Worlds apart.

Hey,

Happy Hump Day! We are nearly there so hang on. Last Monday I started my new job and I said I would fill you in, So here is goes... I'll start by telling you why I left my old job.  Basically to make a long story short I felt that for the amount of work I was doing there, the pay was not reflecting that. I felt I wasn't being appreciated or valued for the hard work I was putting in. After being told I would be waiting 18 months to possibly get a raise, I knew it was time to move on. I really enjoyed working there and got on really well with everyone but sometimes you need to know your own worth and move on. This was not an easy decision and there was a few times that I wasn't sure I had made the right one but I had to take the chance.

Within a week I had a receptionist job in a good company with good money but I am not joking it was quite possibly the most boring thing I have ever done. I had nothing to do...nothing! The phone would ring a max four times a day and when I asked for more work I was told there isn't much else to do. I also had to ask to use the bathroom every time I needed to go too. An bhfuil cead agam dul go dti an leithreas? I really felt like I was in school again. I understand if your a busy receptionist but this was just insanely quiet so I should of been allowed pee whenever haha. After the manager, who was so lovely may I add, asked was I bored and advised me to look for another job. I decided to leave and was gone after a week. It would be a perfect job for someone who enjoyed doing nothing all day but that just wasn't me.

While I had time to myself I tried to figure out what I should do, should I go back to childcare? Should I look for a busy receptionist job? I really didn't know. After a week of job searching and with help from my recruitment agency I got the job that I am in now and it couldn't be more different than any job I have had. Which is one of the main reason I moved here ( To be completely out of my comfort zone)

The role is an office manager and securitization administrator. In the job description they said accounting preferable but after one week I have realised accounting would of been a huge advantage alright. Ha ha. The office admin stuff I am confident about, as previous jobs have taught me a lot for that role, however its the securitization role I am more nervous about. Basically what it is, is I will be securing the funding that people require for car leases. I have no business, finance or accounting background and for the first few days I felt like I was put into the job as a mistake haha.

I have spent the past week googling finance terms, watching YouTube tutorials, improving my excel skills, crying that I can't do things (at home, obviously) feeling sick, feeling nervous, feeling anxious but I have also spent the week learning a new skill, making new relationships, broadening my knowledge, laughing (mainly when I did't know what was going on) , feeling excited, feeling brave and feeling proud. 

This is so new. This is scary, but I am ready. I have overcome lots of challenges in my life both personally and professionally. I don't know if I will get the hang of it, I don't know will I be any good at it but what I do know is I am going to give it one hell of a go. Its the only way I will grow. Its worlds apart from an Early Childhood Degree, to go from Sesame Street to Wall Street is a big change but a challenge I am ready to face.

Talk soon xx

Zita J

A little update..

Hey,

So as you may have seen from my Facebook page I have been a busy woman the past two weeks. The reason being is because I got a new job...woohoo. I have been working in the my other job as a hostess since October but if I am being perfectly honest it was not working out for me. I got on really well with everyone, I did a really good job and I enjoyed my shifts but financially it wasn't feasible and if I am honest working nights and weekends...sucked.

Worried about money and wanting more stability I decided to get onto a recruiter for help and within a week I had a new job. I was delighted that it all happened so quickly. So the job is in an insurance broker that operates worldwide. My title is print production associate. I am only training at the moment so I am still getting to know my role but to explain my day to day work, I receive print projects from different clients and mange any requests they may have. I prepare these projects from the initial phase to production and then distribution. The role is both customer service orientated but also technical.

Initially I was nervous about the technical side of the job and being on computers all day as it is very new to me, but even after two days I am getting the hang of it and feeling more confident. It's a Monday to Friday job, starting at 10.30am and finishing at 7pm so I get a lie in, in the morning and on a Friday evening there is still plenty of time to get ready and go drinking... I have my priorities right don't I?

The job is also a 12 minute walk from my apartment so I am very lucky. although my last job was an 8 minute walk, ughh so that's 4 minutes extra exercise in the morning haha. I am finishing up in my old job this week, so I will be wrecked by Friday. I have to get over it though as my friends and I are planning on doing the 12 pubs or whatever ones we find.

Have a great week,

Talk soon xx

Zita J

I gots a job bitches!!!!

Hey Everyone, 

Hope you all had a great weekend :-) As some of you may have seen from my Facebook... I GOT A JOB! Woohoo! To be honest I am very lucky, I have been looking for about 3 weeks and this was only my second interview. You'll remember the first one from my post Reality Bites , where I was offered the job but it was door to door sales and then with the coffee shop I didn't get to the interview process because they wanted to interview people with more experience. So when I think about it I should be very happy with myself that I got two interviews and got offered both jobs.

So, the interview was last Thursday and it was an open interview from 2pm til 4pm with multiple openings, bartender, server, hostess etc. I went for the hostess role as I have lots of customer service experience so I felt it was suit me the best, Besides the other roles you needed two years experience working in a restaurant so that was me out straight away. I was a bit hesitant about going to the interview but after being persuaded by Parker, I went along. 

When I arrived, there were other people there too filling out interview forms and the manager was just interviewing people in the corner of the restaurant one at a time. It was a bit nerve wracking watching others being interviewed. When it came to my turn I remained calm. The manager was very friendly and I felt I was chatting to him for ages. The restaurant/ bar is called the Bier Markt and they specialize in beer and have over 150 types. One of the questions was, do you drink beer? I said yes and smiled but I quickly explained how just because I am Irish doesn't mean I am an alcoholic, which went down very well as he laughed. The rest of the interview was good and he smiled throughout which put me at ease. He told me that they would let people know the following week but at 9 pm that night I got a phone call saying I got the job. I was delighted! Below is a picture of what it looks like from the outside.

Yesterday I went for an orientation where I learned more about my role and whats to come. I begin training tomorrow...eeek! In order to work in restaurants and bars in Toronto you need to have what is called a smart serve test completed before you can begin working there. Its an online exam and apparently it isn't that difficult so I will be doing that this week. Also in order to work in the Bier Markt I have to do another exam that can take up to SIX hours which a lot of people fail a certain section. If you fail more then 3 times you have to contact the manager and he logs you back

in, which is awks because he knows you have failed. So fingers crossed I pass first time. 

The job itself should be fine, I will be looking after reservations, greeting people, seating them etc. The money isn't great however I do get some tips so fingers crossed I'll be able to survive. Its something new and not childcare which is the change I want for the moment. It is also a 10 minute walk from my apartment so commutes to work in the winter should be okay. The down side is I will be working weekends and probably late at night so that will take getting use to but I am going to give it a chance and see what I think. So wish me luck on my new adventure. I'll keep ye posted!

Talk soon xx

Zita J