The Things You Learn

Today is my very last day at the company I've worked for since August. It's the shortest amount of time I've ever spent at a job, other than my short stint at BB & B - If you're known as the clumsiest person most people know, don't try to work there. Climbing ladders is a condition of employment. I've always considered myself a very loyal person, so I wasn't surprised when I woke up this morning feeling a bit guilty about all of my responsibilities that I have to hand back over to my boss, and to my bosses boss. They aren't replacing my role, it's just not an option at this time.

However, in the short nine months that I've been here I've learned a lot about a little, and pretty much nothing about the industry. It is what it is, and I'm super excited to be moving on to a company where education, training, and personal growth are just three of the virtues that they insist upon their employees.

This morning while I was getting ready (between 7:45 and 8:30, supposed to be in the office at 8am - whoops!) I was thinking of all the things that I have learned here, and how I can use these lessons as I move forward. I spent some time comparing my previous company, full of twenty-something hopefuls who work their butts off for a little bit of pay and respect, and my current company full of, well, not-so-twenty-somethings full of people who have put their time in and are still working their butts off for a little bit of pay and some respect. I decided to put together a list of the things I learned, and I hope it's something I come back to in the future to reflect on.

• You never know how much you are appreciated until you put your notice in.
• If there are stinky smells coming up from your sink, it's because you need to either a) run water down the drain to get the water that's stuck in the trap to go down or b) you need to clean food out of the trap. The trap is the part where your pipes bend, which leaves a little section where water and food like to sit.
• Things are not the way they used to be, and they probably never will be again. Fifteen years ago, working as an Admin was a good job. You could become a millionairee just by putting your time in and buying stock in the company.
• The Golden Rule is still relevant.
• Women in their twentiess are way more supportive of each other than women in their forties and fifties. I like to believe that it's not the same everywhere, but at my old company women showed each ten fold more support than I've seen in the last nine months.
• Don't speculate. It's annoying to hear what people think is going to happen. 90% of the time, it never does.
• There are about twenty-five different coffee vendors in the greater Indianapolis area. If you ever become a coffee sales person, you'll be picked more often than not by the samples that you bring and if you follow up. Ain't nobody got time to follow up with a coffee vendor.
• Sames goes with vending machines. I know way more about the coffee and vending business than I care to know.
• Instead of men putting air in the company car's tires, they'll come back and tell you that the tire pressure light is on.
• No matter the industry or the office environment, there will always be that one person who you just know is a pot head because they have the best stories. And they tell you them over and over and over.
• No matter how bad it gets, or how many jobs you don't get - never, ever, stop believing.
• People 35+ do not know how to effectively use Outlook. Teach them. You will make their life better and isn't that a goal as a human being?
• Leave a small bottle of Static Guard in your desk at all times. You'll avoid a super embarrassing walk down an aisle of professionals with your dress sticking so tightly to your body that they can see every bump.
• You're never too small or too big to do any job. Be where they need you to be.
• Someone put their notice in at the same time as I did. Let's just say there's a right way and a wrong way to let your boss know that you're leaving. Don't burn a bridge, you never know where or when you'll see them again.
• Layoffs are everywhere, and still happening. Don't fool yourself.
• And lastly, if you aren't happy, recognize that before you end of sitting in a room answering phones for thirteen years. It's a death sentence.

I'm sure there's lots more, but you get the gist.

I'm going to spend the rest of the day finishing things up, visiting the sinkhole (what the ?! - here's your sign) that opened up last evening within steps of my office, and saying farewell!