Nothing to do at work - feel so awkward

[jakarta]

I recently started a new job (roughly a month ago), it’s my first ever ‘corporate’ job as before I’d only worked in retail so has felt like a big change for me

(I work in marketing if it’s relevant)

In my previous retail role, I worked in the stockroom and my manager/colleagues would tell me exactly what to do (which I preferred... I really don’t mind repetitive boring tasks as long as they tell me what to do! Unpredictability really stresses me out)

Now since starting I’ve been shown how to use all the relevant software for my role, but there are plenty of days where I go in to work with nothing to do! For example, today I get to work, brief greeting to the rest of my team, only to find no emails and my manager has not asked a thing of me. So I spend most of the day trying to look busy, when really I’m dying in the inside, I feel so stupid and worthless. Now as this happened quite many times, I had previously braved going up to my manager and asking “Hi _ sorry to bother you, I was just wondering if there was anything you’d like me to work on for you as I don’t have much going on atm”
^at the time, I feel like my manager almost made up the vague task just so it could occupy me, I really didn’t feel like it was necessary but at least I was told what to do (it involved going through the company’s website and thinking of improvements... he never asked for my thoughts afterwards)

I should also confess I have a history of severe social anxiety. I’m not sure what the correct work etiquette is when you have nothing to do - don’t want to annoy/bother my manager as he is more senior and seems to be busy a lot. Plus I had applied to a lot of jobs before being offered this one, and I remember when doing those situational based judgement tests I got the feeling many companies didn’t seem to like it if you kept rushing off to your manager for every inconvenience

I have obviously been ordered to complete some work tasks since starting, but they have always been extremely simple e.g. updating products/info on the company website and sending work for approval.

I guess there’s nothing wrong with having simple tasks but when you’re only given one, or if really lucky two for the whole day - which I could probably finish in an hour, I feel so awkward. It seems everyone around has ‘stuff’ to do but I don’t, I don’t know why they bothered hiring me tbh.
I always take my time with these simple tasks because I know I won’t have anything else to do for a while.
It sounds ridiculous but pretending to work is honestly more exhausting than actually having to work in my experience

Back in my retail days, I’d always have something to do for the whole day, and it made sense why I was there

How’s it going OP

Sounds deathly I'd look for another job . Life is too short.

Do you have a job description? If not, ask for one.
You also need to bite the bullet and talk to your team. I'm not saying this lightly because I also have social anxiety. I used to fake being outgoing at work and it has just become second nature. When I mention to people that outside the office I'm really introverted, they don't believe me.
Find out more about what your team is doing.

God I feel your pain , I also had a job like that it is soul destroying.
It only got better because my manager went on maternity leave so I took over a lot of her tasks which I enjoyed. I left when she came back because I couldn't cope with the boredom any longer . My advice trust your instinct, I knew on the first day I stayed nearly 3 years only cause the pay was good .
Give it a few weeks but in the meantime get your cv ready and search for jobs .

I see you’ve already emailed your report, but you could also go to www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-gb/feature/testmysite/ and compare your site speed against your competitors. Site speed can make a huge difference, especially on mobile.

I've moved into marketing to coming from a job that was beyond busy and we dont have much to do, it's a new world to me and seems a lot of talking and not a lot of doing and wasting time?

I do think if all these jobs were scraped were people didnt really have anything to do or did pointless jobs then half the country would be unemployed 🤣

I actually disagree with all the mealy mouthed comments people suggest like 'hi I have capacity for more work' = that is the sort of thing I might advise someone on work experience to say.

Ditto a vague comment like 'have a look at our website' - they don't genuinely value Ops views on their website which presumably they paid a professional to design - that is 'busy work' - given to get her off someones back - yes they might be interested if she thought of anything but it's not a job they 'need' or actually want someone to do properly.

This is a complete mismatch between job offered and the reality that OP is going through.

OP - this is a lesson in assertiveness. Ask for a meeting with your manager and be honest. YOu aren't the work experience girl, you are a professional who could be working somewhere else - don't let your lack of experience get you down here - you only get one life!

If they aren't able to change this you need to move on.

Are you doing the tasks outlined in your job description?

In my experience a lot of office jobs (outside of managerial/senior roles) have regular quiet periods.