WORK!

Jon and I finally have work! In fact, the lack of blogs lately are partially a result of having said work.

Jon is working for an internal construction company and is enjoying it for the most part. He works early and gets home fairly early, which is a nice schedule (I think). Though we both hate early morning starts. We are certainly more night people. He is a little irritated with how quickly they expect him to be perfect, but that may just be the one who is training him. Anyway, he can post more later about his work if he wants.

I have started working at a new hotel. Well not new as in brand new property, but new for me. It is for a company I have worked for before and so far I am enjoying it. The hours are certainly not grand. I am mostly working PM shifts which means Jon and I cross paths and see each other much less often now, but we have figured out ways to work around that. This should be my last required PM shift type job if I stay in the hotel industry. In a year or so I should be able to become Front Office Manager or something along those lines.

In the mean time, I have finally finished training. I think I have the respect of most of the managers by now and still have some ways to go with some of the associates under me. Part of that challenge though is because their last manager didn't know as much and they had to carry him more than he supported them. Some of my agents are worried that I will be the same. I think in time, that will be overcome. I am working with a few friends from the industry before. They seem to think I will be able to work miracles. I guess I better cross my fingers on that one. We have a long way to go before we where we should be. I do enjoy the challenge though.

The one current downside to this job (aside from the late nights) is that my co-manager's wife is about to have a baby. That is certainly not the downside, but as a result, he will be taking off 4-6 weeks and that is going to leave me and the Front Office Manager with a lot to cover. We also had some lay offs in well all departments, but we are now short staffed. I will probably be working 6 day weeks at least. I will find out soon enough....

Being Naughty at Work

It is a wet and rainy day outside. I am currently sitting supposedly 'working' but really mostly not. I am either inputting data that the 'boss' finally came up with to keep me busy or waiting on my so called 'boss' to answer a question or find me something new to do. I am really quite bored and I have always always hated busy work.

You see, I am temping at a company who was supposed to have a project that they needed assistance on for a few weeks at least. The suddenly after a day of working, they may have to put a hold on the project. However, they still have me for the remainder of the week... Which means busy work. The guy who is supposed to be directing me, keeps giving me new stuff that takes only about an hour to do. I try to drag it out, I check emails in between, I wish I could read...

So now I am being naughty and blogging whilst at work. Though I really don't have much to say at the moment. It is just a nice sense of release to post and be blogging when I really shouldn't be at all! Ah, the freedom.

I think I'll go have lunch now. :)

A New Job... Temporarily

Last I blogged, I had just gotten my work visa and have been looking for a job. The small hotels located here in good New Plymouth have basically laughed at me for wanting a Monday through Friday job between the hours of 7am and 5pm. They keep reminding me that 'in the hospitality business' things run 24 hours a day.... Did I miss something or have I not worked in the hospitality business for the past 8ish years? I am fairly certain that all industries have their Monday through Friday jobs, even the small hotels - they just tend to have less of them.

My favourite call inquiring on my resume'/CV first stated to me that she saw the note on my CV asking for Monday through Friday jobs. She then told me that the major hotels here had about 6 office jobs for about 5 or 6 hotels and that any other job would require weekends, could I do that? When I said I was looking for an office job, she then reminded me how hard it is in the industry to do that. She made it sound like I had never worked in hotels before and the funny thing was that she had my resume' RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER! Whether she had read it or not, I don't know. But seriously, I've had a Monday through Friday job for about half of my little hotel career.

Most companies in New Zealand actually read the whole resume' plus require talking to at least 2 references. (I find it amusing they must have references when the two hotels I have worked for have a blanket policy that they will not give any references. They will only give a certificate stating how long you worked for them.)

Ok, anyway, I have since applied to and been signed up through a Temping Agency. They have been really good and quick to respond to everything thus far. I enjoyed a day of stock taking at one of the hiking and apparel stores... the next day my legs were so very sore and I finally realised that it was due to all of the squats I managed to do while counting and recounting stock!

Otherwise, I have been working at Greymouth Petroleum. I have been filling in for an employee and basically have been answering phones. I have so far read 3 books, finished multiple Sudoku puzzles, played a few FreeCell games, replied to emails, written two letters, and so forth. The first two days that I was working here, they didn't want to take the time to train me on anything else because they thought that their girl would be back in the office by Monday. Now it is another week, and I can do one whole spreadsheet and make purchase orders. Big step up, I guess.

Now, I need some advice here, I obviously have to go through the emails as well, in case there are any purchase order numbers needed or something. I came across an email from a temp agency to the girl who is supposed to be working here that pretty much says she is looking for another job. I have no idea if the boss knows. The email came after Ms. Too Sick For Work left for the day. Should I show the boss the email so he knows? Or just leave it be? I'm leaning towards leave it be, but I can imagine how hard it is on companies if an employee quits too.

Let me know what you think....

Visas and Job Searches

Finally, after paper work, medicals, letters, and just down right pleading, my work visa has been approved. My torment has ended. It seems like months since I have been able to work. Now don't get me wrong, I have loved being able to be at home. There is something nice about always having things to do and sometimes just not doing them because you can. No boss. (Well other than the ants when it comes to dishes... If I don't do those all the time, I pay.)

I thought it would be boring to be at home all the time. I mean, how do you fill up so much time? Really, it is actually so very easy. Lets face it, some days you are just plain lazy. You watch tv, read a book, play online. Other days, cleaning, laundry (I hate laundry - it never ends!), errands, grocery shopping, and I have to say that it is fun to be able to have dinner ready for my husband who is tired at the end of the day.

You may be thinking now, why does she want this visa so badly then? Well, without this visa, we can not apply for Jon's visa/greencard to the United States. So the waiting has been torturous. After mailing off the paperwork, I checked the mail EVERYDAY hoping to see something in it with good news. Then it magically happened. It arrived. My nice shiny new work visa.

However, I had forgotten that this also means that I now have to search for a job! The extra money would be so beneficial, and I really don't mind working. I actually like it - even though it does tend to stress me out at times. But the searching, the interviews, the CV's and Resumes, the applications.... I hate it! Can't I just magically have a job?

So today, I am off to search for work. Temporary work at that. We are hoping to be back in the good ol' U S of A by the end of the year. So wish me luck! Here goes....