Office jobs in particular can be hard to pinpoint. Long, fancy titles are thrown around and they don't often mean much to people who don't work in that business (or perhaps even to people who do!).
When I'm playing the corporate game, I'm usually found in Human Resources - it's what I've done for most of my working life, it's the field I studied. Anything to do with people in a business - that's my job.
I've come to realise I'm best at one aspect of that - which just so happens to be something most people I meet hate doing: processes, systems, procedures, documentation, plans, policies. Exciting stuff, huh? (Bet you never realised how much of a nerd I really am.)
The work I'm doing now - a contract role with the company I worked with for nine years before having Abbey - covers some of that stuff I enjoy, but is less on the HR side of things. I'm finding myself wading through workflows, trying to understand processes, mapping it all out, writing up reports, making recommendations, talking to lots of people and madly learning as I go.
I took a few quick snaps over the last few days to show you what my working week has looked like, in case some of you are as curious about what people do all day as I am…
Fun times.
For now, though, my working week is over and it’s time to slow down for a few days. Ahead of me – family, cuddles, walks, baking, writing, planning new projects for my future (what? I suck at slowing down!).
Recharging before hitting my stride into another busy week.
Bring it on.
Now it's your turn - tell me, what's your day job?
18 comments:
How funny - that is me down to a T. The things that I ignore in real life (being organised, planning blah blah blah) I excelled at when someone paid me to do it. Total nerd.
I work in my local newsagency, which lets my love of stationery and magazines overflow! I'm starting to bring home little pretties for my desk a lot now....
I love ineraction with people but I learned my lesson after working in banking - this time I'm doing a job that doesn't "come home" with me, and I look forward to arriving every day!
I love this little insight into your working life...and I love a good flow chart! :) I'll try and take a photo tomorrow when I'm at work to do the same. xx
Thank you for the peek.
I kid wrangle (and a bit of teaching in the mix) - at home 5 days a week and in a profressional capacity at school 2 days a week.
No photos permitted due to the privacy act, of course.
:-)
Oh Wow Megan - that would drive me insane!! How glad am I there are people like you around who love it. I'm a case manager in my day job. Usually supporting families with kids with disabilities. I've just finished a working stint and am just being mum for a while - now that I love!!
The world needs the detail people!
I never ask what people do for a living, I don't care and I hate that people use jobs to define themselves and others. Mostly I hate being asked and usually don't offer any information. It drive the Workaholic mad when we are out and I avoid answering such a direct and to him, simple and unimportant question. What's even better is he doesn't really know what my job is either (when I'm not a SAHM that is), he resorts to spouting my qualifications. makes me laugh every time!
I love my day job even though its quite exhausting. I work as a social worker for Older Adults/Seniors..specifically when they need help with their finances. We investigate financial exploitation, try to help them budget their money, develop spending plans etc. Grueling on some days..but very rewarding.
I am an Engineer by day. Talk about a total nerd ;)
I formulate and help our customers use adhesives in their products.
Sooooo exciting I know. But I like it.
What a great insight into your work life!
I am a legal assistant, going to school at night to become a paralegal. I love how my job challenges me!
I'm not as big a fan of work flows as I am forms.
I love a good form. Better yet, a form with an impressive sounding number, like "could you hand me that 902 form, please?"
Designing forms gives me a twisted sense of omnipotence. I can manipulate absolute strangers into doing my evil bidding by simply requiring them to put "Middle Initial" in a box so labeled.
I also like all the lines and squares, although I'm not considered to be particularly rigid.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go enter some nonsensical phrases into a couple of security boxes.
*Morris Workman
www.morrisworkman.com
(very) part-time writer, and full-time student studying to be a paralegal (not sure if you have those in Australia, basically it's similar to a lawyer but on a more restricted scale. I can represent clients in small claims court, tribunals and criminal matters that have a penalty of no more than 6-months jail-time, and financial matters that are no more than 25,000$ etc.). My eventual goal is to attend law school, but I'm taking it one step at a time :)
Love this, Megan.
I'm a sucker for a flow chart and process and procedure and policy was SO much a part of my old project management role. You almost make me miss it...
xx
Me?
I'm a checkout operator for a large supermarket chain. It's a job I always promised myself I would never do as I'm uncomfortable interacting with so many people all day.
I took the job 9 years ago as a temporary measure until something better came along. Well, that hasn't happened and I'm still scanning and bagging...
Turns out I'm really good at it, in spite of not liking it.
Oh god, I hate flow charts, thank god for people like you who can do it! I write regularly for a magazine so that's my day job, and various other things :)
I'm endlessly curious about stuff like this - what people 'do' in particular.
I work on a custom magazine for a large corporate. I work in with ACP Magazines and it's all great fun. Lots and lots of hard work - phone calls, 'healthy debates', proof reading, briefing, editing and mailhouse fulfillment stuff to get it out the door. I'm happy though. x
I'm a graphic artist for a small design agency. But find I am also a jack of all trades around the office. Went to full time work a number of months ago as the workload started increasing. It could be 7 days of work if the boss had his way. Not for me.
I see those charts and get awfully excited! I'm an accountant by trade, with marketing qualifications too. I've done all sorts of things (including overseeing HR), but at the moment am a resource development officer for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I usually toss up between being totally anal and dying from not being creative enough.
Sigh. Such is my life.
Great post Megan!
(PS. received The Help book and movie voucher yesterday - THANK YOU!) xx
Oh I love these sorts of insights! So not a flow chart person but give me a spreadsheet & I am your woman :)
Its hard to pin a work title on me at present - like you (man we are so similar sometimes!) I have gone back to my old company and am consulting from home, overseeing a little project but its only for a few months. Then the big bad world of job hunting looms again!
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