Although I’m technically working again, I only have a part-time position that pays on an hourly basis. This could still mean good money if my company would, you know, have work for me to do. However, at this point they don’t seem to need me, which means that I don’t have to go to work and they in turn don’t have to pay me.
I’m completely out of money. I had grass for dinner.
Consequently, I went to a job interview yesterday. A friend from a previous job had offered to send in my resume for a position in his office, and I happily accepted an interview while only knowing that it was for an “admin” position. Within moments of sitting down with the interviewer, I was told that my responsibilities would include sitting at the front desk in order to assist the public and filing, with an emphasis on filing.
“Um,” I asked tentatively. “Is there room for possible advancement?” [Like, would I be allowed to use the photocopier someday?]
The interviewer looked hesitant. “If somebody were to leave in the future, we’d be willing to consider you for an administrative position in the back office. But it wouldn’t be a change in salary, just responsibilities.”
At that point, I was tempted to get up and leave. The salary stank and the work sounded suicide-inducingly boring, but since I was already there I decided to stick it out. The remainder of the interview went relatively well, but then I was asked if I had time to take a brief tying and filing test.
I assumed they were testing to see how quickly I could type. Instead, I was handed a printed, one-page document and told to make an exact copy in Microsoft Word. As in, please show that you can hit those little squares with the letters on them and make this same picture. As in, this job will require you to have the intellect of a sock.
The filing test was a two-page, multiple choice test in which I had to demonstrate my ability to properly use alphabetical order. I was also asked to circle things that were identical, like the following:
John Smith – John Smyth
9874654 – 9474568
Mary Anne – Mary Anne
Caitlin – Catelin
74 – 74
I don’t think I’ve ever felt more inane than I did in the moment that I circled “74 – 74”. I have a college degree. I WALK UPRIGHT AND HAVE OPPOSABLE THUMBS. Is this what my life has come to?
They’ll call me next week and let me know if I got the job.