Describe some of the highs and lows of the week Essay Example for Free

Describe some of the highs and lows of the week Essay Describe some of the highs and lows of the week. Aim to bring to life each situation by describing the atmosphere, the event and your reactions. Avoid writing a simple chronological account. I finally had the chance to see what life is like out of school, and what life will be like in the future. Sothebys Billingshurst and to Sothebys Olympia in London was where I went for my one week work experience. It was a truly enjoyable experience and an excellent opportunity to see how the business operates, and also an opportunity for me to learn. The best part of the week was taking part in a live auction. The least exciting task was helping the gallery staff, as this only involved patrolling the gallery. The auction was the highlight of the week. It was a two day sale selling mostly garden statuary, but there were also some very interesting Jurassic fossils. The fossils I became most fascinated with were six fossilised dinosaur eggs, which managed to gain 2,400. I expected them to sell for more. During the auction I did the currency conversion. This is where I had to listen to the auctioneer say every price for each lot, for example. I would have to type these numbers into the computer and then they would be converted. The prices for each currency and the image of the lot selling would be shown to the buyers on a huge plasma screen. I also got the chance to step up onto the rostrum several times. This was an excellent opportunity for me. I was the sales clerk, so I had to record the money obtained for each lot, and bid information. I really enjoyed being part of the auction. The sale became especially exciting when two buyers were bidding against each other for a lot worth. Overall the total money from the auction was over a million pounds. Another experience I liked was going to Sothebys Olympia in London. The reason for this is fewer sales take place at Billingshurst, so there is more happening in Olympia. The day began when I joined other commuters at the train station on the 6. 45am train to Kensington Olympia. I quickly realised that this must be the most tedious and time consuming part of the working day. I thought how soul destroying this would be to have to repeat this journey every day of a working lifetime. When I got off the train everyone seemed to be rushing to where they were going. The pace of life had changed and I was aware that I was in the fast moving centre of a huge capital city. When I arrived at Olympia it surprised me to see the size of the building where this international company was based in stark contrast to the Victorian manor house in the Sussex countryside where I had my first taste of the auction business. The offices were modern and open plan. I was introduced to some of the staff, and met Lord Dalmeny, chairman of Sothebys Olympia, and one of the countrys richest men. He referred to me as boy, which I thought sounded a little old fashioned. The work I did was firstly filing, which was rather boring, but a job that had to be done. Then I had lunch in the restaurant, which was far superior to Bishop Luffas canteen. After lunch I helped the gallery staff label all thee lots, ranging from an eighteenth century sundial to an unusual Perspex spherical ceiling light from the swinging sixties. The day went in a flash and I soon joined my fellow commuters homeward bound. One of the disadvantages of being in the world of work as opposed to school is the long hours. Although I started later I finished later too, and I was working eight or nine hours, instead of six hours with far fewer breaks in between. I also had to do several jobs at once, unlike school where I would be doing one. I found it more tiring than school, and would have to go to bed earlier than I normally would. There were a lot of mundane jobs that had to be done that were not very interesting, but a necessary part of the smooth running of the day to day business. There were also unexpected interruptions that stopped me in the middle of some jobs. The most thrilling part of the week was undoubtedly the live auction, with a room full of people listening to the auctioneer who had complete command of the auction. It was staggering to think that people could even afford the items on offer, and it made me aware of the different life styles people experience, for example; it was an every day event for clients to drop in by helicopter. The hardest part was the long hours, as I am not used to them. My work experience was very rewarding and enlightening, and I was disappointed to see the week over.