Thursday, December 15, 2011

carnival of the job seeker

That's what it's like - spinning teacups and screaming rollercoasters. One day there's a prospect and the next day, it's gone. Or maybe it's a prospect that makes you feel a little sick to your stomach, such as this temp job quandary. And then there are the criminals wandering around, the same level of person who haunts an amusement park looking just to snatch something from a wallet or pocket.  Such has been my week so far.

After implying that the temp job nearby was mine for the asking, the agency told me that they were interviewing one more person, sent by the employer. Then there were two! And the next afternoon, she left me a voice mail saying that they were hiring "someone who used to work there and was able to come back." I returned her call, was told she was on the phone, and haven't received a return call. There is a criminal.

On to the agency that I like, who I would actually prefer to have reap the rewards of my eventual employment, should it ever occur. She sent me on an interview for a one month long temp job, a forty minute drive each way.  I actually liked these people and the place very much, but the pay is $1 an hour LESS than my previous position (not that that should matter, not as if I have a job now) and I realized that with the holidays coming up, two of the four weeks won't even be full weeks! So it might end up not even paying more than I get through my benefits, and it could wreck my claim.  On the other hand, I may not have a decision to make, as they were interviewing others as well. For a one week assignment that is guaranteed to end when it ends with no future potential.  There are the teacups.

I remember when you signed up with a temp agency and they called you one day and asked if you'd go in the next. Nobody interviewed you, or grilled you on your experience. Nobody kept you hanging. You either said yes, or you said no and they moved on to the next temp. 

Finally, there are the online services, such as CareerBuilder.com, monster.com and indeed.com. Dozens of jobs! The perfect fit! Day after day I receive my job alerts, pore through new search results and apply for relevant spots. So exciting! Soon I will have a job.  A few days later, dejected, I realize that this was the rollercoaster.

And on and on it goes.

But on the other hand, the dogs are glad to have me. And I've been able to help out at the animal shelter quite a bit, petting cats and ogling the new puppies who have made headlines this week with their rescue.  Yesterday I just decided not to sit around the house and watch the email tab, waiting for a little (1) to pop up, only to find out it's another Christmas last chance notification. I felt much better about myself by the end of the day and I didn't wake up this morning with jaw pain as I have all week. (Although this is admittedly from the ill-fated dental visit a week ago, I'm sure I'm grinding my teeth all night long at the prospect of another day of job searching).

And in other news, M is home tomorrow for her brief visit. She was upgraded to first class and will arrive around noonish. I'm sure the week will go quickly before she is off to warmer climes, leaving the rest of us to sweep up pine needles and fight with strings of lights and wads of wrapping paper.  B will have to start studying for his midterms ... always a dreaded time of year.  Which reminds me of a dream I had last night. I had gone back to school, and it was the end of the semester.  Suddenly I realized that although I had been going to class, I really couldn't remember handing in any homework, or getting back any tests. So I'd been going to school, but how was I doing? I was taking all of my notes in one notebook, which had been given out at the beginning of the year.  Somehow I found a paper grade report and I had D in history and a D in something else. I was having a lot of trouble reading the report, and all of a sudden I was awake. I wanted to go back to sleep so I could make things right, but then I realized these were final grades! Hmm. A commentary on the amusement park?

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