I swear, I post more threads asking for advice…sigh. Here’s the latest. I’ve been working as an administrative/ executive assistant in one way or another for almost ten years, since I was 18. The positions I’ve held have been progressively responsible and have come to encompass many duties normally outside the traditional AA realm. I’ve never been fired for cause and have had nothing but positive reviews from former employers. Finding a job in a different direction is difficult for me as I do not have a college degree, and people tend to discount me immediately because of that. But I’ve made a decent living so far doing what I do, and it’s nice to not have to work ridiculous hours or take my job home with me. Until I finish the great American novel, it’ll do.
Anyway, things went downhill when I left a job that I loved at a boutique executive search firm (because they sold out to a behemoth firm in 2000) to join a dot-com dependent company that crapped out a year later. Four months afterwards, I joined a promising, stable-appearing industrial services company that crapped out in only eleven months last November and has since declared bankruptcy. In December, I accepted a long-term temporary position as a sales assistant (covering someone on maternity leave) with a window manufacturer, which brings us to now.
When I accepted the position, it was with the understanding that it would last twelve weeks after the permanent employee took leave. I knew going in that the pay would be somewhat less than what I’d receive on unemployment, but the agency told me that this company often hires temps that perform well, so if they liked me, they’d try to find a place for me once my assignment’s done. I decided that it was a sacrifice worth making in this job market (better to save the unemployment for when there’s absolutely no work to be had), and since then have had a great experience – the guys I work for love me, and I truly do enjoy working here. HR approached me to see if I’m interested in staying on permanently, and I gave them a hearty yes. All good news so far.
Here’s where the problems come in. The permanent sales assistant has just informed the company that she’s extending her leave by four weeks. Great, I think, because it gives HR more time to find a suitable permanent position for me here – they’re working on it, but there doesn’t seem to be anything perfect for me right now (though I do have an internal interview for a marketing position next week). But I’m still making shit money, and after almost four months, it’s now becoming a real hardship. So it occurs to me that I’ve got an advantage here. They need me to stick around because I’m trained in this position and, given the brief time window, they wouldn’t be able to get a new temp off the ground before my assignment is technically completed. Given the extension, the continued obligation (and thus inability to be very available for interviews and such) and my excellent performance here (toot, toot), I think I deserve a raise, and am considering approaching the temp agency about it. Since I’d have to contact at least two people at the agency, I figure e-mail is the best approach. So - question 1 - is asking for a raise in my situation brassy, or fair? Is it unethical, or going back on a promise? Would it damage my chances of getting a permanent position here? Below is the text of the e-mail I’m planning to send – is it too aggressive?
My second concern is the company itself. They’ve been slowly downsizing – every week, it seems, I get an e-mail saying someone in x department is no longer at the company. Now, it is a large-ish company (over 600 employees), and it’s only been a dozen or so employees, but it makes me wonder about the company’s stability. I’m pretty gun-shy after two layoffs, and I really need to find a place to stay for more than one or two years. Even if they find something for me here, I’m squirrelly about its long-term prospects for me. Still, the lure of a real paycheck is strong. It’s something I would definitely ask about before accepting a position, but even then – how bad of a sign is this?
Third. It’s obvious to me that the permanent sales assistant here is not anxious to get back to work. She’s enjoying her time with her new baby – though she has told me that she’s bored sometimes at home all day, and that financially, she needs to work. However, if she’s taking four more unpaid weeks of leave, they can’t be too bad off. I’m considering asking her what she would think about job sharing. I’m fairly sure that they have some administrative needs in other departments that wouldn’t necessarily require a full-time assistant, so maybe I could be a part-time assistant in a couple of departments, thereby creating a full-time job. It would be kind of awkward to ask (gee, can you only come back part-time so I can have a real job?) but it might work out well for her. I do wonder if HR would kind of take umbrage to the idea, as well.
Fourth and final: any tips on how to go about an internal interview? I know both of the people I’ll be interviewing with, so I won’t be overly nervous. This is a business casual office – do I go full-bore with the suit or will I look like an ultra-eager dork?
I guess this joblessness is wearing on me, and I’m second-guessing every move I make. I want to start taking classes again but I don’t want to do it while my job situation is so uncertain. I just want to be settled again. So, any words of wisdom for me?
