Saturday 1 February 2020

A roller coaster week

On Monday I was due to make my way to a bar/restaurant/office building. Shortly after arriving I was called in by a psychologist. What were my strong points, what were my weak points, why did I think I would be good for the job. At the end she said that 'if I couldn't do it, her clog would break'. It's a Dutch expression, but it was a good sentiment.

I had only been sat at the table for a couple of minutes, when I was called by somebody else. This time the talk was with two people: one from HR and the other a manager. Why did I want the job? Would I be willing to work all hours of the day? You know the drill. 

At the end of those two chats I felt quite optimistic, but you never know do you, with job interviews.

On Tuesday there was nothing out of the ordinary really. Unless you count the time it took for a group to load up (luggage and all) and me moving off again: two minutes!! 

On Wednesday I had the visit to Kamp Westerbork, which I told you about on Thursday. A really interesting talk and a good visit. That evening as I got home, I saw that I had received an email: the Monday people thought they had had a lovely chat with me and thought I would be a good fit for the company. I got the job!! Yeah! Details yet to be confirmed.

On Thursday I was off. For a very specific reason: get tickets to Eurovision. Last time I was way late and didn't stand a chance. This time I left nothing to chance: I was at my computer at 9 am, logging in. On the other side of the pond, my sister did the same, albeit a bit later. Twelve noon came and within minutes my sister said she got lucky! She was in for the second of the semi-finals. Alas, the payment didn't work out and she ran out of time. Then she says: I am lucky again, this time for the first semi-final. She got the tickets!

Not long after that I got lucky as well and managed to secure tickets to the second semi-final. We held out for the final after that, but one by one they popped up saying: sold out! Perhaps for the best as well: they were seriously expensive! The money we are saving now will be used to go swimming with the sharks or abseiling from the Euromast in Rotterdam. Ahem.

On Friday again it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. We were on time, the client was on time, everybody was happy. In the evening however, I got a phone call from a colleague. We talk quite often as we get along well, but this time the news was not good. He is also a temp, albeit for a different agency and he and all his colleagues had been recalled due to non payment. 

I checked my emails and saw one that was quite worrying from the company I work for now and shortly after that I got a phone call from the planner: the chances of payment were slim, did I want to work Saturday and next week. Well, next week is a definite no-no unless there are serious guarantees, Saturday is okay, with the hope the temping agency is willing to pay me anyway. Unfortunately I have not been able to get in touch with my contact at the agency (it's the weekend), so it's not that good. 

I have still not been in touch with anybody from the agency unfortunately. I am quite worried about today, but I still think I will go ahead with it. 

It's the future at this point. I should have been off anyway, but now there is nothing waiting at the other side of Sunday! Next week will be a year since I arrived and I am basically back to square one. Albeit with some prospects that are definitely good.

What a roller coaster week!

7 comments:

  1. Hari OM
    I must look into the lie of the planets and the angle of the stars, cuz it's been a topsy-turvy one this side too... On the whole I have to say the +ve outweighs the -ve, but somehow the -ve always feels heavier!!!

    I would say, reading this, that you will look at the week retrospectively with the view that the high points are a good counterbalance. Here's to the new position manifesting clean and fast!!! YAM xx

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    1. Oh definitely: the good outweighs the bad by a mile! But the bad is very much influencing the immediate future quite badly and I am not sure what will happen. If I work for them again, it will definitely be with written guarantees that I will get paid! From both employer and agency.

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  2. Wednesday and Thursday were good for you.

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  3. Mara what a W E E K~~~!!! Geez they should have asked you how you handle stress...because I'd say you handle it like a well balanced and valuable employee should!!!
    This Dutch phrase is a new one on me,'if I couldn't do it, her clog would break'. What exactly did she mean?
    Hugs Cecilia

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  4. The good news from your roller coaster week is that you have a new job that hopefully will pay you regularly.

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  5. Good grief! What a lot of ups and downs! Hope things work out for the best!

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  6. Oh my, so sorry to hear this. I'm glad that you and your sister were able to get tickets. I'll be praying for your future job.

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