Another One of Those Days

Working and going to school at the same time is getting very stressful and tiring. I know I only have about a year left to finish my BA, but damn it that feels like it's too far away. I can be done next Fall, but if I want to graduate with Greek Honors I need to wait until Summer to graduate. Is graduating Cum Laude really that important? I'm still trying to figure that out. I guess I should wait until this summer to decided if I want to continue torturing myself until Summer 2009 or just get over and done with my BA in Fall 2008.

Plus I'm starting to get frustrated with the company I work for, but not in the way that I want to quit or that I don't like the environment. It's just I've been here for 10 months as a contractor and it doesn't look like I'm getting any closer to being hired as a permanent employee. My bosses are great people and think I'm a valuable member of the team, but probably not enough to hire me. I've worked my ass off for them and have lead a few important projects, yet I'm still not worth being an actual employee. At least that's what I'm thinking since I have heard anything otherwise.

I just heard today that my boss would like to extend my contract and that he's looking to hire another contractor to help with E-Marketing. I swear companies don't like to hire permanent employees anymore. I think my bosses want to hire me, but they have to go through the CEO and some major bureaucratic tape to do it. Well, I think I'm so worth it.

For example, last week it was only the other contractor and I at work. My senior manager and manager went to Italy to train 2 other people that work with us on how to work the new web content management system. Before they left, they dropped 2 big projects on me. It was super stressful since I also had mid-terms that week. I was able to complete 1 of the projects on time and do a little extra for it. The 2nd on was another story, our director of marketing didn't like the new page we had developed for podcasts. It was so frustrating. First of all, I wasn't included in anything about the podcast until last week, so I didn't know what she envisioned of how the page would look. Either way, I still did the best job I could with the hectic notes that were given to me. I did my part on that job, but still had to wait on others to get their stuff done. Basically, I was working on 2 projects that should have taken about a month to complete in one week and I was a least able to complete one project on time, which was the most important one because it came from the CEO.

What do I have to do for them to hire me permanently? I'm going to have to come up with projects of my own and take more initiative. I figure I'd give them until next August and if they still won't hire me, then I'm going to find another job, one with that offers a good benefits package.

Whew! That was a mouthful. I guess I'm done venting.

Work and School and Work

It's been a stressful week and I wish I can say that I'm looking forward to the weekend, but I'm going to be doing homework. I'm starting to rethink doing this full-time work and school crap. My stress level has probably hit the roof more than twice this week. I'm tired, cranky, and caffeine doesn't do sh*t for me anymore. It feels like I've been going to school for 10 years already. At least I like the classes I'm taking, so there's a bright side to it.

I've been working as their Web Content Coordinator (Contractor) for Intermec since February 2007 and hoping that someday they would hire me as a permanent employee. The problems are, I don't have my bachelors degree yet and there's no opening in the web marketing team. It really doesn't make any sense though. There's 3 of us who mainly work all the global web sites and 2 of use are interns/contractors. I always hear how much they need us and yet they don't hire us on permanently. Or at least attempt to hire one of us, hopefully me. Although this contracting gig pays well, I really like to have job security and benefits would be good. One of the benefits they offer employees here is tuition reimbursement, which is what I need so I don't have to keep signing up for student loans. I like my job and the people I work with, but I don't like that fact that I'm expendable per se. The fiscal year is about done and hopefully they will offer me a job. I'd be extremely disappointed if they don't.

Another sad part is, I helped get my "pseudo" wife a job with this company and yet I can't even get a permanent one myself. I'm happy for her, but I'm also a little jealous. Although, I wouldn't want her job. *laughs*

Yesterday, I looked at a condo that I would absolutely want to buy, but I can't afford it right now. It's a sweet deal too and it's in a great neighborhood. If only I was making more money and my credit score didn't suck so bad, then I could actually afford the place. I think I'm going to start saving up more money after my trip to Sydney this New Years. Also, it would be a great Christmas present if I got hired on permanently at Intermec. *crosses fingers*

Anyways, I better get back to working.