Starting Over

Well, every temp's worst nightmare came true for me today.

I had a meeting with my supervisor two weeks ago where she gave me some constructive criticism (basically a performance review), and I've spent the last two weeks working really diligently to improve. Things like keeping my cool when 18 people are hounding me about room reservations, and going with the flow (think Class 5 whitewater rapids, not a pleasant happy lil' stream). I honestly think I've done a really good job and learned a valuable lesson that will help me out in my next job. So she made an appointment for us to meet today, and I figured it was probably to talk about my performance again. The thought did cross my mind, though, that maybe listening to music at the front desk wasn't kosher, or someone saw me roll my eyes, and maybe I could possibly be let go.

So I go into the meeting, and it's closer to the second option: they have been trying to restructure the operations department, and they finally decided that what they need is an office manager, and one who can pull double duty and sit at the front desk as well. So, essentially, my job has just become redundant. Now, in my position as a "contractor," she had every right (and was probably supposed) to say "Pack up your things and go today," but she felt bad about the whole situation and told me I could stay a week. When I asked her to clarify (a week from Wednesday? Or next Friday?) she told me she was planning on next Wednesday but was willing to extend it to Friday... which in my opinion makes more sense anyway.

So, that's basically my silver lining. That, and the horrified/sympathetic looks I'm getting, which mean that people have really come to like me in the month and a half that I've been at the company. Always appreciated.

The one benefit of having a boring, virtually taskless job is that now I can spend my day applying for jobs, instead of refreshing the NYMag.com website a hundred times a day. I think I applied for 25 jobs today, all over the spectrum from publishing to events-coordinating. I interviewed last week for a wonderful non-profit job that, unfortunately, is REALLY far away (think Coney Island-ish; I live downtown Manhattan)... but I'll take it if it's right.

So, today was really hard, and added to my theory that Wednesdays are THE worst days at this particular front desk. Starting over isn't easy, but I've been pretty into fresh starts these days. Just another chance to reinvent and refocus.

(I'm also sort of hoping that my plight will lead to a fun hookup at tomorrow's off-campus office party, but shhhhhhh.) ;)