1 month in new job and struggling

[ejacks89]

Hello,

I recently changed jobs from working in retail management for a luxury global brand in a big city to working as a receptionist for a local dental practise that is nhs/private mixed with 9 surgeries. I work full time and I’m also mum to a 1 year old and 2.5 year old. I returned to work from my second maternity leave in September 23 and I was only in work for 6 months after my first baby before I went back on maternity leave with my second.

At first I put it down to being new and new job nerves etc however it’s been over a month now and I feel anxious most days; in particular in days that I have made mistakes and these mistakes have been brought to my attention. Obviously I’m happy to be given and understand that if a mistake is made I need to know to be able to learn and improve etc however it’s getting to the point where I’m letting it effect my self esteem and not enjoying being there as a result.

For example today, there was a busy period post lunch and with several patients to check in or book appointments for and there seemed to be one receptionist leaving every so often (there are 3 of us in total atm, there should be 4 once fully recruited). Anyway as I was taking payment from a patient one of the receptionists queried if I had checked someone in as the dentist was ready for them. She phoned the patient who was sat upstairs in another waiting room and aid she was here. Turns out her routine appointment had been changed to an implant consultation with a different dentist who wasn’t even in today. I had previously booked someone in for an implant consultation on a different week so I could have accidentally done this someone how without realising as it had been super busy. It just annoyed me that the receptionist automatically assumed it was me and then laughed about it to another dentist all whilst I was in the middle of dealing with another patient.

later on I asked the receptionist about it as I honestly couldn’t understand how I had done that if it was me and she said ‘I feel like only you would do something like that’ and ‘god knows mate, you must have a special talent’.

i’ve felt like crying most of the day as I’ve been feeling super anxious and then that didn’t help either. Luckily I held it in until I got home and then had a cry whilst in the basement sorting some laundry. Honestly don’t know what is wrong with me atm however my mental health is not great.

I don’t know if I’m just being overly sensitive, give it a bit more time and see if things improve, if I need to quietly start looking for a new job or if I need to go to the doctors (I’ve suffered with depression/anxiety in the past).

One month isn't very long to get used to a new job, especially not something as busy and demanding as reception work.

Your colleague isn't being very supportive. If you make a mistake, you need to look at why you made it and ask for help, if needed, not to make the mistake again. E.g. if the booking system is hard to navigate, can you get some more training time on it in a quieter period.

But a month is too soon to give up because you're making mistakes.

I think it is the nature of the job in those places (strikes me doctors, dentists desks both same) try not to take it to heart and maybe stick around to see if it changes when another new person comes along for them to intimidate/upset just as much.

I was fortunate I could easily give up the part-time GP receptionist job to go back to full-time work, even temporarily just to get me away from somewhere I couldn’t shake off that I didn’t belong and most probably was making mistakes on calls but when you are stuck back to back taking calls you have to not dwell. I just went with my gut, especially after dreaming that I should go and ask old employer for job back and found myself asking why are these roles such revolving doors. Honestly I now couldn’t think of anything worse then being a medical receptionist. Not sure what I was thinking of when I spent 6 months trying to get into that very role.

Even today I learnt something new and I’ve been in the role I returned to now for a grand 4 months nearly. I’ll add that to the memory bank for next time definitely.