I am rubbish at my job

[muchtooshy]

and so scared about it. My probation period has been extended and I am really stressing.

I just don't seem to be good enough at anything. I really am trying and want to do well but it seems like it isn't enough and I keep getting picked up on things.

I am so scared as I can't afford not to have a job. I don't know what is holding me back from doing well but I need to fix it.

I don't know how to make changes that those above me can see. I feel like I am wrong all the time.

When asking for help do the 'i want to go with doing x or y in this scenario' and making it clear you are juggling your priorities. I say this as I apparently appear "too serene" and "laid back". Not at all my feeling, but I guess my "can do" act is too much.
Super efficient woman is probably a very skilled self promoter detailing every little thing she's done (making it sound exhausting) but without complaining.
I switched to, I am doing these (however many things right now, but i can do that before x?) Suddenly the team thought I was working hard (rather than saying "of course").
To be frank, in the situation i realised they probably were too out of touch with what i did and lost a lot of respect / faith in my colleagues. It was all about image rather than effort.

You 'need more urgency' - in a school? Its not like corporate life where you need sales figure in by close of play or someones spreadsheet isnt accurate so the presentation to client/big boss is fecked? Surely? I am an ex teacher now a PA so I do have some knowledge of both.

It sounds like unreasonable expectations and your own lack of confidence. If they want more urgency are they setting clear deadlines? Are you asking for deadlines when they give you tasks if deadelines arent given/are vague. Do you know the timescales for daily routine tasks? Have you asked the lady you work with for hints and tips - she should be flattered that you value her advice and would be good to get her on side as mentor/support. Feel free to PM me, years of office experience and know a good few confidence building strategies to cope with antagonistic/unhelpful managers and settling into a new job. Just because they are managers doesnt mean they know how to train or mentor new recruits.

There is some really good advice on here. I really hope it works out for you. But you mentioned a reference - if the worst does come to the worst, offer your resignation rather than let them dismiss you. They will be keen to accept it, as less hassle for them. Then your reference would say resigned rather than anything else. Sorry to talk about worst case scenario, but just trying to offer a practical option. I'm sure you can make it work though. Good luck!

Deep breaths today OP time to take control. Decide on your am priorities, registers, absence and dinner. Then plough through, keep track of how long and how many disturbances you get, 1st aid etc, then maybe email sbm and head /dep head asking about parent mail or teachers to parents as you've heard thsee are a great way to communicate with parents and will speed things up,

This afternoon spend some time planning your week thinking back over previous weeks and allocate activities to those sessions, ordrs Tuesday, uniform Wednesday, website Thursday and dont be pushed around when goven something to do, nothing is thst urgent it needs doing straight away, unless it involves a sick child.

Good luck today!

Just to wish you luck today

I have never felt like this in a job before but it is so stressful.

Thank you for the good luck! I mentioned to the SBM about having a weekly plan for uniform / orders etc but these things need to be done daily. I think she thought I was being lazy.

It is my first school job so I don't know if I just picked the wrong one or if I would be like this in every school.

I am pretty shy but I enjoy reception and get on well with parents/children and have built good relationships with the regulars.

She doesn't think your lazy she's just a bully! On average how much uniform do u sell on a daily basis, how many orders are you placing? We place orders on a weekly basis unless it's something that's been left to last minute And then we place order. Can you give me a run down of your day and how you are doing tasks and ill see if I can save you any time. You can just PM me if you'd rather not post it on here.

My first school job had a sbm like this and I hated every minute of it, and then she was off sick and suddenly I realised I loved the job but wasn't being allowed to do the job, but do whatever crap she didn't want to do. Why isn't super woman or sbm doing orders. This sounds bang out of order to me, FMS only likes one person to be responsible for orders etc as a way to control the financial inPut. Why isn't the one the sbm ?

I was thinking about how you were getting on today OP. I work in a primary school and although I usually work supporting SN children, one of my new roles is doing the dinner money/trip money/admin/banking (staff shortages ) each morning.

I see first hand how difficult it is for our clerical officer to do all the different jobs with constant interruptions. She has over time made changes to her routines to maximise efficiency and continues to do this as and when.

This is what you can do too. The person who had the job before you had their own routines that worked for them, they may not necessarily be right for the way YOU work. Just because things have always been done a certain way, doesn't mean they always have to.

I hope you got on ok today .

No, no, no! It is your responsibily to order the uniform in a way that works for you.

Surely if you order it bit by bit you are invoiced bit by bit or do the uniform company do the right thing and Colgate your orders weekly and send in one batch?

You are not being given the opportunity to own your role and take responsibility for it.

I'm angry on your behalf.

Make little changes and keep plugging at it. No one can take issue with you changing a solo role to make you more efficient as long as the changes work.

How are you feeling about it all?

I forgot to add. I went through a really tough time in my admin role and started keeping my to do lists as a diary (I was waking in the night to add to it )

I then used the list to work out where my time was going and what I could do about it. I now do holidays on a set day, payroll on a set day, uniform ordering, HR, letters etc etc instead of doing them when I was given them/on demand.

No one has said anything and my days are so much more organised in between the constant distributions and urgent matters.

I'm not school admin but it's along the same lines.

That's great advice, Dragon

How are you getting on?