Back to work

It's a beautiful sunny morning here in Georgia, although it was well below freezing at dawn.

Friday was my first day of training for my new job, as office manager for a small local office of a large corporation. I was one of 16 people there, most of whom were coming back for another tax preparation season. I was honored to be one of two new office managers not promoted from within. Two others worked for the company previously, but not in that capacity.

Corporate culture is entertaining and frustrating. We are "client service leaders." Receptionists are "client service professionals," but of course, they are referred to by abbreviations: CSL and CSP. There are many more abbreviations and code words. We talked about setting goals and motivating employees in our offices with clever bulletin boards and rewards of $7.

Yesterday, I worked 8 1/2 hours, with no break. It was fun. Yes, I said fun. I have very mixed feelings about taking this job. If I were going to "sell out" and work for a corporation, I would like to get more than $10/hour! On the other hand, working is way better than not working, most of the time. One of the good things is that I will only have to work until April 17, unless they like me enough to ask me to stay on and do some off-season work. I would probably be able to come back next year and do it again, if all goes well, so I have a fall-back plan and time to look for something I like better. In the meantime, from early January, I will be working full-time, for the first time in many years of un- and under-employment. I will have to work some nights and weekends, something I have always resisted.

Starting a new job, it is impossible to know which people will become friends I will miss a few months from now and which will be a huge pain in the neck. But, they seem pleasant; they seem to like me and appreciate me. I was busy, but not stressed most of the day.

The tax preparers were notified (only a few days ahead) to come by the biggest Athens office, the one that is open before the season. There was a list of things they were supposed to do: renew their tax preparer ID, sign up for the company credit card, order business cards, commit to their hours for 2014, verify their citizenship (I-9), and sign up for "Skills" times.

It was a bit chaotic when I arrived. L. was supposed to be in charge. She had brought an assistant, K. There were several office managers from previous years, assigned to help the TP (tax preparers). Since I did not know much about anything, I was assigned to greet people and send them to the first station, the training room that had plenty of computers.

After a bit, L. developed a checklist she wanted them to fill out. They were supposed to do the steps in order. Then she gave me a sign-in sheet and asked me to make sure to get everyone's name on it. It was pretty busy early on. L. and K. were supposed to verify the documents to prove citizenship: either a passport or a driver's license AND a social security card. I had to go to my safe deposit box on Friday before training to get my passport. I haven't seen my social security card in years. (It's probably around somewhere). Then L. would sign them up for skills training. She was trying to do other things as well, so a bottleneck developed. I felt bad for the people waiting. It shouldn't have taken very long.

Eventually, I was given the task of verifying documents as well, and then, signing people up for training. In between times, I ate food I had brought with me. I hoped it wasn't against company policy to eat at the desk. I had access to the on-line training I needed to do for my tax classes. The exam is next Wednesday, and I have two more classes before then. I am a little behind, due to working! The other CSL's helped me with getting clocked in and doing the things I needed to do and didn't know how.

By the time I left, after 7:30, I had eaten 2 small Snickers bars (from Halloween) and three cookies. My neighbor, Nancy M., had fallen and broken her collarbone. She needed me to pick up her medication at the hospital, so I went there before I went home. Ray had dinner ready (chicken tagine from the freezer, but still great). He was starving waiting for me.

After that, there wasn't much left of the evening. Wheel and the Daily Show and a chapter or so before I fell asleep, for at least 8 hours.