Temp Workers Are Dirt

I had been in my temporary job for about a year and half when my boss said the department head was making it into a permanent one. My boss encouraged me to apply; after all, I had been at it for more than a couple of weeks, so I knew the routine well - and I did a very good job.

Fast forward 2 weeks into the resume collecting period (yes, I did apply). Or maybe I should call it the so-called resume collecting period. My boss called me in on a Thursday afternoon, and to say I was shocked that my assignment would be ending in 30 days is an understatement.

Here is Kicker-Part 1: She told me the department was trying to get rid of some of its temp workers (there were others). Ah, you say, no problem - offer me the permanent job. Not so fast, grasshopper. We, the management, have to come up with something that's plausible. It's total b.s., but it's plausible.

I have over 20 years of experience, and the jobs there always stated something like, degreed people will be given first preference, but will accept experience in lieu of degree.

Of course you know which I have.

So she trotted out the usual, "Sorry about this," stuff, but she followed it up with "You weren't chosen because youu don't have a degree." Excuse me? Because I don't have a degree - which somehow makes you into a magical being who can do no wrong - I'm not getting the job? I've been doing it for how long already?

I actually left her office with a chuckle, thinking that the next person who came along would have a lot of fun doing everything I was doing, in addition to doing a bunch of other stuff. Good luck.

Kicker-Part Two: Since I hadn't found another job nor had I retired (yes, you read that right; they slipped the rug out from under me while I was still in that job), I stayed at the position...and lo and behold, the person came onboard 2 weeks later. Collecting resumes? Hah! No, there was something else at work here that made no sense and was disgusting to boot.

The department head walks in, goes past the "candidate"'s desk, and gushes over her. Oh, so the department head knows her! Methinks I smell a favor, all at the expense of the temp, who's nothing but dirt anyway.

So, of course, I trained the woman; what else could I do? They had me over a barrel, and they knew it. You would be right if you think I wasn't enthusiastic about the training, and also slowed down my regular work. Who cared? Not me. If they were going to treat me in such a disgusting manner, then I would do the minimum in getting my work done. Why should I give them more when it wasn't going to amount to anything anyway?

As least the support staff (and only one of the directors) came to me and wished me well, that I had been mistreated, yadda yadda yadda. They even threw a going away pizza party for me. :-)

Lesson learned: Buy a degree online if you don't have one. That way, management can't trot out the "no degree" b.s. and will have to become more creative to filch you out of a job.

POST A COMMENTlabtech(03/27/2012)
Unfortunately, management will do whatever it wants. And the likeliest candidates are related to someone else and/or really have those 'people' skills, otherwise known as being able to kiss the chrome off a back bumper.
Just doing your job well, demonstrating loyalty to the company and going above and beyond in your work is NOT ENOUGH. You will never compete with the big bosses' relative.

Any excuse will do. If you have the degree, you'll hear "we want experience." If you have the experience, you'll hear, "We want the degree". If you have both, you'll hear "We're looking for the best fit." But the management doesn't care, even if it has to hire two people to do your old job. Essentially they're going to beat the horse that runs until they decide to sell you for glue. But don't feel bad about it; just do exactly the minimum of what's required, to get your paycheck, which is the only thank you a stupid company will ever give you - that's where I am, right now. Don't let their twisted perpective of your self-worth hurt you. Let them sink. Move on.

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