| 16/1/2015 As reward for 3 years of non-probationary employment, OKIN gave me a permanent contract. Among the various things this fact can make me feel (and does make me feel) it made me realise that...I don't really talk about my job all that much. Not on here anyway. I always meant to write some sort of blog post on it, 3 years ago in fact (hur hur) but I've never really felt comfortable putting my thoughts about it on paper. Um, digital paper. Whatever, the metaphor works. It's not that I dislike my job. Anyone who knows me knows that's not the case. One of the nice things about it is that there are so many different facets and elements in the job that I can describe a different part of it, to different people, depending on their interests and understanding of certain topics and skills. Usually when people ask me what it is I do, my best description is talking about when I guide a non-technical customer through the power and equipment checks. "Can you find the Cisco device? Is it a 2900? Good, now how many cables are connected? 3? Can you see the Serial 1 interface? Is the cable securely connected? It's a red cable. So follow the red cable, tell me where it goes. Can you describe the box? Does the white box have the telecom's name on it? Can you restart it please? If you cannot find a power button, you will need to remove the power cable for about 10 seconds. Has it fully started up? Now please tell me which lights are on and what colour." (Insert your own IT Crowd 'have you turned it off and on' joke here.) That's not all I do of course. I mean, one thing I've realised is that, at least in the workplace, I've become my Dad. I'm the one everyone runs to for help. Unlike my Dad, however, I expect everyone to operate at my level and I...unfortunately blow a fuse too easily. I should work on that. There are honestly serious reasons why I don't talk about my job. For one thing, I work in Customer Service, so confidentiality and whatnot is a given. But I also work in a business, which means there are all sorts of things that we are told, get announced, get planned then cancelled at the drop of a hat, all the good stuff. So again, can't really say anything. Then there's the inevitable gossip, department rivalry and office politics. Actually, I will say something about this: it's very minimal. And that's a good thing! We're now at a stage where it's common for members of CSC to make friends (and even date) the technicians; plus when people see who it is in charge of which bit (team, department, whatever) no one says 'they don't deserve that role/task/responsibility', everyone feels that everyone has earned their spot. (I can't speak for every department of course, we are pretty huge and growing rapidly.) Yes there are annoyances, yes there are spats, yes there are complaints, but these are just part-and-parcel of working in an office and...being human really. But it's also tradition for those having birthdays to bring in cakes...yay, cake! :D |