Temping in 2000, cont'd.

Just in 2000 (blog post here), I worked as a temp at:

• Multiple places as reception; several requested I return, and if I didn't have a conflict, I did so -- at least twice for two different clients  

• Two dealerships: Flannery Ford [one week] and the original Saturn dealership** in Michigan [several weeks] { Newsweek link for Saturn's demise }

• The OCC Chancellor's Office, where I once answered the phone with "Chancellor's Office speaking" -- as another university's chancellor's office was calling! 8) 

• Advanced Medical Metpath, doing data entry on lab work forms (O that horribly dull place, no one spoke to other employees or temps! as you can imagine, I couldn't stand that; it was like working in a mirage of other people.) 

• March '00: My first Kelly assignment was at a psych clinic, which amused me, since that was the first time I'd ever been on the other side of the glass.  Plus one of my previous shrinks was there, and greeted me with joy... ("Where have you been?" he exclaimed. "California!" said I.) 

• Handing out paychecks in California for Adecco. *** Cushiest temp assignment ever.  ;)  They were sweet and even paid me for a couple extra hours, since they needed someone just to do this one thing all day long.  I sorted people's time cards on the side to keep my hands busy; this may be the real reason they loved me that day.

Notes follow 

(from my temping post and the rest from this post): 

* I am not an IT guru.  Any time people designate me as such, this is generally because they are not good at running Windoze and/or MS Office programs, and they leap on me with joy.  Kelly Services rated me as a Specialist for both of those.

I tried teaching my fellows at REAS about the computer and the database; they preferred to have me Fix Things instead.  =shrug=  Well, that's how it goes at times, y'know.

=-=

** I loved Saturn.  That was the loveliest reception job I had, bar none.  Peaceful place, where the salesfolk would come hang out with me when things were quiet.  When I left, my dealership sorrowed, and gave me Saturn swag (nifty t-shirt!) **** as a farewell...

Very unlike the Ford dealership, where I sat in a room full of other women, but I was to mind the switchboard and do nothing else.  Horribly boring.  I did word searches til I thought I'd lose my mind.

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** The California Adecco office... lost my sole paycheck.  So they cut me another one.  Yay!

In 2001, I had to amend this with their HR dept.  No one could grok the simple form, that I'd been not paid twice, but once, and where the correct number[s] went on the form.  Went around for days -- weeks??? -- on this.

This is also where I learnt that most people seize up when numbers or basic math is discussed.

It's like their brains shut off.  Petrifying.  I found it extremely aggravating.  I lost count of how many times I tried explaining the simple form, only to have to do it all over again.

The HR guy was completely unable to follow basic directions, let alone comprehend "This amount is what I got paid.  This amount is double the amount of what my single paycheck was.  This amount goes in the California state slot; this goes in the Michigan state slot... and the Michigan state slot needs no alterations!"

To this day, I cannot grasp how he could do his job.  8(

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****  Saturn's swag inspired a 2001 temp assignment to try outdoing Saturn's goodies... after that restaurant's allegedly long-term assignment lasted only one day.

See, the restaurant dumped me... when I helpfully noticed aloud that they were paying me $13/hr... while having me screen new hires who got paid considerably less!  Thus my assignment spontaneously ended.

I hope whoever got hired there made sure they got raises.  I fear they did not.