Work Experience at HSBC.

Jayvik Patel

10MC

Work Experience

“Jayvik!”

“Sir?”

“Your work experience placement has arrived”

Mr. Sanderson held up the paper and teased with it in the air. My hands were sweatier than they had ever been. He walked towards me as if he was a heavenly guardian angel. I knew that the next two weeks would affect my opinion of the big bad world. What was it going to be? I could think all of the wrong impressions I would get, if hadn’t got my first choice. Those wrong impressions came and shocked me. I was going to work in HSBC for a week, and the other week at Rimmer Higson (accountants). I was a bit happy because I wanted to work in a bank or be an account. This would give me some experience about being a chartered accountant.

As the weeks passed the day had come, when I had to enter the big, wide world of work. It was also my cousin’s 14th birthday on that day. I caught the bus from my street, to the ever-changing bus station. On the way towards work, I met up with some of my friends from my class, who were working in the city centre. As soon as the door opened and people entered the bank, a woman popped out and said,

“I’m sorry but you can’t come in until 9:30”

I was standing outside, and thinking how dumb is this? I was finally allowed in the bank, at quarter to ten! The woman said that the bank opened at half-nine. I went in and anxiously walked towards the reception. At the counter a very tiny Asian lady appeared, who just about see me and I said,

“ I’m here on work experience,” I stuttered as I thought what now?

They asked to take a seat on the burgundy cushion chair. This man with Elvis sideburns and wearing glasses popped around the corner and told me to go with him. He introduced himself and that man was my supervisor, Richard Carrthers. Richard told me that, I had to sign some papers about classified talks with the counsellors, health and safety and finally agreeing to a paper about not getting paid. I was looking forward to get paid, at least about five pounds. Later on I spent about 3 hours standing and watching people, come to the reception about their problems. I thought this must be the boring job in the world. The lady that I met in the morning showed me, how to cancel direct debits and how to transfer money from one account to another. Near the counter, they had a coffee machine and I had the most gorgeous, luscious and creamy hot chocolate in the world. That was probably the only highlight of the morning. I couldn’t wait to have my dinner at half one, so I hour before I supposed. The staff didn’t mind because you could take your dinner anytime you wanted. I quickly ran outside like speedy gonzalez, and walked it to KFC down the road. I got there and I couldn’t believe how long the queue was, it was long as an anaconda’s spineless, curvy body. I finally got to order half an hour later, and then I had to wait for my zinger twister meal to cook. That took another ten minutes and I had to find space for me to sit down. The meal didn’t taste good as the advert. Nothing ever does. After another boring quarter of an hour standing session, I left and headed for Game in the fishergate centre. There I saw some of my friends from my class, handing out leaflets for a hairdressers shop and then I thought I wish I hadn’t got that job. Mt dinnertime only lasted an hour and it was almost over, so I came back to the bank.

This is a preview of the whole essay

The afternoon went from worse, to worser. One thing was I that I went in the toilets, and closed the door behind and did what I was supposed to do. About five minutes later, a man came to get his coat, and shocked me by turning off the light. I couldn’t see anything, but I managed to come out and turn the lights back on. I heard someone coming so I walked back in, but I had my pants down so I had to hurry up and close the door. I managed to get in, and finished what I had intended to do. That was the most thrilling and scariest part of my work experience, and it happened on the first day as well. The day had finally come to an end and I took the bus back home with a return ticket and lay in bed after that catastrophe in the toilets. The next day I was behind the counter. This is where I wanted to work in the future, but more responsibilities as well. They showed me where all of the money was stored, but it had to be carefully handled because it someone could pinch about one hundred pounds. I went for my lunch about half one, and only because I didn’t feel hungry when I was just standing there looking bored and tired. The next few days were spent in the further outback of the bank. It was so far back, that it took me about 5 minutes to get there. I worked in the fastbank section were I was working with Sue, who looked pretty old with her wrinkles and grey hair but she was only about 30 years old. That was the most interesting place in the bank but I think it lacked something. I had to very careful because we had to handle money from people paying in to their bank account. One anonymous customer paid in seven hundred pounds in cheque and three hundred pounds in cash. That was so incredible to see so much money in hands and then I wandered if I was Sue was tempted to take some. Then I thought she wouldn’t, she a very nice lady. The time flew like a nitro sports car and it was already time for dinner. I went to McDonalds but yet again there was a wavy queue of hungry customers. The afternoon was less exciting than the morning. I spent numerous hours with a counsellor, who had to be my supervisor Richard. People came to him for loans, mortgages and other personal problems. He told me with confidence that,

“The worst job in the bank, is probably being a counsellor” I felt sorry for him but there was nothing that I could do. I was the last day today. They bank had given some vouchers, which could be used for cds at Whsmith. I thought that weekend would be long and enjoyable, but it was fast and unpleasant. My second job was at Rimmer Higson accountants. I walked to 22 Ribblesdale Place, where I spotted the long old fashioned office. I stepped into the office were another old lady like Sue, appeared in front of me.

“I’m here on work experience”, I muttered to the lady.

“Take seat and I’ll be right with you”,

said another Sue. I could just see her name on her badge, which she wore on her green emerald sweater. A woman called Halina took me upstairs, where she told me that she had gone to Christ The king as well. She said,

“Does Mrs. Cottam teach games and is Mr. Lee still?

“No, Mr. Lee has left, and Mrs. Cottam teaches history now”

She looked surprised that Mr. Lee had left. She sent me down to the basement, to sort out files alphabetically. Each weighed the same as three files, but I managed to do it. The day went slow and fast, when I went for my dinner it took too long to get to town. For the rest of my day, it didn’t go along that well. In had do slave jobs like, go to post office, go to Royal Bank Of Scotland and take some money out and on top of that I had to get some sandwiches from Marks and Spencer, for my supervisor Mrs. C V Higson. The test of week went the same as the first day. The same jobs over and over and over again. At lunchtime I went somewhere different for a change. I went to Greggs, KFC and a cake across the road from work. I never had expected that the last two days, were crazy and foolish. The first thing in the morning, I had to go to a very dreary meeting, about some improvements about the work place. It was so boring that I left twenty minutes into the meeting, but it was so far away, it took me ten minutes to get back. The second thing was that the work that I had done yesterday, I had to re-write everything. That work took another 5 hours at least. There was something good to look forward to, it was about getting paid. I got paid ten pounds and I thought I was worth something because I didn’t like the work and most of the staff. Those 2 weeks, which had just passed, made me realise that working is a very hard thing to get used (at this time of age). The following weekend I got ill and stayed in bed all day. I think it was because of working eight hours, when I’m used to 6 hours because of being at school.