Topic: Your Job: The Movie (Read 177940 times)

Thad · « **Reply #1540 on:** March 08, 2011, 01:30:18 PM »

Don't know what the market's like out there but I've had trouble even getting that work over the past 4 years or so. A+ isn't worth what it used to be, and while fixing computers isn't as stressful as programming it doesn't pay anywhere near as well.

Good luck to you.

MadMAxJr · « **Reply #1541 on:** March 08, 2011, 01:42:29 PM »

Making the big money has no purpose if you're incapable of having time to enjoy it.

Thad · « **Reply #1542 on:** March 08, 2011, 02:03:40 PM »

I hear ya, but I'll take it if somebody offers it.

But yeah, as long as you make enough to keep a roof over your head and not stress over the bills, there's nothing wrong with having a tight entertainment budget. I worked a shit computer repair job for two years and managed to squirrel enough away that I still buy comics every week (albeit a fraction of the number I used to). I've gotten my unemployment to stretch so that I can pay my share of rent, bills, groceries, food, gas, and health insurance, though if I were living alone I'd be struggling.

And the job certainly wasn't all bad. I worked with good people, it was 8-5, and the stress and pay were appropriate for the work. That's what's important to me: not whether I'm being paid well, but whether I'm being paid fairly. Back in '07, when I was running the backend of an ISP singlehandedly for, oh, slightly more than I'm making right now babysitting filecopies for 8 hours a day, I finally got fed up and demanded that they bring the pay and the work in line. It was either-or; I told them I'd be happy to keep my current salary if they'd take my cell phone back and let me work Monday through Friday and 8 to 5. They told me that wasn't going to happen; I told them they had two weeks to learn Linux.

Anyway, all that to say, while my warehouse job sucked, and gave me a lung fungus and asthma, I was probably going to get those anyway sooner or later and it had its charm. The biggest stress, really, was being a temp for 2 years and knowing the hammer could drop at any time -- which, on the plus side, meant I was prepared when it did.

(The hammer is my penis.)

Mongrel · « **Reply #1543 on:** March 13, 2011, 05:07:24 AM »

I had to laugh at the fact that I work for one of the largest tech-sector companies int he country, but we only upgraded from IE 6 to IE 8 LAST WEEK.

It was mostly hilarious because the company's OWN WEBSITES had been complaining that we were using outdated browsers for some time now (since well before I was hired).

Shinra · « **Reply #1544 on:** March 14, 2011, 11:01:33 AM »

Working email queue today. This is the most laid back job in the world. 3/4s of the emails I'm working are status reqs, referrals and out of office replies. Helldesk indeed. If I get this every Monday I might start liking my job again.

MadMAxJr · « **Reply #1545 on:** March 15, 2011, 04:12:37 PM »

Three more middleman agents contact me, specializing in placing technology people. Promise me interviews. Empty, empty promises.

Thad · « **Reply #1546 on:** March 15, 2011, 04:26:43 PM »

There's something very discouraging about being sent home early because they ran out of shit for you to do today. Of course, as much as anything it's because I was so damn efficient yesterday.

Ah well. Came home, went for a bike ride, cleaned house for company, hopefully those DB's are extracted in the morning. At any rate I should at least get outside the donut hole this week, and if the SNAFU continues I may even have work next week.

Lottel · « **Reply #1547 on:** March 22, 2011, 07:25:46 PM »

DAMN THESE POWERS OF MINE. The pull of evil is too strong. I'm corrupting. And these customers are now spending 3 times what they planned.
We are now their favorite place to eat, they love everything, they are getting dessert, and I got the guy to ask out his dream girl.
He's bringing her here to eat.

Thad · « **Reply #1548 on:** March 22, 2011, 07:53:36 PM »

Boss: Okay, you're done; we might have more work for you in a few weeks.
(1 HOUR LATER)
Rep: Are you done with your latest contract?
Me: Uh, yeah, like an hour ago.
Rep: Okay. How soon can you get to north Scottsdale? We have something there for a couple days.
Me: ...kay. Let me just have a bite of lunch.

(15 minutes later)
Rep: Looks like they've hit a snag and can't do anything else today. I'll let you know if they need anybody tomorrow.

(An hour later)
Other Rep: Can you do a twelve-hour-a-day job reinstalling Windows on 4000 computers that got hit with a virus for the next week?
Me: Uh, okay, but Rep said there was this other thing in north Scottsdale.
Other Rep: Yeah, I told her to call you, that one fell through.
Me: ...kay.

(An hour later)
Other Rep: Actually, I guess that first job is still up in the air right now; we'll wait to hear what they have to say tomorrow before I put you in the twelve-hour-a-day one that pays less.

I'll say one thing, it's nice to be wanted.

R^2 · « **Reply #1549 on:** March 22, 2011, 09:10:55 PM »

Ah, a new city, ripe with new opportunities and fresh prospects!

Dammit I'm still fucked aren't I?

Lady · « **Reply #1550 on:** March 22, 2011, 10:22:00 PM »

where at, rupples?

I had a telephone interview for something that I was approached for, and now I feel amazing about it, but don't worry, my nagging lack of self worth will slowly bring

me

ba
ck

d
o
w
n
.

Kayma · « **Reply #1551 on:** March 23, 2011, 01:15:41 AM »

That post was truly a work of art.

Ziiro · « **Reply #1552 on:** March 25, 2011, 09:48:00 AM »

My current job is unraveling my mind. So I ask this; is there a reliable site to get a resume template from? I feel I should have one ready. And when applying for positions, I understand there are times where a cover letter is appropriate (very professional, corporate jobs), but are there times where they're inappropriate?

Mothra · « **Reply #1553 on:** March 25, 2011, 10:04:23 AM »

I can't think of a situation where a cover letter is not a good idea. Unless you're terrible at selling your strengths, nothing bad can come of giving them more to like about you.

R^2 · « **Reply #1554 on:** March 25, 2011, 10:09:32 AM »

I always do at least a brief cover letter to highlight how the contents of my resume apply directly to what they're looking for, but you might want to do the opposite of what I do, because.

Rico · « **Reply #1555 on:** March 25, 2011, 11:10:20 AM »

Quote from: Mothra on March 25, 2011, 10:04:23 AM

I can't think of a situation where a cover letter is not a good idea. Unless you're terrible at selling your strengths, nothing bad can come of giving them more to like about you.

Pretty much. Especially these days when people just mass bomb hundreds of jobs at a time with online resume distribution tools, anything that says, "Hey, I actually know what your company is and what you're looking for with this posting," is a good thing.

Kayma · « **Reply #1556 on:** March 26, 2011, 05:50:42 AM »

I know people who do not typically write cover letters, and have gotten interviews/jobs.

I think these people are insane. A cover letter is never a bad idea. Keep it concise, sell yourself. It helps to set you apart. In other words, what these other dudes said.

Lottel · « **Reply #1557 on:** March 27, 2011, 05:30:32 AM »

Hours got cut again at work. Used to be 4-10 pretty much every day. Then business was slow so 5-10. Then business was slow so 5-9. Then business was slow so we shut down on Sundays.

I now show up 6-9 most days of the week. How fun.

Mongrel · « **Reply #1558 on:** March 27, 2011, 05:46:37 AM »

Wait, I'm confused... I thought business boomed wherever you went entirely on account of your ~~chi aura~~ mere presence?

Lottel · « **Reply #1559 on:** March 27, 2011, 06:00:37 AM »

Only if people actually showed UP to buy things.

News:

Author Topic: Your Job: The Movie (Read 177940 times)