Re: I screwed up, or did I?
Since you asked, I think you screwed up.
Speaking one's mind to an employer is a luxury few of us can afford to indulge; and these days, especially so.
Essentially a wage earner is a slave to their paycheck, and the folks who sign said check hold all the cards. The only time it's harmless to speak one's mind is when one is leaving anyway, and even then it's still never wise.
Simply put; the bastards of this world tend to find the positions of authority, and I for one will be damned if I'll give them the benefit of my scant wisdom.
Let somebody else enlighten them.
I figure if they piss me off, they must be pissin' off others, and I'll let <span style="font-style: italic">them</span> put their livelihood on the line.
When folks tell you that you sometimes need to make sacrifices on your dependents' behalf, this is what they're talking about.
Now you've gotten that off your chest, it's time to settle down and find a new, better job, emphasis on the 'better'.
You start by settin' down and taking the time to define what 'better' means <span style="font-style: italic">for you</span>. I had to do that when I folded my business.
For me, better included something nearer home. Commuting was killing what little of my life wasn't already being dominated by work.
For me, better did not mean an endless succession of the same thing. I only made a fraction of my former income, but every time I moved on to another job, it was an entirely different one. I did construction, I sold wine, I made wine, I was a winery tour guide, I worked a plant assembly line, I tech'ed and set up industrial presses, etc., I handled production materials.
One good way to get that kind of experience is to get set up and established with a decent temp agency. A lot of them are not real temp agencies, but parasites that collude with employers.
Decent ones are the exception, and Kelly is among the best. I definitely recommend them.
When economies hit the ditch, and workforces get cut, the demand for temps actually seems to go up. You keep Kelly happy with your performance, and they will keep you busy.
Honestly, looking for a permanent position directly with companies is simply an endless nightmare. The temp agencies' assignments are often actually a much more direct approach, with a 90 day assignment that serves as a trial, either followed by a permanent hire, or soon, another assignment.
Seen in such a light, seeking direct employment in the current employment climate is essentially the refuge of a stagnant imagination.
Greg
