When ppl call into the office here and I pick up, more often than not the dingbats on the other line think I'm a receptionist. Drives me NUTS! Does this happen to anyone else? I find myself slaughtering them with my knowledge of finance in the end. Same when ppl come into the office. One guy actually looked at me in shock that I was sitting behind a computer with two screens looking at financial reports.
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Happens all the time... funny story on that too from my younger days :-)
A small group of clients arrive to our office for some due diligence work on a deal. I'm part of the work group. When the receptionist announces their arrival, the MD and the VP can't greet them because they're wrapping up a conference call for some other deal. So they ask me to go greet them and lead them to the conference room where we'll all be for the morning. I show up to reception, I smile, introduce myself and ofcourse they just assume I'm the secretary. Sigh. No matter, I politely lead everyone to our conference room. Since they arrived earlier than expected, our catering staff hasn't stacked the room with beverages yet. One of the fellas asks me if I could "Be a doll and bring me some coffee." Sure, and if he would have asked for a rib eye at 10 am, I would have gotten that too! I ask the others if they'd like anything also. I hurry to find someone to get their coffee/water. Everyone's busy so I have to get it myself. I can't find cups, I can't find a tray, we're out of sugar cubes, the coffee is cold, I have to make a new batch. It's turned into quite the ordeal!! I walk back carrying a tray with cups, sugar, cream, coffee thermos and bottled water... Mind you, I've never been a waitress, I'm tragically clumsy, so I walk slowly for fear I'll drop the damn tray 'cuz it's so freakin' heavy. No one, I mean NO ONE is gentlemanly enough to open the conference room door for me. Thank god the door had a lever vs. knob, so I manage to bend a little and use my elbow to press the lever and open the door. By the time I'm in the conference room, these fellas are getting their thumb workout on their blackberries else they're yacking on their phones. Typical pretentious men. They scarcely even look in my direction. The gentleman who asked for coffee, is talking on his mobile with one hand, the other hand on his waist and when he sees me he gestures with his index and middle finger "Over here". I put my tray down on the table but struggle to walk over to him and hand him his coffee because the others are in my way. I literally have to s-l-i-d-e his cup down the table... at that point the MD and VP walk into the conference room. They shot me a look that said "What are you doing?"... I just shrug my shoulders and smile.
After everyone settles in, these gentlemen are still thinking I'm the secretary. Since I don't leave on cue, they probably thought I MUST be there to take notes or something. Until ofcourse, the dialogue turns to draft schedules we've prepared and technical questions start and then either me or the VP are answering. When they left though, they still didn't look in my direction! I'd like to think it's because they had egg in their face. 'eh but the reality is that the uber egos prevail with men.
This business, I'm telling you... if you're a woman... there's some good times. Good times.
Now site visits... even better stories there :-)
Atrop,
Do you work in ECM or DCM ? On a trading floor ?
What the hell is ECM/DCM? I work in a front office boutique, I'm the first woman that they've hired in the office, even though they've been around for like....3 plus years? The other offices in the US have women though.
aadpepsi, at another job I was once a receptionist and had no idea how to make coffee either. I actually got the guy who ran the recording studio to help me ha ha ha. I never drink it. We have those silly Flavia machines at my office which a moron could use. They taste disgusting though. Terrible beverages come out of that contraption.
********"Babies don't cost money, they MAKE money." - Jerri Blank********Funny story.
But you just let them think you're a secretary and took on the role??
You're probably no longer that meek and passive agressive if its from your younger days though :)
Yup, took on the role. And yes, I'm more assertive now and I impose an introduction asap so that there's no misunderstanding and no one is embarassed (them, not me). On occasion though, if I'm feeling playful and want to have a little fun, I'll purposely let them stumble (wink).
The conclusive evidence from my story is that I'd suck as a waitress and I have no clue how to make a good cup of coffee - utterly useless :-)
Nevermind, saw it on the side of wso.com.
********"Babies don't cost money, they MAKE money." - Jerri Blank********
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