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3 months into a new role, and I've not got a ****ing clue what it is I'm meant to be doing or how I'm supposed to do it.
10 years in previous role doing a job that was dying a natural death due to legislative and demographic changes, so took the chance to move to a different business area that offered a change and the chance of some professional/career development.
Like going back 20 years in time, archaic systems, processes and attitudes, seem to have spent a lot of time doing training courses, e-learning, workbooks, shadowing and genuinely feeling I am no further on than I was 3 months ago. The professional development opportunities are also being quietly scaled down as the training team get moved to other priorities.
A former colleague made the same leap 6 months ago and says he is still feeling the same way, so I'm pretty sure it's not all down to me. I'm not dumb, I've managed teams and business processes at a far higher level than this in past lives, and I've done my share of hard graft, mundane factory-type work as well when required, but it's just become like staring at a blank wall all day, every day. Utterly frustrating and demoralising.
Need to summon up a big dose of MTFU and have it out with my line manager.
Isn't everyone just winging it?
It's only work..
Arrange a meeting with your manager and bring your other colleague in as support. Be clear with your issues, explain to them the frustrations you have and what you want from the job. A good employer and manager will help you achieve this.
+1 for what Drac said.
As the old saying goes bring me solutions not problems
Confusion is the necessary part of the learning process. Keep plugging away. Would getting yourself a mentor help.
Public or private sector?
I've heard McDonalds are hiring and you get free food for lunch. Win!
Sounds like the op works where I do.....
My mentor barely speaks to anyone - not the only one in the team like that.
It's public sector. And before anyone says it, I joined too late to have a cushy pension to look forward to, and since April my non-cushy pension has been moved to age 67, hence the desire for a worthwhile and rewarding career for the next 21_years.
Busy planning what I want to say and how best to say it.
How about 'the Drs signed me off with stress for 3 months and the sun's out, byeeee' ?
Good luck, keep your chin and other positive words.
I know it's hard but trying to have a positive attitude will help.
[i]It's public sector. [/i]
If you've not worked in there before, you've probably not given it enough time. After 12 months I just realised that me and it weren't compatible, so when my extension came at 15 months I just said 'no thanks'.
Others guys I worked with reckoned it took 4-5 years (post private sector) before they could work there.
As others have said, arrange a meeting with your manager and make a list of things that you want to bring up with what may help. See if he/she takes action. If not you can either go above to their manager for action / just get on with it / look for a new job.
Your boss probably doesn't know what he's supposed to be doing either.
Why not just make up your own job, take on what you want to and make the most of it ? I think too many people expect jobs to be well defined with clear responsibilities and objectives. Truth is many places are totally dysfunctional.
12 years in the public sector, previously in a very forward thinking business area, but that area is being wound down as the work is no longer required. Hence the culture shock of coming back to the dark ages.
Signed off for the summer crossed my mind, but doesn't deal with the problem at the end of the day, and may cause more problems than it solves.
My manager was honest at the start "We don't have the time or resources to train you up". He may regret me documenting that after the conversation.
I know how you fell OP - I left a job of nearly 10 years a couple of years ago, I was staggered how institutionalised I'd become - it was a real shock to the system going to a new place, especially as the old place really babied us in hindsight.
I assumed it would take me a couple of days to get used to the people and a few weeks to get up to speed with the work - but it took about 12 months to feel really 'at home'.
I can only assume the move from Private to Public (or vice versa) would be even harder. For me going from an incredibly aggressive, competitive environment (I work for one of the big banks) to, well anywhere else felt like everyone was just going through the motions.
I [i]think[/i] you've just got to have the conversations with managers. It helps to have them, even if they don't produce actual progress very quickly.
I had a Conversation With Door Closed with my bosses' boss the other week. He correctly anticipated that the problem was that my boss loves collecting problems far more than getting anything done. He was very funny about it. He gave me 40 minutes of his time, told me I was doing fine and I went away feeling altogether better about things.
Taking positive steps of that sort really, really helps my morale. I also keep an undated resignation letter handy. You can always just take it out and look at it occasionally on bad days. Then you're deciding whether or not to resign, which certainly helps (me anyway) with the sense of feeling trapped in a sucky job.
🙂
Can you create your own role? Do what YOU think needs doing? You might be lauded as being innovative.
Shit situation to be in. The glib reply is:
Love It
Change It
Leave It
Start at the top and work your way down the list until you find one that works for you.
I took a well paid but crap job in Switzerland after being made redundant. It cleared the debts and put a few quid in the bank but after 12 months I didn't renew my contract.
I still remember being sat in Geneva airport wondering how to tell MrsWCA I had walked out of a well paid job after the shit we went through with 5 months of redundancy before I took the job.
Miracles do happen though, I was staring at my phone when it rang with the offer of an interview. I had the interview in Gatwick airport when I landed and was offered the job with a two week wait before I started. It wasn't ideal but much better that spending any more time away from the family.
Discussing with MrsWCA during the two week gap and she said she had been prying for me to leave the Swiss job too but was scared of saying anything in case it sounded unsupportive.
Bit of a waffle, forgotten how much I had been affected by it, but the end result was I followed the glib answer and it worked.
I wouldn't dare have A Conversation with my boss's boss. She's so sharp she'd have me signing my own resignaiton letter and thanking her for the future opportunities....
I did have A Chat recently with my boss. Turns it it's him and not me. Which is just as well, but I reckon he's going to get the bullet in the next 12 months (or sooner) and I need to make sure I dodge the ricochet.
However, I do measure my future in how long I have to wait until they'll boot me out and also pay me my share options at maximum value. Everyone has a shelf life after all....
+1 for the 'if your job's not that well defined, focus on the stuff you're good at/want to do/can fix' and let the other stuff go. If it means you go in each day motivated, in control and delivering solutions then it's good for your boss too... you're helping him out. The days of jobs being well-defined and given to us on a plate are gone IMO - take advantage of it!
I do this as a contractor - frequently dropping into counselling mode when clients have stuff they're struggling with and just need someone to talk to and helping them with that. Who cares that I'm being paid to deliver marketing services - if it adds value then it's a win-win...
MoreCashThanDash - Member12 years in the public sector, previously in a very forward thinking business area, but that area is being wound down as the work is no longer required. Hence the culture shock of coming back to the dark ages.
[b]There is No such thing as forward thinking public sector. [/b]
There is only bureaucracy in public sector that are only there to justify their own roles.
Consider yourself lucky that you have a job but why not take the risks by doing something different? Who knows you might be able to sample the lifestyle of just surviving ... 😮
There is only bureaucracy in public sector that are only there to justify their own roles
When you collapsed in the road and the ambulance crew are trying to get the bits of you onto the stretcher, is that really what you think of them?
Fixed it for you
There [s]is[/s]are [s]only[/s] some [s]bureaucracy[/s]bureaucrats in the public sector that are only there to justify their own roles. Most front line staff in the public sector just want to get on doing their jobs.
Thanks Tomd that's settled my blood pressure
There is only bureaucracy in public sector that are only there to justify their own roles.
Is the day getting closer when your idiot trolling will cause you to disappear up your own arse? Hope so.
If you feel able talk to your line manager, hr etc
I was in a situation where my feelings were similar the line manager wasn't the approachable sort so I walked away, an instant weight off my mind 6 months out of work wasn't so good but at least my stress levels dropped. I would do the same in a heart beat if the same situation arose.
In regards to the OP, I hope you work something out because if your work is keeping you up at 4am it's going to affect your health and that's no good. If you do speak to your line manager, it could be useful to try and think what you want him to do, or what changes you want her/him to support you to implement. It will probably get a better response than rattling off your problems.