MetaChat - I got a full-time (temp*) job

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14 February 2007

I got a full-time (temp*) job through a friend at his place of employment. But I have kind of a dilemma.→[More:]

The job might go perm after March. It's for a software company, doing QA. The pay isn't great (but better than the bowling alley), and there's no guarantee it'll go perm. If it does go perm, I'll be able to renegotiate my pay to a certain extent. They might even throw some tech writing at me (yes, this is something I want, at least to try). But I'd like to keep interviewing while at this place. They are cool with me being flexible, schedule-wise, and I've assured them I'll make up the time, either through VPN-ing in from home, or coming in for other hours. It'll only be like 1-2 interviews a week anyway. But how to I balance the job hunt with temp work? I'm worried about finding a place that will want me to start right away, rather than in April; and if I don't jump on it, they'll go with someone else. Plus, I'm kinda excited about getting a tech job, because all the other jobs that have even called me back have been banking/sales positions and I don't want to stay in that forever. But most of them pay more, and I am so deep in debt right now. I'm probably getting ahead of myself, but I'm not sure what to do.

* through the end of march

SEE ALSO: The livejournal entry on this.

post by: Eideteker at: 14:27 | 10 comments

It's temp work. If you find a better, higher paying job, take it, give plenty of notice at the temp job, and go be happy and make more money.

posted by mike9322 14 February | 14:34

But I don't wanna be a saleswhore forever.

posted by Eideteker 14 February | 14:36

I missed that part.

IGNORE ME!!!

posted by mike9322 14 February | 14:36

Companies reap a lot of benefit from using temp workers, and turn-about is fair play - temp employees have to get something out of it as well, and flexibility and the opportunity to seek (and leave for) greener fields is that something. Don't worry! Take the job, hope for the best there, interview elsewhere, and see what happens.

posted by taz 14 February | 14:39

Yeah, but this company is really nice, a fun environment, and they really like me. I will ultimately play it where it lays, and I'm not above playing employers off each other in negotiations, if I think I'm worth it.

posted by Eideteker 14 February | 14:46

Have they given you any idea of when they'll decide to make you a permanent employee or not? If you find a new job, the most you'll probably be able to defer your starting date is 2 weeks, so timing is pretty important (and hopefully the company won't be jerking you around about the temp-to-hire thing).

posted by cmonkey 14 February | 14:52

I assume that will be some time in March, after they've had some time to evaluate my actual work. The minute I'm close to an offer, I'll be sure to bring that to their attention and ask them for more concrete info.

posted by Eideteker 14 February | 15:00

posted by kellydamnit 14 February | 15:00

Well, it's not in her hands, but the QA manager was already very excited about the possibility of me going perm. From everything my friend's said about this company, and from both the interviews I had, they seem to be very straight-shooting. These are software folks, not management wonks. They didn't seem too interested in playing games.

But yeah, nothing is in stone, so I'm still anxious.

posted by Eideteker 14 February | 15:07

1. About half the companies that take on temps dangle the carrot of a perminant job over their heads. I'd say less than a quarter of those actually follow through.

2. Every company assumes the temps know this is a crock of shit designed to keep them from looking for a job with, say, benefits and the like, and ultimately understands that temps will be looking for a job with benefits and stuff.

Seconding that. Go for what you want. Don't worry so much about balancing the one with the other. If this place valued you so much, they'd offer you a job with benefits. Since they apparently don't, keep looking for a place that will value you and your work, in a polite, discreet way.

Signed,

Learned the hard way.

posted by jason's_planet 14 February | 23:10

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