2000-05 income: temping.

Back then, I temped constantly.  I enjoyed being able to leave a place I didn't like, or that had a rotten work environment... or was boring.

Most jobs never took me long to master.

(Unlike the coupon-book publisher I worked for in 2003.  That job, ahhh, that was nice and meaty, and took me weeks to learn what was what.  Involved filing, much proofreading, plus using both PCs and Macs.  Lovely workplace...)

In just 2000 I had 15-odd assignments.  I was really proud of that.  I remember people who were horrified by this, and I could not understand why.

C'mon, having companies who clamored for me to return, that's pretty neat!


Much later, I realized the lack of staying put was likely troubling any horrified auditors.  Staying put has never troubled me.  I like variety, and challenge.

I like meeting new people.  I like finding out how things work in different workplaces too.

My time in banks was mostly as a temp, for instance -- except for my first bank job, where I was always an employee -- so that's 4.5 out of 6 banks.  (You'll see why presently.)

Aside from the bank that hired its temps, and then got rid of four employees in four months' time (including me)... these were all temp jobs unless otherwise indicated. 8)

1. 1987-88: First of America Bank employee: part-time encoder, then full-time Installment Loans file clerk 
2. 1988: Comerica HQ: mailroom [and data entry?] 
3. 1989: National Bank of Detroit: encoding 
4. 1991: First Federal [Standard Federal?]: data entry from microfiche 
5. 2001: REAS temp (the real-estate section of Charter One Bank), then employee: data entry, resident IT backup* 
6. 2003-04: Republic Bank: mortgage dept. file clerk 

PSA:  Being a temp is very good experience for being a freelancer.  You learn how to manage your money; you learn not to expect holiday pay or paid vacations.  You learn to be flexible -- do I need this money more than I dislike the assignment?  Do I have a better offer?

=-=

My agencies loved me.  [The  twin bonuses of being readily available and hypercompetent.]  I worked for Kelly Services in Michigan and California.  I worked for Adecco one day in Santa Monica [CA] and otherwise in Michigan.

My Michigan Adecco office was special.  Briefly, my office was really fond of me, the darlings.

I was bouncing between Cali and Michigan at the time (another stirring tale) and agencies would frequently lose and then reissue my checks...  My poor S-10 had been smashed at Pennsic '00, so I had to fetch my truck in PA, and so on.  Chaotic.

Notes and more continued in next post.