Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Opportunity Calling
...and calling and calling and calling.
The phone has been ringing off the hook this morning. Apparently a large local power company has put new job requirements out for a tech writer or two, and everyone who hasn't talked to me in the last month or so has called me back.
It's ironic how when I think I don't need a job the phone rings, and when I think I need a job I can't get anyone to pickup at the other end.
So, where am I in all of this? I'm taking the management here at their word that I can expect to be employed here probably through the end of the fiscal year, which is June 30. I am also taking them at their word that they'd like to keep me around on a permanent basis. Neither of these things is guaranteed, and both of them appear to be out of my control.
At the moment (more irony?) I have nothing to do. I'm on hold for two different projects, the leaders of which have told me they'll "get back to me." It is sometime difficult for me to keep myself occupied and not to look to a casual passerby as if I'm screwing off, especially when I am. I have to hope that isn't used against me by someone, but it's really out of my control at this point.
I'm approaching this situation differently than I did on the previous contract. There, because I really didn't like the place, once I got frustrated trying to get more work and also with their bureaucratic hangups, I agitated to get myself released. Here I'm not making waves, even when I want to, and I'm letting them move at their own pace.
I'm convinced that more productivity is lost to management indecision and consensus building than is lost by worker laziness or lack of motivation. I know I'm happiest when I have something to do that my employers want me to do. I'm next happiest when I'm doing something that engages me. When I can't have the first thing, like now, I work on the second thing to keep from going crazy. (Assuming I'm not already crazy.)
