Right after I graduated from high school, my parents uprooted me and took me from cool music-scene Austin to Lake Chuck, where I didn't know anyone and you had to drive an hour just to find a Target. It was traumatic. And I was supposed to get a summer job to save up for college. To make a long story short, no one would hire me because I told them all I was leaving in August for Utah, and I wouldn't work on Sundays. So, I decided to try registering with temp agencies, but I typed too slow and I was smart enough to know that scan and skim are antonyms and not synonyms, but unfortunately for me, the temp agency gal didn't know that. I spent the summer eating Hot Tamales and watching TV.
It's really pathetic, but since that time, I've sort of kept mental track of all the computer skills I've acquired just in case I ever apply at another temporary agency. When I took an Excel training course, I congratulated myself on adding that skill to my repertoire, because it would make me more impressive at the temp agency. And I've noticed how my typing speed is increased, thinking that also ought to turn some heads.
Now that I'm done with all my graduate course work, I thought I'd try to register with a few staffing agencies and see what they can come up with. The first one I called told me they couldn't work with me since I'm moving in September. Oh well, I can handle that. I found two others in the area who agreed to work with me anyway, so then I began the long process of filling out the online application. It took me at least an hour and a half (and I'm not even finished yet). As I listed all my incredible computer skills like Quark Xpress, Word, WordPerfect, and Excel, I was sure they'd be super impressed. Only they weren't. After taking a look at the progress I had made so far today, I got a rather depressing phone call. She started off by asking me what line of work I was interested in again, which seemed to suggest that there were problems. "Um, clerical, office type work," I told her.
"What's this last job you had? Teaching freshman composition?" She asked. And I explained, that yes, I taught English at a University, thinking she'd be impressed. Instead she went into this long thing about how the employers she works with really want to see resumes. Well, that's no problem. I have a resume. But what she really meant, is the employers she works with want to see resumes with secretary experience on them. So the outlook for me getting a job is pretty bleak. I could probably do just about anything a secretary can do (except shorthand), but because I've got no experience and no certificate, they don't want me. I get the idea that this is the sort of place that would penalize me for having a resume that's longer than one page.
Now I remember why I hate looking for a job and why I hate working with temp agencies. I just don't handle rejection well, even if it is because I'm over qualified.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I also tried the temp agency thing when I was engaged (can you already see how that wasn't going to work?)I went and did the whole application at Kelly Services and nothing really came of it. I'm not sure I should tell you what I eventually did for a job that summer (it's rather pitiful actually), Okay, I worked at the rundown dry cleaning place across the street from the Provo Library . . . for minimum wage! It was during the summer and there was no air-conditioning. No wonder I fit in my dress, I'd sweat off like 50 pounds!!
Those jobs are great though because they give you bragging rights, like the time when I worked in the dishroom at the MTC for the breakfast shift. Not really as strenuous as the dry cleaner, but I became practically narcoleptic because I was sleep deprived. It was great. :)
Post a Comment