preparing for the exam

[hw0799]

I worked for an insurance company.

For those who have working experience, I would like to hear your opinion.. THanks.

[SirVLCIV]

I worked for an insurance company. Currently, I am preparing for an actuarial exam. Last week, my manager have a lot of meetings, so he said I could take some more time to study , like come late and take longer lunch time.

at the end of last week, my co-worker who sit behind me complained to my manager that I come so late and took such longer lunch hour. My manager explained to her why, then she continued that it was not fair since another person was also preparing for the exam and she come early and leave late ..blahh, blahhh....(by the way, this person and the person she mentioned is not in my group).

I could feel people monitoring what I am doing when they pass by my cube. Is that something normal, or my departmet's culture is too low??????????

For those who have working experience, I would like to hear your opinion.. THanks.

Your coworker is a baby, and now your manager knows that fact.

[Denny Crane]

Perhaps you could put up a sign..."Taking Actuarial Study Time" when you are studying.

[Irish Blues]

Make a *very* loud announcement in that person's direction any time you get up from your desk to do anything (go to lunch, go to the bathroom, blow your nose) and another *very* loud announcement when you get back. Also make sure to mention what time it is, so they can keep accurate records.

[wat]

Your coworker is a baby, and now your manager knows that fact.

As harsh as it sounds, hw0799, I agree with SirVLCIV.

You have specifically cleared this with your supervisor. It appears that you've demonstrated the responsibility with your time and work ethic to be trusted to be a little more flexible with when and how you take your study time.

If she is complaining about her situation, and how she's preparing for her test, but coming in early and leaving late, then it appears to be her choice. If she wants to study in the office, that's her choice. As long as you're getting all your work done, there's no problem.

If she's complaining about someone else's situation, then she needs to start by minding her own business.

[hw0799]

I've posted a post before about people monitor my time schedule for the study time.
Is it very common because of competition,

[wat]

I've posted a post before about people monitor my time schedule for the study time.
Is it very common because of competition, people who are taking exams are crazy monitoring other people who are also preparing for the exam, like when she leave, when she come, counted how many hours the manager give her..etc. My coworker usually ask me to run some simulation for her, in this way she could get exact time when I leave...., It is not I am suspicous, because they did that before, and use it to complain with my manager. ( at that time, my manager say that I could leave early to prepare for the exam, since their complain I did not do it anymore). .....

I feel very sick about it, but still want to know if it is very common in all the companies.... Thanks.

I remember you asking about this, hw. I don't think it's right that they monitor you and worry about your study time and you consequently passing the exam. If they're not passing exams, they're worrying about the wrong person.

As far as them asking, it's not necessarily because they have it out for you. They could actually need some help, in which case, I don't suppose it would hurt to help out once, would it? It's important for everyone to get their study time in, and it shouldn't be a competition with who gets their hours and who doesn't. If she pushes off some work to you, she'd better understand that you missed some work hours, and that somewhere down the line, those hours are still coming to you. So, if you missed your two hours today, but take 4 tomorrow, that's none of her business if the work got done.

Keep up your studying and good luck with C6.

[hw0799]

Thanks very much for your post. I want to get an objective view about what happened to me, because I could not judge right now if it is common in the industry or just some thing unique in my company.

[Ken]

Unless you're taking more time off than you should be, why do you care that they're keeping tabs? If you're not taking enough study time, they might also tell you to go study by seeing how much time you've been getting.

[wat]

Because the time stamp and the way it is running, it will exactly put down my time schedule, if they want, they could use it to monitor my schedule, and it happened before. Considering I still have several lengthy exam in front of me, I am thinking that stay long in this kind of environment will eventually interfere my study.

My manager is a nice person, try to give me more study time, like study at my desk if I get my work done sooner than expected, or sometime leave early. Because they do all these things , I could do none of it. It is just very annoying and make me very upset.

I've never had this happen to me, but given that they know what time you come in the office and that you don't want to "rock the boat" as the expression goes, is it a problem to show up to work "on time" (or whenever it is you're supposed to be in the office) and study at your desk or somewhere else in your company's building (lunchroom or meeting room)?

That way, you're on time and at work (appeasing the people that really have no right to keep tabs when/where you are) and you're taking your study time (which is what both you and your supervisor wants).

If you weren't a nice guy, I'd tell you to just walk up to them and confront them about it. Tell them study if they need to, but you're taking care of your business.

[binky_4me]

i actually have a similar issue with my supervisor and with my company. my understanding is there's no allowed paid company time for the 1st exam(the one i'm studying for). but my supervisor told me he has no problem with me studying as long as my work is done 1st, but to be discreet. if someone complains, then i can't study anymore. so i sit at my desk with everything up on my computer for work, and do problems. as long as i'm here and appear to be working, nobody has anything to say and i get to study.

[wat]

i actually have a similar issue with my supervisor and with my company. my understanding is there's no allowed paid company time for the 1st exam(the one i'm studying for). but my supervisor told me he has no problem with me studying as long as my work is done 1st, but to be discreet. if someone complains, then i can't study anymore. so i sit at my desk with everything up on my computer for work, and do problems. as long as i'm here and appear to be working, nobody has anything to say and i get to study.

That's a diplomatic way of handling the situation. However, it's slightly different from hw0799's situation, and that slight difference seems to be the main argument for the situation.

That difference is that your study hours are not specified by company policy or likewise, so if a bigwig comes by and you're studying, there's no document or policy that can back you up. With hw, I believe there is an explicit study program that indicates he's entitled to the study time.

But binky - as long as you can take study time, take it. It will help.

[Troy_Harkin]

Couldn't another way be to get some of those actuary bumper stickers and put them around your cubicle? It would make your message that much more...colorful and vivid.

Troy