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Not settling into job with a relatively long training period

I started a job just over two months ago where I was advised my training would take around 4 months (but this was by no means a certainty). However, there seems to be no long-term training plan and my week's training activities are just explained to me each Monday. It all feels quite disjointed. In addition, I often have to complete tasks on my own that I am not authorised to do (as there is no-one free to help me or train me). I really don't understand what my exact role will be once my training is complete and I don't feel settled in the slightest.

My co-workers are nice but I think everyone forgets how much little experience I have as I get the feeling that I am irritating them with questions - I have actually been told by someone to stop asking so many questions, but when I am being left on my own all the time I want to be sure I don't do something wrong when I am in such a situation!

On top of it all I'm not actually enjoying the tasks I currently do very much. At the moment I feel quite down about this job and all I tell myself all day is "just hang in there for 12 months" :frown:

Has anyone else on here been in a similar situation at some point? Would love to hear from you and whether things improved :smile:

Reply 1

wanderlust.xx

I can't say much because I've been in my current role for only two months too, although I worked somewhere else for 6 months and felt utterly miserable. It can be tough when you're new to a job, alone with little training, in an unfamiliar environment, constantly feeling like you're being assessed and with nobody to talk to. All I can say is hang in there!

It is often said that it takes a minimum of 90 days to settle into a new role, regardless of experience - this includes senior managers who have worked in the same role for years. For most, 6 months is the only suitable amount of time before you can judge an employee's calibre. I know this now, of course, but my previous manager sat me down after a month and a half and actually said, "are you sure this career is right for you?" Of course, hearing something like that is utterly heartbreaking, but I persevered for the sake of my probation period and for future employers, and fought through my first six months, then decided to leave and find a place with a nicer environment. Luckily with some hard work and a few months of hardship, I did - and while I'm not out of the water, from what I've learned, it takes fresh grads around 6 months to a year to really feel like a secure employee.

Unfortunately university is quite simple for the most part; usually you have two or three terms of lectures, which are fixed in length. They're actually quite high level and don't really go into much depth because lecturers just don't have the time. This means that the work is comparatively easier, the learning curve a little shallower and the subjects less intricate than that of an actual job somewhere. That said, it just takes adjustment, and unfortunately there won't be a single lightbulb moment, but many of these moments (you'll have them, trust me) that lead to the future version of you at the 6 month mark that knows way more than before. The only way to really get there is trust that you will, and remember that all human beings have a natural capacity to learn and adapt when life requires it.

As per your last sentence, as I mentioned earlier, I can definitely say that I still don't feel like I'm learning, despite being 2 months into this new role and 6 months of somewhat similar experience somewhere else. Sometimes it's frightening, and often I feel like I'm not smart enough or I'm not picking concepts up quickly enough, but only time will tell. I have a meeting next week with my manager to discuss my performance plan (mandatory for all employees) and right now I'm dreading it since I'm behind on my work. However, nobody has said anything negative (other than me, to myself, incredibly often) so I've just made a commitment to stick it out for another 4 months and see how much I can learn.

Reply 2

Where'sPerry?

Original post by wanderlust.xx

-snip-

Thanks so much for your thoughtful reply. My boss keeps telling me I'll be starting my own independent work soon and while I should feel excited and challenged, I just feel extremely worried. I don't feel confident in my knowledge of the tasks I'll be expected to complete and it makes me dread moving forwards. Hopefully I just need time, as you said. 6 months is definitely a reasonable amount of time to stick it out, I know I can do that! I can see though that I have in fact come a long way since I first started so I do try to think about that when I can :redface:

Really sorry to hear what your previous employer said to you, that's horrible :frown:

I think a small part of my problem is that I don't know what career I truly want, I applied for this job because it is relevant to the A-Levels I studied (I don't have a degree), not because I have an absolute burning passion for it. It sounded interesting and at first it really was, but the novelty has worn off a bit. I often worry about what type of work I'll do AFTER this job, which is ridiculous but it's just the way my mind works, can't shake it off really.

Thanks again for the reply, hope things look up for you in your current position! :smile:

Not settling into job with a relatively long training period

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