Work experience. The first time those words were mentioned I felt a cold shiver

The day before, my initial feelings were very peculiar, because all my friends said they are excited about having this experience, but I felt the opposite, sentiment nervous. I could not figure out why that everyone started to become expectant of they’re administrative centre to be a fascinating and an enjoyable practice. I was thinking to myself, “Why does everyone feel so confident of themselves”, and then I told myself “Why is it me that is petrified and me only”. Everyone else was intrigued to their workplace so why aren’t I. All the pupils were just saying how they would fit right in but I was very anxious as to whether I’ll fit in or not. I felt that the prospect of working in an unfamiliar place was profligate. I say this because the people I’d meet would have a far grater status than an unknown pupil, like me. I woke up dreading what was ahead of me. But I dressed myself, fed myself and walked reluctantly to the train station. The train journey to Mulberry Place was one that I did not notice for I was under the influence of body odour that was diffusing from the drenched armpit of a charming teenage mother.

I have been rehearsing to what I predict I might do in my actual job, but I always say to myself “Would I be the suitable candidate”, and because of this, I feel extremely depressed to what I think I will do because if I make a mistake, the other workers would give me a dirty look. But another side of me says “We all make mistakes and also learn from them, after all no one is perfect”, so I also feel quite hopeful on the other hand. There’s always one question I ask myself “Would it be better than school, or would I long to be back into the familiar routine of lessons, teachers and breaks”? Obviously I had mixed emotions going because one part says it will be superb while the other says it would be appalling, so which should I believe.

The jobs that I was advised to do as very menial and tedious.  But that doesn’t apply to all of them. One of which, filing documents and stacking them up, the reason why this was enjoyable is due to the fact that I could see who has been naughty; by not paying the bills or taking too long to pay, this was also the most important task I had accessed to. The way this problem was solved was by me stamping on it, this made me feel like a valued member of the workforce. This also proved to be astonishingly time-consuming as all the files were in my opinion ‘messy’. On the contrary the job I hated most was making coffee, I mean come on, I did not intend to make coffee for myself let alone make it for 1..2..3..4..5 other members of staff, this mage me feel completely ‘lackey’, by doing basic tasks, but at the end of the day a job is a job no matter what. I felt that I was not permitted to a wide range of jobs; maybe it was because it is work experience after all and who knows I might be able to access this when or if I do work there in the future (as if, spending time on making coffee, I’d rather sit at home starve myself). In general I did not look forward to the jobs I was asked to do mainly because I did not feel included as a ‘permanent’ member; like the employees.

The people I worked with were mostly amiable, but that does not apply to their language, which was utterly horrid. The majority regarded me as a nuisance; it was as though I was expletives. I could work with people who were nearly all approachable or shall I say exceptionally pleasant. My supervisor looked unreservedly amusing; he had an egg-shaped head; hair all over the place, as though he had an electric shock; mud-boots in a business department; I could go on forever but I would get carried away. As a person he was the friendliest person I had ever met. My fist impression of him, made me full of disgust but my view of him changed in a fortnight. He took very good care of me, and after ten minutes he would check on my morale, so that I wouldn’t feel completely down. He also would ask me whether I would like to do a certain task, unlike the others who would dump in my face, without my judgment, which changed my sentiment to offensive. He would be the first to greet me in the morning and the first to say goodbye, when I leave. The sort of person he is can only be described as ‘giving compliments’ as there is nothing which I discovered over my time in the business, anything negative about him.

The language used in the workplace by the employees was all sophisticated and they would use all these fancy job-related words, which I hadn’t heard before (jargon). Every time I spoke I wouldn’t flash off with my words, I would just use the basic, crude style of language. At times they would use the sort of language we use in school, very abusive, and unpleasant at times. Their manner is concentrated in the negative column, as I thought of them as remarkably rude. From time-to-time I would get these comments, which I ignored as they were unfriendly. Such as “Why have you laid in your backside, get up you lazy piece of work”! This made me psyched up as others around me were doing the same, so why pick on me and not them. Another example is when I hurriedly made coffee, and because I never put in two sugars for one of the staffs, she had a go at me by saying “You imbecile, why did you put in only one sugar”? I was like yeah, yeah do your own, obviously I didn’t say that to her face, but that was how I felt towards her comment.

The specific place where I was working at haphazard; as I was squashed between other people, which made it rather cramped in, while others being workmanlike. The atmosphere around me was exceedingly chaotic, even though they had a vast space to work in. every time I glared at other members of staff I felt quite jealous that they were complaining with about not having enough room to work with, I mean take a look where I worked – it was very compact. I was quite fortunate with my little room of space, as I didn’t have that much work like others; this is because my files were immaculate and others were impressed with my ordering of files and I could sense envy running through their body because their files were spacious, all around the room. Due to this factor, I looked forward coming to work. Also, I acknowledged the fact that others felt a sense of fear, aggravation and tedium when they came to work. So I enjoyed the increasingly familiar workplace loom into view, while others regretted it.

During the experience I faced many problems and challenges which I had to overcome to and solve. For example I had to take some calls in the time that I was in the call centre, the first customer was calm and wanted a small enquiry and I put him through to the people he needed, the next few were more challenging than I had expected, one was very angry and began to use inappropriate language and as I was taught I have a right not to be spoken to in that way and had to warn him that I will have to leave the conversation if he continued in the manner that he was talking to me. However it wasn’t as easy as that since I was very nervous and could feel my nerves getting to me. I managed to overcome these nerves and talk to the irate customer and deal with him appropriately.

I will conclude by saying that I had a most fascinating and informative week, I enjoyed every part of it as most of the tasks I comprehended them as challenging. I was made to feel extremely welcome by all of the members of the staff. I found the week very informative because I found out that it is definitely the sort of business I would like to do when I leave school/university. By taking up this work, it had made me feel differently about my career plan as how crucial it really is before this work experience. When I look back at my work experience in about five years time I would like to think of it as “It was worth every penny”. Also how a great deal it was influential in playing a crucial part in my life when I reflect back! I walked to the train station feeling satisfied with myself. I arrived home feeling rather cheerful and surprisingly looking forward to school.