Underappreciated Talents

[Ghel]

I've found that there's a number of simple, every-day talents that a surprising number of people don't have in a retail or office environment (etc.). For example:

• ability to use a stapler properly
• ability to use a staple remover without destroying the paper the staple is in
• ability to use a hole punch
• knowledge of how to alphabetize, particularly to ignore "the" at the beginning

Please feel free to add to the list.

[mjr]

I've found that there's a number of simple, every-day talents that a surprising number of people don't have in a retail or office environment (etc.). For example:

• ability to use a stapler properly
• ability to use a staple remover without destroying the paper the staple is in
• ability to use a hole punch
• knowledge of how to alphabetize, particularly to ignore "the" at the beginning

Please feel free to add to the list.

I know those are relatively easy skills to master, but I don't know that, in the "technology age", that they're taught much any more.

[NorthernZel]

My boss is awesome at removing a staple using only his fingers, without damaging the paper. Dunno how he manages that, but somehow, he does.

However, my co-irker "Brick" is totally incapable of thinking outside the box. When I asked her to come with suggestions how to solve task X, her only reply (said repeatedly) was "but then I can't do task Y!!!"
It took my other CW "Oldie" only 5 minutes to come up with a solution, once she returned from vacation.

[KellyHabersham]

I'd be the first to admit that I don't know how to use a hole punch, at least, not an electronic one.

[bainsidhe]

I continue to be shocked at how many people in a very public and customer-focused environment like retail, haven't mastered the most basic customer service skills. Things such as not ignoring or walking away from a customer, or not going on a I-hate-my-job rant in front of a customer. Limiting the amount of cursing in areas where a customer might hear you is another example.

[LesserSouthernFroglet]

• Spelling / written communication (now I'm sure to make a spelling mistake in this post!)
  
• Replacing paper or toner in the photocopier / printer
  
• Using the photocopier / printer
  
• Fixing a basic paper jam in photocopier / printer
  
• Getting to meetings or appointments on time
  
• Washing up their own lunch things
  
• Changing the @#$%^ toilet roll in the loo. (we don't have cleaners etc during the day, they all come after business hours)

Re the photocopier. In the last two offices I've worked in, I've been the only person there who can add a user and their email address for scanning documents to email. For some reason nobody knows how.

[gremcint]

A while ago I came up with an honest answer to "what's your greatest weakness" that would never get you hired: "I expect competence from my coworkers"

[mjr]

Getting to meetings or appointments on time

This reminds me of something I read in "The Dilbert Principle".

Apparently, a manager was tired of people being late to meetings, so he set up a system for people coming late, and keeping people waiting. A "fine" of $1 per person per minute waiting. Apparently, the "policy" didn't last very long, and was ended when the manager who came up with it was 40 minutes late to a meeting with 30 people.

[mjr]

A while ago I came up with an honest answer to "what's your greatest weakness" that would never get you hired: "I expect competence from my coworkers"

Love this!!

[houdini]

I work in a Library...apparently it's a rare skill to know the alphabet AND be able to apply that knowledge to shelving books in the correct order. Sigh.

[dalesys]

I work in a Library...apparently it's a rare skill to know the alphabet AND be able to apply that knowledge to shelving books in the correct order. Sigh.

I thought they were supposed to be shelved in keyboard order.

Qwert Yer Uioping!

[Ghel]

Regarding alphabetizing, I was totally surprised that my coworkers expected "City of <My City>" and "Township of <My Township>" to be filed under "City" and "Township." It really hurt my brain to have to think like my coworkers in order to find documents.

I finally got things alphabetized correctly, 10 years later.

[Dreamstalker]

I'm able to open a locking ziptie with my fingernails and (sometimes) the pin from my nametag. If a selfscam register is acting up (scanning items but refusing to take them on the belt), sometimes it will work properly if I'm just standing there staring at the belt sensor

I've tried thinking like a coworker whenever I find a return shelved someplace bizarre...so far the only 'logic' I can apply are same color/shape (regardless of item) and a bag of fresh potatoes must go with the canned ones since they're both potatoes

[mathnerd]

Basic math skills. I don't expect everybody to have the same level of mathematical knowledge I do, but come on, can we please learn to add and subtract, and maybe even multiply? Or is that too much to ask?

[mhkohne]

Regarding alphabetizing, I was totally surprised that my coworkers expected "City of <My City>" and "Township of <My Township>" to be filed under "City" and "Township." It really hurt my brain to have to think like my coworkers in order to find documents.

I finally got things alphabetized correctly, 10 years later.

They filed 'The ABC document' under 'The' didn't they?