Wednesday, June 18, 2014

#9TO5TOTALSOCIAL

Helene in Between

Super pumped for this link-up.  Always look forward to something different in the world of linking-up.  Thank you to the gracious hosts Helene  and Sarah


I definitely do not have the most glamorous or interesting job in the world, but I love what I do.  I work for an electric and gas utility company.  We’re the people that you call a power outage or a gas leak into.  I work in the office there and have been there for six years this year.  I started about 3 months out of college.  When I graduated college with a degree in English I never thought I would end up at a utility company.  I thought I would end up at a newspaper of publishing company.  My uncle who is a lineman here told me that there was a meter reader position opening up so I decided to apply.   What I really wanted was the office job position that was open, but the application had already closed online.  Luckily I was able to get my application moved from the meter reader pool to the OSR pool.  I got the job & started September of 2008.



They call us OSR’s or Operations Support Representatives, a really lengthy, completely unnecessary term for clerical.  There are four of us in the office, the longest running has been here for 43 years, I’m the one with the least seniority, but it doesn’t make too much of a difference.  We are union employees represented by the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers).  Because of this we get great pay, paid vacations & holidays, and really good benefits.  This is a lifelong job that rarely ever has openings.  This job has been a huge blessing for me and for Joe.  I have my own office rather than a cubicle, a little coffee station with my Keurig, & the best hours; 6:30-3:00 which I love because I am off so early I still have time to get errands ran, work out, go to my aunts pool in the summer, etc.  This is also how I manage my blogging.  I have ample time each day after work to work on drafts & posts.  If I think of something at work that I want to write about or I have a thought in my head, I will make a note in my phone or email myself the idea so that I don’t forget it. 
my coffee station at work 

During my day I do a lot of different things.  I mostly help my co-workers, the meter readers, the lineman, the gas guys, with their orders, working them on the computer, or if they have issues, questions about an account, etc. they call me.  I spend about 30% of my day on the phone.  We are not open to the public so we don’t do much customer service here. I do things like payroll, job scheduling, overtime, lots of reporting, and lots of paperwork.  Our office is generally pretty quiet, & mostly drama-free.  I have a pretty good group of co-workers and definitely have no plans of ever leaving this company.

I am very active in our Division which includes my office in La Salle, 2 other northern offices, and several offices in Peoria.  I love working with and meeting new people throughout our division and throughout Illinois and Missouri which are the two states that we serve.  My goal is to one day advance to management.  I came close a few months ago which you can read about here.  I’m hoping that a successful round of IVF which will aid in my ability to advance with the company, but I am completely content with where I am today with my job and have no qualms about my current work situation.  

17 comments:

  1. Oh man.. I used to work at an HVAC company. HATED IT!! Your job sounds pretty fun. Anything is funner than an HVAC company. Plus you have your own coffee station. I had to share with EVERYONE! Including the techs. UGH!

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  2. Sounds like a great job! I hope you're able to move up to management :))

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  3. 6:30 - 3! So jealous those are fantastic hours!!! Having a position that people rarely leave is a dream itself! When I started with my company, 90% of the employees had been there 15+ years. I found that to be very positive! But I sure don't have my own Keurig! Lucky duck! :)

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  4. Wow, what some FANTASTIC hours! I'm jealous!

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  5. this sounds like an awesome job! you know it's good if you have been there 6 years and you have the least seniority!! i love hearing about what you do! thanks so much for sharing!

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  6. It's awesome to hear more about what your 9 to 5 looks likes!

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  7. That's great that you enjoy your job. I think most of us end up in jobs that have nothing to do with what we studied in college.

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  8. I am loving this link up! 6:30-3 would be perfect, I would love that! I hope you are able to advance one day like you would like to :)
    (sorry if you get this twice, It gave me an error)

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  9. Great link up!! I wish I had your hours... totally jealous! And your office has your own Keurig?!? Yeah... beyond jealous!

    <3, Pamela
    sequinsandseabreezes.blogspot.com

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  10. looove that shift! What a neat place to work!

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  11. Your desk looks like mine with all of the bright colored sticky notes! I would to have a keurig at my desk too!

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  12. Well we already know you have amazing benefits! Jealous of your own office and the Keurig! I don't have one at work OR home!

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  13. 6:30-3 is awesome hours!! I'm so glad u found a job u I've so much. It's a huge blessing when your focus in needed in other areas, too.

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  14. Just found you through the link up. I live in Bloomington, so I bet we aren't far apart! I am jealous of those hours and benefits, although I work for the state and can't complain!

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  15. Sounds like an awesome job that you have been blessed with! It says a lot about it too having people work there with such longevity! :)

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  16. sounds like a great job! what fabulous hours :)

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