First Day at Avoca

Last Wednesday was my first day of work experience in Avoca.
I'm working in the shop side of it so it wasn't too busy when I arrived. I first met with my supervisor and then she told me the code for the staff room and where I should leave my stuff. She then told me to walk around and get a feel for the shop and where everything goes.
The floor manager then arrived and told me my first task. I had to remove all the previous price tags from all the ceramic tea pots, mugs etc and replace them with new price tags. It took me a long time because there was over 200 items.
It was then time for lunch which i got for free so I wasn't complaining. I had to sit in the staff room with other colleagues which was king of awkward at first but soon enough the conversation was flowing.
After lunch I had to put reduction tags on all of the menswear and help customers in the menswear.
All in all I had a good day and I'm excited for this week.

Ninth Day at Work Experience

Yesterday , the 27th of November was my second last day at the solicitors.

I arrived on time to be greeted by Barbara the other secretary as Maria was out sick. Yesterday there was also another student on work experience so there was not as much work for me to do as he had been there since Monday so he had most things finished. 

As usual , the first thing I had to do was stamp date the post and then scan it into the computer. There was a lot of post yesterday and because you can only scan things one at a time it took quite a lot of time to complete. I then had to save the post on the computer into the correct files.
The next thing I had to do was to walk down to a different solicitors to collect the DX post. This is where the solicitors in Leixlip all have a locker where the DX is delivered to.

I then returned back to the office where I helped Barabra with the filing. I then had to photocopy certain cheques and receipts so that they could keep a copy of everything. I also had to record a cheque which they received into the book so they could keep a record of it.
I then had to go to the shop and purchase the newspaper for Anne.

Eighth Day at Work Experience

Today, Wednesday the 21st of November was my 8th day at work experience.
When i arrived at 5 to 10 this morning the solicitors was not open. I waited outside for a few minutes and began to worry but luckily soon enough Maria came to open up the office. 
I then took a seat at my usual desk and then i asked should I stamp date the post and scan it as I do this every week. I then had to save the documents I had scanned into the correct files on the computer.
I then had to help Maria by trying to find a file for someone. I had to check in the presses in the office which involves searching alphabetically, and then upstairs in the board room. 
I was then given instruction to find "searches" for certain people. Maria then explained what searches are and told me how to find the one we were looking for.
The next task I was given was to search through a pile of miscellaneous files and find certain ones which they were looking for and place them in a pile all together.
Today I learned that I should really take innitiative more  because I found my self asking questions on what should I do such as "should I scan the post" but I do it every week so I should have confidence in doing it rather than asking all the time as I know it is my job to do it. 
I also learned to have confidence on the phone because today I had to answer the phone calls when the receptionist was out of the office,  and once you get over the first one it's not too bad.

7th Day of Work Experience

Last Wednesday , the 14th of November was my 7th day of work experience. 

The first thing I had to do was stick labels on to old cartridge boxes. I then was given the responsibilty of bringing 2 boxes at a time over to the post office because they had to be sent back as you are not allowed to dispose of them.

The next task given to me was to find certain hanging files in the office which are found in the presses and give them to Maria the secretary.

I then had to stamp date the post and scan it and save it to the correct files on the computer.

I enjoyed bringing the boxes over to the post office because it was a change to what i normally do in the solicitors which is file and scan documents. 

Sixth Day at Work Experience

Last Wednesday (the 7th of November) was my 6th week of work experience in the solicitors. I think last week was my favourite week so far in the solicitors. This is because i got to do a lot more last week and I was mostly busy throughout the day.  The first thing I had to do was find a number of files which were stored in a big press in the office. I was given a list of  around 30 surnames and I had to find each file.  This took very long because some files were stored downstairs but some were stored upstairs and some weren't present at all. After I had found all of the files i then had to put them on the table up in the board room. It was my first time being up there and it all looked very official. The room was filled with books on law and other things. Maria, the secretary and my supervisor, then was told to bring down a cheque and parcel to the TopMark cabs in leixlip. This was just a minute walk away from the solicitors so I offered to go. I enjoyed going because it was something different to do instead of always being in the office. The cheque was to pay for a taxi to deliver a parcel which had to be in town as soon as possible.I also had to go to the shop to buy lunch for the solicitor and the secretary.The last thing I had to do was scan the post and save it to the computer which I do every week and find easy at this stage.I am beginning to enjoy work experience now and I am learning all about the world of work. I can't believe I only have 4 weeks left!

 

Fifth Day at Work Experience

Last wednesday ( the 24th) was my fifth day at work experience. 

I woke up late so I was stressing that i wouldn't make it on time but luckily I did and I was a few minutes early which is always a good thing. When I went into the office I met with Maria , my supervisor and she told me to finish off filing the wills that I had been doing previously. I then went and got the box of wills and continued with them. I had to print labels for them all and then put them in alphabetical order. 

When I had finished this I had to organise will correspondences. This was quite boring and took a long time. The supervisor didn't quite know what I was to do with them as the solicitor Ann came in and told us to do it a different way so soon after she told me to give up and that we can do it another time.

The next thing I had to do was to scan things onto the computer and save them which I do every week and find easy enough.

At one stage of the day my supervisor had gone for a lunch and so I was the only one in the reception and a customer came in. I started to freak out and get nervous before they came in the door but I think I handled it well.

All and all it was quite a boring day and I didn't have much to do but I still enjoyed it.

Fourth Day of Work Experience

Today, the 17th of October was my fourth week of work experience.
It's gone by so quickly, doesn't feel like I've been there that long! Time flies when you're having fun i guess..
I've been enjoying the solicitors so far although it can be boring at times ,but everything can be. Today I didn't do anything new but just continued what i was doing last week. I had to continue filing the wills. Last week i filed from A-K so today i worked from L-Z. Unfortunately i didn't get them all done as it is very time consuming so i only got up to S done but luckily there isn't much left so i will have them done quickly next week.
I ran out of sellotape a half an hour before i was to finish work. They had no extra and i needed it to for the wills so i didn't have much to do for the last half an hour so i was slightly bored. I just saved some things into the computer but luckily it wasn't only half an hour and not any longer.
It gave me a chance to talk to my supervisor who I get on very well with so far and who is lovely.
I look forward to next week hope that after I have the wills completed I am given a new task that will help me to learn more about the solicitors.