Blog #4: Learning as I go, and it is going.
Since being 16 years old in high school, I have always chosen to work on top of going to class each day. I love working, I love making money, and I love meeting new people along the way. I've started a new job or volunteer position about fifteen times total in my life yet somehow each time I still have high nerves and anxiety before walking in for my first day. For me it is nerve-racking to begin a new job or position because you are being trained to do something you have never done before and you are walking into a group of people you have never met before. There are coworkers, management teams, and customers coming in and out all day, people you do not know but need to work closer with. In James Paul Gee's introduction of "Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics," I learned the term "mushfaking," something I know now that I have done, but did not know there was name for it before reading Gee's work.
After a short job search, and a very low pressure interview with the general manager, I landed a job at a place I really, really wanted to work, my top choice for a restaurant job, Café Gratitude, a quaint and inviting vegan restaurant in downtown San Diego. Although I was very excited to start at this adorable location and the laid-back interview took some of the pressure off, I was still nervous, especially for my first day training. I went in with an attitude of "I've worked in customer service for years, I can do this, and if not, I will fake it until I make it." I found out very shortly into my first shift ever that I was going to be completely fine.
The staff at Café Gratitude are incredibly nice and welcoming people. I felt as though I fit in immediately, everyone was ready to help me and offered advice to help me be a successful and organized host. Learning a new position isn't possible immediately, some instances are situational, and you learn as you go. I have learned to take advantage of the skills I have from previous positions in customer service, especially problem solving and being friendly and efficient in communicating. In each job you have you learn new skills and the great thing about this is: most all skills you acquire are transferable through your lifetime and various career paths. I have been working at my new job for about three weeks now, and that has been more than enough time to gain my confidence and feel equipped to handle most any situation, task or request thrown my way. That is not to say I don't still ask for help, because we all do, but I no longer feel like I have to fake it and I don't feel nervous to stand up and take on my role to the best of my ability.
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I'm thankful for the times I have practiced mushfaking, because I know a majority of the time it will pay off, and I can be successful at any job or position I take on with the right attitude and motivation to challenge myself and be better. I've even been able to make some wonderful new friends through my job at Café Gratitude.
Hi Holly!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your piece because believe me, I think every single person in the world can relate. I even get a little nervous walking into my first day of classes still even though I am a 3rd year and I have experienced endless amounts of first classes, but still find myself getting worked up about meeting new people and having to take on new tasks that I do not have much previous knowledge about. I have been at my job for a good six months and I found myself in the same mushfaking situation as you on my first day because I had missed the first week of training due to being at home for the summer and all of my coworkers were already familiar with each other so jumping in was even more uncomfortable, but fake it to you make it has been such a great motto to follow and I think it is essential to be able to do that in life.
Holly,
ReplyDeleteWay to take my back to my high school days! I completely understand the love of making money. For me, I don't know if its the actual making money or having money. I like the feeling of not feeling that I can't do something because I don't have money. As in I pay my bills, I buy what I need and want, all that. I am not stuck because I have it, but yes I earn it. I work for it, therefore I "deserve" it.
I know exactly how you feel about those first days! In all honesty, I hate that feeling. Thank you stating how at some point we can always use someone else's help, and there is nothing wrong with that. I feel that in this class we are coming to learn a lot of things we do, that we didn't think were ACTUAL things, have a name. I think its great that mushfaking has worked for you.
Thank you for sharing!
How funny, I wrote about mushfaking in a new job position too! I totally relate with the whole anxiety and nervousness before the first day: it really is scary. You obviously have far more experience in the customer-service / occupational world, as I've only held about 3 jobs total (dang, I feel like I've got to get a jump on my own career!) but it seems to me the experience you've gained at each prior occupation has helped you mold your toolbox and identity kit very versatile. So, whatever you're doing...keep it up. And, it's totally okay to not know exactly what you're doing. Most of us don't, and that's the fun of life (sometimes, but definitely not all the time...lol anxiety). Each experience of mushfaking aids us in expanding our toolbox and developing our identity kits. If I'm ever at Cafe Gratitude, I'll be sure to say hi!
ReplyDeleteHi Holly,
ReplyDeleteI think everyone can relate with you, I also wrote my blog about my first time experience in my job interview. I think that we experience nervous and anxiety in every new thing we pass through because of the fear of the unknown. Even though we have had interviews before, we are applying to a new job position, surrounded by new co-workers, everything is new and most of the times we tend to fear changes, however, I strongly belive that all changes are good for us. I am very happy for you that you got the job position in that place you really wanted to work in.
Michelle