Work (or lack of work) Woes

[cheekygirl75]

Work is often a pain in the butt, and not a good kind! And not having work is too (unless you’re one of the few lucky ones!)

Let out all your vents/anxiety here, ask for advice, support others, etc.! And maybe sometimes even share triumphs!

I’ll go first. I’m sick and tired of writing cover letters. And yet, I’ll probably still be bitching about something when I get a job, but at least I’ll have money to get drunk then

 

[Mo_Bandy]

Awesome. Hopefully it’s used often. I have a fake job so probably not by me.

 

[LaisDeMarieDeFrance]

I'm getting ready to go from 6 workers down to 3. One of the 3 left will be bitter about not getting the promotion, but the better worker got the job. And then I'll have to start training a newbie, which will consume all my time and energy and I won't be able to help my workers as much. I HATE training. When I first got this position, I trained 3 people in the space of 3 years but the last one I trained was 2.5 years ago. I'm so nervous about training someone new. So much has changed and I'm afraid I've forgotten some of the daily grind part of their job. Surely I'm not the only manager who feels like they are losing touch with their workers jobs because I'm too busy filling out stupid redundant forms required by headquarters. I used to do my job and half of the newbies, but I just don't have it in me anymore. I feel like I'm going to fail them.

 

[Mo_Bandy]

Yeah I had a couple peers move on at work and we hired new people but I dont want to train because people are fucking dumb and lazy and whiney and I am grumpy and just want to hurry the fuck up and drink.

 

[cheekygirl75]

I'm getting ready to go from 6 workers down to 3. One of the 3 left will be bitter about not getting the promotion, but the better worker got the job. And then I'll have to start training a newbie, which will consume all my time and energy and I won't be able to help my workers as much. I HATE training. When I first got this position, I trained 3 people in the space of 3 years but the last one I trained was 2.5 years ago. I'm so nervous about training someone new. So much has changed and I'm afraid I've forgotten some of the daily grind part of their job. Surely I'm not the only manager who feels like they are losing touch with their workers jobs because I'm too busy filling out stupid redundant forms required by headquarters. I used to do my job and half of the newbies, but I just don't have it in me anymore. I feel like I'm going to fail them.

Would the bitter coworker be good at training? Maybe you could appoint them the trainer & get them out of your hair at the same time

 

[LaisDeMarieDeFrance]

Would the bitter coworker be good at training? Maybe you could appoint them the trainer & get them out of your hair at the same time

My boss would come after you for even suggesting this. When I train new workers, I specifically tell them to NOT ask this worker questions because she will get them all confused and tell them 86 different ways to do things instead of just showing them the simplest way. My 2nd best worker will now become my best worker and she'll be the newbies "mentor", so I'll have some help. I need to think of ways to encourage the three being "left behind" because they all have medical issues or abusive spouses or other stressful things going on in their lives too. I really wish the one retiring could hold on a little longer, but she's had so much crap going on her life with her kids and her aging parent that I feel guilty for even wishing it. Doomed! We're doomed!

 

[AlexBailey]

I've trained literally hundreds of people in what I do while working for other companies, non-profits, and for my own contracting business. I had two primary journeyman who I worked with for nearly twenty years, I see projects we did and am reminded of all kinds of interactions we had as friends and coworkers. They were both the kind of workers where they could start at one end, I could start at the other and we could meet in the middle, with everything done properly throughout.

During covid one was murdered and the other went to prison (not related) so neither are available to to help me out anymore. My other main helpers were my three sons, but now they have all moved on in the world. I don't have enough of the kind of work to keep a trainee busy and it's proven difficult to find a self-starting journeyman who doesn't already run their own business, so I'm stuck with hiring random temps as needed which can be hard to rely on and has unpredictable results.

Someone who is a great manager could make shit loads of money running my business. I get along well enough, but I feel like I should be getting a report card that says "Alex does not live up to their potential."

 

[cheekygirl75]

I've trained literally hundreds of people in what I do while working for other companies, non-profits, and for my own contracting business. I had two primary journeyman who I worked with for nearly twenty years, I see projects we did and am reminded of all kinds of interactions we had as friends and coworkers. They were both the kind of workers where they could start at one end, I could start at the other and we could meet in the middle, with everything done properly throughout.

During covid one was murdered and the other went to prison (not related) so neither are available to to help me out anymore. My other main helpers were my three sons, but now they have all moved on in the world. I don't have enough of the kind of work to keep a trainee busy and it's proven difficult to find a self-starting journeyman who doesn't already run their own business, so I'm stuck with hiring random temps as needed which can be hard to rely on and has unpredictable results.

Someone who is a great manager could make shit loads of money running my business. I get along well enough, but I feel like I should be getting a report card that says "Alex does not live up to their potential."

I’m sorry about your workers, that’s awful

I don’t know what you do, but wonder if it would benefit from more apprenticeships in this country? I wish that were something we had more of here.

 

[LaisDeMarieDeFrance]

I've trained literally hundreds of people in what I do while working for other companies, non-profits, and for my own contracting business. I had two primary journeyman who I worked with for nearly twenty years, I see projects we did and am reminded of all kinds of interactions we had as friends and coworkers. They were both the kind of workers where they could start at one end, I could start at the other and we could meet in the middle, with everything done properly throughout.

During covid one was murdered and the other went to prison (not related) so neither are available to to help me out anymore. My other main helpers were my three sons, but now they have all moved on in the world. I don't have enough of the kind of work to keep a trainee busy and it's proven difficult to find a self-starting journeyman who doesn't already run their own business, so I'm stuck with hiring random temps as needed which can be hard to rely on and has unpredictable results.

Someone who is a great manager could make shit loads of money running my business. I get along well enough, but I feel like I should be getting a report card that says "Alex does not live up to their potential."

I completely understand feeling like you're not doing good enough! Just keep reminding yourself that you're doing the best that you can with what you have. You can't make a gourmet meal out of food you find in a dump. Right now you're in survival mode and can only do what you can!

 

[Mika1215]

Wow this thread is timely. I'm at an academic conference, and I let my friend drag me to the meeting of people who invariably make me feel like shit (not the people directly, just new fresh hopeful women at the start of their academic careers). It's super hard to explain but it just makes me dwell on things that I shouldn't, like how much of my career was fucked up by a single person and the fact that, a lot of years ago, there weren't a lot of places to go with these things, for women. And so I made some stupid choices, and here we are.

And it makes me resent everything about my work and my life and time and the universe and everything, and I need to get over myself because I have to give a presentation in a hour.

 

[ToPleaseHim]

I love my job. I love what I do and I feel exceptionally fortunate to have landed in this role. For the past several months, though, two of my colleagues seem hell bent on causing drama. It’s exhausting and ridiculous.

 

[Mika1215]

Someone who is a great manager could make shit loads of money running my business. I get along well enough, but I feel like I should be getting a report card that says "Alex does not live up to their potential."

I understand this completely.

 

[cheekygirl75]

Wow this thread is timely. I'm at an academic conference, and I let my friend drag me to the meeting of people who invariably make me feel like shit (not the people directly, just new fresh hopeful women at the start of their academic careers). It's super hard to explain but it just makes me dwell on things that I shouldn't, like how much of my career was fucked up by a single person and the fact that, a lot of years ago, there weren't a lot of places to go with these things, for women. And so I made some stupid choices, and here we are.

And it makes me resent everything about my work and my life and time and the universe and everything, and I need to get over myself because I have to give a presentation in a hour.

I've never been in this situation, so I can't completely understand, but I have watched a good friend and my sister go through it. My friend made it through her PhD but with major depression and my sister ultimately dropped out, mostly because of one asshole guy. She ended up with her Master's and could go back to finish her PhD, but I don't know if that's in the cards for her. And I'm sure some part of her will always feel like a failure because of that

They really need mental health counselors for PhD programs.

 

[cheekygirl75]

I love my job. I love what I do and I feel exceptionally fortunate to have landed in this role. For the past several months, though, two of my colleagues seem hell bent on causing drama. It’s exhausting and ridiculous.

Oh, that is the worst! I hope your managers/bosses are good and able to nip it in the bud

 

[ToPleaseHim]

Oh, that is the worst! I hope your managers/bosses are good and able to nip it in the bud

They are aware and seem to be taking action. I’m hopeful. I’m a very high energy and super positive and optimistic person and I really struggle with energy vampires.

 

[Mika1215]

I've never been in this situation, so I can't completely understand, but I have watched a good friend and my sister go through it. My friend made it through her PhD but with major depression and my sister ultimately dropped out, mostly because of one asshole guy. She ended up with her Master's and could go back to finish her PhD, but I don't know if that's in the cards for her. And I'm sure some part of her will always feel like a failure because of that

They really need mental health counselors for PhD programs.

Yes, they do. I have stories.

And it's worse on many levels when you're as professor, for women especially in male dominated fields. It's better now, in a lot of ways, but it was fucking awful when I started, and it's a long legacy.

 

[AlexBailey]

I’m sorry about your workers, that’s awful

I don’t know what you do, but wonder if it would benefit from more apprenticeships in this country? I wish that were something we had more of here.

I'm in a very rural area, and while I have many local projects, I also travel hundreds, sometimes thousands of miles for various projects. I'd like to become more of a consultant but I am lousy with office work. I could probably invest in training a new helper but it's a gamble because at anytime they could pick up and leave me for a bigger shop with more opportunities.

I think I just need to find more other small contractors to partner with, maybe hire a pool of employees...

 

[cheekygirl75]

I'm in a very rural area, and while I have many local projects, I also travel hundreds, sometimes thousands of miles for various projects. I'd like to become more of a consultant but I am lousy with office work. I could probably invest in training a new helper but it's a gamble because at anytime they could pick up and leave me for a bigger shop with more opportunities.

I think I just need to find more other small contractors to partner with, maybe hire a pool of employees...

I hope you find something that makes things easier/better for you

 

[jeff_is_smiling]

As I think back to before I was retired, I recall the jealousy of others towards me and my level of success. There was a reason I was paid what I was and had assignments that nobody else ever had. A reason the standards for performance were based on my actions and processes. They never understood that nothing was ever given to me. Nor that I was EXTREMELY open to mentoring and teaching. It got old.

 

[AmberLGreen]

I'm in a very rural area, and while I have many local projects, I also travel hundreds, sometimes thousands of miles for various projects. I'd like to become more of a consultant but I am lousy with office work. I could probably invest in training a new helper but it's a gamble because at anytime they could pick up and leave me for a bigger shop with more opportunities.

I think I just need to find more other small contractors to partner with, maybe hire a pool of employees...

Could your office work be done remotely by a very energetic, personable, professional, gorgeous little cheeky thing on the East Coast?

 

[AlexBailey]

Could your office work be done remotely by a very energetic, personable, professional, gorgeous little cheeky thing on the East Coast?

He he!
Aw, that would be great if it could make sense. Fortunately I've got a sales partner who does all of my paperwork for projects for me except payroll. Unfortunately he's useless with tools. He's a sweet guy who I've also been working with for twenty years. It's crazy how many times clients have assumed more than we intended when we refer to each other as 'partners.'

 

[Diosax]

I'm looking for a sugar daddy. Hit me up

 

[LaisDeMarieDeFrance]

I'm looking for a sugar daddy. Hit me up

Just one? I'm looking to diversify.

 

[gga]

Could your office work be done remotely by a very energetic, personable, professional, gorgeous little cheeky thing on the East Coast?

I can't take on even more work!

 

[gga]

Just one? I'm looking to diversify.

You didn't think I'd see this did you?