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02/09/2005: "work shift"

So I've been at my new job for a whopping two weeks now. I've been logging a fair amount of overtime, just because I can, and it's money that certainly isn't unuseful. The only downside is that when you're working really hard for someone else, you don't leave a lot of time or energy for yourself. I realized, however, that although I have some sort of employment, I really can't let up in my search for full-time employment or my networking. Thus, I'm taking some time for me. Sort of.

Despite being there only two weeks, I've been asked if I want to work the weekend both weeks thus far. Apparently working the weekend isn't all that uncommon at this company - you'll find someone there both Saturday and Sunday. (I guess that's how you manage to bill 67 hours a week, as one contractor is typically doing.) That's great if you really need some cash, but I need some downtime too, so I'm going to be moderate and work only Saturday mornings.

Now the reason I'm doing this isn't to bill the extra 5 hours (at time and a half), but to make up for the time I'll be taking off tomomrrow. I've decided that on Thursdays I will work only the morning, and the afternoon will be spent either at home or at my local career resource center, where I will be writing broadcast letters, making phone calls, and generally trying to network myself into a full-time permanent position in a company I want to work for, at a job I'm actually going to enjoy. I realized that I I can work this current position during a time that most businesses are closed, that leaves me time during normal business hours that I can make phone calls, write letters, and hopefully schedule interviews and meet people.

This wasn't my original plan. I'd actually hoped to take all of Thursday off, and work Saturday morning, which would result in a net loss of hours. I'd still be putting in more than the required 40, so I figured it would be the best of both worlds. However, the company didn't go for that - my supervisor requested that I work a half day instead. It's a start at least... I'll see how much work I can actually develop for myself to do during my afternoon, and then perhaps see about taking another half-day off additionally. I'll try this for a while first.

This is going to be quite the departure for me. First off, I've NEVER worked the amount of overtime that I'm doing right now. (Were it not for having to share our one car two days of the week, I'd be putting in 50+ hours a week, which is a heck of a lot more than the 40 plus-a-bit I typically do.) To add to that, I'm going to start working Saturday mornings. Likely this will take a toll on me mentally, but it's something I have to do. I figure I have two choices: work and wait until something comes to me, or proactively extend myself and go find something better.