Bleh

I crashed and burned on the final page of the test for taking a level up in pay at work. I got to take it this past week.

I still don't know the final combined result, I just know I failed the last page, because my boss checked it right then.

They tell you immediately when you take the first step up, but for the second step, they apparently make you wait a month to find out the results of the written part combined with the computer part.

That last page of the test, that I had to wait for my boss to administer, was horrible.

It was about using the computer software, and it had three questions on there about software steps we NO LONGER USE, and therefor, new people do not even get TRAINED ON HOW TO DO THEM.

What. The. FUCK?

SO that was automatically three wrong.

Then, there is a step that we no longer take also that I was asked to describe in writing and with print outs!
I wrote into the blank on the test what steps I DO take (all I was trained to do was look at this one screen and make sure that I see "zeroes."), and I got that one wrong too.

Then, one of the questions was a trick question, and I was so flustered by the other shit that I missed the trick.

So, I know that I failed the software test, because I only got 4 correct answers.

And then there's the lingering fact that the written portion of the test had that section that I COULD have studied for and memorized, if my mentor had not mis-led me.

And, NO, I am not blaming my failure entirely on HER. It was a combination of me being rusty on things I don't have to do anymore, and being tested on things our department doesn't even train on anymore.

She COULD have helped me, and chose (rather aggressively, through lying to my face) not to.

That's only a piece of it, which I took very personally. Sorry if I complained about it too much.

Anyway, if I passed, that means that I had to get ALL of the other questions correct on the written portion, and those were all about coding.

Coding is something we DO NOT DO in our department, and it just so happens that I used to do it at my job in Illinois.
I am rusty, but I took my time, and am pretty sure I nailed most of those questions. But without nailing them all, I am probably screwed.

I wish they'd just TELL US so I can stop thinking about it!!! WHY make us wait so long? There are 2 or 3 of us waiting, and it's been hard on all of us.

SO--at the moment, my take home pay is $60 a month less.

The one step up raise for passing the first test has not been given yet, and who knows when we will get our annual performance reviews??

Those were due on 1/3, according to the H/R website.

While those two raises will most certainly NOT equal the $60 a month take home pay lost, I'd still like to see them start some time soon.

THEN, to end my week with a flourish, I went to get my monthly prescription yesterday, and found out that my ongoing discount program (since my prescription is not covered by insurance) ended on 12/31.

Grand.

Less income, and now I have to pay full price for the medication that restored my quality of life.

Happy happy day.

I know other people have worse problems, and I DO understand perspective....but I need to gripe sometimes, okay??

Hope everyone else's first work week of the year went better!