Jobs & Education2 mins ago
i suck so bad at my job
23 Answers
I've just started a new job as a receptionist which is something that i've always wanted to do, and i'm going to be left by myself this sunday. I'm really not confident about some of the things that i need to do and there's been something really random happen nearly every time i've been in that i've had to ask my supervisor for help on. I've suffered from low self esteem for years now which i think is part of the problem and i just get really upset- to the point of nearly crying when i can;t do things or when i make stupid mistakes. I don;t know what to do, i've been looking for ages for a job like this and now i have one i can;t even do it. ow :-(
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Hi, most of us that start a new job feel a little insecure about the workings (in-and-outs) of a new surrounding's so that is to be expected, although you might have had training and/or experience in your desired occupation, that doesn't guarantee everything that is expected of you to have being taught.
Given the fact your entrusted to look after the place suggests that your employers have a great deal of trust and faith in you.
No-one is born with knowledge of anything so a little self believe would be a good start for your confidence.
Given the fact your entrusted to look after the place suggests that your employers have a great deal of trust and faith in you.
No-one is born with knowledge of anything so a little self believe would be a good start for your confidence.
Been there done that - retired now. Listen sweetie, you'll be fine. Just be nice, keep smiling and use common sense. If you're feeling low about yourself, pretend you are cool calm and efficient and keep telling yourself that and before long you'll believe it. Everyone makes stupid mistakes, I've made some lu-lu's it won't be the end of the world, I survived it! Give yourself a break and stop being so hard on yourself, just make sure you have all the things you will need for the day and take it one thing at a time.
If you feel yourself getting flustered, just pause for a moment, take a breath and gather your thoughts and get right back to it. Remember this is what you've always wanted to do and it's it a doddle once you get into it, you just need the practise and to build up your confidence. You go girl, it won't be as bad as you think - it never is. Good luck, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
If you feel yourself getting flustered, just pause for a moment, take a breath and gather your thoughts and get right back to it. Remember this is what you've always wanted to do and it's it a doddle once you get into it, you just need the practise and to build up your confidence. You go girl, it won't be as bad as you think - it never is. Good luck, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
"I've just started a new job as a receptionist" - that says it all. You're in a learning process at the moment. They won't leave you on your own unless they're confident you'll be OK. So just enjoy your new role and try an laugh off your mistakes. Remember we all make them, as a couple of very senior politicians would attest.
It takes time to learn a new job and your employer won't be upset with you if a mistake happens the first time you are left on your own.
I had one job that I took on as a temp for Christmas and I made soooo many mistakes over the first few months I was sure they would sack me. Within a year I was training every new recruit and ended up knowing the job so well I got promoted to run the department for the next 4 years.
I would doubt there is nothing you could do wrong that would cause a catastrophe so just relax. Your employer must have faith in you if they are willing to let you go it alone.
I had one job that I took on as a temp for Christmas and I made soooo many mistakes over the first few months I was sure they would sack me. Within a year I was training every new recruit and ended up knowing the job so well I got promoted to run the department for the next 4 years.
I would doubt there is nothing you could do wrong that would cause a catastrophe so just relax. Your employer must have faith in you if they are willing to let you go it alone.
Don't worry ... people in charge all suck at their jobs.
You've heard the theory that if someone is really good at their job, they earn a promotion.
If they are good at their new job, they earn another promotion.
They keep getting promoted until they find themselves in a job at which they totally suck, and then they don't get promoted any further.
The end result is that almost everyone in any organisation is rubbish at their job.
You've heard the theory that if someone is really good at their job, they earn a promotion.
If they are good at their new job, they earn another promotion.
They keep getting promoted until they find themselves in a job at which they totally suck, and then they don't get promoted any further.
The end result is that almost everyone in any organisation is rubbish at their job.
Nobody would expect you to be an expert in the early days. Use the fact that you've managed to bag the job you want & like as a starting point for building up your confidence, that's quite an achievement - a lot of folk start off doing jobs they didn't want or hate just to get on the ladder. Take your time as you do it, and when you feel in a spin or upset, try an take a minute or so out to calm down - telling yourself you can do it. Within a couple of weeks it will come naturally to you. Like SeaJay has already said, they wouldnt' leave you if they didn't feel you could do it. Good luck & be happy!
It has always taken me about six months to feel fully in control in any job I have gone to. After six months then anything that bamboozles me is likely to do the same to my manager. Just give yourself some time to settle in, early days are the times for stupid mistakes and asking questions.
If there are specific things you are struggling with then write them down and show them to your supervisor. Don't try to act like you're just fine with everything when you are not as in the long run this will be detrimental.
Finally, just breath for goodness sake, it's only your first few days and you're allowed to be anxious! Just don't let your anxieties control you and you'll do fine.
If there are specific things you are struggling with then write them down and show them to your supervisor. Don't try to act like you're just fine with everything when you are not as in the long run this will be detrimental.
Finally, just breath for goodness sake, it's only your first few days and you're allowed to be anxious! Just don't let your anxieties control you and you'll do fine.
I believe what JJ is referring to is Peters Principle.
Peter Principle states that "in a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence", meaning that employees tend to be promoted until they reach a position at which they cannot work competently. It was formulated by Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull in their 1969 book The Peter Principle, a humorous [1] treatise which also introduced the "salutary science of hierarchiology."
The principle holds that in a hierarchy, members are promoted so long as they work competently. Eventually they are promoted to a position at which they are no longer competent (their "level of incompetence"), and there they remain, being unable to earn further promotions.
Peter Principle states that "in a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence", meaning that employees tend to be promoted until they reach a position at which they cannot work competently. It was formulated by Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull in their 1969 book The Peter Principle, a humorous [1] treatise which also introduced the "salutary science of hierarchiology."
The principle holds that in a hierarchy, members are promoted so long as they work competently. Eventually they are promoted to a position at which they are no longer competent (their "level of incompetence"), and there they remain, being unable to earn further promotions.
You wil probably find that once you are left by yourself the decision making process becomes alot easier! With no-one looking over your shoulder, you will have greater clarity of thought! And if you do make a mistake - so what, you are still learning! Good luck although you won't need it - you'll be fine.
sweetie, don't ever be afraid to say to someone who comes to reception that you are new, you don't know the answer, but you will find out - or if there is nobody to ask, to do your best. It is not a failure to admit that you don't know something - rather, it's grasping the situation.
Maybe you need to try to get to the bottom of what caused your low self esteem, so that you can come to grips with that and realise that in fact you ARE good - you got the job, so you can't be that rubbish! - and stop using horrid negative expressions like "I suck so bad" - no, you don't, you're just learning. You must start to believe in yourself - if you think you're cr@p and tell people you're cr@p, you'll come to believe it, and you're not.
It isn't a shaming thing at all to have to ask your manager for help - I did it today about an unusual situation which cropped up, and I'm confident in my job usually - and then I found that she didn't know the answer either, and had to ask her line manager what should be done. That's not failure, it's a learning curve.
Maybe you need to try to get to the bottom of what caused your low self esteem, so that you can come to grips with that and realise that in fact you ARE good - you got the job, so you can't be that rubbish! - and stop using horrid negative expressions like "I suck so bad" - no, you don't, you're just learning. You must start to believe in yourself - if you think you're cr@p and tell people you're cr@p, you'll come to believe it, and you're not.
It isn't a shaming thing at all to have to ask your manager for help - I did it today about an unusual situation which cropped up, and I'm confident in my job usually - and then I found that she didn't know the answer either, and had to ask her line manager what should be done. That's not failure, it's a learning curve.
ow thank you all for your lovely words. You were all right, i messed the cashing up a little but other than that it was all happy days :-) i did have a little bit of a off day the other day and spoke to my manager about it and she pretty much echoed what you all said and told me to stop being so hard on myself. I know i do need to do something about my self esteem, there are days that i feel awesome and i am really confident but other times i feel so :-( i think it's just the past experiences ive had, i might look into having some counciling again.
and Mwahahaha!!!! JJ, thank you you've just made my night xx
and Mwahahaha!!!! JJ, thank you you've just made my night xx
