Being the Newbie

My first week at my new job is complete, and it has been challenging to say the least. Sunday night I barely slept, nerves got the better of me and come Monday morning I was still out of sorts. I don't think anyone can't NOT be nervous when starting a new job.

I've always wanted to work for a "big" company, and am loving the vast number of employees (approx 150 in Johannesburg alone), and the professional environment. I was, however, unprepared for the amount of admin I would be required to complete - and that was only part of the new employee take on procedure! I have manuals covering just about every facet of the Human Resources function and apparently I am attending an induction next month, where new employees will be taken on a tour of the entire premises and have the finer details explained to us. I'm looking forward to this as I'm one of those people that like to have a broad understanding of the bigger picture. Completeness if you will.

I joined the finance team (consisting of 30 people) at their busiest time - month end. As the company is a multinational and is required to report it's financial information to the holding company in the Netherlands, major month end reports are run and the figures contained therein has to be completely accurate. This places a huge burden on the team to ensure the variances between budgeted and actual values stay within an acceptable range, or a very good explanation for the difference must be provided. We have four days to run the procedures (on the accounting program and Excel),  make any adjustments, then investigate unacceptable differences before reporting the end result by midnight on the fourth day. 

Now I know this doesn't sound like much, but considering the volume of transactions and the fact that we are required to prepare Namibia's financial information as well, I felt like a goldfish in the Atlantic. The month end procedures will fall under my duties so I asked many questions and even performed some of the tasks under the supervision of the financial manager. It was... Interesting. The tasks are not difficult, but the person needs to have a firm understanding of the business and the transport industry in order to produce accurate results.

Whilst my colleagues have been friendly and welcoming, I sense they suspect I will not last long in my position. I was asked numerous times on Friday alone, how I felt month end went and it was so awful etc. I said no, it was not that bad but because I'm new to the company it is obviously more demanding. Come next month I'll be even more familiar with everything, and it will run smoother. My predecessor apparently only lasted a year in the position, so maybe they think the job will get the better of me and I too will resign.

Not going to happen. I'm not a quitter (my love of chocolate has proven this) and I will master this job and it's responsibilities. Their doubt in me has pushed me to prove them wrong, and that is my aim for the future.

Have an awesome weekend further!