Realizing I suck at my job

[Ladeeda]

What a blow. I consider myself a hard worker, but ultimately, yeah, I suck at this.

[Teysa]

Not knowing what your job is, I can't say for sure whether you really suck or not. But yeah, believing that you're not as good at something as you think you should be is never pleasant. That doesn't mean you can't improve. Is there someone who has been there a while who you could learn from?

[JustaCashier]

Ladeeda, I'm pretty sure you've shared with us, somewhere, what your job is, but I don't recall off hand.

Would you feel comfortable posting the basics here? (Without disclosing personal details about yourself, or details that could give away your employer)

There's a lot of people here of various ages, types and years of work experience, etc, that could probably give you some good advice. (Hopefully not telling you that you suck at your job! )

Teysa's advcie is very good, is their one or more co-workers that could mentor you?

Otherwise, if you could share with us what you feel your strengths and weaknesses on the job are, we may be able to help you in how to improve yourself on the weak spots, or even a way to showcase your stronger points, and perhaps if management is flexible enough, and the job/business is designed as such, that some of your responsibilities are shifted.

For example, maybe you are great at and/or really enjoy doing A, B, and C, but not so hot at D, E and F. Perhaps a coworker is better at any one or all of D, E and F, but doesn't like any or all of A, B, and C. If it's practical, maybe some trade-offs can be made.

Hope this helps some, (and makes sense! )

Mike

[Ladeeda]

Just basic accounting and payroll. It's the payroll that's the problem. I keep rushing through and making stupid mistakes on the details that I SHOULD NOT BE MAKING! That and our clients' utter inability to provide the information we need compound in to what I described earlier today as a solid clusterfuck.

It just hit hard today, because yesterday I made the vow to be a better person, basically. Not get upset with difficult clients, and to take care on details and stuff. Then I make a bucket full of mistakes today.

*huddles in corner*

[Andara Bledin]

*hugs*

Don't be too hard on yourself. We all have bad days, now and again, and today must have been one of yours.

Just remember to take your time and do each step as it comes.

Payroll can be a real bitch. Bosslady outsourced ours because the money ADP charges was well worth her not having to deal with everything that goes with it. She just has a clerk feed them the raw data and lets them sort it all out.

^-.-^

[DrFaroohk]

I suck at basically every job. I was really good at the c-store, but that was only because no one cared what I did as long as I was busy. I was pretty much my own boss, but I always did stuff pretty good.

I tend to suck at things everyone should know how to do. Combine that with co-workers who love to nitpick and it's recipe for disaster. I get bitched at for tiny things like the sweeping pattern of the mop or something. It's left right left right? Apparently right left right left isn't good enough.

Or when it's freight day. Every job I've had has a different way of wanting their shelves stocked. One place, they wanted all the freight brought out right into the store. Other places want it kept out back so it's not messing up the store. So you get used to doing it one way, and then this other place wants it done another way, and meanwhile boss thinks I'm retarded because I'm doing things the way I'd normally do them, and I don't know his way. Then I feel the need to explain that this is the way we did it at my last job. I know he doesn't care, and I know to do things his way, but I also want to explain that "Hey, I'm not retarded, it's just my previous education told me to do it this way." And so now the boss thinks I'm not only retarded but also an "excuser" always trying to cover my tracks or something.

Then I turtle up and go in my shell because I realize every last thing I do is going to get me bitched at, and I slowly stop making decisions at all without someone to tell me what to do because I'm tired of constantly being told every little thing I do is wrong.

Then the boss hates me because I'm not as motivated as I once was and he doesn't want to have to hold my hand to tell me every little thing to do.

Then I get fed up with the boss's snarky attitude, and typically when it's the busiest and they need warm bodies more than anything is when I've had enough and just decide to walk out the door and never look back.

[blas87]

I always thought I did an okay job until the day people started coming around and nitpicking at the way I do things, even though I never see anyone else get bothered over their work, and evil nasty notes left for me.....no one else gets them.

Or when a simple mathematical error causes a slight confusion for a few moments, someone calls you a name and really means it.

Insults really hurt.

I really am not a weak person, but I always get momentarily hurt and then extremely angry when I am nitpicked, berated, belittled, and treated like a moron, especially when I hardly see anyone else get treated that way.

[Elspeth]

*hugs* I know where you are coming from.

Maybe a list of the steps that you need to do would help keep everything in order? I know i had to do that when I went back into accounting until it became more of a habit. Still use those step by steps on the stuff I only do once a month (still can't remember statements). I have post it notes all over my office for stuff I need to remember. It sounds weird but it does help some people. And I second having someone go over stuff with you at work. Also take it slow until you know you have it right. Correct is better then speed. I have had to learn that lesson the hard way.

I think you are doing fine, we are always our own worst enemy's. At least once a month I am telling the hubby that I stuck at my job.

[Ladeeda]

I'm better today. Right after work yesterday, I went and got a big ol' chicken Caesar wrap with fries, then did some drawing. Misery seems to inspire me.

Today, I had a LOT of payroll, so I just took extra time and went over every detail with a fine-tooth comb. Even the one really nasty client who finds something wrong with every payroll shouldn't find anything wrong today.

So I'm feeling much better, except that I didn't have any tea left this morning.

[JustaCashier]

Glad to hear you're doing better today, and that you have a healthy outlet such as drawing.

When you are doing payroll, is the being rushed part an ongoing occurence? If so, what's the reason(s)? Too many companies needing it done all at once? Lack of payroll trained/authorized staff in your office? Frequent or constant interruptions to where you get distracted?

If it's any single one, or combination of these things, can your company correct the problem?

This is some pretty important work that you are doing, and being able to do it without being overwhelmed by the volume of work, and/or by constant interruption, should be a priority for your company, and I'd suggest that the burden should be on them, and not the employees. I fear that too many companies, are running too lean, and putting more and more responsibility on the employees, to the point of burning them out.

If it makes you feel any better, I would not be able to do your job, especially if the points I brought up are true. I can't multi-task, and hate interruptions, and distractions, (hell, I have the TV muted as I type this up!) especially when working on an important and/or difficult task.

I've always said, that multi-tasking for me, is for my heart to be beating, and I'm breathing at the same time.


Mike