming in 45 minutes earlier than my shift starts. If someone sees me, and they get me to work before 9 or 8:30 or whatever, I don't complain or refuse. I just leave after 8 hours. And if I have to stay late, I adjust when I leave at the end of the week so I don't go over 40.

[GHScorpiosRule]

ETA: WAHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Senior Staff Recruiter just emailed me: Conflicts FUCKING CLEARED!!!!! Just one more reference pending, but they Expect me to start on MONDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

I was going to say I wasn't going to totally celebrate and let my agency know until I got the countersigned offer, but he just sent it to me! I was so worried because here I am at Thursday, and I had a dream I was conflicted out.

And now I'm going to get all MUSHY! Thank you ALL for your support, advice, good wishes and for just bearing with me since...January, I think? I'm not as eloquent with words so even though I don't respond to others here, all I can do is ❤️❤️❤️❤️ the posts.

A good reason I believe I got this job is because of y'all!

[theredhead77]

3 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Senior Staff Recruiter just emailed me: Conflicts FUCKING CLEARED!!!!! Just one more reference pending, but they Expect me to start on MONDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[auntlada]

2 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

ETA: WAHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Senior Staff Recruiter just emailed me: Conflicts FUCKING CLEARED!!!!! Just one more reference pending, but they Expect me to start on MONDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

I was going to say I wasn't going to totally celebrate and let my agency know until I got the countersigned offer, but he just sent it to me! I was so worried because here I am at Thursday, and I had a dream I was conflicted out.

And now I'm going to get all MUSHY! Thank you ALL for your support, advice, good wishes and for just bearing with me since...January, I think? I'm not as eloquent with words so even though I don't respond to others here, all I can do is ❤️❤️❤️❤️ the posts.

A good reason I believe I got this job is because of y'all!

Yay! I kept coming here just to see if you'd heard anything.

[GHScorpiosRule]

And so the agency called me, saying they got my email and is this a full-time job? Clearly, she didn't read my email carefully, where that's exactly what I told her. And then she says isn't there a way for me to stay an extra week here? No. I say. They want me to start on Monday, and I didn't inform the agency last week, to let them know that this Friday would be my last day since I still had to go through background check and conflict. They KNOW this. Had this been a full-time job, I would have asked to be allowed to give two weeks' notice. But it's not. Also what if things didn't pan out? Then I'd be out of a job and start looking for work asap.

Fortunately, all the document scanning and summarizing were completed yesterday. So it's not as if I'm leaving them in a lurch.

The greatest satisfaction out of all this is that I got this job on my own. Not through an agency, so there's no fee to be paid; but on my own merits, with my baggage and bad luck--which they didn't hold against me. That the team I met with liked me and wanted me on their team.

[BookWoman56]

Congratulations, @GHScorpiosRule. Glad you got positive news; hell, I was starting to experience vicarious anxiety on your behalf. 

As for the agency, generally agencies are willing to let you go with absolutely no notice, so they shouldn't complain if you were able to give them a couple of days' notice. Also, maybe they should have actually read your email carefully the first time so they weren't asking you for information you already provided in the email. That is one of my work pet peeves, when you take the time to lay out all the needed info in an email, and then the recipient calls you and asks you stuff that is already in the damn email. Read the email and see what info is provided; then you can reply with follow-up questions if needed or an acknowledgment. This is not rocket science, yet so many people in the workplace are unwilling to do so. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

20 minutes ago, BookWoman56 said:

Congratulations, @GHScorpiosRule. Glad you got positive news; hell, I was starting to experience vicarious anxiety on your behalf. 

 

Thank you! Both your and @Bastet's advice was sound and I really followed it, yet, my mind and body still was so stressed as it got closer to the end of the week, that my blood sugar has been in the 133-149 range! And it's not because of cheating. I'm still eating what I'm supposed to. Hell, this morning's level was at 145! I've been feverish the past week as well during the night; not sleeping well. But now all that's over!

Hey, @ABay ! You can uncross your fingers and toes now!

22 minutes ago, BookWoman56 said:

As for the agency, generally agencies are willing to let you go with absolutely no notice, so they shouldn't complain if you were able to give them a couple of days' notice. Also, maybe they should have actually read your email carefully the first time so they weren't asking you for information you already provided in the email. That is one of my work pet peeves, when you take the time to lay out all the needed info in an email, and then the recipient calls you and asks you stuff that is already in the damn email. Read the email and see what info is provided; then you can reply with follow-up questions if needed or an acknowledgment. This is not rocket science, yet so many people in the workplace are unwilling to do so. 

I KNOW! Had this been my previous recruiter who used to work at this agency, she wouldn't have called with such cluelessness. And of course, current recruiter said please keep them in mind if I ever need to work through them. No. This new job? is my new home and I'm going to work my ass off to remain here. They just sent me an onboarding thingamajig, where they asked how I want my name in front of my office. Office???!!!! I was expecting a cubicle or something. And what email programs I've used, time management. And if I need any "special" software installed on my computer. I won't be allowed to use my personal email, but that's okay. I don't plan on being here during working hours. That's a promise I made to the Job Gods, God and myself during the whole interview and checks process. It's probably standard anyway, but I just stated to please have the Snipping Tool (which is VERY HANDY), MS Office, Adobe installed. Just in case; to save me time from asking IT that I need x, y, and z.

[theredhead77]

Sounds like this firm has their shit together @GHScorpiosRule. Just one word of advise - if your computer doesn't have the software you requested on it when they deliver it don't work yourself up thinking you made a bad choice and their organization was just a front. Despite best intentions, messages aren't always conveyed to ID (or licenses need to be purchased). They knew you were coming so hopefully IT was prepared with a computer and they just need to configure your profile / access.

This message brought to you by a former IT professional who was expected to make computers, cell phones, other hardware and software licenses appear out of thin air when HR did not pass on the message that someone was being hired.

[GHScorpiosRule]

1 minute ago, theredhead77 said:

Sounds like this firm has their shit together @GHScorpiosRule. Just one word of advise - if your computer doesn't have the software you requested on it when they deliver it don't work yourself up thinking you made a bad choice and their organization was just a front. Despite best intentions, messages aren't always conveyed to ID (or licenses need to be purchased). They knew you were coming so hopefully IT was prepared with a computer and they just need to configure your profile / access.

This message brought to you by a former IT professional who was expected to make computers, cell phones, other hardware and software licenses appear out of thin air when HR did not pass on the message that someone was being hired.

Oh no. No worries there! That's not how I think.  I just know that the work I'll be doing requires certain software, and these days the ones I listed come preloaded; well, except for Adobe WRITER. And I'm always one that asks if I can have this or that; not demand or get angry. I always make friends with not only the IT team, but office services, and court clerks, etc. Because having a good relationship with these folks increases the chances of productivity. Plus it's the clerks who do the work in the courts. And if/when I run into problems, they're the ones who I need to reach out to. Or if there is a sudden deadline or emergency filing or whatever, they are the ones that know what's going on and what I need to do or can do, or get the judge to give consent to do;   

This was just the first time I was asked if I needed or wanted anything. It was like a..."wow!" moment for me. This is a good firm. I did my research and due diligence on them, and I like what I found. 

[Moose135]

Congratulations, @GHScorpiosRule!!!  That's wonderful news!  I wish you all the best!

[Mindthinkr]

I am so happy for you @GHScorpiosRule  I suspect there’s a large weight off of your shoulders now. Rest well this weekend and best wishes on Monday. You will be great for this firm. They are lucky to have you. Hopefully this good news will help steady your blood sugar. 

Edited August 2, 2018 by Mindthinkr
There not their!

[AuntieL]

@GHScorpiosRule that is excellent news!!! I'm very happy for you!! They're lucky to have you. (I'm a sole practitioner who wishes I could afford someone with your skill set!!)

[Jaded]

Congrats, @GHScorpiosRule!

[ABay]

Fantastic, @GHScorpiosRule!

[bilgistic]

I'm so happy for you, @GHScorpiosRule! You deserve the very best!

[Bastet]

Congratulations, @GHScorpiosRule!  On the job, of course, and on scoring an office.  Working without a door and window sucks.

Working in the non-profit world, it's hard enough affording office space that allows each attorney an office, so the poor paralegals (or, paralegal, as in smaller organizations there's only a budget for one) are stuck in cubicle hell.  My friend is a paralegal for a mid-size firm, and she and another paralegal share an office.  Thankfully, they get along well, so it works out nicely. 

I can't wait to hear about the new job as you settle in, but first enjoy the hell out of your weekend.  Since you'll soon have good income and benefits coming in, maybe treat yourself to a spa day to get good and relaxed.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Thanks, everyone! And the folks here were nice about the short notice. Like I said, fortunately, we'd done all the work for the next part of discovery, so there's nothing pending on my desk and I'm not leaving them in the lurch. They both congratulated me.  And since there's nothing pending, TODAY is my last day! So I'll be short about a $150 or so in my last check next week. I'll be able to rest and rejuvenate in order to get ready for this new chapter. Totally going to get the Moët Rosé tonight! I think I finally have something to celebrate!

And now I’m also going to get me a hot stone massage on Saturday to work out the sore kinks and muscles!?

Edited August 2, 2018 by GHScorpiosRule

[DeLurker]

6 hours ago, auntlada said:

Yay! I kept coming here just to see if you'd heard anything.

Me too!

[emma675]

Woooooooohooooooooo, GHSCORPIOSRULE!!!!

[GHScorpiosRule]

You were so on the money when you said that stressing over the conflicts would affect my blood sugar levels, @Bastet! Since receiving the email this morning about everything being cleared and filling out my tax forms and completing other forms, my levels since lunch have been 82!? So when my doctor asks WHY my levels were so high for this week? I’ll be able to tell her why!???

[magicdog]

Congrats GHSCORPIOSRULE!!

Interesting day I had yesterday...

It was time for employee reviews and my manager told me that my work was very highly rated!  I was pleased as punch to hear that, then my manager added this:

"I noticed your work/praise really improved since [former edit partner] left."

I found this interesting.  A few months ago I mentioned how Bitcheroo had my then edit partner fired (partner didn't want to talk about it and management legally couldn't either), and I had to wait about 2 months for a replacement to break in.  I'm curious as to how with my former partner gone that my work became "better".  I still work as hard as I've always had, pleasant to everyone as I can be, show up on time, etc.  Could there have been something going on with my former partner poisoning me without my knowing?  I thought we had worked together quite well.  My main complaint (which I placed on the producers at the time) was that I was often passed over for projects while they ran over to her while I was the senior editor.

My new partner is working out well, and I've never worked exactly the same with any partner I ever had.  We just find a way to balance each other out eventually.  We do seem to get things done faster; so far we've been able to finish the show about an hour early, which gives us plenty of time to relax but ready for anything breaking.  Odd, since he'd been out of the editing game for two years before coming to work here.  He worked at a supermarket in that time;  I wonder why my bosses had such a time finding someone who wasn't an active editor?  Not that it matters right now.   I wonder if it has to do with Bitcheroo's reputation?  Either that or maybe they're bring tight with the payscale.

[BookWoman56]

@magicdog, maybe the comment about your work/praise improving since your former edit partner left is just your manager making a dig at your former partner, since that person was fired. It's implying that not only did your company get rid of someone who wasn't working out for some reason, that person's departure has had a positive influence on other employees. I think the comment has less to do with the quality of your work and more to do with some kind of self-serving rationale about why the decision to fire the person was the correct thing to do. 

In the meantime, I am in Charlotte for most of this week because my manager has this obsession that our group needs to have an onsite meeting at least once a year with everybody there. But her plan is not to have group meetings so much as it is to just have everybody do his/her routine work, but all sitting in the same area. WTF? It's a good thing nobody is asking me about that rationale, because I couldn't explain it and keep a straight face. I'm okay with it given that it's better than doing some awful team-building activities, but baffled as to why anybody approved this. Obviously, the company is paying for my travel expenses and so forth, but I just cannot come up with a reason as to why they would absorb this expense just to have me sit in the same building as my colleagues. And ironically enough, because there's been a recent remodeling effort, the only open cube for me is not even close to my colleagues. I'm on the same floor, but at least a couple of hundred feet (and many cubes) away from where they are. 

[ginger90]

Is the concept, third Tuesday of the month difficult?

For the fourth time, a person has been put on my schedule 3 weeks after I have been there. I call each time, my schedule is emailed, and explain. It’s not every 3 weeks, it’s the third Tuesday each month. Watch it will happen next time too, which will still be August.

[theredhead77]

@BookWoman56 that would irritate me! 

@GHScorpiosRule how did your first day go??

[ABay]

That's right! Today was the big day. How was it, @GHScorpiosRule?

[GHScorpiosRule]

2 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

 

@GHScorpiosRule how did your first day go??

 

1 hour ago, ABay said:

That's right! Today was the big day. How was it, @GHScorpiosRule?

Well it was New Hire Orientation Day! Or rather, it will be week! But it was great meeting people who will be good resources and the option has range of computer training as well as refresher courses. The latter I’ll save money on having to pay for them via my paralegal association. 

One good thing is that I don’t have to have my work email linked with my phone! So I won’t be tethered to my phone or feel like I’ll be on call 24/7. Of course if a case goes to trial, then I can sync.

It looks like the first week and part of next week will be orientation.

It’s going to take some time for me to learn the layout. 

I’m really excited about digging into the nitty gritty.

[emma675]

I'm on a monthly department conference call where the head of our group updates us on the state of the business, internal news, etc. The head of our group doesn't always enunciate well and is on speaker phone in a large room, so it can be hard to hear.

I heard him say my name unexpectedly and then I started getting all of these congratulations im's from my teammates. I have no idea what he said!!

[Quof]

You're moving to lead up the office in Tulsa. 

[DeLurker]

You’re pregnant?

[emma675]

Whew, he was just congratulating me on all I've done in the 4 months I've been with the company. I hate conference calls on speaker phone!

[GHScorpiosRule]

Just about done with orientation. Tomorrow is the last day. Had to watch two videos relating to harassment policy and HIPPA. Only got through the harassment one and spent most of it ????because it was SO CHEEZY. The “acting” was horrid. Like the people “interviewed” about what they thought harassment was at work meant. And every.single.person said sexual harassment and the way they said it-as if they were prudes talking about hanky panky going ons. I thought  I’d seen the last of these type of videos back when was a bank teller and I had to watch videos of what to do and not do when dealing with difficult customers.

But before I left, I got an email-that alleviated one of my concerns regarding a learning curve: one of my practice group’s manager asked another paralegal to reach out to me, as a mentor and show me the ropes, if you will, of the practice group. We’re having lunch on Thursday. Not that I was overly concerned since I’m very familiar with the work I’ll be doing, but it helps knowing I’m not being thrown into the deep end without a life jacket.

Some of the people I met today have been with the firm for over 30 years! One is coming close to 43! That is my goal.

And it turns out my “office” isn’t an office after all!!?? It’s a cube, but a private one that comes with its own closet where I can keep a change of clothes/shoes. And I have my own dedicated network printer. And LOTS of desk space!

I’m happy and impressed with all the resources at my disposal to guarantee that my attorneys will not be dissatisfied with my job performance.

[WarnerCL45]

On 02/08/2018 at 11:45 AM, GHScorpiosRule said:

The greatest satisfaction out of all this is that I got this job on my own. Not through an agency, so there's no fee to be paid;

Does the company employing you not pay the fee?  Every employment agency I've worked for doesn't charge the worker.  Or, did you mean no fee to be paid by the company employing you?  Maybe I'm misreading.

Edited August 8, 2018 by WarnerCL45

[ratgirlagogo]

18 hours ago, emma675 said:

I'm on a monthly department conference call where the head of our group updates us on the state of the business, internal news, etc. The head of our group doesn't always enunciate well and is on speaker phone in a large room, so it can be hard to hear.

I heard him say my name unexpectedly and then I started getting all of these congratulations im's from my teammates. I have no idea what he said!!

 

15 hours ago, emma675 said:

Whew, he was just congratulating me on all I've done in the 4 months I've been with the company.

Well, THAT'S a relief.  I was afraid they had chosen you as the designated Human Sacrifice for the quarter.

[GHScorpiosRule]

9 hours ago, WarnerCL45 said:

Does the company employing you not pay the fee?  Every employment agency I've worked for doesn't charge the worker.  Or, did you mean no fee to be paid by the company employing you?  Maybe I'm misreading.

Sorry for the confusion-yes, I meant the firm doesn’t have to pay a fee to the agency that they would have had I gotten hired through them. It’s one of the things that has been an issue for me this past year dealing with recruiters. The two I used to work with had my interests at the forefront-and it would be an incentive to boot, to market me and get me placed. But since they left, I’ve noticed the recruiters these days act like they’re filling quotas and only want to market and work with those candidates that have a “perfect” job history-meaning long tenures between jobs. Or the bait and switch of recruiters who message me wanting to discuss opportunities because they saw my resume, were impressed with my experience (blah, blah) and would like to discuss a “fantastic” opportunity, only to ignore my calls and emails after our initial call. Don’t tell me what the status is of submissions, etc. Thankfully that’s ALL OVER.

[WarnerCL45]

1 hour ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Sorry for the confusion-yes, I meant the firm doesn’t have to pay a fee to the agency that they would have had I gotten hired through them. It’s one of the things that has been an issue for me this past year dealing with recruiters. The two I used to work with had my interests at the forefront-and it would be an incentive to boot, to market me and get me placed. But since they left, I’ve noticed the recruiters these days act like they’re filling quotas and only want to market and work with those candidates that have a “perfect” job history-meaning long tenures between jobs. Or the bait and switch of recruiters who message me wanting to discuss opportunities because they saw my resume, were impressed with my experience (blah, blah) and would like to discuss a “fantastic” opportunity, only to ignore my calls and emails after our initial call. Don’t tell me what the status is of submissions, etc. Thankfully that’s ALL OVER.

Got it!  Just wondering! 

The ones who make you come in for testing & you never hear from them again.  If you call them about an opportunity that you've seen advertised, they don't want to bother (fake ad?).  I think they get people to register with them so they can tell employers that they have X-number registered with their agency.  Anyway, congrats!  Nice to not have to deal with that any more.

[hoosier80]

OMG.  I am beyond pissed off.  I have been off, taking a few vacation days, trying to get stuff done at home.  Not really accomplished much, but sort of a mental health/de-stressing time.

So what do I get this morning?  Yeah, boss saying I have to be in office all day tomorrow.  I am remote every Thurs/Friday.  I scheduled days off to coincide with it, so I wouldn't have to go into the office.  Some audit shit, that honestly could've been planned out a while ago, but boss moved out of state, out of region during that time.  Boss permanently works remote.  

I am livid.  It's pretty damned hypocritical to say you have to go into the office, but I'm remote now all the time.  Reason for moving?  Didn't like cold weather.  Who fucking does?  I didn't realize that was a valid reason to allow someone to move and work remote permanently.  And the thing is, he's another one who'd get in at the buttcrack of dawn, dick around, and then leave around 2 to 3 p.m.   The whole leaving early was very much noticed by others, who would be left hanging, or who would schedule meetings, only for him to delegate to someone else (who didn't have a clue what was going on - nothing forwarded to them except the meeting invite) or he'd simply not call in or show up.  

I'm for sure not answering back right away.  Debating how I should answer.  Not my fault that he didn't plan ahead and/or that he has morons on his staff.  Tempted to say not possible, as I've got repair or appointment going on at home tomorrow, can't cancel now.  He'd then have me come in on Friday.  I'm just beyond pissed.  And the topper, the Dip was to coordinate all of this shit.  I saw that a couple of the items on the list - I still had as open items.  He'd asked if we had issues about any of the items, figuring he'd just eliminate those items.   Dip has also been randomly assigning shit back to me without notice or another person has been randomly closing out my stuff (again without notice).  I'm almost tempted to tell him to shove the job up his ass sideways, but I'm not to the point of retirement yet.  

[bilgistic]

Am I understanding he's telling you to come in on your previously scheduled day off? How about no. I think you might be "out of town".

[GHScorpiosRule]

I know this is petty and makes me sound self-absorbed, but I’m miffed I won’t get business cards. According to the group’s managers, only attorneys and “trial specialists” get them.?

I’m hoping the group’s director thinks otherwise.??

[theredhead77]

3 hours ago, bilgistic said:

Am I understanding he's telling you to come in on your previously scheduled day off? How about no. I think you might be "out of town".

I think she scheduled her time off to back up to her scheduled remote days so she had a full week out of the office, even though she was working Thurs and Fri (albeit remote) and now the boss says you have to come in to work instead of working remotely.

3 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

I know this is petty and makes me sound self-absorbed, but I’m miffed I won’t get business cards. According to the group’s managers, only attorneys and “trial specialists” get them.?

I’m hoping the group’s director thinks otherwise.??

Eh, I had positions where I thought I should have cards but the company said no. The job I had pre-promotion was the first job I ever got business cards and now I wonder what the point is, besides the ritual.