Earlier this year, I set out a goal that I'll be writing a manual for those who are interested in my job (sort of a primer to ease the newbie into the scheme of things).
It turns out that I've had a change of heart, recognizing the innate futility in my endeavor. I may be able to write the manual and finish it but procedures and processes do change. What I may know about the job now might not be applicable for those who will come after me.
In any case, while I mull over even proceeding further with this project, here's an excerpt (or to be more specific, the introduction) to the book (It's loaded with cliches and idioms though but a little editorial work might wipe some of that off):
"Ako? Nakuha ko man yan in two weeks."
I remember those words like they were said yesterday. Those were the words uttered by a former colleague when I innocently asked how long it took her to master the job. Whether this was a testament to her self-proclaimed genius or her twisted way of motivating me, I'll never know. But, in my case, this statement definitely did not apply. It took me almost a year before I began confidently embracing the intricacies of my position. And even now, I still learn a thing or two every day.
To digress, I was employed before by a consultancy firm in Manila for over a year. We, new hires, were confined in the conference room for an entire week, while being given lectures on corporate culture, product presentations, and other stuff. By the end of our first week, we were more than ready to take on our jobs and all it took was one week of intense, brain-wracking, knowledge bombardment. Then after, we had weekly sessions on skills development and monthly meetings with the CEO to discuss the company's direction.
In contrast, my first week with the bank consisted of reading manuals and asking questions here and there. How much I learned depended on how generous my officer and my colleague was of their time and I was left to fill in the gaps. It wasn't an ideal situation, of course, and stressful mistakes formed a crucial part of my education.
So, if no one has greeted you yet, then I'll greet you first. Welcome to the prestigious school of hard knocks. Unlike our counterparts in OTP (Officer Training Program), we have formal trainings every once in a blue moon. The rest of our training comes from each other and irate clients. It's a hard place to be in but that's the price for working in one of the bank's up-and-coming business centers. And if you're up to it, then you wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
Before we begin, let me just put in some pointers. First, this is my experience. This book is a crystallization of everything I've learned on the job. Hence, this book does not seek to replace the training manuals you will be reading. This book merely augments what the HR gurus are teaching (or not teaching) you.
Second, some points may raise an eyebrow if you were an auditor. Hence, use your common sense and sound judgment in knowing when and where to defy the rules and when to stand by them. As you grow into this job, you'll be better in spotting the difference.
And third, after you've digested the book, please, please don't forget to challenge everything I've written down. As I've said, this is my experience. Yet processes can still be improved, tasks can be eliminated, procedures can be streamlined. In sum, I look forward to this book being a catalyst for continuous improvement and I want you to be the star of the show.
Finally, my hope is that this book will help you understand and perform the job better than I ever could. I've made the errors so you won't have to make them. As the cliche goes, let's not reinvent the wheel.
Enjoy reading.
I remember those words like they were said yesterday. Those were the words uttered by a former colleague when I innocently asked how long it took her to master the job. Whether this was a testament to her self-proclaimed genius or her twisted way of motivating me, I'll never know. But, in my case, this statement definitely did not apply. It took me almost a year before I began confidently embracing the intricacies of my position. And even now, I still learn a thing or two every day.
To digress, I was employed before by a consultancy firm in Manila for over a year. We, new hires, were confined in the conference room for an entire week, while being given lectures on corporate culture, product presentations, and other stuff. By the end of our first week, we were more than ready to take on our jobs and all it took was one week of intense, brain-wracking, knowledge bombardment. Then after, we had weekly sessions on skills development and monthly meetings with the CEO to discuss the company's direction.
In contrast, my first week with the bank consisted of reading manuals and asking questions here and there. How much I learned depended on how generous my officer and my colleague was of their time and I was left to fill in the gaps. It wasn't an ideal situation, of course, and stressful mistakes formed a crucial part of my education.
So, if no one has greeted you yet, then I'll greet you first. Welcome to the prestigious school of hard knocks. Unlike our counterparts in OTP (Officer Training Program), we have formal trainings every once in a blue moon. The rest of our training comes from each other and irate clients. It's a hard place to be in but that's the price for working in one of the bank's up-and-coming business centers. And if you're up to it, then you wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
Before we begin, let me just put in some pointers. First, this is my experience. This book is a crystallization of everything I've learned on the job. Hence, this book does not seek to replace the training manuals you will be reading. This book merely augments what the HR gurus are teaching (or not teaching) you.
Second, some points may raise an eyebrow if you were an auditor. Hence, use your common sense and sound judgment in knowing when and where to defy the rules and when to stand by them. As you grow into this job, you'll be better in spotting the difference.
And third, after you've digested the book, please, please don't forget to challenge everything I've written down. As I've said, this is my experience. Yet processes can still be improved, tasks can be eliminated, procedures can be streamlined. In sum, I look forward to this book being a catalyst for continuous improvement and I want you to be the star of the show.
Finally, my hope is that this book will help you understand and perform the job better than I ever could. I've made the errors so you won't have to make them. As the cliche goes, let's not reinvent the wheel.
Enjoy reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment