In November I applied with a temp agency. They found a couple opportunities for me. I chose the one on I liked more, she reached out and they wanted to interview me. I aced the interview. The temp agency contacts me and says they’d like to hire me. It paid $24/hr. I told the recruiter I needed to match what I was making at the job I left. She asked what that was and I said $27/hr, (which is the truth — no games here but actually made more because of 10% annual bonuses and multipliers). She said she’d talk to them. They agreed and I started the job. To get to the point I was overqualified but that didn’t matter to me: I had just come out of a two year WFH situation due to quarantine. During that time I got really depressed (I have major depressive disorder anyway and horrible anxiety, had stopped eating, stopped showering, contemplated suicide and once even put a belt around my neck and pulled — I was a mess). I didn’t care because I wanted something more low-key (previous job I left disgruntled after ten years of successfully climbing the ladder). I took an administrative/payroll internal-customer-facing position for around 125 employees. This job saved my life. Everyone was so nice and it was exactly what I needed. I’d never felt more accepted at work (went from a corporate job to federally-funded). Of course I impressed the pants off them and I could tell I was very well liked. Five months rolls by and they‘be been approved to open up the position to hiring (3 months out). My manager at the time tells me that everyone really hopes I apply for the position because “A lot of people would be very upset if you didn’t.”
Two to three months later they’re finally moving on the hiring. I’m constantly harassed by employees 🥰 telling me they really hope I apply for the job and they really appreciate all the work that I’ve done. I apply and then meet with the CEO to discuss the duties (because things have changed). Turns out the job is about to get a lot more hectic: they’ve added a LOT more duties. Fine, whatever. More responsibility? I can totally handle that.
Then she shows me the pay — $10k less per year than what I’m currently making with the staffing agency. I’m disappointed but don’t show it. I tell her how much I’m making hourly. She brings up benefits as a cushion for the low pay. That works for them but not for me. That’s even LESS take-home.
As soon as I get back to my desk I begin updating my resume (which I’ve been told many times by different employers, is impressive). Then I’m applying for jobs.
I interview weeks later and it goes great. The manager has a lot invested in me (he’s told me as much) and he’s on my side and realizes my potential. Another bunch of weeks goes by and they inform me they’ve given the job to someone else (last Wednesday). It’s completely awkward and both my manager and the HR manager are extremely nervous and it’s extremely obvious. They felt terrible having to break the news to me and I could tell it wasn’t their decision. They’re hoping I could stay on for another month. Of course in that situation I agree because I’m going to be professional about this but that night I talk to my husband and he says I need to put in my two weeks now. Because of time that has already been approved off this actually means that I will only be working one more full week. I have Thursday and Friday off so I’ll start again on Monday and work through Friday. We’re working on a big project and I had it all organized and running smoothly and then when I was gone Thursday and Friday my boss worked on it. On Tuesday I realize that he totally fucked up the project. Right then I said to myself I’m not going to clean this up. The temporary position has ended and I have no obligation to stay. I immediately begin tidying everything up and preparing things for the new hire, organizing all my notes, leave my OneNote in my directory, affixing sticky notes to absolutely everything so there is no question about where I left off in a process. I quietly pack up my shit and leave at 3:45.