MY FIRST JOB

“MANAGER-OPERATION & COMMUNICATION”…what a tag!!! Starting my career as a manger was like 100 feathers on my cap. My visiting card, identity card….all justified my status. I was a big person. Back in Assam, my university mates and teachers must have set me as an example...wow……
Well said by Sprite…” DIKHAWE PE NA JAO…APNI AKAL LAGAO”

My first day at office.It was a beautiful office indeed. Well decorated, all serious faces, working, with random smile. My reporting head took me to my seat and introduced me to my neighbor…Mayur...Did he smile that day? Hmmm... Let me put it this way...Did he ever smile? Well two different personalities were sitting together. One me who was in habit of smiling 24*7 and next to me Mayur , who was an example of professionalism..No greetings, no smile, no attention...Nothing. I remember the first day I asked him for a help and the reply was “khud karo”. That moment I hated Delhi and promised never to make friends in office.But promises are meant to be broken. Indeed Mayur became a very good fren before leaving.

Back to the topic...The first day I was informed that I am the only employee of this NGO. Hmm some instinct within said things was not right. First day I was idle without work. It happens with every fresher. Okay second day again no work...Cool. Third day no work...Hmmm let’s see. Fourth day again no work…then I realized that things were not fine. First 15 days I had just no work. A sense of fear within, did I select the right job? I looked at my God [the idol I always carry with me], I looked at people around, mayur [busy working], then my identity card...Oops I am the manager...how can it be a wrong decision? After all human greed...I realized I am the manager and so I need to manage things. I took up some initiative on my own, discussed with peoples around and finally got an assignment to provide 28 filters in 14 schools. I accomplished the task. No credit coz it was simple enough for any graduate and required no technical skills.

Project finished. Successful...congratulations...Bravo...What next…NOTHING,

Days were spent sitting idle, no work. Again my confidence prompted me to take initiatives. What are managers for? With confidence and zeal I decided to provide 26 filters to 26 schools. My management was so impressed. I prepared the budget, selected the area I am going to target...On producing the budget I was informed that the NGO had no money left after the first project….then… Simple, I have to be a fund raiser and with a smile on my face convince people to pay money. I was out of my mind...I had my social work , skills, techniques to help people to help themselves..But I was asked to go begging for money. I was the manager...Right? .let me tell you what kind of manager I was….
I was a manager who had no employees under to manage.
I was a manger who just needed to take money people by managing a smile.
I was a manager who just needed to manage the tag that the Ngo had an employee
I was a manger who had been managing one’s own anger, patience and emotions since three months.

Frustration, emotions, anger made my days worst out there and to add to my trouble I kept committing blunders ---------------
Sending same mail to 400 employees, Sending serious mails without subjects or sometimes with subject as joke of the day, falling down in the stairs, and sending friendly mails to my reporting head by mistake…I messed up things

Well, I realized time has come to move out. I understood the true meaning of terms like “underemployment” “job satisfaction” But I should mention some wonderful frens i made...mamta [ her childlike activities], amita [ full of concern], jai[ cute and handsome] and mayur of course[ by then I managed to see him smile frequently]. They made my birthday really special ,away from home, I miss the moments me and mayur shared singing some 70s filmy songs..

Well, nothing comes to my life without twist... I got offer letter from my present office but my reporting head there denied accepting my resignation. I was in a damn fix. I kept pleading him but no reply. He was out of station. I cursed him, blamed him, hated him [all in mind though]. Finally I decided to leave letting my 3 months experience go in vain. Last day at office, to my surprise my sir came to me & like a mentor helped me with all formalities. Really felt guilty...I misunderstood him. He supported me from day 1 but just because he was late in replying to my mails, my attitude changed towards him. The last words from him to me …..“ So Alina, I could not convince you”...Yes, I couldn’t be convinced coz I was in a small shell while the entire world was near me to explore.

Now I have good organization, good colleagues, good roommate, some very good frens and my god with me. Hope life takes a good turn for me. Let’s see what future holds…..