So my new boss, let's just call her...evil...ok ok I'll give her a real name - Sheila. Well, Sheila has made it pretty clear she thinks I am doing a sub-par job. In fact I think her exact words were "not good". But what can I say? I didn't go to Katherine Gibbs and I have never received any training whatsoever as to how to be a secretary. Not that I am trying to make excuses but this is basically on the job training. I am surprised they even gave me the job, nothing in my experience or educational background ever pointed to this type of work.
There are a lot of things I need to work on. Mainly my attitude problem. I think I will just stand in front of the mirror and practice smiling and saying "I'm sorry." They like it when you apologize, especially for things that aren't your fault. I am also really bad at printing out attachments to emails. This is not a skill I even knew someone could be bad at. It isn't as easy as you think. Everything has to be stapled and clipped correctly or apparently the document becomes COMPLETELY USELESS!
Sheila's office is directly opposite my desk. So when I look up from my computer she in my direct line of vision. Wonderful. Since she can see me, she has taken to SCREAMING my name when she wants my attention. There is a buzzer, an intercom, LanTalk, Email - but with all the technology she finds the most effective way to get my attention is by screaming. "ELIZABETH!" It feels worse than when my mom screamed my name when I was in trouble. And at least my mother loves me so there is only so much damage she could do. God only knows what is going to happen once I enter Sheila's office.
I think she might be slightly bi-polar. One second she is rattling off orders like we are in Nazi Germany and the next she is nice as pie. The sad thing is Sheila and I would probably get along if we met under different circumstances. I think she is kind of funny. I also sort of like the fact that she is mean. I just wish I wasn't the one she was being mean to. I also like the fact that she always gets what she wants. I respect that and strive for it myself. I just rather she take the nice approach to getting what she wants. She is very moody, like even moodier than I am, so we can relate.
The sense of entitlement these people have just blows my mind. How hard is it to understand that if you want a conference room, you need to reserve it. So she sent me down the hall to check and see if a room was available. I opened the door and interrupted some type of lawyer meeting. Oops. I close the door and report back to her "there are people in there." "Who are they?!?!" "I don't know I have never seen them before." "Well what are they doing in there? They aren't supposed to be in there. Who are they?" "I am not sure...they are meeting. I have never seen them before." "Who are they?" "I don't know. Would you just like me to tell them you need the room in 15 minutes? "Yes...unless they are partners. Are they partners?" "I don't think so." "Tell them I need it."
So I wander back to the conference room very confident ready to kick some people out. Apparently they aren't supposed to be there, so I will tell them. There is a certain status that comes with being a secretary to a partner everyone knows is crazy. People just assume whatever it is I am doing is because she told me to and they sort of have to let me do it or they will hear about it later. People get out of my way when I need to make copies or send faxes. They don't waste any time when I ask for something to be delivered. I am like a minor celebrity. "oh you work for her?....how is that?...what's she like?...are you busy?" "yes...good...nice...very" Being the loyal secretary I am I never tell people the truth..."unfortunately...awful...crazy...nope".
Anyway back to the conference room. I was going to go with "You guys are going to have to leave. Sheila needs this conference room in 15 minutes". But as I opened the door and saw all the eyes fall on me once again I got a little nervous and just went with "how long are you guys gonna to be in here?" Then some lady who I wasn't even talking to announced that the conference room had been reserved for quite some time and asked "is there a conflict?". Well excuse me lady who I have never seen before and was not talking to and is certainly not a partner "Yes, I think there is a conflict, I need the room in 15 minutes." Doesn't she know who I work for? I could make her pathetic associate existence even more miserable. Sure I am a secretary and I don't really matter, but my boss matters. I certainly doubt she would have taken that tone with Sheila, so there was no need for her to take it with me.
But as I said before I really think a new job is around the corner. Oh it will be so fun to quit, I can't wait!
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