when is enough, enough?

[nguyen]

i've been at this job for about 3.5-4 months now doing logistics and invoicing, but from time to time i find myself always making mistakes on my orders. It's trivial things like forgetting to put discounts on the invoices or forgetting to send confirmation to the end customer. It's not too big of an issue, but it's been happening not too often, but not too seldom either (if that makes sense). I'm sure there is an annoyance with these mishaps i would assume for the boss to correct since he is fairly swamped with his own work. I would correct it myself, but when the paperwork is done i need manager's authorization and he takes over and manually overrides the pricing when there is a mistake.

I walked into work today, forgot to put in another discount for a customer, the team lead comes up to me and says: "bob is going to slap you, he's getting really swamped with shit, he can't be dealing with these mistakes. take this discount sheet and study it everynight until you sleep."

The system at work has just recently been implemented so there are still kinks and bugs that need to be fixed. That's why we have to mentally be aware of what discounts to apply and whom to apply them to. But there should not be excuses, there should be remedies. I've been just stressing today because of that comment the lead made when i first walked in, i've gone back to check over all my orders to see if necessary discounts have been entered, found out that 10 were incorrect, but were only able to fix 5 of them since the other 5 have already been printed. So i have to yet again, go back to the boss and ask him for authorization.

..so my question is, looking at a manger's perspective: "when is enough, enough?" I've put the discount sheets besides my keyboard so i can remember to look vs. where they were before (in a book) so that should help me be mentally aware, but i feel like i'm on thin ice right now, or it could just be the lead looking after my back and being a hardass so i don't get in too much shit down the road?

What do you guys think?

[KappaSigma]

3.5-4 months of your mistakes is getting close. I understand there is a learning curve but clearly your still making the same simple mistakes.

[D'z Nutz]

You sound like the type of coworker I would be annoyed to work with.

A couple weeks I'd be willing to let slide, but any more than that and I'd start to question whether or not your parents are cousins. Three and a half to four months is way too long for you to figure out and master something that should be routine.

[gretz]

Stop fucking up on little shit... I'd imagine you get paid by the hour, so take your time and do it right the first time / read over it / double and triple check your shit before its printed (whatever "it" is)

If you are always messing up, maybe that isn't the job for you...

[BokCh0y]

Originally posted by KappaSigma
3.5-4 months of your mistakes is getting close. I understand there is a learning curve but clearly your still making the same simple mistakes.

Originally posted by D'z Nutz
You sound like the type of coworker I would be annoyed to work with.

A couple weeks I'd be willing to let slide, but any more than that and I'd start to question whether or not your parents are cousins. Three and a half to four months is way too long for you to figure out and master something that should be routine.

THIS.

4 months is too long to be making the same mistakes over and over... like D and Kappa mentioned, should be routine now after that many months.

Personally, as a Manager, if you couldn't pick up the routine after the first 2 months, i would've canned you before probation and moved onto someone else.

Harsh but true.

[nguyen]

ya i'm getting that feeling right now too. they never taught me to check for discounts in the beginning because the system usually does it, but they changed it to do some changes so i'm in that routine of not checking and i need to break that habit

[Kloubek]

Originally posted by D'z Nutz
but any more than that and I'd start to question whether or not your parents are cousins.

lol!

Its true though. Everyone makes mistakes. But if you can't prove that you are learning from yours, then it simply comes down to your inability to do the job properly. And you know what that means...

You need to come up with your own system of checks and balances which assure you complete the task properly. Nobody else can know for sure what will work for you. But you've been in the job long enough now that you should be able to work out whatever system works for you.

And from the sounds of it, I'd get on it real quick.

[Disoblige]

Sorry dude you have to be more diligent. I would hate to work with someone like you because you are still making mediocre mistakes.

Once you fuck up a few times, you should be keen enough to realize you have to stop doing it. If you keep doing it, then you're not caring enough.

The fact that the team lead came up to you and spoke with you like that is a pretty clear warning. Try not to go beyond that.

[Artega]

So after the manager's comment you gone back to check your work and found 10 mistakes.

So for the 4 months that you were there, you haven't/didn't check your work to see if it's correct before you submit it?

[Kloubek]

I agree - but I'm not sure it is a matter of "caring enough". He's coming on here, obviously concerned about the situation. I think it has more to do with his lack of attention to detail and/or inability to come up with systems which work for him. Not everyone is a pioneer....

[ee2k]

Write down the steps that you need to follow in order to complete every order/job in bullet form on a sheet of paper. For each order you complete, read the item on the sheet, even mark it with an 'x' then get the next thing done until the order is completed and you have all 'x's. You are either forgetful or are too rushed with your work that you skip steps.

[nguyen]

Originally posted by Artega
So after the manager's comment you gone back to check your work and found 10 mistakes.

So for the 4 months that you were there, you haven't/didn't check your work to see if it's correct before you submit it?

no before i would check to see if the addresses were correct and/or if the invoices are billed to the right person. discounts i always missed for some reason. don't really know why. but i have the discount sheets beside my keyboard now instead of in that book so that'll make me remember. i just don't know if i was stressing for nothing or if this was a big deal, but from what i see it is. i totally agree with everyone and how i should of been canned already. so that's why i'm asking others what their opinions are and from here on out i can only try and pay closer attention to detail since i'm pretty much on the last straw (or so it seems)

Plus, it's my first career job, before it's been mindless retail jobs. so i don't know if that factors into anything but ya...haha

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by nguyen
they never taught me

This is never a good excuse for anything, least of all your job.

[nguyen]

Originally posted by D'z Nutz


This is never a good excuse for anything, least of all your job.

well ya, i never make up excuses when i'm being "coached" i just listen and try to not let it happen again, which clearly hasn't happened. but today's the last straw, i'm sure everyone in here knows it too lol

[nguyen]

as for the remainder of the mistakes...the 5, should i go to the manager, apologize and explain that i went back to fix everything and these are the only remaining ones and that it won't happen again?

[Disoblige]

Good luck man. Bounce back.

If you weren't taught, then ask. Not really an excuse as D'z Nutz mentioned.

"don't really know why" isn't an excuse either. Make a checklist, double check, whatever you need to do..


As for your question about your manager, you'd know the environment more than all of us. Try to think for yourself. It'd probably be good to tell him there are still 5 mistakes but gauge how busy he might be.

[rage2]

I fired someone like you a few years ago. 3 months of the same BS was the breaking point. Took another 3 months to find a replacement.

[nguyen]

Originally posted by rage2
I fired someone like you a few years ago. 3 months of the same BS was the breaking point. Took another 3 months to find a replacement.

how old was he? what was his title? any experience?

[Skyline_Addict]

dude, do you have to create a thread on all your life's issues? getting terminated after giving 2 weeks' notice, lunch ettiquite, going back to school and now this. is beyond.ca your personal shrink or something?

[Unknown303]

I never make mistakes.

Originally posted by Skyline_Addict
dude, do you have to create a thread on all your life's issues? getting terminated after giving 2 weeks' notice, lunch ettiquite, going back to school and now this. is beyond.ca your personal shrink or something?

We're definitely cheaper, but we give horrible advice.