Temp Tantrum

[athelind]

For the last week, I've been working a temp assignment, doing "data entry" at a law firm. It paid the same (low) wages of my last assignment, but, whereas the last assignment was a simple "Organize These Work Orders By Date And Invoice Number", this was a much more complex task that involved hunting through three-to-four-inch thick folders of immigration documents in search of data to input into legal forms.

In short, I could do the last job by rote, while I listened to my MP3 player. This job required my brain.

As I said to quelonzia, my brain costs more than $11.98 an hour.

I've also gotten back in touch with the folks at Elkhorn Slough, and, despite being more than a year past deadline, they're still eager to see me finish off that erosion paper. As a result, I've spent a goodly percentage of the last few days asking myself, "what am I doing here? I'm a scientist. I need to get back to science."

I was already having second thoughts as early as Monday, and said as much to my contact at the temp agency. She convinced me not to bail on a job after a half a day, so I told her I'd stick it out for a week.

And I did. And found myself getting antsier and antsier. The job seemed less and less like "bringing in a little extra money" and more and more like "another way to procrastinate". So, yesterday, I called the temp agency, and asked  to terminate the assignment at the end of this week.

The response? "Gosh, they really don't want to let you go, after putting in a week of training already." Um... gee, that was kind of on my mind on Monday. It wasn't just wasting their time, after all. So -- since I'd presented the issue of it paying the same as the previous job for a whole lot more l33t skillz as my primary concern -- she asked if I'd stay on another week if she could negotiate a higher pay rate. Softie that I am, I said yes. And then my cell phone battery died.

This morning, my phone had a couple of messages from my temp rep on it, confirming that, yes, today was my last day. SO, I called to check in to confirm the confirmation -- I may be a flakey pain in the ass, but I'm a diligent flaky pain in the ass. I also explained that part of my dissatisfaction was that I had the Opportunity (magic golden words in the employment arena) to get back to the erosion paper -- honestly, I should have opened with that yesterday. The revelation that I've become a horribly negative person is something for another post, however.

It's obvious why she made manager. She managed to be chipper and cheerful and positive and upbeat -- even while she was lecturing me about how, in the future, I should only accept assignments if I intend to "see them through".

So, I wrap up the day's work with about half an hour to spare, inform my supervisor that I'm going to just call it a day there (since there's nothing productive I could have possibly have done in 30 minutes), and tidied up my cubicle. As I was going, I collected up my notes and some of the office supplies I'd been sharing with the other temp in this job, and brought them over to her, explaining that I wasn't going to be in on Monday.

She said, "Oh, neither am I."

"Oh?" I asked. "Did you find something else, too?"

"No, they just let me and a couple of other people go."

[insert that damned owl here]

So, let me get this straight.

I just got lectured for bailing on a job that was going to let me go anyway?

Or... given that I was, despite my lack of enthusiasm, picking up the job pretty handily -- were they going to let everyone else go and keep the guy who didn't want to be there?

...or did I somehow manage to get everyone fired?

Comments

[wingywoof.livejournal.com]

I spoke with a grad student earlier this week that had a similar situation. He took an internship at Honeywell last summer and quit after five days. He's got tons of research experience, a Masters in Material Science and they had him tapping away and answering phones until something else was available. It happens.

[storm-dragon.livejournal.com]

And, you'll probably never get another job from that temp angency either. I had a horrid, horrid job from a temp agency, involving de-stickering used books for UCSD. Told them I had another non-temp agency job coming in the next week, and wouldn't be available for that week. Got much the same lecture as you did. Never heard from that agency again. Skrewem.

[athelind.livejournal.com]

Heh. Given the givens... small loss.

[xylen.livejournal.com]

Makes me wonder what agency you're with. I've been working for Snelling Personnel and they've been good about assignments, even if you bail on one. At least as of monday I'm out of the temp woods though and working a steady job again.

[archteryx.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. I have some experiences with temps myself, but I got very lucky with an assignment -- it was in my field, with a very patient boss that treated me as a real worker and not just a throwaway commodity.

In a sense, it was *worse* then the sort of temp job that you describe, because it was seductive and lured me in. And that proved very troublesome...

See, it had no health insurance, and in the end, that very nearly proved fatal. I got out of there and into Ohio State just in time.

What agency was it, Athe? I've experience with nearly all of them. :>

[hafoc.livejournal.com]

Yeah, well, you see, it's OK if they dispose of you with less consideration than tossing a used tissue, but they want total, passionate dedication from YOU. Or at least they want you to be able to fake it.

[paka.livejournal.com]

Oh man. I feel your pain, I really do. I'm lucky enough to be working for what would seem a princely wage - if it weren't for the way I'm in HR, and every hour I'm here temping, it's making sure some of the people I'm getting hired on will be making 4-8 times my salary.