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Is it normal to still commit mistakes during my first month of the job?


Qwerty55

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I've been working at this company for a month and I like the challenges and self growth I gained. However, I hate myself whenever I commit mistakes. I feel disappointed every time I commit one. I'm already here working in a month and I really value my job position and the company that's why I'm doing everything to pass my evaluation. Unfortunately, I keep committing errors.

 

And every time I commit errors, I feel like my anxiety after work is worsening. I overthink a lot. Right now, all I can think of is that did I do my task right? Then I also forgot to attach one document in a booklet and now it's missing. I don't know if it's really important but my fear keeps eating me.

 

All I can think of is my job mistakes. I really wanna remove the anxiety I feel after work. I just feel disappointed at myself that I find it hard to avoid errors.

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The important thing about mistakes isn't how they happen, but how you handle them.

 

Proactive approach is best.

 

Forgot to attach a document, and it's already been sent out? Go to your boss, immediately, and admit the mistake, and offer a solution. Don't just wait to be found out. Don't just say, "Uh, sorry, forgot to attach the document, going to lunch now".

 

It's important: Go to your boss, proactively, the second you realize your mistake. Offer a solution. If your boss doesn't like your solution, but offers something else, do that, and do it immediately.

 

We have a new person that I'm mentoring, and yes, she's making mistakes. One thing that I absolutely detest that she's doing is the "No, I didn't see that email; you didn't send it to me". Um, girl, don't eeeeeeven. It's starting to really piss me off. And yes, I have say in her future.

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Everyone makes mistakes. Your boss makes mistakes.

It's best to own up to them as soon as you realise to fix it quickly if possible. Or just apologise.

Anxiety over making mistakes is going to make more mistakes happen. Try and chill a bit. Take an extra second and a few deep breaths.

I still get anxiety over mistakes I made in a job ages ago, so I understand the feeling, but worrying isn't going to make it better, like I said it will make it too easy to make more mistakes.

If you suffer from anxiety generally maybe see a doctor about it. If it's just the new job then try googling calming techniques.

But remember everyone makes mistakes!!

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The important thing about mistakes isn't how they happen, but how you handle them.

 

Proactive approach is best.

 

Forgot to attach a document, and it's already been sent out? Go to your boss, immediately, and admit the mistake, and offer a solution. Don't just wait to be found out. Don't just say, "Uh, sorry, forgot to attach the document, going to lunch now".

 

It's important: Go to your boss, proactively, the second you realize your mistake. Offer a solution. If your boss doesn't like your solution, but offers something else, do that, and do it immediately.

 

As well as this... reflect on WHY you made the mistake, and correct the behavior or get the understanding you need so you don't make the same mistake twice. Making a mistake once? It happens to all of us. Making the same mistake over and over again? Is just being careless.

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As well as this... reflect on WHY you made the mistake, and correct the behavior or get the understanding you need so you don't make the same mistake twice. Making a mistake once? It happens to all of us. Making the same mistake over and over again? Is just being careless.

 

I agree with this and with LHGirl and the other commenters -all very helpful. And not all mistakes are created equal. The follow up is what matters, how you act responsibly, how you do damage control. For example, we had an intern over the summer. I emailed her to ask her about a project she was working on that affected something I was working on. She responded a day later, full of apologies for not responding sooner (which was not a mistake, she just thought it was, she'd had a medical appointment and didn't do auto-reply on her email I guess). Her follow up was perfect -she got me the information plus she offered me additional information that might be helpful and concluded with asking if I needed anything else. The impression I came away with was "she goes the extra mile and she really cares about her job."

 

Beating yourself up won't help you learn. Channel that energy into figuring out why it happened and how you can prevent it from being repeated.

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The others have given you great advice.

 

Don't sit at home and stress. That does not fix anything. Instead, the minute you realize you made a mistake, go to your supervisor (don't send an email unless your supervisor is not immediately available!) and explain that you made a mistake but that you have done X Y and Z to correct it. Then indicate what you will do to ensure you don't make that mistake again.

 

And don't make excuses or place blame. Own your actions!

 

When I've made mistakes I've followed this action plan. Every single time I was thanked for my honesty and was praised for not trying to cover it up or make excuses.

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Well, you have to calm down or you're going to keep making more mistakes. Maybe before you turn something in, you put is aside for a few minutes and then look at it again to make sure you did everything you're suppose to. It's better to take the extra time than to do it quickly and do it wrong.

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Well, you have to calm down or you're going to keep making more mistakes. Maybe before you turn something in, you put is aside for a few minutes and then look at it again to make sure you did everything you're suppose to. It's better to take the extra time than to do it quickly and do it wrong.

 

Also foster a relationship with a trusted colleague with more experience who you can ask questions of so you don't feel like you're constantly asking your supervisor. Don't overwhelm that person but it helps to spread the love a bit.

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Taking on a new position is tough and learning everything in a month without making mistakes is not possible. I know anxiety makes it 1000 times worse! Don't beat yourself up okay, no one is perfect and no one can do a job without making some mistakes. If it helps calm your anxiety try making a small checklist for you to review as you build confidence in your work. That way you can check stuff off mentally as you go. I am a perfectionist myself, but I have found that by allowing myself some slack I don't become so stressed out by the mistakes I make. Keep doing a great job and I hope the position works out long term for you.

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New job anxiety !

One of the worst fears.

You go from a job that you can do with your eyes closed and then are plopped into a foreign environment and not even being sure where the bathroom is.

 

It would make just about anyone feel uneasy.

It just takes time to hit your stride.

 

I hire new employees all the time. I had one that said `sorry' needlessly several times a day the first 3 months, she was so nervous. I did everything I could to assure her that I understood that there was a learning curve and for the most part her position is best learned by making mistakes.

 

I finally broke her of the sorry habit when I reminded her (jokingly) that every time she told me she was sorry she'd owe me a dollar.

 

I feel for you. Just don't be too hard on yourself and know that for the most part it's normal.

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Like others have said, don't beat yourself up over mistakes. As long as you can fix them, and make your boss or others who are pertinent to the situation aware, and learn from it, it's all part of the job.

 

I've been at my job for 14 years, and I still make mistakes. Literally, just today, I had to ask my boss to decline my expense report, as I realized I had made a mistake on it, and I needed control of it again, to fix it. I told him what the mistake was, and how I was planning on fixing it, and I asked him for advice, as it's a different type of expense than something I normally do.

 

My point is, mistakes are human. Correcting them, and proactively learning from them, is where the difference lies.

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It's only been a month that is completely normal! I am in a new role for the last 6 months and I'm still making the odd mistake.

 

It's new and a part of the learning process is learning from mistakes.

 

It was getting to a stage I was getting very anxious about the mistakes I was making. I ending up talking to management for support.

 

Wish you all the best x

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It's only been a month that is completely normal! I am in a new role for the last 6 months and I'm still making the odd mistake.

 

It's new and a part of the learning process is learning from mistakes.

 

It was getting to a stage I was getting very anxious about the mistakes I was making. I ending up talking to management for support.

 

Wish you all the best x

 

I personally would not talk to management other than to show confidently that you know of the mistake and how you plan to rectify it. If you need support call someone outside the organization who has done your job and ask for support. This is why I'm a strong advocate of networking so you have those resources. I recently turned to a friend of mine for help with a work-related situation -she lives in another state, does not know my colleagues, and was able to offer pointers.

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I also think the amount and type of mistakes are an important piece of the puzzle, you just left your last job and one of the reasons was because your boss was hyper critical of your mistakes according to you.

 

Which one came first the chicken or the egg, are you over reacting to minor things because of your past expierience or do you have a tendency to make mistakes and preemptively get defensive and anxious about them?

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  • 2 weeks later...
How do have you handled your mistakes? For instance, who have you told about them, and have you offered solutions for fixing them? How have they responded to you?

 

I am with the secretary of my boss and she often sees and corrects my mistakes. Whenever she corrects it, it felt like my mistakes are big. I'm already working here for 2 months and there are times I still commit errors

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I also think the amount and type of mistakes are an important piece of the puzzle, you just left your last job and one of the reasons was because your boss was hyper critical of your mistakes according to you.

 

Which one came first the chicken or the egg, are you over reacting to minor things because of your past expierience or do you have a tendency to make mistakes and preemptively get defensive and anxious about them?

 

Definitely the first you mentioned. I over react when I get corrected with minor things and it feels like it's huge

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Definitely the first you mentioned. I over react when I get corrected with minor things and it feels like it's huge

 

I am working for over 15 years in my field and last week I made and discovered an e-mail related mistake (email address) for which I took full responsibility as soon as I found out and suggested ways to rectify. I was mad at myself of course. I think you need to develop a thicker skin at work and accept criticism and constructive criticism -take what positive you can from it. Obviously there's also workplace harassment/abuse etc but I'm sure you know the difference. As a former manager (and sometimes I still need to) I really disliked working with people who took constructive criticism too personally. Made my job so much harder.

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Qwerty, if I may ask what types of mistakes are you making that the secretary has to correct?

 

Typos, things like that? If so, always proof read your work before submitting it. Always always, even if it's just a draft!! Use spell check!!

 

But if not typos, then what?

 

If you give specific examples, we might be a better position to advise you how to avoid making them, and/or repeating the same mistakes as you mentioned in your other thread.

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Don't always rely on spell check. As I always say, spell check is not "makes sense" or "correct context" check.

 

For example:

"I lust the firms tat where surprised too bee gave it thee mating".

 

All those words are correctly spelled but I sure would not want to send that out!

 

Read before sending. If you're still not sure, ask a trusted coworker to proofread. But...not too often or you will be viewed as incompetent.

 

Ask questions and remember the answers. Write them down if necessary. You'll succeed if you learn from your mistakes!

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Because my mind races faster than I could ever type, I can make a zillion typos. Read my posts and you'll see them everywhere!! Lol

 

What works for me in work related things is to write it a out and step away from it and do something else.

 

When I do performance reviews I check and recheck them a day later before turning them in to HR. Its frustrating sometimes that in the moment I can't see my own mistakes, but the following day they jump out at me.

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