Rant about my job - apparently I am 'slow' - WTF?!

[StellaBlue]

Okay - do I seem like I am 'slow' and 'incompetent' to you?

No, I didn't think so.

I am currently working in my hometown's bank. I just got back from living abroad for four years after a nasty break-up with my foreign partner forced me back here to Texas (stupid foreign immigration laws!). I am working in the bank for about 2-3 months to save up some money so I can move someplace much better.

Today, after work, which, by the way, on my second day of working unsupervised went perfectly, with no glitches, all adding up and balacing 100% at the end of the day, my supervisor says to me, 'We need to talk' and shuts the door. Uh-oh.

I have sensed for the past week or so that the two people who were training me were a bit ...frustrated. Frustrated that I hadn't immediately been able to do all the functions of a teller (I have been in proper training for three weeks and have never worked in a bank before, plus all the knowledge of banking I have comes from my four years living abroad on my own, and they have different terminology!). They are frustrated when they have to stay late ('late' being anything after 3:30pm - we work roughly 30 hours a week with full benefits) because my totals don't balance and we have to sort out the problem. They are frustrated when I ask them to come over and make sure I am doing a complicated or unusual transaction correctly. I know that they have been rolling their eyes behind my back and I suspected they had told the supervisor that I was frustrating them.

Now, from my side, both my trainers are a bit lackadaisical, and spend about 1/3 of their time either on a personal phone call, wandering around talking to other employees or the supervisor, having an unofficial taco break, etc. They also seemed annoying almost from the very beginning whenever I would ask for clarification or an explanation of WHY we did anything a certain way. One of them told me I was overanalyzing once (hands up - guilty - but the only way for me to be able to fully learn the processes is to understand them!).

Also, both my trainers, and especially the first one, are very defensive about procedures (many of which seem inefficient unecessarily confusing to me, but these are mostly IT issues and beyond our control) and also pretty short-tempered and almost deer-in-the-headlights about some issues that have come up. Case in point: one day, only like a week into my training, the guy I was working with sent me into the back room to microfilm the documents. I had done this before, so no problem. However, this time, one of the pieces of paper got jammed in the machine. Now, as I have never used one of these before and figured this was a routine problem, I went to get my trainer. He rushed into the back room with an air of exasperation, and raised the lid and started removing glass panels and stuff, and finally fished the thing out. I would not have done this at all, as I would be afraid I would put some little part of the machine back wrong and screw it up even worse, right? That was my logic. But he's just like, 'You could've just opened this yourself and gotten it out.' ??? But I didn't want to break the machine! They have an attitude like, 'Why should *I* know what to do?' - but he's been working in this same job for the last SIX years. Doesn't my response sound reasonable to you?

Anyway, according to my supervisor, it's just inexplicable that I am not fully functioning yet independently (like the LAST person that was trained, I might add, who also still has lots of questions and is rumored to be 'slow'). Apparently, I was supposed to have been shippied to our other branch starting Monday to cover someone's vacation, but she told them there was no way as I am 'progressing way to slowly' and if I 'can't handle it here, there is no way' I 'can handle the twice-as-fast pressure over there.' Ok-ay. This is by far the LEAST stressful job I have ever had, especially considering the hours and benefits.

Anyway, apparently there is also some 'tension' between me and the other tellers (news to me, except that I knew they were uspet at having to stay late when training me - but I blame them equally for my screw-ups - wouldn't have happened if they had not been off wandering around, munching on tacos, or if they had actually LISTENED to the questions I was asking about transactions and walked through them with me!).

I have never had any supervisor tell me anything like this before. I outscored everyone in my class on the SAT, including the math portion. I have two degrees, one which required me to write a 15,000-word paper including original research. I have lived in a foreign country for 4 years, and I have been to 13 others. My last job was as a construction planner for a large national residential company (like I said, abroad!). I got promoted up to that level within 14 months, and I started as a temp secretary, my salary going from about $20,000 a year to almost $40,000 with company car, bonus, etc. **Shrug**

How can I be 'slow' and 'incompetent' She said I was slow, but not directly that I was incompetent, only that I might be giving customers the impression that I was incompetent because I asked questions of other tellers in front of them.

Also, what should I do? I really just wanted to say, 'You know what, I don't even WANT to be working here, shove it!'. Instead I just nodded, simultaneously shocked and amused, and said, 'Okay, thank you' at the end. I did defend myself, however, saying that *I* was frustrated at the trainers' attitudes when the only reason I was asking questions is because, unlike them, I have not been a teller for like 10 years and didn't want to majorly screw up anyone's account due to my 'learner' status.

I was thinking I could either quit and just move away now with the $1000 cash I have (but I can't do that because my dad got me this job even though there are no openings at the bank because he is friends with the president - which is another problem, because now my dad will be embarassed if there are rumors that I am 'slow' - but on the up side, they can't really fire me! hahahaha); or I could go in tomorrow and tell my supervisor that, this was really unexpected and, after thinking about it at home, I had some comments; or I could go ahead and give them a resignation letter saying I am leaving on January 31, as per my plans, or I could even up that to December 31; or I could mail them a flaming file of dog poo; or I could accidentally give someone $50,000 in change tomorrow; or I could just be really, really slow and not speak to anyone unless spoken to (while I get along with everyone and they are nice people - or so I thought until this 'tension' thing came up; I don't really 'get' them, per se, as they are your typical small-town Texans, but...). Anyway, it wouldn't pain me to be there in body only all day.

If you got this far, thanks. I just had to vent.

[lovelaureng]

1. Don't sweat it too much.

Sometimes we just get to deal with morons in the world of work. Okay, actually all the time.

[Coventina]

2. Hugs.....it's so hard to be "new"

People conveniently forget what it was like to have to learn everything the first time, and think that newbies are stupid.

They are being jerks. That stinks.

:hug:

[obxhead]

3. Stick with it, save up some money,

then leave 'em with as little notice as possible.

Thats' what I would do.

[tjdee]

4. They told me that at McDonald's, if you can believe it.

I was in the middle of a master's degree, and working at the midnight shift at McDonald's (very long story).

The manager who called me in the back to tell me that spent most nights sleeping. He had worked at McD's a very long time, and showed me some bogus computer bullshit that "proved" that I was doing less business than they did last month.

I said "Um, could it be because it's just not as busy this month?"

He looked at me like I had two heads and said I took too long taking orders and getting the people's stuff. As if someone went "oh well, look at that long line. Let's go eat....somewhere else that's open at 3am".

:eyes:

Try not to sweat it.

[Syncronaut Seven]

5. Boils down to this, you're a threat.

Chances are your smarter than them, once you've master their skill set your directly competing for promotions/positions. They fear you. This is so typically American.

Doesn't matter your intent, they see you as a threat because that's what they've been conditioned to expect.

One more word of advice, keep your mouth shut, don't ask or say anything until your aware of the political power dynamics of your workplace. Otherwise you'll be eaten alive.

This is the current reality in the American workplace. Do not expect it to be magically better anywhere else. Learn the new paradigm, it's vicious, it's real, it'll hurt you.

[StellaBlue]

19. Not sure about the 'threat' theory

They all know I am a temp hire and that I am moving away in the New Year.

[Syncronaut Seven]

21. Bet on it! I use short statements to appeal on an emotional level

Logic, as a tool to navigate society no longer holds sway.

A significant number of Americans, particularly working class now respond primarily to fear, not logic.

You give them credit for logic, when they are in fact ruled by visceral fear. Do not make this mistake ofter, it could be costly.

You are a threat, not a menace, but a threat. Social systems like your work place have devolved to the point that one not involved in the group delusion can be trusted, you represent danger, to the very core of their lives.

My expressions are better articulated in post #9 and #11 by others.

[Lars39]

33. They may not believe that,

since your dad pulled strings to get you the job.
Or they may resent the fact because they know they're stuck there.:shrug:

[raccoon]

28. You said that right,

"One more word of advice, keep your mouth shut, don't ask or say anything until your aware of the political power dynamics of your workplace. Otherwise you'll be eaten alive."

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. Prove them wrong; be employee of the month.

:hug:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

16. Yup...This story reminds me of my first retail job.

I was 23. About a week or two after I was hired, the manager asked me out. I made up a story about having a boyfriend, and about a week later the manager started pressuring me to perform faster.

So I did. I gave him nothing to complain about.

I hung on to the position, and after about a year, got a raise. Then I took a summer away from the job to take a fellowship to play in an orchestra for conductors. When I came back, he'd put me back on starting pay (he never said that this would be the price of my taking off). So I stayed on for a couple of months, found a teaching position in a music store and quit. Without notice.

[WindRavenX]

7. People are idiots

It sounds like you're too smart for your job and you didn't get as much training as your other co-workers.

I would tell you not to sweat it, but I know you're not and you'll find something better soon :hug:

[SeattleGirl]

8. StellaBlue, sorry you are in such a frustrating situation.

My take on it is that there might be several things going on here: One is that if your dad helped get you this job because of his friendship with the bank president, there may be some resentment there on the part of your coworkers. If you are doing your best to learn (and it sounds like you are), then the problem is theirs, not yours (though admittedly, they may be "punishing" you.)

The second thing is they may not want to be in the position of having to train you. They may resent it, and thus, it shows in their interaction with you. It's not that you are "slow"; it's that they don't have the patience to teach you what you need to know.

Third, and this ties in with the second thing, they may just flat out not be good trainers. There are many people in the world who may have a very thorough knowledge of a particular job, but who suck big time in training others to do it.

When I used to train people in the industry I work in, I loved it, and it made me a better trainer. I always took time to explain to people what needed to be done, and why. And I always told them -- and I meant it -- that if they needed to ask me the same thing 20 times, to go ahead, and I would answer them 20 times if necessary, because it was important to me that they understood things.

Well, I hope you can get out of this situation soon, and move on, like you want to do.

Oh, and another thing I used to tell people -- I am a big fan of ranting, if it helps get frustration out so you can clear your mind to go back to the job at hand. So Stella, please rant anytime. I've got two ears!! :hug:

[StellaBlue]

17. Thanks!

To clarify: EVERYONE at this particular bank got their job because of someone they know. Small town in the South, remember.

[gardenista]

9. Let's start with the fact that you're better educated and have travelled

the globe. That is one notch against you in this environment.

Next, let's consider that fact that you question their systems and are analytical rather than just being the drone they want you to be.

Then, let's get real about the fact that this is just a stopgap job for you and everyone probably knows it.

Finally, the fact tha your dad got you the gig when they weren't hiring probably has those little toadies completely resentful of you.

Just try to rise above because you need the job right now. Try to get really good at it, just to piss them off. Try to master this gig, because, frankly, you know you're smart enough to do this, you don't really need to understand the big picture because you are not planning to advance, and try to do it all with a smile. Don't bother to complain about the losers who have done a half-assed job of training you. They are there for life, and the manager knows it and is perfectly happy to give them their little freedoms because they are good cogs in the machine.

You don't fit in. That's good. Just try to do your best, and in the end, give them 2 week's notice.

In a year you will have forgotten those people's names.

[hfojvt]

31. that sounds so elitist

Just try to pi$$ those losers off and then forget about them. Just a bunch of working class drones, they are. Not part of the edumacated globe-trotting jet set.

[gardenista]

35. What do you suggest, then?

Should she try to fit in and get along?

[faithnotgreed]

10. i did get this far

since you said you only responded with okay & thank you
did you consider asking the supervisor what exactly they would like you to do differently

as i see it from what you lay out here -
* things arent communicated clearly to you
* you are working there only temporarily
* your father got you the job and though i dont know what that entails or your relationship with him i am guessing you appreciate the situation
* and you are certainly capable of doing most any job incl this one
* your trainers may not care as much about doing a good job as you do

so
i would ask the supervisor how they would like you to handle x situation (as you described here you have a few to choose from)
and let that person explain what you may have done wrong and how they want you to approach it the next time

you can certainly explain that you care about doing a good job and just wanted to understand what is expected or hoped for and then just go from there based on what they say

as i see it you are only there temporarily and the money/hours doesnt sound like a bad gig as long as you are ok with working on their terms for this short haul

communication
it almost always goes back to communication (and approaching it with the mindset of humility as well as "this is all just temporary" doesnt hurt either)

best wishes

[MidwestMomma]

11. Your assimilation into the Borg is not going as planned

That's what this is all about.

You are new, you are different and it's like the Invasion of the Body Snatchers where all the pod people recognize and seek to destroy those that are not with them. :)

Seriously, based on my years working, be assured this has nothing to do with your competence and everything to do with your coworkers. (Coworkers, yeah right....fellow inmates more like it.)

You say you ask questions? You have been out of the American workforce for too long. In America today, it's better to do something wrong, repeatedly, then to ask a question. Remember when they use to say, "There's no such thing as a dumb question"? Forgot about it!! You are better off guessing how to do something then to ask a question these days.

Questions make people uneasy. Questions demand an answer and nine times out of ten, the person you're asking might not know the answer. Or they're worried that one day you'll ask something they don't know.

Also, questions make people wonder....they think, hey, I never thought of that...crap, maybe this person is smarter then me and someday will try to steal my crap job!

In the work world today it is more dog eat dog then ever before. People tend not to welcome new workers into the hive as potential allies and friends but rather see them as African killer bees...a threat to the hive and all the weaker worker bees.

And management...they eat it up. Cause they know as long as nobody is getting along or trusting one another, they'll never get together long enough to figure out what a f-upped job they do at managing.

My advice? If you need this job for now, then quit worrying about learning the mechanics of the job and concentrate on the mechanics of your coworkers. I would say 90% of succeeding in any job these days is finding your place in the coworker hierachy. For now, keep a low profile and try to stay under the radar.

Make small talk, bring in cookies. You never know.

And hope like hell they somebody newer than you starts soon so you're no longer the 'new employee'. Cheers!

[StellaBlue]

12. THANKS!

You have all made me feel better!!!

I am now going to drink a whole bottle of Turning Leaf that's been in my fridge for like three months.

[Guaranteed]

13. See, this is why you have to be charming.

If you don't want people to take the slightest little weakness and exaggerate it into this massive personality defect, you have to entertain them. That's why people are around, in most people's minds- for the entertainment value. Do that, and they won't care if you steal money straight from the drawer.

A good, charming co-worker is just like having a TV at work.

[flvegan]

14. Hang in there. When you're the manager, which you likely will be

in no time due to their obvious moronic dipshittedness, you can change the training rules.

Of course, it'd be fun to just reach in your drawer, grab a quarter, turn, hand it to said ignoramus, and tell them to go buy a new attitude.

[Fleshdancer]

15. just because someone has been there for 10 years....

does not mean that they have the competence to train others. Your situation sounds infuriating.

Here is what I would do. First, try your hardest to take the emotion out of the situation. The complaints about you don't seem to be personal if they had the same complaints about the new employee before you. It sounds like the idiots are annoyed at being told to train someone else and they're taking it out on you instead of having the balls to tell their boss they can't properly train you.

Go in there tomorrow and present your side of the story. Explain to the supervisor that competence is your first priority and speed is your second priority. Then say "if you think my priorities are not in the right order, then by all means, let me know right now."

I would also acknowledge right then and there the attitude of the other employees. I would say something like "I'm aware of the juvenile eye rolls behind my back when I ask a question and I am aware that making yet another taco run or chatting with buddies on the phone is far more exciting than training a new employee, but I can not in good conscience allow this organization to half heartedly train me and then question my competence as if I were indeed adequately trained. It isn't fair to this bank and it isn't fair to me."

If you decide to stay, then you're going to have to let your co-workers know that you will not tolerate their disrespect. Gritching at you for not automatically knowing how to clear out a jam in a microfilm machine or rolling their eyes behind your back is completely unacceptable. Stick up for yourself...especially if you don't see this as a long term opportunity. You don't have to be a complete bitch or anything, but call them on their behavior and they'll most likely stop. If someone gives you crap when you ask a question simply respond by saying "if you lack the capabilities to train a new employee then you should let the boss know instead of taking it out on the new guy."

And if you have a question but someone is on the phone or eating then wing it. If you make a mistake, let the boss know that you needed help but Bob was not available to you. The boss will most likely want to know why. (ok, so this tactic is bitchy, but the truth is the truth)

[chaska]

18. Well, maybe you are slow....

I'm smarter than your average bear myself, but I'm slow. I'm a dreamer, a thinker, a questioner (it's a Democrat thing). Most people aren't these things. They are cut out for fitting round pegs to the proper round holes. This ain't you.

No advice, I'm afraid, apart from get out as soon as you can. It's just not your niche.

[LSK]

20. well if they cant fire you, stand around and eat tacos

Stick it out a little and save more money. $1000 is a little small nest egg to move with.

[StellaBlue]

22. Maybe I should slap one of these on my car... in the bank parking lot...

[StellaBlue]

23. UPDATE

Today our computers were down until like 11:30am, meaning we had to just do handwritten receipts for the people, give them their money or whatever, and then accumulate a large pile of paperwork to be sorted through when the computers were back up, when we could actually put the transactions through.

Despite this, I balanced perfectly and got out of there a mere 15 minutes after we closed (30 minutes are the standard time assumed by payroll), while the others were still counting. muhahahaha

Too bad our supervisor was in a meeting and missed all this. Along with how I was the only person at the front desk on several occasions and the other girls spent virtually the entire morning hovered over one desk at the side, looking at Christmas catalogs (:puke:), with all the customers coming to ME, as I was the only person sitting there, smiling, waiting to serve them.

Anyway... can't wait to get out of here!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks again for the messages... I read them again this morning and they made me feel inVINcible!!!!!!!

haha

[gardenista]

24. You rule!

Glad it went so well today.

Show up their lazy asses any chance you get!

[radwriter0555]

25. You should try those tacos, see how good they are...

And bring in some cookies for a snack to share.

It sounds like a good job, and might be worth trying to fit in with the other personalities. Make a friend or something.

[StellaBlue]

26. You haven't met these people.

They spend their time (at work!) looking at Victoria's Secret catalogs (they order a new sweater or boots or something like once a week), going out to buy cakes or snacks, teasing their hair and applying huge amounts of hairspray, gossiping, discussing what their church group is doing this weekend, comparing cosmetics, and talking about what 'new' Christmas decorations they are going to buy this year.

I tend to talk about what was on Washington Journal this morning, travel, good books I've read, etc.

There really isn't much common ground, and I am not much for small talk.

I have tried my best to 'fit in' and be friendly and have not revealed my socialist/atheist/artistic tendencies whatsoever. I know they assume I am a good, churchgoing W-supporter.

Plus, I am leaving within two short months and moving 500 miles away. (yipeeee!)

I think the best bet is to be friendly and dependable, but keep my head down and just do my work... like I said, basically, be there in body only.

[cfield]

29. As a teller supervisor in a snotty college town in Kansas,

it sounds to me like you're doing a great job! You've got a good attitude, you're only there for a couple months and you're still giving 100%; and the fact that you're able to do your job and just keep your head down and ignore your snotty coworkers is a good thing. You'll make it, and when you leave, it sounds like the bank will be losing a great employee. Keep up the good work, and even if they refuse to recognize your efforts, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you did your best and moved on while they're doing half-ass work and will be stuck there for years to come.

Keep on!!

And if you ever land in Kansas, look me up, we have a shortage of quality workers here.

[radwriter0555]

30. Aww you need to lighten up... you could be around uber religious back

stabbing evil, gossiping, lying, cheating bitches who are out to destroy you...

Might as well make the best of it, really.

[July]

27. From what you've said, you've balanced perfectly for 3 days.

So, where's the beef? They have no real cause to complain, and I hope you will point out how well you're doing the next time you get any criticism.

And yes, I've worked as a teller, so I know how easy it is to fail to balance on your first try (just like balancing a checkbook). If you're out in 15 minutes, you're probably doing better than the other tellers did in their first few weeks.

[hobo_baggins]

32. I had a similar problem a while ago

it was my first job ever, working at a coffee shop, and I had been there about 3 months, when I was told I was being put on probation because I was too slow, and didn't have any people skills.

Well I didn't change a damn thing because I knew I wasn't doing anything wrong, and next thing I know, I get a report saying I made a 100% improvement. Go figure. Sometimes people just like to pick on others I think.

[pitohui]

34. just do your best

first off, yeah, you can have great SATs and be really slow at learning unfamiliar new procedures, this is why many smart people have a hard time learning new software

since you are leaving on jan. 31 anyway, and you think they can't really fire you, i'd ignore the so-called "tension" (esp. since you didn't really notice it until it was spelled out to you) and let them roll their eyes all they like while you put in what hours you can to get the money you need

i don't see the point of getting into a big hoo-hah and giving the supervisor a lot of comments abt a job you plan to leave on jan. 31

just let it roll off -- "it wouldn't pain me to be there in body only all day" -- hey, lots of people are retired in place and yet the world continues to spin on your axis

so i vote for this option, sure, do your best, but don't kick yrself for not being Ms. Bank Teller of the Year, not like it's going to be yr permanent career or anything anyway. i say get the cash and don't worry abt it

if you do get fired, there are plenty of other xmas jobs opening up, so just don't be too tense

[StellaBlue]

36. Again today

Balanced, out of there after 15 minutes. Everyone else still there. This is the first week I have been working independently, and lookee! -no problems!

Also, fess up... who the hell nominated this and why the fuck did you do it?