Temp Work

 Geek Wannabe  Comments Off on Temp Work
Feb 182010
 

Yesterday I went to learn how to count mail for the USPS.

Our little group learned how to distinguish between letter, flat, and parcel (each group gets counted separately). There’s a nifty little gauge for measuring anything that’s so close to the size boundary that we can’t just eyeball it. There’s a particular form to fill out with our totals (of course there is, this is the government), and we have to fill it out in just a certain way (natch). It’s important that we count accurately, because the letter carriers’ salaries are determined in part by this data.

It took an hour, but we’ll get paid for four because that’s the temp agency’s minimum. Woot!

So I’ve got work for a couple of weeks. Paycheck = good. Even better, I’m hoping after I’m done my manager from this job will allow me to use him/her as a reference for future work. I strongly suspect that a major stumbling block in finding a job is the fact that I’ve been out of the work force for so long; I’m hoping a current reference on my résumé will help to remedy that.

I Got A Receipt for My Pee

 General  Comments Off on I Got A Receipt for My Pee
Feb 032010
 

Today while I was out doing my errands, I stopped by the lab to do my job-mandated drug test. By way of preparation I stopped at a fast-food place and bought a giant soda.

There was nobody else there, so it was a quick stop. I gave the lady my ID, took care of business (so to speak), she decanted it into an official specimen container, and she handed me a receipt. They’ll be sending the results to the temp agency.

Quick and easy, but I still can’t help but wonder why it’s a requirement. Is marijuana really such a huge problem in the work force these days? Or is it, as is my suspicion, a tool to reinforce the fact that I’m just a faceless work-force peon who is easily replaced if I don’t toe the line?

Whatev. At least I’ll get a paycheck.

Feb 022010
 

Got a call from the temp agency this morning—they’ve got a two-week assignment near the end of the month, if I’m available.

Oh yeah, I’m available.

It’s something at the post office, not an accounting job, but it will give me a) a paycheck and b) some current employment to put on my résumé. I suspect the ten-year-gap in my work history is hurting my chances as much as my lack of experience.

They’re sending me some forms and the location of their approved drug testing company. Yeah, I’ll have to get drug testing. Passing it won’t be a problem—I’m not even on birth control any more—but it’s still demeaning. But I’ll put up with it for the same reason anyone else does: because I need the work.

Bear