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kenzie


Chanel

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Need Advice
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I'm not really sure what do here, so I'm asking you ladies since you're always full of good advice. Obviously, you all know that I loathe my job. I simply cannot hack much more of days filled with brochure stuffing, answering phones, updating databases and bulk mailings. That's all I do. This is clearly not advancing my career or building my resume. 


As of right now, I'm still an employee of the temp/employment agency.  This job is temp-to-perm.  I would go perm in late September.  The only reason I would take the perm position is for the pay increase (I get paid didly-squat right now) and health insurance (I don't have any right now and I'm in constant pain from a pinched nerve in my back).  However, if I take the permanent position, I feel like I will look like I'm 'job-hopping' when I look for another position, even though I obviously don't want to be an administrative assistant/receptionist for the rest of my life.  I would be looking for positions like 'Junior Copywriter,' 'Advertising Assitant,' ect.  So they are completely unrelated to what I do now (kind of like retail was). 


If I decided to not go perm, I could tell the temp agency that I want them to find me something else (more closely related to advertising) and that I don't want to stay where I'm at. It wouldn't look bad on my resume b/c it's a temp position.  No harm in temping, right?  But, my dilemma is the pay (granted, I'll be getting $$ for student loans since I'm going back to school, which will help out some), but I still need health insurance and with this crappy pay, I can't afford it.  I will get free healthcare from my school, but what if I have an emergency? And my back is freaking killing me! I'm in pain all the time.  And I know it's fixable b/c it's happened before, so I'm really in pain just b/c I don't have insurance. 


I found this article, http://change.monster.com/articles/notfirstchoice/ to be somewhat interesting and I can honestly say the only reason I took this job is b/c my savings was running out and I had to get money.  This is what happened to me back when I took my first retail management job as well (and look how long I ended up there!!).  I really don't want to be a receptionist for two more years! I'll be 28 then and still won't have a career or anything thing that even resembles one.  Help, please (particularly esquiress, you always have the best career advice). 


Sorry, this is kind of long, but I'm really conflicted here!


 



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ILoveChoo


Hermes

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I don't think that you should accept the perm position. You already know that you don't want to stay there and I think it will look really bad to accept a job and then leave right away.


Can you see if the agency can start looking for a different position for you now? Tell them that you really aren't interested in your assignment? And start looking and agressively applying to places on your own- write a great cover letter explaining the career switch and list your current job as 'temp position" on your resume- the people on the other end don't need to know that it's temp-to-perm or how long of a temp assignment it is.


If your back in school, can your parents add you onto their insurance? I know my parents could as long as I was a student- they (I) had to pay an additional cost but it was WAY cheaper then getting insurance on my own when my job didn't provide it.



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kenzie


Chanel

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ILoveChoo wrote:

 If your back in school, can your parents add you onto their insurance? I know my parents could as long as I was a student- they (I) had to pay an additional cost but it was WAY cheaper then getting insurance on my own when my job didn't provide it.

Unfornately, I can't go back on my mom's policy b/c I'm too old.  Apparently, 26 year olds are supposed to have careers and not go back to school (silly me!!).  Anyway, I am afraid to mention something to the agency b/c one of the people who works here at my job is roommates with the person I've been working with from the temp agency.  I don't want anyone to find out before they have to, you know. 


I'm just not sure what to do about the pay situation.  I've seen other agencies that pay more and offer benefits, so maybe I could try one of them??  I'm so confused! 



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Alikat


Kate Spade

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I would definitely have the temp agency look for something else.  Don't accept a permanent position if you hate your job now! 


And if you are conflicted with this temp agency, try another.


As for health insurance, does your school have a student health plan?



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Luv2Shop


Kate Spade

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Do you know how many people can't even find jobs OUTSIDE their field?? You are lucky you have a job!!! I have friends that are sitting at home (their parents homes) twiddling their thumbs every day!! Stay with what you are doing and continue to look! There is NOTHING wrong with you taking something better if it eventually comes along. It's called job turn around. The only reason the company would have to be mad at all is if you are trained to do something really hard and then you quit, but it sounds like to go perm you wouldn't have to have any additional training and they could easily replace you. Keep paying your bills and looking for jobs!!! Do not feel bad. I would totally take the perm position if I were you, but don't let go of your goals of finding something better.
Good luck!!

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kenzie


Chanel

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Luv2Shop wrote:

Do you know how many people can't even find jobs OUTSIDE their field?? You are lucky you have a job!!!

Luvs2Shop, I don't think you've been around long enough to know that I've battle unemployment a few times.  The first time was when I was finishing college and ended up taking a retail job, the second was recently (which you were around for and really wasn't that horrendous).  I do know what it's like to be unemployed and while it sucks, I have plenty of things to do when I'm not working (jewelry, writing, ect) and for me when I'm not working, I have a better mindset than when I'm at a toxic, soul straggling job.  It's not like I sit around and do nothing when I'm not working, I'm actually 'working' for myself, but I just don't make enough money doing that right now. 


I hestitate to go on as a permanent employee b/c I don't want to look like a job hopper, but if I keep temping, that's okay.  I'm going to check into other agencies and see what I can come up with.



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crystal


Kate Spade

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i think you should totally look into another agency that offers benefits, better pay, etc.  but if you do stay w/ the one you have & the agent tells your coworker/her roomate about you leaving i think that is totally unethical.  i really doubt she is able to do that and maybe you could even remind her not to spread the news due to the sensitivity of the matter.


also, why not start aggressively looking for jobs on your own?  i know it's hard work, but it works for a lot of people (i actually don't know many people that go thru temp agencies).  if you have internet at home (or a library nearby), just go on all the usual suspects like monster, careerbuilder, etc.  post your resume for employers to search & also search for your own specifications.  just keep trying & keep sending in resumes.  that's what i did and although it took a few months to hear back, i finally did and i got the job!  (of course now i'm bored as heck, but that's not the point.)  if you know specific companies you want to work for, you can always send in your resume w/ a cover letter (get help w/ this if you don't know how to write a great one) saying that you would love to work for them when a position opens up.  who knows, maybe they'll have a position open up soon & since your resume is already there you will be the first to know.  well, hope my jumble of info helps... best of luck!!



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kenzie


Chanel

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Posts: 4919
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crystal wrote:

also, why not start aggressively looking for jobs on your own?  i know it's hard work, but it works for a lot of people (i actually don't know many people that go thru temp agencies).  if you have internet at home (or a library nearby), just go on all the usual suspects like monster, careerbuilder, etc.  post your resume for employers to search & also search for your own specifications.  just keep trying & keep sending in resumes.  that's what i did and although it took a few months to hear back, i finally did and i got the job!  (of course now i'm bored as heck, but that's not the point.)  if you know specific companies you want to work for, you can always send in your resume w/ a cover letter (get help w/ this if you don't know how to write a great one) saying that you would love to work for them when a position opens up.  who knows, maybe they'll have a position open up soon & since your resume is already there you will be the first to know.  well, hope my jumble of info helps... best of luck!!


I have sent out a few resumes recently and back before I got this job, I was sending out resumes to jobs I found on monster, craigslist, ect in quantities of about 5 per day.  I only did the agency as a last resort.  I've kind of gotten lazy in the past month or so about sending out new resumes. But, I'm definitely going to start sending out resumes in full-force again. 


I think I'll probably send my resume to every ad agency in the area as well.  I've never done the sending a resume without a specific job posting, but it's worth a try, right? 


Thanks for your help, crystal. At least when we're bored at work, we have stylethread, right?


 



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