Such is the life of a contract worker in the IT field…
May 18, 2007 | Geekly Aspirations, Whinging
So… remember how, like, FIVE MINUTES ago I started a new job? Yeah, well, it’s over already.
June is the end of my six month contract and the group I am working for has decided not to make anymore websites. So, they obviously no longer need any web production staff.
I am not freaking out. I’ve been assured by numerous folks that this is just how it works. SB has been doing this for longer than I have, and has been in this position many times, and it always works out.
So now I have to find a new job. (This is where I start to freak out a little) While I clearly have more experience now than I did the last time someone hired me, I’m still REALLY afraid of having to convince someone that I can do their work. I didn’t have to interview for my last position, but I probably will next time. Six months of working in the tech industry has only taught me how much I DON’T know. I have absolutely NO ability to fake it. It’s not like it’s an office-y position where you can throw in a few words like “synergy” and “collaboration” and make it sound like you now what you’re doing. In this field, everyone speaks in TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms) and the first time I trip over one of those in a sentence, my eyes glaze over a little bit, the voice in my head starts screaming, ‘HELP! WTF is he talking about!?!?’ and I start to sweat.
Okay, so assuming I CAN convince someone to hire me, then I actually have to DO the work. On this project, I was fortunate enough to have a lot of hand holding and someone I could call with my questions. My new job might be with a different vendor company, so I can hardly keep calling my friend from my current company for help. There will be a new boss and new things to find out I don’t know. But, I guess that’s getting ahead of myself.
I’m just bummed because while I was waiting for a project, I felt like an unemployed loser who needed to get her shit in a pile. Then I started the job, and I spent the first two months crying about how scary it was and how stupid I felt. The last two months, I’ve started to feel like, hey! I can do this! I’m SO COOL. And now, back to square one.
It took this picture in the car the other day. I was sitting in traffic, using my dorky bluetooth headset, having a meeting with the marketing manager of Europe, a Brit who sometimes says fun Britt-y things that make my day. I took the picture because I couldn’t believe my life and what I was actually doing. A couple of hours later, I was told I was about to be unemployed. Strikes and gutters, man.
I’ll keep you all posted on the job search. I’ve decided not to begin the joy that is resume composition/turd polishing until next week.
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May 20th, 2007 at 12:47 am, heather Says:
Keep your chin up! I can only think of more cliches and useless platitudes to say – but you will find something else soon I’m sure!
May 20th, 2007 at 6:41 pm, Woman with Kids Says:
You have my sympathies, it’s never easy finding a new job and dealing with that stress. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.
May 20th, 2007 at 9:56 pm, tia Says:
i can’t imagine working for the tech industry. my husband does and it is so on another plane i can’t e-ven begin to understand it at all. i guess you’ll never get bored with these types of work sitches.
May 22nd, 2007 at 11:04 am, Jenny Says:
heather: Ah, thanks. You are right. I will!
Woman: Thanks, friend. I’m hoping since June is the end of the fiscal year, there will be more jobs that usual starting in July?
tia: Yes, you’re right. This job is so hard, though, a little BORED would be nice.
September 29th, 2007 at 11:44 pm, Zesty Enterprise » Pardon my cobwebs Says:
[...] Hello, friends! My, how I have neglected you. I have a really good reason, though. I got a job! Halleluiah! I’ve been “between contracts” (”unemployed“) since June. My boss seems really cool and my desk is near a nice big window. It’s with that software giant based in Redmond, once again, and as I am not an idiot, this is the last I’ll speak of it. But, yay! [...]