- Blink -
The one year anniversary of starting my full time job was last April 11th, and just to illustrate how quickly it passed me by, I almost forgot to blog about it! I did enjoy a quiet moment of reflection about the past year, however, but I feel oddly compelled to write a little bit about it as well.
It’s impossible for me to write an “Oh! Woe is me!” post about work for reasons I’ve gone into before. It is also impossible for me to go into all sorts of detail about the insane people who work with me (who I love, all of them – none of whom actually read this!) simply because I need to get away from work when I’m here. Incidentally, I do recognise the subtle humour in writing a “yay for work” post while I am slacking off at work, but what can you do when you are a slave to inspiration!
So, I suppose my only recourse would be to yammer with gentle and fluffy non-specifics and platitudes.
The first lesson that really stuck with me was how differently you are treated and approached when you are wearing a suit. I always had a general goal of one day wearing expensive suits every day to work. I had no idea what kind of job I would want that would fulfil that goal, nor did I realise how ridiculously expensive suits are. My first big boss (not my immediate boss, but the head honcho) always berated me whenever I wouldn’t wear a tie to work, especially if we were in a meeting. And it wasn’t always in the jolly co-worker sense.
Hugo the Boss at weekly meeting – Welcome everyone, D as well. It’s a shame your tie couldn’t make it
Staffers – forced chuckling
Me, under my breath - Freaking Sun King and his deplorable fashion sense. What the hell is a tie anyway? Stupid fashion norms and codes. Damned society.
This is the reaction that bubbled up in me. Unfortunately, the reality is a bit different. Do you remember that commercial with the guy in a hotel room on a business trip where he’s saying “goodnight” to all of those random typical office types that are hanging out? During this period of my employment, which only lasted the first four months or so, I always thought of myself as the kid he says goodnight to…
“Goodnight new guy, uh Jason, Jarred…”
“It-It’s Jason.”
Yeah. That was me. A poor young naïve new employee swimming is a sea of seasoned veterans. Luckily, my immediate boss had my back and turned me from that nervous new guy to the dynamic, multitasked that I’ve become (thanks AL and JL!). But the lesson wasn’t lost on me. To this day, I still wear a tie occasionally, even though I don’t need to. It’s all about dressing for the job you want, and not the job you have.
The second lesson that I learned is that a great boss is essential. It’s not enough just to have a nice boss, but you need one who will be a teacher, a mentor, a friend, a listener, and a stickler. My first boss (not the big boss, but my immediate boss) was a great boss, despite how demanding she could be. I worked my ass off for her, but she taught me a lot in return.
My current boss is a genuinely nice guy, also a great teacher and a little less demanding. This is the perfect second boss to have because I need to fend for myself and keep myself busy most of the time. He put me in control of my “professional development” so my future is in my hands. I’m trying to make the most of it.
So my one year at work has been eventful. I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, but I have yet to hurl. Let’s hope the next 34 are just as entertaining (oh god).
D.
It’s impossible for me to write an “Oh! Woe is me!” post about work for reasons I’ve gone into before. It is also impossible for me to go into all sorts of detail about the insane people who work with me (who I love, all of them – none of whom actually read this!) simply because I need to get away from work when I’m here. Incidentally, I do recognise the subtle humour in writing a “yay for work” post while I am slacking off at work, but what can you do when you are a slave to inspiration!
So, I suppose my only recourse would be to yammer with gentle and fluffy non-specifics and platitudes.
The first lesson that really stuck with me was how differently you are treated and approached when you are wearing a suit. I always had a general goal of one day wearing expensive suits every day to work. I had no idea what kind of job I would want that would fulfil that goal, nor did I realise how ridiculously expensive suits are. My first big boss (not my immediate boss, but the head honcho) always berated me whenever I wouldn’t wear a tie to work, especially if we were in a meeting. And it wasn’t always in the jolly co-worker sense.
Hugo the Boss at weekly meeting – Welcome everyone, D as well. It’s a shame your tie couldn’t make it
Staffers – forced chuckling
Me, under my breath - Freaking Sun King and his deplorable fashion sense. What the hell is a tie anyway? Stupid fashion norms and codes. Damned society.
This is the reaction that bubbled up in me. Unfortunately, the reality is a bit different. Do you remember that commercial with the guy in a hotel room on a business trip where he’s saying “goodnight” to all of those random typical office types that are hanging out? During this period of my employment, which only lasted the first four months or so, I always thought of myself as the kid he says goodnight to…
“Goodnight new guy, uh Jason, Jarred…”
“It-It’s Jason.”
Yeah. That was me. A poor young naïve new employee swimming is a sea of seasoned veterans. Luckily, my immediate boss had my back and turned me from that nervous new guy to the dynamic, multitasked that I’ve become (thanks AL and JL!). But the lesson wasn’t lost on me. To this day, I still wear a tie occasionally, even though I don’t need to. It’s all about dressing for the job you want, and not the job you have.
The second lesson that I learned is that a great boss is essential. It’s not enough just to have a nice boss, but you need one who will be a teacher, a mentor, a friend, a listener, and a stickler. My first boss (not the big boss, but my immediate boss) was a great boss, despite how demanding she could be. I worked my ass off for her, but she taught me a lot in return.
My current boss is a genuinely nice guy, also a great teacher and a little less demanding. This is the perfect second boss to have because I need to fend for myself and keep myself busy most of the time. He put me in control of my “professional development” so my future is in my hands. I’m trying to make the most of it.
So my one year at work has been eventful. I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, but I have yet to hurl. Let’s hope the next 34 are just as entertaining (oh god).
D.
