ever take a job you weren't qualified for?

in the last six months, i have gotten jobs with two webmasters who i told straight out i had no experience or knowledge about. it sucks.

now i'm finishing off the worst 6 weeks of my entire working life. i told this guy i didn't want to do this, but he knew and trusted me, and asked me to give it a shot. silly me, i agreed.

it entailed encoding videos which i had to teach myself, since i had not one clue. my first video took 16 hours before i had all the sizes and formats i needed. the second one took 5 hours. now it takes me maybe 40 minutes, but the first two days - ouch!

this job also included learning css as i had to create pages for these sites (and not all css is very obvious to me!!!!) working in a script i had never used before with minimal instructions and no help when i needed it - or partial help and an unsearchable help file. there was more to this job, but the rest i could do with no problems.

at this point, i recommend that if you take a job where you are learning, you spell out VERY carefully that a learning curve is involved and all that. and you remind them any time they ask why something is taking so long.

or better yet, if such a job offers, run!!!!!!!!

Haha well at least you are coming out of the experience with a little more knowledge, thats a huge bonus i guess :)

Speaking of 'jobs' i think we're about ready to finish up what we started a week or two back whenever you are ready ;)

Regards,

Lee

***big hugs basschick***

Yes, i've been there and done that I can empahtize with you! Its tough and it sucks, but what is always a bonus is when its done and you realize HEY I did that!!

so GREAT job and HUGS for the stress you must have been going thru!!

thanks for the hug, Teaser - and the pep talk, Lee. i really really needed it! i think i would have preferred to learn encoding at a less dire pace. i'm emotionally wrung out, but already making more fun plans for new sites :)

lee, ready when you are :-)

hey Basschick. Yeah, Lee is right, look at the bright side, you learned all these new cool techniques. SO PROUD OF YOU!! :thumbsup:

I'm sure next to your frustraion, you're also feeling a sense of accomplishment. The same feeling you get after writing a long-ass term paper on the sexual reproduction of alge...hehehe...never mind

actually i don't feel any sense of accomplishment. i don't know how to do any of it right - only half assed. i had no time to learn the right way. i feel sort of depressed and shell-shocked, mostly...

true, i did learn encoding, but i would have learned it without an all-nighter on my own.

at least when you write the paper on algie, you end up with a paper and a grade ;)

Hey Basschick,

It's over and you know have more skills! Damn good for you for teaching yourself video encoding that's not easy!

WOOF!
Buck

Wish I'd read this post before and then maybe I wouldn't have actually went through what I did with a client today LOL I just keep telling myself: Live & Learn :)

thanks, buck!!!

hey, ReverendSassy - sorry you went through this also :( hopefully we'll both refuse the next time such an offer is made ;)

Basschick, do you work 22 hours a day??? I swear that you have your fingers in every facet of this business. Where do you get the energy?

Yes basschick, here's hoping that we've learned our lesson :)

i was working 80-100 hour weeks again - and believe me, i sure didn't feel very energetic :sleep:

thank goodness for gww!!! having you guys to talk to when i was uploading or waiting for a video to encode kept me sane - well, as sane as i ever am :wacko:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Xstr8guy

Basschick, do you work 22 hours a day??? I swear that you have your fingers in every facet of this business. Where do you get the energy?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Xstr8guy

Basschick, do you work 22 hours a day??? I swear that you have your fingers in every facet of this business. Where do you get the energy?

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I was just thinking the same thing. I'm awed or humbled or something. :)

Hope you're taking time out every now and then Basschick to re-charge. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by basschick

hopefully we'll both refuse the next time such an offer is made ;)

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if your like me basschick you can't say no easily:( but I'm here for you if you need that call to make to remind you to say no!!
:angel:

i used to have trouble with no, but honestly it's not hard to tell someone you're booked up when you really are.

this time was different - the money seemed good, and i've done work for this program every month. i was told i'd receive support for the script while learning, and if that had been true, everything would have been fine... :(

*sighs* Man Basschick, that's absolutely horrible. I've been there, in a MUCH smaller scale... the doubt that clouds your mind, not to mention the frustration can and is at times completely engulfing.

I am one of those folks that have an extremely hard time saying no to others, be them job offers or sales pitches lol I'm a sales person's wet dream!

I'm glad to hear you're taking the lighter road after surviving the long bumpy trip. :juggle:

when i was 18 i got a job in a plaza as the main prep chef for 3 restaurants....those who know me well, know I can barely make a pb&j....i was young, the HR person was a lesbian, and really could care less about my cooking skills.
i gave a shot for a few hours before i realized i was in WAY over my head...and walked off the job....lol...oh well.

Next time I see you, Rainey, I'm going to call you Chef LOL

I've faked a job once... got a job as a mechanic in one of those chain auto stores. This coming from the guy who, at the time, knew where the gas went and had to read the owner's manual to change a tire. I don't know how I even got the job...

First car was a tire change hehehehe second was an oil change. I walked out right after I got the car on the lift, looked up into the car and laughed.

I went home got cleaned up, went into Manhattan and got an entry level job that turned into my Wall Street adventure.

Shoulda asked how to do the oil change, now that I think of it HAHAHAHA

My best,
Gary-Alan