gypsy1

I have gotten to the point where I absolutely HATE this job I have now. For those of you who don't know, I work for a secretarial service that sends us to tape and transcribe minutes from meetings of city government in Norwalk, Bridgeport and Darien, CT. We get paid $15 per hour with a minimum of 2 hours for any meeting that lasts 2 hours or less, then $15 per hour for every hour after that. And then we're paid $15 for every 4 pages we type - we're supposed to be typing 4 pages per hour. So it looks like this: if the meeting is 2 1/2 hours long, that's $37.50, then if the minutes come to 6 pages, add another $22.50 for a total of $59.50 for that one meeting. Except that, in the case of the minutes I'm currently typing, the meeting lasted 3+ hours and the minutes took up TWO 90-minute cassettes. I'm up to 9 pages of minutes already and still going, there will probably be 12 pages total. Making money, right? Hah, no way. It has taken me TWO DAYS OF CONSTANT TYPING, 4 HOURS THE FIRST DAY, AND SO FAR 5 HOURS TODAY to do these 12 pages. Except I only get paid for THREE HOURS of transcribing, plus the 3 hours of the meeting. Because I have to listen to the stupid tape, stop it, type a line or two, check my notes, go back to the tape, listen again, stop it and type again, check the notes, etc., etc. etc. This goes on for hours.

I have been applying for various full time jobs for MONTHS with no luck at all. No interviews and most of the time, no response that the company even received my resume. The only recourse I have left is to start temping - and if any of you have temped in secretarial jobs before, it's a fate worse than death!!! All the s**t work is left for the temp to do. I've temped before and can't stand it.

So......anyone have any suggestions before I put the gun to my head????????? I suppose I should be thankful that I even HAVE a job, but this is just unbelievable. I get paid just enough to fill my gas tank each week with about $10 bucks left over.

AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!

Suzan

Does the Department of Labor in Connecticut offer any training that you could take to enhance your skills? Here in NY you can earn a two year degree while on unemployment as long as you meet the criteria from the Labor Department. You have to start the course while unemployed, temp work doesn't count. You have to stay in the same major for the entire two years and it has to be a course that will land you a job. Some two year degrees don't land you a good job because you really need the addtional two to have a BA or a BS. A neighbor went through the program taking criminal justice classes. Today she's a very successful paralegal and loves it. In fact the law firm she works for is paying for her to take additional classes to get her 4 yr degree. I'd check with the Labor Department for the training and see what they offer. Some colleges offer work study programs that you get paid for and get a degree. Temp agencies sometimes are good because if they like you, you can land a full time job. Sign up with as many as you can. When I lived in Fairfield, Ct I worked for Bloomingdales in Stamford and went to school part time. I made a decent salary at Bloomies and even had health insurance. All I can say if good luck. The job market can be tough but sometimes when you least expect it, a job lands in your lap.

Suzan

Gypsy,
Try CIGNA. I heard they're hiring.

http://www.cigna.com/index.html

Suzan

Gypsy,
Here are a few more suggestions

http://www.resumexposure.com/recruiters/?connecticut

http://www.das.state.ct.us/exam/

http://www.bigbluec.com/

gypsy1

Thanks to you both for the suggestions, I will definitely check them all out.

I have been out of full-time work since June 2001; I went to the CT Dept. of Labor and went back to school when I lost my newspaper advertising job in 1999. They sent me to Katharine Gibbs where I updated my secretarial skills. Then I got a great-paying job with lots of perks which lasted until 2001. Since then I've been looking for full time work with no avail. I have even applied at newspapers to get back into advertising and can't even get THEM to hire me. My friend the museum curator hired me in 2002 to be her part time assistant, a job I held until this past April when the City saw fit to refuse the $30,000 grant that would have paid for me and my two coworkers' next year's wages. Since May I've been working for this secretarial service and it's killing me. I don't mind attending the meetings but I HATE typing up the minutes. It takes forever (and I type 85 wpm!!) and I end up working way more than I'm getting paid for.

What I don't understand is why companies feel no compunction to at least let an applicant know their resume has been received. I wouldn't even care that they didn't call me in for an interview, just let me know that my resume hasn't gone off into outer space. I tend to send them with "return receipt requested" on them when I send them via email, but often don't even get that much of an acknowledgement. And it's not that I'm not qualified for the jobs I'm applying for, because I am very qualified. I wish I could put my finger on what it is that keeps me from getting these interviews. I haven't had a person-to-person interview for a full time job since November 1999. (My current boss hired me on the recommendation of my museum curator friend and a phone call with me.)

This is totally ridiculous.

texasmesquite

Sorry Gypsy - maybe, you need to use your skills in another field. For example, Sub for the school district, Clerical with MHMR and any other State Agencies /your City/County offices/and the school district hires clerical and secretarial skilled people. This is just a few suggestions. Hang in there Gypsy - I just feel something good is going to happen for you.