Okay, some of you may have noticed in my profile that I have listed "Office Goddess" as my occupation. The reason why I did that was because there wasn't room to write "secretary/bookkeeper/receptionist/technology coordinator/lab technician/digital photo specialist/research assistant/shipping coordinator/appointment setter/filing clerk/custodian" in the little box provided by blogspot.
So what exactly does that all mean in the grand scheme of things at work? I work for a metallurgical engineering firm in San Antonio, about three or four blocks from Jamie's school. The firm conducts failure analyses and chemical composition testing for the military, aerospace corporations, automotive industry, petrochemical corporations, television news investigative reports, law firms, and your average joe who wants to know why something that was supposed to work didn't (or if something is really made out of what it's supposed to be made of). I support three engineers - but that's all of the firm, pretty much. I'm one of SIX employees, and two of them are part-timers working their way through college!
It is my job to: log in and generate job numbers for new projects, type the engineers' handwritten reports, format and create any photoillustrations for said report, answer the phones, log expenses and properly invoice our clients, prepare bills to be paid, make contact with clients when payments are past due, greet clients as they come through the door, prepare samples for shipment and testing (if going to an outside lab), prepare reports from chemical analysis results of outside labs, keep all files in order, research metals specifications as needed, keep the office clean (yes, sweeping, mopping, dusting, etc), keep track of all engineers' schedules, trouble-shoot technology issues as they arise (whether I'm qualified to or not!), track all shipments to ensure on-time delivery, run errands, keep supplies well-stocked (drinks, consumables, chemicals, etc.), keep track of all routine paperwork and ensure is filed in a timely manner, and generally to know everything that is happening in the office at all times. So, as you can tell, I have just a few responsibilities at work. Oh, and I've also started a project at work where I'm converting their paper, handwritten job index to an Access database. So, as you can see, I don't really do much! LOL.
But I'm not complaining. I'm grateful to have a job, and to work with such nice people (okay, so one of them isn't nice, but he isn't directly my boss, so I can deal with him). I'm also grateful that I have benefits and am so close to Jamie's school! It's funny how all the seemingly unrelated jobs I've held over the years all directly tie in to what I'm doing now, though. I've been a radio station receptionist, a babysitter, a reporter/photographer for a newspaper, a photoillustrator and copywriter for a realtor, an automotive industry buyer, a warehouse stocker, an automotive industry line worker, an accounts receivable clerk, a construction industry secretary and a Mom. God knew I would need those skills to be equipped to handle this job!I have thanked God many times for the opportunities he has created for me! (I especially have to use my babysitting and "mommy" skills when I deal with one person there! LOL - just kidding... maybe)
Stinkbumps the Wonder Boy: The rants, ravings and ramblings of a lunatic, overachieving single mom.
3 comments:
WOW, but you have a lot of skills. I've spent my professional training almost exclusively in music (though I could probably get a job in labor union organizing if one presented itself), and though I have a variety of skills within that field, I feel like I have really narrowed my options by doing so. You go, girl.
susan, you could do about anything you wanted, with just a little training. your dad and i were talking about that once. i told hiim you once said you wanted to be an electrical engineer (I think he said that's what joseph is), and he said you would've been a great one. anyway, i think you could do anything, same as jennifer
Thank you both! I think I've done all these things because I had to just to feed Jamie. Of course, there are several jobs I've held that are NOT listed - some jobs I'm not too proud that I've had, but I had to do something to keep a roof over our heads. So in my case, necessity is the mother of all job skills. LOL.
And Ann's right, you could do anything you set your mind too. Ann could too. 'Cause we're "modern wimmins" and can do anything. LOL
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