[Parttime muse]

Hi,
I'm a little reluctant about being hired for a job offer by a friend of the family. I guess perhaps I need advice/encouragement from you guys out there.

What this lady is asking for is I can work from home (which I would hate doing, but oh well) and she'll pay me $8 an hour. A list of names and addresses for each senior guidance counselor in the area. For both public and private schools mailing out packets to each school for a "good citizen" award and contact for each middle school and elementary school for some contest too. The list is available for the schools. Then I have to call and get name and address of each school.

My biggest issue is I absolutely HATE talking on the phone talking to people I don't know. What I wonder is how she will pay me and will I put off stuff (contest, papers, etc.) like she did last year as well? I'll get to see her next week and I guess we'll will work something out.

So what are your experiences, advice, and encouragement.

 

[Lad]

Depends,

are you desperate for finances (I'm assuming no)? If so, you have no choice, at least at the moment.
If not, and you TRULY hate talking on the phone to strangers then pass.

In the end, this sounds like a bit of a summer job. Not necessary, but never hurts to have a few extra bucks. The commitment doesn't seem that long either.

Personally, I wouldn't do it, but I'd force myself to find a more lucrative job if I don't take it. The worst thing you can do is not take it and not look for anything else after. Imo.

 

[Parttime muse]

Depends,

are you desperate for finances (I'm assuming no)? If so, you have no choice, at least at the moment.
If not, and you TRULY hate talking on the phone to strangers then pass.

In the end, this sounds like a bit of a summer job. Not necessary, but never hurts to have a few extra bucks. The commitment doesn't seem that long either.

Personally, I wouldn't do it, but I'd force myself to find a more lucrative job if I don't take it. The worst thing you can do is not take it and not look for anything else after. Imo.[/QUOTE]

Technically, no I'm financially okay at the moment since I'm still financially dependent on my parents (which is quite an annoyance) but I really need some experience for the resume and would like some extra money to save. At first we were supposed to work together to do some photography portraits at a middle school dance, which would've been tonight but gotten cancelled because of a local high school football game. I really wanted to go somewhere to work and not sit at home by myself with nothing to do but stupid, mundane house chores or just forcing myself to do something creative and get off the computer.

 

[Lad]

Well, fire up the job hunt.

Whether it be Mc Donald's or whatever (which evidently is surprisingly good on the resume) then do it. Hell, you get to interact with people too which is probably the best part.

I know you were partly seeking encouragement, but christ that job looks so boring. I understand the resume point, but don't worry, there are lots of entry level places that want to exploit people like yourself whether you have experience or not. In the end, you should have a reasonable pick of the litter.

 

[infpblog]

Step 1: Don't do this as an hourly job. Do this as a contract job instead.

If you do this hourly and your employer feels you're dragging your feet, then they'll feel cheated because it's costing them by the hour. Instead you figure out how long it should take total for specific deliverables multiply that my your hourly rate and negotiate and set price for set deliverables. Get it on paper.

Your set deliverables seem to be:

1. A list of all the schools contact information and addresses (which is all online, no calling).
2. Calling the schools and convincing them to give you the name of their guidance counselors (and you have to ask your employer what she wants done if the the school refuses to give that information).
3. Mailing out a award to each guidance counselor.
4. A list of middle schools and elementary schools (also online)
5. Mail out contest information.

That seems to be the basics, but I would get your employer to right down the specific results she expecting. From there, you make an estimate.

For example:

1. Finding a list of all the schools : 2 hours of online research.
2. Calling each school to get information on the guidance counselor. Say there's a 100 schools. It's about 15 minutes x 100 schools. It's going to take that long to get to the right person and get the information written down. Total 25 hours.
3. Mailing out a 100 packets: 1 packet/5 minutes. 12 packets/hour = 8 hours.

Just for those three things would be around $300 at $8/hour if there were 100 schools that needed contacting.

You also have to calculate the elementary schools in.


Step 2: Hire someone to do the work you don't want to do.

For example, if you don't like the phones, you call 10 friends over on Friday (day of the week the school is open). You tell them that you need to call schools and get names and put packets in envelops if they would be willing to help. In return, you throw a pizza party for 10. Which should be around $50-80. So basically you get 25 hours of work done for $80. You pocket $220 for doing 10 hours of work.

HERE ARE THE CAVEATS:

1. You must be specific and agreeing what your employer wants and by when.
2. Find the friends before you take the job. It doesn't have to be friends, just reliable people preferably extroverts or social people.
3. Figure out each step exactly, what does putting the packets together entail. Do you have to write the name of the guidance counselor on each award, this way you can estimate the amount of time it would take you better?
4. Add 10% to your estimate because some things just can't be accounted for.
5. Don't let the client scope creep. Don't do anything that's not specifically agreed upon before hand, written down and signed by the both of you. Finish the contract and then negotiate another contract if the family friend wants more stuff done.
6. You must be a responsible person that follows through. If you're not, this will never work.

Anyway, that's how I would go about doing it. I prefer to choose the entrepreneurial route over the employee route if given the opportunity.

 

[wanderingone]

I would say that if you don't NEED the money, and you're fairly certain you won't enjoy this job, then don't do it. First of all.. these days, any job should pay more than $8. It's not 1995 anymore, even the easiest jobs pay more than that. And also... working isn't fun. It's gotta happen though, so you may as well do something that you'll at least be interested in.

Personally, i would go to a temp agency. I think they're really great for INFPs because you don't need to commit to any particular setting, and you don't need to go through all the red tape of actually getting hired by someone. You're free to try out different companies and different types of work, and it's the agency's responsibility to find work for you, you just need to show up and do it. I've met a lot of great people and worked in a lot of interesting places through temp agencies. Often times you can turn a temp thing into a full time thing if it's working out for everybody as well.

If you're not desperate, then don't settle... too many choices to be stuck with a job you hate.

 

[Parttime muse]

I would say that if you don't NEED the money, and you're fairly certain you won't enjoy this job, then don't do it. First of all.. these days, any job should pay more than $8. It's not 1995 anymore, even the easiest jobs pay more than that. And also... working isn't fun. It's gotta happen though, so you may as well do something that you'll at least be interested in.

Personally, i would go to a temp agency. I think they're really great for INFPs because you don't need to commit to any particular setting, and you don't need to go through all the red tape of actually getting hired by someone. You're free to try out different companies and different types of work, and it's the agency's responsibility to find work for you, you just need to show up and do it. I've met a lot of great people and worked in a lot of interesting places through temp agencies. Often times you can turn a temp thing into a full time thing if it's working out for everybody as well.

If you're not desperate, then don't settle... too many choices to be stuck with a job you hate.

That is true. As mentioned I was going to do a photography type thing with her at first; I would be printing out the pictures, which would be fine. My love is doing some artsy thing like that and that just kind of dampered my week for it being canceled. I wouldn't have mind it much if it was being $8 an hour. Thankyou for the idea of the temp agency, I'll see if I can check into that.

 

[kaycee]

Do you hate talking to strangers or just going cold calls? I mean, I HATE HATE HATE cold calling like when I work phone banks for elections or when I worked (for a day LOL) as a telemarketer. I feel like I am bothering people and that they are getting mad at me for calling (which they are, but I take it personally despite not knowing them).

I wouldn't mind calling these guidance counselors about awards because it seems like something they would actually be interested in knowing about. I was actually given the Daughter's of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award my senior year of high school, so I am pretty sure they are used to this kind of thing. They are also always looking for things that will make their kids stand out from other kids on college apps because kids getting into good colleges makes them look good. I wouldn't really see it as bothering them but offering a service they are looking for.

So, that's just something to think about.

 

[nooo]

I was really reluctant on taking a job just a few weeks ago. And what it all boils down to is that you can quit it if it sucks. Giving something a chance for a week or two and making a little scratch doesn't hurt.

 

[Thrifty Walrus]

ummm, well I'm not really sure why so many people are saying this is a shitty job, it sounds like heaven to me.

 

[OmarFW]

imo don't knock it till you try it. chances are you're right and you won't fair very well with a job like that, but you never know. you can always develop the skills necessary to do so.