I've taken my short break and I think I've gotten the negativity out of my system.What better topic to return on than to tell a tale about my job.Because people LOOOOVVVEEEE hearing stories about other people's jobs.My blog...my choice.Besides,this made me happy.
A bit of background is needed first.As I've stated before, I worked as a cable technician for 6 years prior to arriving at my current position.It wasn't a bad job, but it was also one that I burned myself out on hard.Dealing with the public will do that to you.I'd been cursed at, threatened, had people attempt to hold me hostage, had someone threaten to call the newspapers and those guys on the news who fight for consumer rights, watched full grown men and women have temper tantrums because I couldn't move their 4000 pound entertainment center to put a cable outlet behind, and have also been kicked out of peope's houses.Sometimes all of this could happen over the course of one week.Needless to say, it gets to you after a while.
For most of my 6 years, I was a contractor.In spite of the difficulties, I always did top-notch work and made quite a good name for myself.This helped get me into the main company.The schedule was a little lighter there, but the shadow of "big brother" loomed even larger over you.The customers still sucked and now I was being called every 15 minutes by one person or another to pick up extra work, get yelled at for my numbers not being perfect, etc.I had had enough and asked to get out.Coincidentally, the job I am at now just happened to open up the next day and, after a quick interview process, I got the job.
I've always been pretty shy and quiet in my regular life.It takes me a while to warm up to people and conversations come extremely difficult.I'm the guy who gets the "One day he's going to snap and get a gun and kill everyone here."-type comments.When I started the new job I told myself that I would make every effort to say hello to everybody and to try to be a bit more open.So far, I've been moderately successful. A lot of people work in the building I work at. At one point or another, they all walk through the warehouse so I get to see everyone.I try to be as nice and helpful as possible to anyone who comes in who needs something.I'm not a "This isn't my job"-type of person.The way I see it my job is easy and I always have time to lend a hand.Despite my efforts, I still get the vibe from some people that I'm making them nervous and that upsets me a little.I've had enough of people being afraid of me.It benefits no one.
Last week, one of those people who give me strange vibes came in asking about delivering a package with UPS and I was the only one paying attention to her so I told her I'd make sure the deliveryman got her package.The guy came and I made sure he got the package.I decided to e-mail the woman to let her know.I felt a little weird beause I wasn't sure if she'd be irritated that I e-mailed her, so I was quite polite(Hey, that rhymes!) in the wording. She shot back a happy response and told me not to worry about bothering her.That was nice.
A few days later I found out that she was asking the woman I work with for half the week if I was always so nice.That made me feel so great.I can't tell you how satisfying it is to have someone have a conversation about me that doesn't involve the odds of my going postal at work.It makes me realize that I'm taking the right course and having the right attitude at work.Leaving out the drama at work CAN help you.I hate being at odds with anyone.It may sound corny, but I'd just like to be the guy at work people can rely on.I'd draw the comic book parallel to Awesome Andy from She-Hulk. I find I'm at my best when kept busy and the people around me are happy.I don't want to be anyone's boss ever again. I don't want to run the company, or even my department.I just want to be put to use.My job may not be glamorous, but it gives me that opportunity in spades.
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2 comments:
I tried leaving a comment on hear yesterday, but I guess it didn't stick. It got errored; it actually never showed up on my RSS feed. Boo post, boo.
I have a similar problem; everyone around me thinks I'm crazy. A few people end up really really liking me. Most of the customers end up really liking me and requesting me when they can. (Or, this was the case when I worked in retail.) In some cases, I worked with lots of other crazy people, and everyone LOVED me. (Like in Howl O Scream.) But, there are usually one or two people who will treat me like I'm an idiot. Which is what happened during Howl O Scream this year. I was in a cast of two with about five or six other people I'd interact with at any given time. So, I was with this lady ALL the time. She'd make comments about how I should be on medication and how I needed a lot of help mentally and in my work, while my stage manager looked at her like she was crazy. I actually got an award for all of my good scares this year; the other lady did not. And, I won $50 for safety. The other woman did not. It still bothers me, and I'm not even Howl O Screaming any more.
The comments do get tiring, don't they?Even if they don't really hurt you, they just pile up.I've always taken my problem to be a result of my just being quiet and socially awkward.I find a lot of people can't seem to handle that.You don't strike me as the shy type,so where do you think that whole crazy thing comes from?
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