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The Waiting Game - Circa 1997

Date published: June 13, 2005

Editors notes appear in italics.

I've been temping, rolling around for years. Gone are the days of so-called job security, benefits and being able to go on vacation without suffering severe financial burden (i.e. no pay for the days I'm off).

It all broke loose today when my agent (one of about 16 I've registered with) called, wanting me to go to the city (San Francisco) tomorrow morning. I said "no can do." (He and I have butted heads more than a couple of times). I also asserted that I am not interested anything but 'regular' employment opportunities.

I've been burned -- no, fried -- too many times. My last assignment this particular agent got me promised to go 'perm' after "a week or two."

Well, the 'evil management' decided they needed a floater secretary instead. They hired someone who had a dozen years' legal secretarial experience and (it looked to me) like about a week of hand-on computer skills.

With a couple of attorneys going on vacation, they felt they wouldn't be able to keep everyone busy. So, my temp-to-perm lasted one month.

Fortunately, I had 'turned up' my search for other opportunities. I was called on a position in the City to start the Monday ater my other assignment ended. This was the second 'cold start' assignment I had. ( I was instantly marketable to these law firms because I had typed 123 wpm with no errors on the typing test I had taken with that agency, so being sent on assignment without an interview just happened). I was told that this firm often hired the temps they had sent.

My timing was wrong, however. They had recently hired a WP in that fashion after one day because they had an opening. I, unfortunately, was filling in for someone on medical leave. It was ill-timed since the guy they had just hired had no legal word processing experience whatsoever. I was working in a dungeon - a dimly lit room which was cold and depressing. The people were nice though.

That assignment lasted 3 weeks and I admit, I was relieved to see the light of Day again. I interviewed next for a temp position in Redwood City, for someone going on materity leave and here I am (I was writing this rant on the job, evidently). No agents this time. Problem is, I'm still temping. I'm not kept busy, so I have time to write "gripe" things like this and play Minesweeper a lot.

Meanwhile, I contacted Kath Thomas at Brooks Fiber. Kath and I had met last October to discuss my working for her. They took a while but made me an offer. Unfortunately, I Had accepted an offer from Beeline which was the nightmare job from hell, but I won't go into that now.

It seems Kath has that opening again, but they had an offer out to someone and were waiting to hear. They'd know by the end of the week.

Meanwhile, an internet serice provider called InfoLane had called me. We had it all set for me to work there a day and a half a week and 4 days at the firm in the City. That fell apart. If InfoLane had come up with a good offer, I would have gone fulltime - they are only 5 minutes from home. But I can't even pay my mortgage on the insulting $12.00/hour they offered!!

Meanwhile, I waited for Brooks Fiber. The personell woman asked for 3 more days to let them (Brooks) know. I waited. Then I got a call to meet Monday morning, to meet with Kath and Glenn - the other guy I'd be working for -- and that would pretty much settle it.

ANother agency in Fremont called with a purchasing job in Hayward called Etec. I said yes, I was interested, and set up an interview by phone on Tuesday (yesterday).

I saw Kath & Glenn and it went over well, and I would know in 12 hours. Twelve hours came and went. Meanwhile, I phone interviewed with Ann at Etec - that went well. I left a message at Brooks Fiber.

This morning, another message to Brooks, and I got a call regarding Etec. They wanted to see me at lunch today. Fine. I set it up.

Finally, I got my call back from Kath and Brooks, 48 hours later. The hangup now is HR's process. They are required by some $#@!!!'d up policy that requires them to post and advertise the position for x amount of time and interview more candidates (since that other woman had turned it down). She assured me that they don't have to hire any of them, they want me and mean business. Until I have an offer in my hands, nothing means squat. That's my presonal feeling!

The interview at Etec went great until I got mad when my agent that I don't get along with called (while I was waiting) and told me as-a-matter of factedly "I need you go to up to the City in the morning." UGH!

So here I am. I made up my mind I dn't want any more temp or so-called temp-to-hire assignments. It was sort of a revelation, really. A clearing of my concious...a load off my back. I want REGULAR! I don't want any promises that have all been broken in the past! (Sounds ilke my former love life...)

So I told the agent from hell that I'd call him at 2:30 about going to the City - which I did not.

The coporate world has been very nasty to me. I don't want this anymore. Etec seems very promising. They are a big company, been around 25 years, etc. They have a KLA feel and I think I'm best off working for a large company. The anonymity is there instead of the aquarium-feel of a small company.

Again, I must wait. They will let me know Friday.

The notes end there. It's funny as I don't remember much of that, but I remember the stress of it all. So happy to be self employed. That last phrase - The corporate world has been nasty to me - I don't want this anymore - says it all, doesn't it?

For the record, I did wind up going to work for Brooks Fiber. I was there for about 8 months and they had moved to San Mateo and I detested the commute. I wound up finally working for InfoLane where I honed my basic internet skills. I went out on my own, then to work for CMP media in 1999, Excite@Home in 2000 and back on my own in 2001. I'm doing great without the corporate nonsense!

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