Thankful For My New Job

Today is Thanksgiving, a day that is marked by gluttony in America.

Turkey, turkey, turkey!

And if you are here looking for the American Greetings "At first I was an egg, I was petrified..." Turkey E-Card, CLICK HERE.
(Link updated 11/07/07 thanks to jth1963ut - why American Greetings ditched that ecard this year is beyond me.)

Outside of what I am thankful for daily, which would include my salvation, my friends and family, and the fact that I have a roof over my head and food to eat, I am thankful this year for my new job.

Yesterday I completed my third day of work with Office Max. I am learning A LOT! Whoa! And I mean A LOT!

I left a business I was in for 12 years, so it is safe to say that I knew it pretty well, and I am now in an environment that is pretty much foreign to me. It can be frustrating because I want to do what I can for the customer, and at this point, I'm not doing much! LOL I'll tell them enthusiastically, when they ask if we have something..."no, I have no clue if we have that, BUT...I'll find out, so don't panic! You see...I'm new." LOL Many times I find if I just tell the customer that I am "new" and reassure them that we'll find it one way or another, most are pretty cool with that and have more empathy for me than impatience.

So far I am really enjoying my new job. It is very challenging, yet it is fun. In fact, it is passionate, innovative and fun! The Office Max logo, the rubber band ball, actually made some news this week as a 4594-Pound, 175,000-Band Rubberband Ball, was certified as World's Largest in the Guinness Book of World Records. How fun is that?!

I am working with a very knowledgeable bunch of people who are training me, and not only do they know their jobs, and know how to teach me mine, they are fun. I've never worked in a store this large before, and I have been impressed with how well it is run by the manager and his staff. I'm working with a great bunch of people in my training store and tomorrow will be my first day working at the store I was hired to work at. It should be an interesting day.

I will be working in my new store this one day, Black Friday, and that should be VERY challenging! My first day in my new store, with a staff I do NOT know, a floor plan that I do NOT know, and lots and lots of product that I do NOT know with many, many customers coming in looking for deals, will be Black Friday! I love it! Adrenaline rush! S U U U U U U R G E!!!

Next week, I'll be back in Memphis at my training store for three more weeks. At the end of those three weeks, I will know everything there is to know (NOT!) and be ready to start working at the store I was hired for. Just in time for Christmas! I'll tell you, starting a new job/career in retail a month before Christmas sure is FUN!