Dream Job is not what it seems

KellyKelly

So I started my new job about 2 months ago. Dream job everything I had wished and hoped for. I was so excited to start, and 2 months in and I feel crushed.

Its not what I expected and I'm getting sloppy and making too many mistakes. I've hardly had any training as everyone is working from home.

I can't seem to focus even though I'm all in and willing to learn.

It just doesn't seem like the job for me, everybody is very stressy and over worked. I seem to get alot of the blame for mistakes when I've hardly had much training.

Is it too soon to leave a job after 2 months? I fear they will let me go before my probation is up anyway, as I've had many talks with my manager about my work. She understands that , and although I'm saying I'm all in, my aactions speak louder.

LawBoy2018

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058219779/dream-job-is-not-what-it-seems

How can things have deteriorated so quickly? Two months is a very short amount of time (no offence intended). You're working from home anyways, stick it out and see how you feel after Christmas.

KellyKelly

@LawBoy2018

There is no room for error in my role. Which is understandable, with little training and working from home its changed my mind about my whole career path. I really feel its super stressful and maybe not for me.

2 months is very short, I spoke with my manager today and she expects me to be up to speed by now. Disappointing as I'm still learning and not really enjoying it.

JoChervil

OP, maybe your manager was too harsh and put you down unnecessarily? I would stay and see, because it might be your fears exaggerating things.

LawBoy2018

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118223569#Comment_118223569

Yeah I get you. Nobody is trained after two months, a person is barely comfortable in a technical role after two years imo.

Your manager sounds inexperienced, what age is he/she? If you're seriously considering calling it quits, you essentially have nothing to lose. Do your best and try not to take things too personally. If people are putting pressure on you, tell them and they'll back off.

KellyKelly

She is in her 50s I'd say. I don't take anything too personal really. But I feel sometimes things don't work out the way we sometimes thought it would. It has definitely knocked my confidence, I'm pretty sure I won't last until after Christmas. It's our busiest time of the year, tons of more pressure on everyone's shoulders.

I just feel I don't fit in and my manager can see that too. She's asked me to fight for the role and take it with both hands, but I guess I'm just not feeling it.

Batgurl

Is it possible that it’s your dream job but not a great company? The two things aren’t mutually exclusive. How easy would it be to get the same job in another company?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118226833#Comment_118226833

"To fight for the role" and "take it with both hands". I'm rolling my eyes here with that ridiculous management-speak.

I was in a similar position to you earlier in the year. Zero on the job training, making mistakes, feeling like a fool for asking easy questions. I left, started a new job recently, exactly in my area, was able to hit the ground running and am very happy with it. If it's not working for you and financially you can manage it, I say you should throw in the towel.

What industry are you in if you dont mind my asking?

Mike Murdock

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118227394#Comment_118227394

Par for the course with Management. How much people management training do people managers actually get?

Jequ0n

Hi OP,

what are describing is not unusual at all, but could be amplified by the high pressure environment. In a way you walked into the perfect storm: busiest time of the year + working remotely.

We had new (and very talented) people start in my workplace and they all seemed to struggle to adjust. The main reason was the isolation they felt, which was, much like in your case, because they didn’t feel connected.

You will not like this but you probably need to be more assertive. Push back, actively ask for help. No good comes out of talking on things when you struggle to do them well. Best of luck and give yourself a break. The more you stress, the more mistakes will happen.

LillySV

She sounds like a cu next Tuesday . Start looking for and applying for other jobs as if she has eyes out for you , she’’l eventually get you… take notes and records of everything said and done for reference for probation time(in the case u haven’t a new job then) and take note of what jobs there was issues with , and take note of training provided for the jobs …

BattleCorp1

You said you are getting sloppy and making too many mistakes. It's one thing making mistakes because you haven't had enough training but it's in your control not to be sloppy.

Working from home is difficult and I found it much harder to maintain discipline when I first started working from home. It took me about 3 - 4 months to fully adjust.

This mightn't work for everyone but what I started to do was to get up at the same time I would have if I was going to the office, have a shower and dress as if I am going into the office, then I'd have breakfast. I'd start at my normal office start time, take my breaks at the normal office break times and finish at my normal office finish time. Then when I was finished, I changed into casual clothes. I found having that discipline helped me focus on my work.

I also scheduled a 10 minute period each day to have a social call with some of my workmates (not the same colleague every day). This helped with the social isolation of working from home and even though it was a social call, I often got advice about a work matter from them.

If I was in your shoes I wouldn't quit. I'd do what I did above and also try to get more training/support from your manager. Things might improve once Christmas passes and that's only 4 weeks away.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118226833#Comment_118226833

You need to figure what is going wrong: The work and nature of the job is not for you, the job is fine but the company is the problem or you are struggling to do the job...

We have no indication if two months is long enough to get up to speed or not, since we don't the nature of the job. But if your manager is in her 50s there is a very reasonable assumption that she is a good judge of what it takes to do it. If she is encouraging you to continue and to fight for it, she must still have confidence that you can do it.

So I'd say the ball is very much in your court - you need to make up your mind what you want.

partyguinness

OP...you said yourself you are getting sloppy and not focusing. I don't think quitting is the way to go.

Without wishing to be too harsh perhaps you do need to step it up a bit more. Accept the cards you have been dealt. Perhaps a break over Christmas will allow you to recharge and refocus and get a few matters straight in your own head. Start a fresh in the New Year.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118227418#Comment_118227418

The good ones, quite a bit. The bad ones just read a book on buzzwords. Going forward, square the circle and that shoite.

JoChervil

Just one thing to consider: are you given a proper amount of work? Because maybe you are overloaded with work hence stress and mistakes. Sometimes employers are using new workers and give them as much as they can do. Maybe proper boundaries would work? Years ago when I was given too much to do I just asked, which task is more important because I won't be able to do all in time.

Mrs OBumble

Is this a trainee or assistant job?

If not, then not being up to speed after 2 months is a major red flag. They hired someone to do the job now, not a seat-warmer.

WFH is tough, for sure: you need to out a LOT of effort into self-discipline and into reaching out to colleagues to learn the company culture.

2 months isn't too soon to quit, IMHO. But don't quit without having something else lined up.

Even if they do let you go, you can explain it in future as a fixed term contract that ended.

Mike Murdock

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118228219#Comment_118228219

There seems to be a hell of a lot more of the latter than the former.

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118228355#Comment_118228355

Ah here, even someone very experienced in their field takes longer than 2months to find their feet in a new job.

OP, without giving us an inkling of the kind of industry you're in its hard to know what to advise.

KellyKelly

Its an assisant job. I've done previous work like this before. But the dream was bigger and better and more experience and more challenges, as I was stuck in a slump in previous role.

2 months to me seems very little , to be able to be up to speed, especially since everyone's working from home.

Like I said, it's knocked my confidence I want to stay focused but it's not easy with the pressure of no errors even when learning on new systems etc.

Anyway, I will wait and see how it goes after Christmas. Hopefully time off will give me a boost, and get back into the swing of things again. If I make it until then.

The more experience you have, the harder it is to start new jobs. You go from knowing your way around to knowing nothing and nobody. Especially in an assistant job, that's going to be completely disorienting.

Please stick it out! You just need a couple of wins, that's all. Something to help you gain confidence and build some trust with your manager. Maybe the job's not for you, but please do give it the time required to actually figure that out for sure. If it turns out that it eventually clicks, it could end up being one of your proudest achievements.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118229117#Comment_118229117

Ok, given that it is assistant level, do cut yourself some slack.

That doesn't mean be sloppy / lazy etc. But you'll be learning for some time. And you have to be very strict with yourself regarding timekeeping and business-appropriate behaviours.

NSAman

Ahhh give it a chance, 2 months is nothing. I have people working for me two years now and they still ask for training.

if your manager is any good, she will be more than happy to assist and answer questions. Judging by her reply to you, however, I feel she is an issue. You haven’t had training? That’s the basic is any job. Working from home too is difficult. Stick with it.

you obviously care about succeeding in your role, most employers now would cut their arms off for people like you.

my advice, take or leave it, ask questions and show the interest you have shown so far. Do NOT loose faith in yourself though.

NiceFella

Hi OP,

Id say if you actually really enjoy the day to day tasks you do in and of itself, keep going.

Question, when you say, "in my job there is no room for error". Is it a life or death situation? If so, for a role to not have rigorous training in such situations would be a disaster. Ymis suggest you look elsewhere in such situations.

Management can be tricky, because I know, sometimes company's are truly badly managed and little a new comer can do to change things. However, it may just be a very busy period and maybe things will improve. I would wait and see how things pan out. At very least it will be a learning experience.

In the meantime, try not to take any criticism too personally, because for the most part it won't be meant in that way. New jobs are difficult, and it does take time to get going so don't castastrophise too much. In my latest job it took me a good 6 months to get going as the learning curve was quite steep.

Strumms

Part of being a new hire is ‘learning the job’... on the job and gaining experience that builds your skill set...

passing a course is one thing... however that only usually displays an understanding of what you’ve been thought... gaining an on the job competency and satisfactory performance level can not come from a classroom .... only on the job and with help...so it’s crucial that every new hire has a support structure so they have been enabled by a competent manager to transition from trainee/new hire into a competent and performing employee as seamlessly and responsibly and indeed as reliably and efficiently as possible...

HBC08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118226833#Comment_118226833

Tell her you'd like to fight for some proper training.

From what you've said she doesn't seem to be good at managing things.

thefa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058219779/dream-job-is-not-what-it-seems

I think you can leave the idea of dream job behind at this stage because you didn’t understand the role and it doesn’t seem to align with what suits you at the moment. Took on a role myself because it was with a dream company but within a few months knew the role wasn’t for me but still stuck it out for over a year before I left. Getting the idea of it being a dream company out of my head made it a lot easier to leave and I think the vast majority of people don’t even know what they’re real dream job is to be honest so I wouldn’t be getting caught up on it which I think you may be.

I do think you could afford to have a bit more resilience and perseverance here though. We can often get put out of comfort zone in new roles and the stress can be hard to deal with. Like I’d be interested to know what is going wrong and are you making the same errors again and again because if you’re not and are improving, then surely the busiest time of the year is an opportunity to prove yourself? Also, take on board what others mentioned about recording performance interactions, looking at your workload with your manager and being a bit more assertive.