First few weeks at work advice needed.

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Ok. So I recently started employment as "Trainee Project officer" Just a spruced up job title for an assistant really. Fair dos.

So, I started the job last thursday, up until today I've had no work to do except odd bits, and even then I spend 98% of my day sitting there bored. doing nothing. I wanted to get started on transfering data onto the database this morning, but when I asked for that data, I was told to wait 5 mins while they finished with it(they appeared to doing what I was supposed to be doing despite telling them countless of times that its my "job" to do that). But anyways, I never got that data in the end, because the woman and the folder suddenly vanished.

When I did get a piece of work today, my supervisor didn't even explain what I had to do! Of course, I figured it out eventually(by guessing, I wasn't even sure I was doing what I was meant to be doing and had to persuade the finance guy to check that it was done correctly) all because the bliming supervisor couldnt explain to me for 2 minutes what to do!

Before you ask, I have offered myself to the other people who work there persistently throughout the days and they have had nothing for me to do. Not only that, but my supervisor doesn't even listen, and to even have a chance of speaking to her, you have to book a meeting with her 5 days in advance! The cheek!

This however is not an isolated incident. I have been talking to someone who started there a month or so ago, but she has told me that she still has hardly anything to do, even after a month! And they haven't even sorted out her contract yet!

I've also caught people talking about the receptionist and my supervisor talking about me behind my back(quite literally, but thats my super hearing for you)

I need someone to tell me whether or not this is the standard thing when starting a new job or not because looking for a job is more satisfying than this!


Please keep replies like "you're getting paid to do nothing" I can't stand the boredom and one can only browse the internet for so long until they get bored.

 

Exactly what I was going to suggest!

 

I'd love to but the book is simply too heavy for me to carry everyday(plus bag space because I have a packed lunch), but even if I did, I'd probably get moaned at for not doing my non-existant work. I know this supervisor so well after 5 days its unbelievable!

 

Wait... What? A book - too heavy to carry? What are you, like 95 lbs? I take my laptop, my bag with two books (one technical, one fiction), a spare laptop battery, power cable, trainers, gym clothes and lunch to work every day.

This video is for you bud...

 

rep to you.

Those chopper videos are ****ing cool, have seen nearly everyone of them at the minute the driving test and job interview ones are great.

 

112 lbs actually...

 

Your going to go far mate, I can tell

 

Pfft. Who says you have to carry it every day? Leave it at work! Problem solved.

Don't just point out your obstacles... actively look for answers to your problems, man!

So what if the supervisor complains? Cross that bridge IF and when you come to it. And if she DOES moan at you... what have you lost, really?

Take the initiative to do stuff on your own without being told. That's the way to excel.

 

How constructive....... not.

I'd love to, but I really don't trust anyone there at the moment. And I can see myself being there one day, and not the next.

Probably the most unorganised company known to man. Maybe I could set up a cam in the office just so you can see some of the arguments that go on everyday! Geez, and I thought I was immature!

Possibly a job, if you can call it that.

With limited access to the systems/files/everything etc it's pretty hard! You would've thought they would prepare these things for new employees but obviously not!

Oh btw, I'm not waiting to be told what to do, its just there seems to be NO WORK FOR ME. I've already taken the initiative to research some things that I *overhear* and present them, but that doesn't exactly take long now does it?

Why they hired me in the first place is a mystery! Oh wait, they wanted monies!

Since there is no one "higher up" in the office until another week or so, theres nothing much I can do except continue to harass the other staff for work to do. Unless ofc the "supervisor" actually holds a conversation with me for more than 20 seconds instead of running away everytime!

 

Be careful what you write regarding your employer mate - these forums are public. If you're saying that your supervisor would moan if you took your A+ book into work, imagine what she would say if she read some of your comments on here!

The most sensible course of action would be to arrange a meeting with your supervisor, discuss the issues you have stated on here and ask her if she minds if you do some studying when you have nothing to do in the office. I would imagine most supervisors/employers would see this as a positive thing (an individual who is proactive and wants to better themselves etc).

 

So? It's a $36 book... not a laptop or your wallet or a piece of jewelry...

Plus, the suggestion was given earlier to just use the PDF. What's wrong with that? Or is there yet another obstacle that you can invent?

Then do something that you DO have access to. Take inventory of the computer systems. Check to see if updates and AV signature files are being distributed to the workstations. Organize the storage room. Number the ports. Map the network. Search for security vulnerabilities - after all, you don't have access, right? You're the perfect candidate to do that!

Just sayin'.

 

Yes, I agree. I'm just REALLY frustrated that they've told me to start on xx day and they didn't even look remotely prepared. I was expecting to get dug in straight away - I was obviously mistaken.

Thats alot of money for a book Sure, I could use the .pdf.

I have done this - Their systems are in a very bad state(They havent done firewall updates for god knows how long, still running SP2, corrupt files all over the place, ye olde not genuine windows popups, slow startups etc ). All easily fixed ofc but not having the right privileges sorta stops me from *fixing* the issues. I did bring it up with one of the employees, but everything has to be run through this *higher up* " before anything is done, let alone being able to gain access to what is needed. But I suppose the nice long list of issues might speed things up.

 

$120 is a lot of money for a book... which is how much college textbooks were when I went to college 10 years ago. $36 is less than a day's work even for minimum wage employees.

And you still didn't answer the PDF question.

Doesn't matter if you fix it or not. Document everything, if that's all you're allowed to do. Then package it all up in an e-mail to your boss - and to her boss, if it's appropriate to do so. Propose solutions for things that are broken. Show them by your actions that it's not your fault for having nothing assigned to do - you'll continue to be productive, regardless.

 

Truth be told I got bored of reading the Comptia A+(Possibly a bad sign) as I kept comparing it to when I did some unpaid work experience down at my local computer shop where I was actually dug into the computers and not just sitting there reading, but practically doing it, if you know what I mean.

I did carry out some of the tasks(despite knowing them, on my own pc in order to jog my memory, while to make sure I wouldn't forget xx task. But got distracted by various online games.. Now that I have a 1hr15 journey to and from work on the bus, train etc I'll have lots of free time! But saying that.. I've just been trying to get used to my new sleep pattern and routine if you see what I mean. But yes, in all seriousness before when I was reading my comptia A+ book, I could only read it for an hour at a time.

but more to the point with a .pdf, I could only read for an hour at a time with a hard copy, a digital copy will be even shorter because I'd be staring at a screen. And considering my working day is 8 hours,it can't keep me occupied all the time!

 

If you got bored reading the AIO book then you may be in trouble, the AIO is far more entertaining than some of the other books you will come across if you progress in the certification game infact some of them make you want to sleep after a couple of paragraphs but if your determined then you should and need to get past that.

As for Boson Michaels suggestion of ducmenting things and coming up with solutions on how to improve things is a good idea.

I am not being funny and don't want to offend you but it sounds like you have a bit bit of a bad attitude and a woe is me attitude. I mean come on you didn't really thing you were gonna be adminstering servers and designing and figuring out new subnetts for a new network at your work did you?

it may be for a while that all you do is watch other people and see how it goes, soak up what goes on and try to help out even if it seems no one is taking any notice of you eventually someone will say hey this guy wants to work lets give hime some tasks and the Meyers book aint that heavy, when your not doing stuff read it.

 

You seem to have a lot of excuses for why things are so difficult. This, in my opinion, is a bigger obstacle to your career than anything your current employer could dish out.

 

Sorry, how does losing interest mean can't be bothered? Also apologies for not being able to stare at a screen all day, picking out details and giving myself a headache.