today

The last few days my days have been spent answering any phones and once again reverting to act the PA role. This is no way being disrespectful to any secretaries/PA out there. However I have been redeployed into a procurement officer role albeit as a trainee at the moment. Not to sit and be quiet, answer phone calls for the section and being allowed too create one or two emails a day if I am lucky.

It is a very uneasy truce, I know I should be more outgoing however the work is just not here to do and I am seem in such a light that I am the new boy trainee whilst everyone else had had some type of procurement training.

I also agree that with taking the salary cut that I had to suffer and position/role that I held previously I am maybe well I can be truthfully honest that I am a little aloof towards my colleagues. In my defence though they are not utilising my skills and competencies and no way are they involving me in any area of work that will interest me or were my expertise lies. The senior managers have recently re allocated work that the section has received, I have been placed in the team that were none of my skills can be brought directly into the play. The second team have been allocated the work were my skills and competencies could be used, albeit from a distance. I hear them discussing ways of approaching group A or B; I think I could help them here but then no. Am I being stuck up probable yes, however when the work was being reallocated the mangers said they will try and match work to the people. I am being difficult or reading too much into it, I know I am, but in some ways this is a form of bullying.

I know any relationship either at home or at work is a give and take situation; however any movement by my colleagues would of course start to break down barriers as I am seriously out numbered.

My fellow colleagues could well be thinking why they should change to fit in with the new boy, well not exactly new I have been here 9 months now. The other reason I must be totally honest were I struggle to fit in is they tell each other everything and I am from the school, were, work and home life should be kept separate. I agree that you should have basic background knowledge of spouses/children names etc. I find it really difficult to talk about what last night’s meal was and what I call menial topics. My normal workloads in my previous positions were the work was less concentrated, in depth, however it was constant. I stress it felt less in depth/ concentrated than my present position for I was undertaking various roles within this field for years. For I knew the rules and regulations were very in depth and were central government led however over time and not to blow my own trumpet I had become an expert in that field.

When I use to mentor colleagues I would give them work to go through and we would sit down and then discuss how everything went and move through all the situations that they encounter. My situation is very much the reverse here everything I get is if and when my mentor decrees it. Therefore everything is spasmodic i.e. if a piece of work has say 10 different stages I will receive work say stage 1, then 10 8,3,6 in that sort of sequence etc. Instead of working 1,2,3,4 back to 1, 2, of another piece of work.

Following the second sequence you are constantly reaffirming what the learner has learnt and at the same time revisiting and constantly changing the workload to levitate boredom and repetition.

As I have stated in another diary report I have decided it is in my best interest to move however that in itself takes time. Oh well back to the silent treatment and at least the job papers are due out.

My ebay shop is still ticking over. The no win drought continues, oh for the woes of not winning in free to enter competitions. Mystery shopper well I actually completed one this week, I am off tomorrow and have any assignments been posted for tomorrow. Yep you guessed it no!

Another Day Another Dollar or So the Saying Goes.

This is the start of another week the last week before I commenced some form of formal training. I have to attend a local further education college and commence a course that could take up to 3 years to complete and upon completion maybe received a couple of thousand pound/dollar extra in salary, however there is no guarantee that this will happen.

I have sat here in near complete silence for 3 plus hours and not one word has been spoken to me. If I try to initiation a conversation everyone lets the conversation continue for a couple of minutes then move off. I am not peeved off with that because in all my previous roles that was considered the norm and what I deem to be standard working practice. The thing is within 5 minutes other people including maybe some that were talking to me will get together in a little group and discuss the latest soaps for half an hour. At least if I am at this local college it will be better than sitting in work doing very little.

I have spoken to a few friends/associates outside work who are reliable HR people and they say that as I was placed and not recruited that as far as they can see from hearing my side of the story only, that I am facing work place bullying to either make me fit their norm or leave.

As I have decided to amalgamate my two blogs my run on not winning even a heavy cold via a competition continues.

I completed a survey with great help from my children concerning chocolate which was nice for they virtually completed the survey for me. All they said was pity that we didn’t have new and not yet released chocolate bars to test first.

The mystery shopper has hopefully turned a corner I have to undertake a mystery shop this week, hopefully there will be more to follow for as I have mentioned before in my blog this is a really good second source or primary source for some people.