Jobs Part 3

Early in 1989 I saw an ad for a supervisory job at University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics (UIHC) in the communications department. The wages were more than twice what I was making at LeFebure and the benefits were great! I sent a resume', was interviewed and got the job. I started in early March. It was considered a "professional" position so there was a two-year probationary period.

The Comm. department included the telephone center and this was where my job was located. The man who interviewed me was the manager. I did not realize that I would have a direct supervisor, a young woman who had very recently graduated from college. I was not aware of this until I came to work the first day.

My responsibilities included interviewing, hiring, firing and scheduling the phone operators. There were eight fulltime and a large number of students working part time. The telephone switch and computer systems were both new to me.

Pressure and stress seemed to fill my days. The manager informed me at 18 months that I was not doing a satisfactory job and I probably should think about quitting. I've never been a quitter so I told him I wouldn't quit. He was a great procrastinator and I figured he might never get around to firing me - but he did.

It was good because the stress and pressure were so bad that I would nearly be ill as soon as I got in the building for work each morning. There are always lessons to be learned from all situations and there were lessons with this. But that is another post.