Struggling to settle into a new role

jaydeeuk1

One of my new starters who was a lot older than other staff in her area bought a giant box of biscuits in. The girls were soon hovering snaffling them up, and they all got to talk to each other and she seems to be fitting in ok now. My side of the office we have a dart board, TV and console, beers, also helps staff chat, exchange ideas, take a break etc.

richdeniro

katsu wrote: »

If you are there to support the sales team can you try and get moved to their floor? Say you want to maximise the help to them. Go talk to them as much as poss. Be interested in what they are doing and look to build daily contact with them?

Hth. Good luck in what ever you decide to do.

Thanks for the replies guys.

Yep I have suggested it and my boss even said it was supposed to happen but at the moment there is no sign of it forthcoming. It is in the one ray of light that is keeping me sane and the reason I haven't walked already.

I guess with her being in America it means the bureaucracy and logistics of making these things happen is extremely slow. I even asked her if I should reach out to the sales team leader about getting a desk sorted for myself down there but she said definitely not to do that but didn't give a reason why - some kind of history/office politics maybe?

The Finance Manager who manages the floor that I am on doesn't give a damn about me, he has said in the friendliest way possible that he wants me moved downstairs and the whole desk move was down to him. I don't blame him for putting me on the spare desks as I am not part of his department at all and he's kind of been lumbered with me but it's so depressing walking in every morning to a completely empty batch of desks.

It's another thing that's hard to adjust with working for a big company - having a set desk with a big desktop computer. At the startup I had a laptop and could go and sit pretty much anywhere within reason.

I've been applying for other jobs tonight, the realisation that until my probation ends I only have to give a weeks notice so going to see if I can maybe land something else.

getmore4less

re the people you re working with/for

You may not have a desk yet, but you can still visit a lot.

RuthnJasper

getmore4less wrote: »

re the people you re working with/for

You may not have a desk yet, but you can still visit a lot.

... and take some cake!

Slinky

I had a similar situation once doing sales support for a sales team that were all out on the road. My desk faced into the corner junction of two corridors outside the sales managers' offices. Nobody would ever stop to talk to me as they went by due to the position of the management offices. I had my back to the marketing department who did their own thing. The two neighbouring desks were empty. It was a very lonely existence for the 3 months I was there and was a contributory factor (along with one of the managers being extremely difficult to work for) that I jumped at the opportunity to move back to a temp job I'd had previously.

I think you need to make your manager in the US aware that you're happy doing your job but you'd be happier if you could move alongside the relevant team. Otherwise it's all too tempting to find something else.

richdeniro

Slinky wrote: »

I had a similar situation once doing sales support for a sales team that were all out on the road. My desk faced into the corner junction of two corridors outside the sales managers' offices. Nobody would ever stop to talk to me as they went by due to the position of the management offices. I had my back to the marketing department who did their own thing. The two neighbouring desks were empty. It was a very lonely existence for the 3 months I was there and was a contributory factor (along with one of the managers being extremely difficult to work for) that I jumped at the opportunity to move back to a temp job I'd had previously.

I think you need to make your manager in the US aware that you're happy doing your job but you'd be happier if you could move alongside the relevant team. Otherwise it's all too tempting to find something else.

I think another thing that really gets to me is just having no one to talk to allows the general 'work anxiety' and negative thoughts to build up.

Like in my old job you'd say hello to people, chat about the weekend, have a laugh, etc. If needs be have a moan about the job and company as people do.

But here because it is such a lonesome existence I end up ruminating about everything and by the time lunchtime comes my anxiety levels have built up to unhealthy levels.

WobblyDog

I tend to feel a bit like this when I join a new company, it generally takes me about a year to settle in. Provided the company is happy with my work, and the pay is good, I don't worry about it much these days.

Sometimes the atmosphere in the office can change unexpectedly for the better, like when the desks are re-arranged or someone new joins who can act as social glue.

richdeniro

I have managed to get a interview for another job on Monday which I think the work environment will be much better for me.

I am sure they will ask why I want to leave my current role having only been there for 3 months. What would be a good answer for this?

Own_Worst_Enermy

Temporary contract - because aren't all jobs really in the first 2 years??

Honestly if it were I, I'd admit to not realising the impact of a big company environment somehow, especially if you are going back to smaller?

I recently used 'night worker' not suiting, not so much of a lie still hopefully it saved me some embarrassment, when they thought 'dopey night worker obviously just off shift' when I then proceed to get my words back to front so one thing learnt or I recommend is definitely practising out loud beforehand if any feeling of un surety how it is going to be taken - the worst is I was last in so I think they expected me to be spectacular, not sure I cut it, though I also tried offering myself on a day's trial through the cringes.
Same boat not in job long. Just mild frustration whilst really your thread and troubles should keep me in check.
Good luck with interview

richdeniro

Can I say temporary contract? Wouldn't they ask my current employer for a reference and then find out then?