Diaries of a Temp, Chapter One: It’s hard out there for a temp

This comes to us from one of our brethran in Chicago, who has been temping and blogging about her unemployment adventures for a while now.  In fact, she was the original ‘unemploymentality’ on the web.

She’s going to be dropping by the Unemploymentality site every wednesday with new stories from the wild world of temporary employment and office staffing solutions.  So without further ado, Diaries of a Temp, Chapter One:

“Well, kids, it was the summer of 2008, see, 

and I had finally quit the job that had hated for almost 3 years…”

That’s how my story to my grandkids will start. I will go on to mention that my intuition may have been a bit off considering I quit a well-paying, albeit miserable, job roughly 2 months before the Great Depression Part Deux. But then i’ll say, “Come in closer, little ones, here’s where the story gets good…”(and to answer your question, yes I plan on being the creepy Grandma).

Enter: life after employment. What happened next, you ask? Well this column plans on answering that question and more.

These are the regaling tales from a professional temporary employee. Didn’t know those existed?  Well they do. In offices and alleyways all across america, Temps are doing the dirty work of those lucky enough to still be employed, and sometimes doing it better. We’re answering your phones, entering your data, and sitting in your chair while you’re in Cabo.

We have adopted an unemploymentality, indeed, but one that is a little different. One that has us waking up early to call our staffing agencies to see if we can get a 1, 2 or <gasp> 5 day-long gig to keep us off the streets and off of our couches. An unemploymentality that gives us the courage to walk into an office full of strangers and try to adapt in 8 hrs or less. We are paid hourly, insulted regularly and acknowledged seldomly. We are the unsung the heroes of America. We are the everyman. And we’re not going anywhere (unless we land a real job).

Stay tuned every Wednesday while I delight you with tips, tunes and stories from the temping world. I am temp, hear me roar.

Since there’s no better way to enter a party then by droppin a beat, here is a song to get us started.

I recently had “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” in my head (dont judge me; it won an Oscar) and I realized if you substitute “temp” for “pimp” (the two often get confused anyway) that the lyrics still hold true…(my comments in italics):

You know it’s hard out here for a temp

When he tryin to get this money for the rent 

For the Cadillacs and gas money spent  (or bus pass and lunch money) 

———-

Done seen people killed, done seen people deal (well not exactly but kinda) 

Done seen people live in poverty with no meals (rice a roni is practically no meal) 

It’s f%$#@ up where I live, but that’s just how it is

It might be new to you, but it’s been like this for years

It’s blood sweat and tears when it come down to this s%t (so true) 

I’m tryin to get rich ‘fore I leave up out this b%$# (exactly)

———-

I’m tryin to have thangs but it’s hard fo’ a temp 

Man it seems like I’m duckin dodgin bullets everyday (tell me about it) 

That’s the way the game goes, gotta keep it strictly tempin’ 

Gotta have my hustle tight, makin change off these women, yeah… 

(umm ok i think the similarities stop here..)

 

Until next Wednesday,

- TEMP

To see more of the Temp’s musings check out her blog