Still on the Hunt

I'm still on the job hunt. I had a temp job for a little while. 5 days to be exact. I was getting ready to leave work at 4:55 pm yesterday and I saw that I had a voicemail on my cell phone. It was my temp agency telling me not to come back on Monday. They had gotten a call from my supervisor that I had finished all the work so fast that they didn't need me to come back, because there's nothing left to do. Mother. Fucker.

I was told that the job was "open ended", which I assumed meant that there would be plenty for me to do for a while. I guess it really meant that they didn't know how long the job would take. The answer? 36.5 hours. The kicker is that I had my supervisor sign my timesheet at 4:40 pm, and she didn't say anything. The time on the voicemail from my agency was 4:00 pm. So she knew that I wouldn't be coming back and she didn't even say anything when she signed my timesheet! No "great job, sorry we're out of work for you to do." Not even a "sorry to tell you this, but today's your last day." I didn't listen to the voicemail until after she left, so I had no clue it was my last day. I was seriously pissed. It just felt so shady, like she was too much of a pussy to tell me. I WAS WORKING FOR THE FUCKING HR DEPARTMENT TOO!!! You'd think that someone working in HR would be a little more upfront and sensitive. Whatever.

I did have a really great final interview last week. It's for an Administrative Assistant position at a top PR firm in downtown Chicago. I'm up against 2 other people and they should be making a decision next week. I really like the company a lot and I would be very happy if they made an offer. I also have a friend that works at the company, which definitely helped in the interview process. It's all about who you know. Seriously, if you are looking for a job, you should really consider reaching out to your network of friends for help. I have been so blessed over the years to find great opportunities through my friends. Companies take referrals from friends a lot more seriously. The job I applied for was posted on Monster.com and I'm sure that if I didn't know someone who worked there, I would have never landed an interview. For every job posting on Monster or Careerbuilder, at least 100 people apply, I'm sure. Not only are unemployed people applying for these jobs (people who really need them and are willing to do anything to land them), but also employed people who are looking for their next move to get out of their current situation. The competition is insane.

So I'm back in the temp pool; still interviewing for permanent jobs. I'm not counting on anything and I am trying to hedge my bets as best I can. I'm updating my agencies every few days to remind them I still exist. Some of my staffing agencies are being really great and helpful. Some are not. Some actually listened to what I was looking for in a position. Some just want a pulse and will try to submit you for a job that you clearly are not interested in. Some stop calling after you've turned down too many opportunities to be submitted. BUT, some are great and keeping calling, because they understand that there's no point in submitting you for a job you don't want, because even if you do get hired, you will probably not stay long and their client will be pissed.

I've been thinking a lot lately about writing. Like writing a novel, or a play. I have no idea what I'd write. Or even what I'd write about. Well, I'll have plenty of time to write, come Monday!

I was happy to learn a week ago that a replacement was hired for me at the hotel. Thank God! I was really feeling guilty about that for a while; knowing that my friends at my old job were having to do my job after I left.

I guess that's it for now. Not much to report on the weight loss side. I can report that temp jobs are bad for your diet, because they are so boring that all you think about is "what can I eat?" and "when can I eat next?" And since you are alone for breaks and lunch, and you're bored, you tend to eat more because at least it's entertainment. Food becomes something to look forward to; the ONLY thing to look forward to. And when I have people to eat with, I don't have such insane cravings. I eat what I have and then I chat. I don't have time to think about, "what else can I eat?" I tried shopping a bit this week during my hour lunch break, and found some cute shorts at Sears; but as I'm on a budget, shopping is definitely not as fun as it used to be. And even though it sucks that my best friend is also unemployed now too, at least I will have someone to hang out with during the day. But hopefully for not too long!