The Working Life - Part 6 continued

(continued from here)

I started the next day downstairs drowning in nerves. I knew everyone was nice down there but I had no clue what I was doing. I had to start all over with learning. Just when I was getting comfortable upstairs. I worked with the other temp for a week and a half. She was an older lady, but very nice and helpful. In my time with her I learned how to enter purchase orders, match up invoices with them and enter invoices as well. That was all pretty simple. I was also shown where to file everything at and open and sort mail.

I thought, if this is all I have to do, this is easy! The first week by myself was very nerve racking. I felt like the week of training I got, was all I was going to get. I really had no clue what to do. I was so nervous to ask what to do, because I wanted to know what I was doing on my own instead of the constant "What do you want me to do now?" I want to know the pattern of things and what needs to be done by what day of the months.

One day, I was shown how to enter some electric and water bills onto a tracking log. Of course my first time doing this had to be one of the biggest properties with hundreds of units. It took me most of the day to get through. Mostly because it was my first time and I had no clue what I was doing. The lady explained to divide the bills by "building" and "apartments" and also by the "north" and "south" complexes. This was making no sense to me almost. It was the most confusing thing.

So, I sorted them all out and entered them on the different tracking logs. After I got all that done, I was told they had to be put in order by the tracking log. Aghh...another mess to deal with. Once I got all that together, I was then told to add up the totals of each pile and write out a ticket for them. Easy enough. But of course, my totals weren't matching up and I had to go through and try and find what was wrong. After I got it all figured out, I thought I was done. But come to find out, I had to make a tape showing all the units added together. I thought this was going to be never-ending and I was doing it all wrong. I was so happy when that was over! I was nervous the whole time. However, new skill learned!!

My next lesson I received at some point down the line was writing out tickets for all the vendors. This is actually kind of fun, as it's a break from the computer and I get to collect all my little paperclips that always go away from when I enter purchase orders. I never have enough little paperclips!

I have really been enjoying working downstairs. I'm constantly kept busy. I have days of filing that could be done, but I haven't had any time to file. Every day I go in thinking I won't have anything important to do and could get filing done, they always find something for me to do! Sometimes I just want to go file to take a break from everything. Filing is done in the storage area of the apartment. It's pretty quiet and cold back there, but that's how I like things.

There's lots of talk all the time about keeping me and people wondering if I'm permanent. I keep my fingers crossed that it turns out that way. I have learned about all the ropes to this company from working accounting upstairs and accounts payable downstairs. It's been fun seeing how it all ties together from both areas. It is still uncertain about my future there, but sometimes it sounds like I'll be staying, but I can't get my hopes up!

So anyways, that's where I am at as far as work is concerned. From here, I will just be making regular posts about daily mishaps and nerves regarding work experience.