My first temping job back in the early 1990s

So, now it's time when I tell you all where I started my temping career. I'll do a little background first though.

I went to College at University of Lowell, College of Music. Yes, music. I have been playing music, but after college, I realized quickly that music is a great way to relieve stress, but it's not great for making money, unless you become famous or have a few music albums out. I had worked previously before, but nothing like a real day job, mostly retail.

I went to Adecco http://www.adecco.com/Channels/adeccoNewVI/home/home1.asp and they told me that since I didn't have much experience, that they just had one thing.

To help sell papers on the streets of Boston. Massachusetts. Not just a normal paper, no. The New York Times.

If you happen to live in Massachusetts, a lot of Bostonians don't really like New Yorkers too much, in fact, they love to hate the New York Yankees, but they are intelligent enough to know the difference of a good paper.

Back in the 1990s, the media was a little different, and people actually liked reading the newspaper. We didn't have the internet as we know it today, so I guess I was lucky in all of my timing.

My job was to hand out free papers on the streets of Boston (yes, outside), and I had this whole "shtick" where I would yell at the top of my lungs "Free paper here, get your free paper, I'm talking free people, F R E E , that's right, where else can you get a free newspaper, and get yourself a copy right here, best crossword in the world, right here FREE!" Yes, I'm yelling all the words free as loud as I can.

The Boston Globe guy across the street was mad that I was yelling so loud, that he was losing business, and actually came over to me to ask me if I would shut up or move. So, I moved. After all, this was my job, and I was being paid to do this.

Of course, there was a catch to the "free" paper. As soon as someone was interested in taking a free paper, I would grab the paper, and then proceed to ask them if they would also like to get a subscription to the New York Times.

My "manager" was this older Jewish guy named Irving who was so proud of me, I sold 15 subscriptions in one day, but then it started to get crappy outside. I had to tell poor Irving that I had to leave the job.

Irving was so upset, he almost cried and begged me to not leave the job.

But in the end, I did leave that job. I did learn how to be loud and obnoxious and be funny.

My temping career so far

First of all, welcome to my new blog. This blog will be all about my temping career so far, as I have been the temp (contractor) for over 4 years.

This is nothing to say against being the temp. In fact, it's a good way to make money (especially these days) and a great way to have experience in your pocket.

It used to be that you could get a job by temping for a period of time. In fact, many companies do that, but only if the temp (temporary) is really good, or just can learn the job in a quick matter of time.

In fact, temping was the way for me to go, when I first got my real first job, it was through temping. I had a career at the Courthouse, and after 4 years, I just learned that it really wasn't for me, so I went back to the public sector.

But, now, four years later, I'm still just the temp.

There are a few things to know about being the temp.

1) You will do anything asked of you, and they expect that.
2) You will cover for any position, as long as you can do the job.
3) You will need to learn very quickly all new things, proceedures.

Oh yes, don't forget, that most agencies will test you on your knowledge. Even after all the many years of being the secretary, they don't care, they want to see how fast you can type, or if you know Excel, oh, and by the way, it's not the version you're used to, it's some weird test program, that if you know it, great, and if you're not so good at it, well...good luck.

That's it for now, I will post later on this week.

And by the way, remember, it's only temporary.