entremet
Member
That was the reference.
GAF, I've made a huge mistake. (Job related.)
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That was the reference.
PeskyToaster
Member
As someone who is helping design a new onboarding process I can tell you it's a complicated animal to tame. The flow is basically a giant circle where everybody is waiting on everybody else for one form or another. There's a lot of pieces to get in order so give them a bit of time. A lot more than 2.5 hours lol.
I don't watch seinfeld so I don't know.
backflip10019
Member
Fun fact: Larry David did this himself while at SNL. He quit and stormed out one day because none of his sketches were being chosen for the show and then showed up the next day like nothing happened. It worked.
ElectricBlanketFire
Member
OP many times most people essential to getting you situated have no idea you're coming and they have their own stuff they're working on.
Keep that in mind for your next job.
Keep that in mind for your next job.
Razorback
Member
Are you wondering if I'm bragging because I'm already rich? I'm an indie game developer.
i.e. broke
While you've definitely made a massive mistake just leave it off future applications? Doubt anyone will remember your very short lived time in the place.
Sure I've recently joined a new place, had nothing to do on my first day. Boss actually came over and said "I do hope you come back tomorrow I know we've nothing on for you its just a busy time of year, should have stuff by next week"
But yeah apply again leave out your 2hour gig on applications
Sure I've recently joined a new place, had nothing to do on my first day. Boss actually came over and said "I do hope you come back tomorrow I know we've nothing on for you its just a busy time of year, should have stuff by next week"
But yeah apply again leave out your 2hour gig on applications
wild wild rice
Member
whoops
stump sock
Member
that makes way more sense
I was weighing "already rich" vs "lives at home" as the answer
Lionheart1827
Member
Damn, hopefully this is a hard lesson OP. There will be a time in the future where you wish you were getting paid for sitting around doing nothing for 2 and a half hours.
Just use this as a learning experience and dont do this again in the future.
Just use this as a learning experience and dont do this again in the future.
Fuck I'd tolerate several days before starting to fume about doing "nothing" considering the amount of work to just get hired. Well OP, like others stated its just a small bump. Good luck.
I was specifically told to report to an employee on my first day and she will train me. I met her for a few seconds while getting a tour and nothing else happened. So I was expecting at least some sort of training.
D1renegade
Member
Wow OP.. This is probably the dumbest job related decision I've ever heard somebody make.
Man Called Aerodynamics
Member
Not that it helps now, but yeah... that is totally normal. Depending on how training works, and people's schedules, it could be days or even weeks at a new job before you're really ready to get going.
There was going to be training, just when they were available.
You actually quit your job just because you weren't doing anything for 2 hours on your first day, even though your boss said they were working on getting you all set to work?
This isn't the end of the world though, don't be too hard on yourself. There are other opportunities out there.
You could also give this a shot. If it worked for Larry David, it could work for you too.
This isn't the end of the world though, don't be too hard on yourself. There are other opportunities out there.
You could also give this a shot. If it worked for Larry David, it could work for you too.
You fucked up the job, but you didn't fuck up your life. Don't kill yourself over it. Move on, find a new job, and never make that mistake again.
Periods where you sit around doing nothing isn't something that will ALWAYS happen for the rest of your life, but it is still a part of the working life. In fact, it can be seen as a blessing if you've been working your ass off for a while before that.
A lot of places are nowhere near as organized as they look from the outside. You sometimes really don't have anything to do at work. That's when you either enjoy the downtime if it's after a long stretch of work, or you look for things to do. If you were placed in a cube alone right after being hired, then you either wait or you try to get something done. This can be in the form of learning the names of people around you, getting ot know your way around the office, reading employee policies and rules, or asking your superiors for work to keep you busy until someone has time to talk to you. There are plenty of things to do in any company, and often there is a bunch of stuff that people know they SHOULD do but don't have the time to. If you're bored, you could help with that stuff.
If the person you were supposed to report to didn't have time to talk to you right then, that means that person was probably too busy to attend to you right that moment. Maybe he or she had to go to a meeting or something and would have seen you afterwards. Quitting after 2 hours is super rash.
Periods where you sit around doing nothing isn't something that will ALWAYS happen for the rest of your life, but it is still a part of the working life. In fact, it can be seen as a blessing if you've been working your ass off for a while before that.
A lot of places are nowhere near as organized as they look from the outside. You sometimes really don't have anything to do at work. That's when you either enjoy the downtime if it's after a long stretch of work, or you look for things to do. If you were placed in a cube alone right after being hired, then you either wait or you try to get something done. This can be in the form of learning the names of people around you, getting ot know your way around the office, reading employee policies and rules, or asking your superiors for work to keep you busy until someone has time to talk to you. There are plenty of things to do in any company, and often there is a bunch of stuff that people know they SHOULD do but don't have the time to. If you're bored, you could help with that stuff.
If the person you were supposed to report to didn't have time to talk to you right then, that means that person was probably too busy to attend to you right that moment. Maybe he or she had to go to a meeting or something and would have seen you afterwards. Quitting after 2 hours is super rash.
RustyNails
Member
Holy shit lmao
Sorry I shouldn't be laughing at your misery but... come the fuck onnnnn! Where did you hear about "good fit"? Do you know what it means?
Sorry I shouldn't be laughing at your misery but... come the fuck onnnnn! Where did you hear about "good fit"? Do you know what it means?
diablos991
Can’t stump the diablos
Yeah. You messed up pretty big.
It was your first day in a corporation. It takes time to get things coordinated with so many people and instead of asking about it courteously you childishly quit and assumed the job was a bad fit.
That manager's response is gold. Sure they wasted 2.5 hours of your time (even though hey were paying you) but how many hours of theirs did you waste by bailing out on the first day and making them start the hiring process over again?
Learn from it and move on.
It was your first day in a corporation. It takes time to get things coordinated with so many people and instead of asking about it courteously you childishly quit and assumed the job was a bad fit.
That manager's response is gold. Sure they wasted 2.5 hours of your time (even though hey were paying you) but how many hours of theirs did you waste by bailing out on the first day and making them start the hiring process over again?
Learn from it and move on.
FunkyPajamas
Member
Did you go back to her after the tour and ask "When does training start?" If so, what was her response? If not, why didn't you? If she appeared to be busy, did you ask when she would be available or what you should do in the meantime?
Honest questions, not judging you: did you want this job at all; was this something you actively searched? Or did they call you and you didn't particularly care about it?
la flama blanca
Banned
Make it seem like you got another job and you were legit too good for a place that had you waiting 2.5 hours for a stupid IT issue.
adamsappel
Member
Did you screw up your life? No. Is that kind of attitude going to screw up your life going forward? Most definitely. The first few days of any desk job are probably going to be like that. They might have even taken you on when there wasn't much work for you to do so you could get up to speed and people had time to train you (or maybe the trainers have their own work and you have to wait until they aren't busy). Don't be suicidal over this, or anything, but if that is actually an avenue you were exploring, seek therapy. You quit an apparently-good job over a couple of hours of boredom. You have unrealistic ideas of how things work.
entremet
Member
You're right, but the training is always on the schedule of the manager. Not on your schedule or expectations. Be aware of that.
Moreover, managers don't just manage. Full time managers are rare. They were culled in the 80s as corporations got rid of that cadre of employee to maximize profits, so most modern managers have other work to do.
This is why if you notice almost all job applications ask for self starters, quick learners, people how can manage themselves well, etc.
| Praxis |
Banned
Two and a half hours of getting paid to do nothing? Sounds like luxury to me. I don't blame them for not giving you another chance, when you brought it up they sounded more than reasonable. At least you can learn from this and not make the same rash decision in the future.
My mom used to work at some corporate job but she never really went into the specifics. I have friends who work at corporate jobs but I never heard about their first week being like this. I've never done internships before.
The Faceless Master
Member
Lesson learned. Do better next time.
Don't beat yourself up too much over the situation.
Don't beat yourself up too much over the situation.
Maybe she was plaining to train you after she finished some of her urgent work. Maybe you should have asked and tried to be helpful. Maybe you should have just browsed gaf before your irrational decision. I get paid to do nothing as well and I love it.
Please tell me this is a joke.
If not, then...
But seriously, it was 2.5 hours. A lot of jobs may have you doing nothing for days or even weeks while they find someone to find the time to train you. Some places are better organized than others in that regard.
If not, then...
But seriously, it was 2.5 hours. A lot of jobs may have you doing nothing for days or even weeks while they find someone to find the time to train you. Some places are better organized than others in that regard.
shadow_shogun
Member
This is how got yourself into the predicament in the first place, you appears to be impatient quick to making very rushed decisions. Obviously, killing yourself is a terrible idea and shouldn't have been factored into this in the first place. Just sit down, make a plan instead of feeling bad for your self, and you'll find that there's plenty of opportunities out there. Keep your head up.
Tertullian
Member
She told him "it's only the first day" and "that [he's] in training," but she didn't actually do anything to start training him. She didn't say "Oh yeah, lemme come over to your cube and start training you," or even "I should have time this afternoon to start training you, just hold on tight until them." She just said to wait. That's obviously a polite dismissal, her telling him that she didn't know what exactly he should be doing yet, and that he should just wait for his damn power brick. Are you really refusing to see the clear-as-day subtext here?
Obviously I'm not suggesting that the supervisor did anything wrong. I'm sure she's very busy and was perfectly polite, and no one's disputing that the OP's reaction was ridiculous. Of course the OP was ridiculous to get upset and quit.
Besides, the original comments I was replying to said that he should have talked to his supervisor. I was just pointing out that he did talk to his supervisor, and that he only quit when she didn't really tell him anything useful and didn't actually give him anything to do. That was obviously the point of my original post, so I have no idea why you're being so combative and pedantic about it. Those posters said he should have talked to his supervisor, but he did talk to his supervisor and she didn't actually give him anything to do, so their advice was superfluous. That's it. That's the point of what I'm saying.
That is a normal first day. It is meant to get you in the house, make sure you have all the badges and hr documents filled out. You won't actually achieve anything that day. And it never changes, never. No matter how many first days you're on. In future, just go to the employee that should train you, ask to shadow or something.
You're expected to act like an adult in the working world and to handle problems yourself if possible, unless faced with abusive or impossible barriers.
The proper action in this situation would have been to approach the person and inquire as to the training schedule. If there is a large downtime ask if there is anything productive you can do while waiting. If she doesn't know anything about the training, then you go up the chain of command until you find someone who does know. You ask your boss, for instance. If you don't know who to ask, you politely approach co-workers and try to find out who to get the correct info from.
CosmicQueso
Member
Monday mornings are often when meetings take place in order to set priorities for the week. Perhaps that employee was with her/his boss? Perhaps an urgent request came up that required immediate attention?
If the company that hired you is willing to pay you for waiting for 2.5 hours, you wait. You're being paid regardless. The company is saying to you, "you're valuable enough that we want to give you money to hang out on your phone as we take care of something else real quick".
You left because you weren't feeling valued. But the exact opposite of that is what was happening.
The best part is you'll have and leave a bunch of jobs in your career. Sometimes willingly, sometimes not. Today is not going to have a megative impact on your professional life. In fact, this is possibly the best thing that's ever happened to you professionally. You're going to take this learning and apply it to your next job, and the one after that.
brochiller
Member
The company hired you because they have too much work for the current staff to handle. It's very possible that your trainer was very busy with other work. You are not the first priority for the people that are already there.
entremet
Member
Well now you know.
If you got a job before, you can get one again.
If you have any question on how to deal to with stuff that confuses you. Just make a thread before taking any urgent action.
But most of all, be aware that people have other priorities and that you're the lowest one. Your boss has a boss.
Probably the best book on working is actually is a manga.
Buy it and read it in a day.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015DRPL8/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
Jesus fuck, you fucked up.
At my first corporate job, I didn't had any work for two weeks. I fell asleep on my cubicle one time! You really expect them to come feed you first day one? That's more reason to quit when they pile work in your face the moment you show up.
Get cozy, get comfy, get to know the place and people. Why are you on your phone? Instead of quitting, talk to your boss and ask them things instead of saying "I'm not a good fit".
Good luck in your next work.
At my first corporate job, I didn't had any work for two weeks. I fell asleep on my cubicle one time! You really expect them to come feed you first day one? That's more reason to quit when they pile work in your face the moment you show up.
Get cozy, get comfy, get to know the place and people. Why are you on your phone? Instead of quitting, talk to your boss and ask them things instead of saying "I'm not a good fit".
Good luck in your next work.
I really don't want to believe OP's story is true, but either way, this shit makes my blood boil, Jesus fucking Christ. I'd hate having to be your employer in any shape or form until you realize what a massive fuck up that was. Read through this thread, get a health reality check, and try again.
Dr_LucienSanchez
Banned
This is practically the definition of a huge mistake. I think in the future we'll see this on Wikipedia as an example of a huge mistake.
But yeah, as others have said, first days/weeks/months of new jobs are generally slow. Especially in corporate spaces with all those lovely training courses.
But yeah, as others have said, first days/weeks/months of new jobs are generally slow. Especially in corporate spaces with all those lovely training courses.
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