A doer, not a fighter

This is not a strong training environment.

I have been here for almost two weeks and still don't know what I'm doing.

No, it's more than that. I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing.

The software system itself is very easy to use. I have no doubt that if I did understand exactly how this job works I would have no trouble at all performing to expectations.

It is, on the very surface, a simple job: Make sure the numbers they have match the numbers we have.

Just below the surface, however, there lies a good deal of poorly-designed spreadsheets, client interfaces, and what I am now tempted to call "a seeming black hole of effective training programs and staff."

I have sat with other team members and watched them do the job. It was boring (you may recall I fell asleep once (twice?)), and uninformative. I have actually done parts of the job with team members looking over my shoulder. Specifically, I have booked buys, sells, and options.

These tasks are executable ones. Each has a specific screen assigned on the system, each will accept only specific inputs. I have no trouble executing tasks.

I have even done the job. These last two days I have had a fund of my very own on my desk, I have tied it out, doing my best to wade through the confusion, muddled processing tips, and nonexistent training, support, and feedback, and finished the fund.

And I still don't know what I'm supposed to be doing.

I've been here almost two weeks and I do not know any more about this job than I did two and a half weeks ago. But the real kicker is this: No one seems to care.

I've heard some people describe me as a laid back guy. They're wrong. I'm not laid back (though I may be lazy). I like action, I thrive on responsibility, pressure, and deadlines. Balancing mutual funds may not (does not) matter in the great scheme of things, but not even caring about balancing mutual funds matters less. I may have hated my old job (I still hate my old job) but at least there I was doing something.

Not here. Here we're doing nothing. No deadlines, no pressure. I don't know what's going on and that's O.K. with them.

It's not O.K. with me. If things don't change around I'm leaving. I'm a doer. I want to do.

The busiest part of my day should not be eating four slices of pizza for lunch.

What I find most confusing is that that is the part of the day I understand the best.
-t