Unemployed Americans are out of work for an average of 20.1 weeks, according to Richard N. Bolles author of "What Color is Your Parachute?" and "The Job-Hunter's Survival Guide: How to Find Hope and Rewarding Work, Even When 'There Are No Jobs.'" Join me as I take my 20.1 weeks to look for a job, spend less, and attempt to keep my hopes up.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Parasite temping
In my last two temp gigs I wasn't referred to by my name but as 'the temp' most of the time. Being seen as disposable in a workforce where people are holding on by their fingernails is less than comforting. I found myself getting dangerously disillusioned in my last position
In the past temp gigs were not only a quick pay check but also a good way to get a foot in the door of a field I wouldn't typically consider. I've met great folks temping. But months later, and no full time job, and bills piling up I'm really wondering if this is best use of my time. Perhaps the worst part of temping is that it feels like a parasite. The work tends to pays just little enough to slowly drain my savings, so that now I need the temp work to stay a float.
So I'm starting all over again, this time with a couple job interviews under my belt, - we'll chock those up to practice- a bit more experience, and a lot more flexibility to take a position I wouldn't typically consider for a pay check and health insurance.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
i'm a 32 year-old temp.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Phew temping. .
Today I started temping in the burbs, it’s a forty something minute commute for about a three to four month project. I’m relieved to no longer be juggling another temp position with interviews, drug tests, phone calls, and filling out forms for this position. The jury is still out on what I think of the job, but for the time being I really ought to find a way to keep the job hunt up.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Week 3 tempting temping
This week (week 3, 17 more to go!) has lead to some opening among temp agencies, where I get a call from an agency, they rattle off some job description, and ask if I’m okay with them throwing my resume in. I always say ‘sure!’ I’m really can’t turn anything down, even if the work is just making copies and typing with my toes.
From prior temping experience, I know it’s difficult to keep my job hunt up, and I can no longer count on recruiters to find something better for me. Recruiters help get your foot in the door, to apply for a ‘real’ position with in mega-conglomeration corporations. But one cannot trust a recruiter to find a dream job. So tomorrow I start flipin’ copies again, and maybe on the purple line continue to do the work of figuring out what my “dream job” might be. Perhaps one of these mega-conglomeration corporations will have a position that will be good enough for now.
I leave you with this question, is there such thing as a “dream job”? Or is it like a unicorn, a myth we tell children to keep them in school? Or in this economy is it more of an endangered species, they used to exist but have all been killed off?
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Ten Keys to Success at Job and Career Fairs
The Ten Keys to Success at Job and Career Fairs
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Week 2 – really what do you do with CD’s now?
In this cleaning I discovered a handful of TAPES! I know somewhere in my piles of stuff there are boxes of mixed tapes (and a copy Milli Vanilli that Camila Sinden gave at my 13th birthday) that I don't have the heart to discard. At least we still have the archaic technology to play tapes still. It's times like these when I remember cleaning the attic with my father and finding old warped records, reel to reels, and boxes upon boxes of 8-tracks. This was in the early 90's when we sill had a reel-to-reel player but no record player, and we certainly didn't have an 8-track player. We live in a world where technology is changing every decade so that we have to re-purchase the songs that we love- tell me record companies aren't funding the evolving cycles. Our music becomes archived on instruments that are only relevant to the era they exists in. When do we stop consuming, and re-consuming the music we love? At least, at least, I live in a city where radio doesn't suck. Because even as I complain about the medias I consume music in, my love and need for quality radio stations has not changed.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Friday Grab Bag: Free Food, Samples, Magazines and Music
Here’s a compilation of lots of free samples, magazines and other freebies available right now. Thanks to Kaley from Cha Ching on a Shoestring for her help in rounding up all of these freebies for you:
Free Samples
Free samples of Migraine Medicine, Baby formula and more.
Free Food
Free Bagel with Cream cheese from Brueggers
Restaurant Deals: Mc Donalds, Texas Longhorne, Dave & Busters, Noddles and Co and More
Printable Coupon: Buy One Get One Free Sunbelt Granola Bar
Printable Coupon: Free Gallon of Milk with Purchase
Godiva Rewards=Free Chocolate!
Quick Chek: FREE 6? Chicken Marsala Sub (NY & NJ)
FREE Slice of Pie with purchase of an entree at Marie Callenders
Miscellaneous
Free Turbotax, Kids Activity Ebook and Sample
Free Desk Calendar from Walgreens Photo ($9.99 Value)
Free Music (and other) Downloads
Free baby music download from Baby Einstein
Free baby music download from Munchkin
Free digital subscriptions to Popular Science and Saveur Magazine
Free Corinne Bailey Rae Download from Walmart
Twitter: Free 8 Song Christian Music Download
Giveaways
Bumbleride Indie stroller at Baby Goodbuys (ends today)
Happy Baby Food Prize Pack at Mrs. Money Saver
Happy Friday!
Post by: Common Sense with Money
Free Webcast: How to Land Copy Editing Work in Today's Marketplace
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Thursday, January 21, 2010
Week 1- Thursday
The book is chocked full of ways to stay fresh while hunting for jobs and has a handful of the charts that show the way employers find employees is the exact opposite ways most job hunters look for jobs! (More to come on that later). By far what has proved most helpful was the suggested day planner. From 9:30 to Noon do job hunting on line, Noon to 1:30 lunch & a NAP!, then 1:30 to 4 work on scouting opportunities at places that you think are interesting to work. I love that he advocates napping!
In other non-book reading related news, I got a promising e-mail from a ManPower Recruiter about two possible opening. He had my resume on file from MONTHS ago, and re-reviewed for a couple temp/ contract openings. We'll see how that plays out.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Week 1- Tuesday
Once home and showered I got to work, sorta. I filed for Unemployment, and then re-registered with the required Illinois Skills Match. I already have my COBRA and 401K roll over situated. I intended to spend the day reading "The Job-Hunter's Survival Guide" by Richard Bolles book, and doing the work with the book. Instead, I e-mailed all the temporary agencies I've signed up with to let them know I'm available again and tweaked my LinkedIN profile. Then I mopped the kitchen and spent a couple hours volunteering at an after-school program.
With the days remaining in this shortened week I'm planning on finishing Bolles' book, and cracking cracking "Do What You Are" by Tieger and Barron-Tieger. I'm somewhat avoiding internet searches right now, I want to get a better idea of what I'm looking for, and what's out there first.
Quick question: Has anyone checked out working for the census?