Friday 23 July 2010

I Don't Believe It

I went into Seek today, just to check out what was happening on the job market. Top, as in most recent, cleaning job was my old job! I don't know if I should apply. It's actually a Casual role and I see the hours have been cut back (minus half an hour). I already knew they were doing that. Oh fuck! I just had a thought, what if that message I left on the whiteboard comes back to haunt me? Well, I doubt I'd get my exact floors again. God I hope not. Why am I even considering this?!?

I actually applied for another cleaning job on Monday and got a rejection. Which is total bullshit because I was a certificate above what they were looking for but of course they tell me I'm not suitable. I DON'T want to be a Cleaner but I know I can do it.

This morning I sent a text message to my very first cleaning boss. She was from Spotless but I know that site and contract at RMIT has been lost. I heard she was still working there but I assume that her mobile was a Spotless one so I suspect that was a futile exercise. I plan to get up early and try to catch her on her way out. I've done that before. The hours were hideous but there were more of them and it had a much better penalty rate so, yes better money than my last cleaning job. The vain side of me also likes the fact that I lost a hell of a lot of weight doing that job and I know I've put on weight steadily since the last Christmas holiday period. None of the men seem to care but I do. And women know, because they no longer ask if I've lost weight! Bitches!!! LOL.


I don't know what I want to do. I mean writing would be great but what? How would that work? So how about admin? Yeah I try, and rather junior positions at that, but still no joy.


Looking at that photo I'd rather make a mess in an office than clean it up. I'm a bit reluctant to go back to school because I've done a short Tafe course before and it didn't help at all. The local Tafe is just down the road from Terry's place and they do offer admin classes but after a week here I'm not sure I could make this a permanent thing. (I'm a bit scared of meeting the family tomorrow. We're having a barbecue!)

I obviously have to do something. But I don't know what. I look at cleaning as something to do in the meantime and a bit of dosh for a holiday or something. But then I know when I was cleaning I wasn't job hunting as hard. God! Maybe I am just a cleaner, as depressing as that sounds. A lot of people do jobs they don't want to. Although I don't have enough hours to make the money to have much of a life outside of work. Fucky, fuck, fuck!

You see I'm still not sure about applying for the Transfield job. I still have their card in my wallet so I could be rather direct in my application. Should I be a bit more ambitious and try for something better than cleaning? I do apply for other things but....well you know. Money or nothing? I haven't gone on the dole and if I could get a job soonish (and to my mind that means cleaning) then I can avoid the dole altogether. I'd be happy about that but miserable about my job. Nothing changes.

Thursday 1 July 2010

So Much For That!

It was a month ago from my last post that I found - via a response to an email I'd sent whilst desperate for information - that there was no work for me at The Alfred. In Ms Gooden's words: At this stage, I don’t have anything suitable. Given your initial reluctance to take the isolation cleaning role, we had to allocate it to another candidate quickly. I still have your details so if something else comes up that is similar to what you were looking for, then I will be in contact. (Yeah right Helen!)

Now the thing that pisses me off most about this is that in the meantime I was getting messages from my boss and her that there WOULD be something for me. She knew there wasn't an isolation/specialist position right away. She should have told me that. I wrote to her: That's very disappointing and contradictory news. I don't think it was unreasonable of me to ask to think about it and have a chance to discuss this specialist cleaning role with my family and friends. I checked my email and I did get back to you the next day. You had told me originally it was a cleaning shift like the work I do currently, then at the second interview sprung it on me that it wasn't. I have to say I'm a bit surprised and rather upset by the news that there's nothing for me. I felt strung along and ultimately ripped off. I'm still furious there is nothing for me within Spotless. I worked SO hard for them.


Oh and yes you're right she never got back to me after that email. Terry wanted to call her and tell her off. He still wanted to last night when I started to cry and tell him about my last day. The shitty thing for me is a I found out the bad news a few days before my birthday party. I told people I wouldn't let it ruin my night and I'd try not think about it but you know me. No chance! And actually it was pretty much the only news I had to tell some people. LOL. (She can laugh now. But it won't last).

People have told me that's bullshit. (People at work have implied that too). Pretty much everyone is unhappy with that woman and Spotless in general. Most of the bosses and supervisors are out of a job now. Seems like all the other cleaners have something to tide them over. I don't know what I'm going to do. Even seeing it coming I don't think I could prepare myself for the tears I shed last night. I have applied for some jobs but no response so far.

I happened to mention to one of the Parking and Traffic Officers that it was my last week, that we had lost the contract and I'd be finishing on Wednesday. Word must have got around because one of the lady officers that's always been nice to me said goodbye and that I'd be missed. I know, I know, it's a crappy job and I've bitched about people there before but it was all I had. Now I have nothing and it's really fucking scary. People tell me how nice and smart I am and that I'll get something else. Well I have to but I don't believe it will be that soon. It was hard enough and long enough waiting for my previous cleaning jobs. Plus I know what I am like in interviews. Oh God!

Anyway I was really touched by that woman's words and sincerity. There was one other officer there I really wanted to say goodbye to but I didn't notice him around during the week. I think I would have cried if I had gotten the chance, but that's okay. He talked to me properly and always asked how I was. And more often than not waited for a reply. I cried a few times last night. The first time was a little after that woman wished me luck. Not long after that I came up with an idea to say goodbye to all of them. I decided to leave them a message on one of the whiteboards.




It said a few things I wanted to say and I hope it made it for most people to have a look at. Go out with a laugh!

My Facebook status from yesterday is My Last Day of Work (Ever?)!!! Not that many responses. Then today I put up this photo. While replying to a friend's latest status she replied, "It has been ages, how are you?" I'm sorry! What the hell is Facebook for? LOL. Omigod. Rather than resort to my usual negative self I replied, Today is the first day of the rest of my life!