Pros and Cons of Temping

March 19, 2015March 19, 2015cmjjones Leave a comment

While still in the midst of hunting for full time employment, I have been working with a recruiter who has provided me with a few temporary jobs to preoccupy my time, and to make a little cash on the side. For the most part, it has been fairly nice. Still have free time, and can gain a few bucks here and there. However, with some pros, there are always a few cons. I have developed a list of some perks and some not so great aspects about temp jobs.

I like to end things on a good note, so I will start with the Cons.

CONS:

1. Stability. While there is a possibility, there is no guarantee that it’ll last. Sometimes companies only need someone to cover for the day. I worked a job that was originally planned for a week, but then I ended up there for almost 2 months. I was very pleased to continue, however it was difficult to plan ahead when they ask you back on a week by week basis. I had to wait until mid to late week to find out if I could make alternative plans for not only the next month, but the following week as well.

2. Lower pay and no benefits. They typically won’t pay as much as one who is actually hired. Even if you are performing similar tasks, it’s just not in their budget. And why would they if there is a market of unemployed workers willing to take almost anything at anytime. Especially us young-ins trying to fit into the real world.

3. May not learn much. Working on an assignment for a few days probably won’t be enough time to develop a concrete skill. Sure, it’ll help to practice and gain potential, but you’ll have to continue to build somewhere else. This goes hand in hand with credibility. So you learned to be a receptionist/admin assistant for a couple days, sweet. Too bad employers prefer a couple years of experience.

4. Probably won’t be a part of a long term project. If so, might not be able to see the end result. Whether a goal of the company or one of a third party, you’re likely not a huge player and/or won’t be present to acknowledge the impact. Not saying that being there is meaningless, I’m sure it’s all greatly appreciated, but it would be nice to do more and fully be a team player. Sorry, I feel like this sounds kind of terrible, but it’s only human to want a sense of belonging, right?

5. Not necessarily enough time to develop relationships with co-workers. If you do end up bonding, you wonder how long they’ll last after your time in the office.

Now for the positives.

PROS:

1. Flexible Schedule. Since you are not contracted to a set time frame, you have the liberty of choosing your hours. I am also an evening nanny, and I was able to come into the office earlier in order to leave earlier. I would also take afternoons off in order to schedule other interviews. In some cases, you decide when you want to start and when you’re done. When I worked in the city, getting to BART before the 5pm crowd was a fantastic decision.

2. Experience different companies, different industries and different office cultures. You can get a feel of which type of management styles you prefer as well as office layouts.

3. Similar to the previous, different positions. Even as a temp, you are able to take upon a few tasks that you may encounter in a career you’ve considered. In addition, observe someone else that holds a position you may be wanting to work towards. It’s great to get some first hand experience with something that holds your potential interest.

4. Network. You never know who you’re going to meet, and how they can impact your future. If you’re polite, it may not hurt to slip a bit about yourself here and there. Funny story/example. My last temp job I was meeting and chatting with a lady in the break room. We didn’t converse much, just describing that I’m the temp and what I have been up to and what not. The next day I found out that lady was not just another employee, but the Executive Director! I really hope I made an alright impression…although that job did come to a close, so I guess who knows. Either way, be on your toes and stay professional.

5. Short pay periods. I am on payroll with my recruiter agency, and since I may work a week or less, I get paid weekly. You don’t have to wait 2 weeks or so for a check. I can get quick easy direct deposits with in a week of working. Definitely comes in handy when you need it.

6. Lastly, a temp job could turn into a full time hire. I am still waiting for that to happen of course, but it is possible. Do your work efficiently and maintain working relationships, and you might just trick them into letting you stay.

Overall, I have liked it for the time being. Yet, I do want/need a more stable situation and source of income. As a pro and con, it is just temporary. It may not be exactly what you expected, but hey it’ll end soon! In turn, it could go very well, and you can grow from it or even apply to an opening in the future. I do enjoy the spontaneity about it. Keeps things fresh and exciting.

Tuesday Techniques: Arnold Newman’s Exhibition

January 27, 2015March 19, 2015cmjjones Leave a comment

As I mentioned in the previous post, I wanted to further highlight the Arnold Newman: Masterclass exhibition that was presented at the Contemporary Jewish Museum. As a portrait photographer, he utilized various techniques to capture the talents of many professionals. Throughout the exhibition, his portraits are set up in different categories. Those being photographed, or “sitters”, are placed in certain ways to really capture who they were, are and how they are remembered.

For another “Tuesday Techniques”, here are the strategies used by Arnold Newman:

Sensibilities: Sitters are portrayed with a hint of doubt. They are vulnerable and a tad fragile looking.

Geometries: Contrasting blocks of shapes and shades.

Lumen: Newman played with the idea of natural versus artificial light.

Weavings: These are double-exposures and prints. They are meant to be spontaneous. Sometimes the photos are torn, leaving jagged edges to remind the audience that even a photograph can “break the rules” too.

Signatures: Sitters are posing to explicitly show their talents.

Searches: Newman intended on being a painter, but found that photography suited him best. Using “still lifes” he attempts to combine the two methods.

Fronts: Powerful and active business professionals. Being constantly preoccupied, these hardworking men and women didn’t want to put too much focus into a photo shoot. Sometimes Newman would pretend to start packing up his things to spark their attention to him. They knew that this could be an opportunity for them to appear in something such as Life Magazine, so many of them would pose or make a certain expression to show their hierarchic power. Newman would try to counteract this by fiddling around or by making conversation to get them to relax. Tricky.

Rhythmically: Newman didn’t want to photograph people statically. To add an artistic flair, he attempted to pull the eye to a certain direction. For example, he would have the sitter lean one way or another.

Habitat: He never liked working in his own studio. He thought that one could gain real personality and character of a sitter by visiting and photographing in their studios. Not having full control over the environment, he saw this as a spontaneous approach that was a bit harder and riskier.

It’s neat to see how and where these artists found inspiration. I also hadn’t realized all the different ways to capture a moment in one’s lifetime. Thank you Arnold Newman and the Contemporary Jewish Museum.

SF Museum Outing

January 8, 2015March 19, 2015cmjjones Leave a comment

Exploring the city and finding things to do can be pretty costly, however almost anywhere has hidden steals and deals. As the new year arrived, I have been seeking affordable activities outside of the apartment. It’s always nice to get a little fresh air and enjoy the surroundings. With a little research, there are actually quite a few places to visit in the area, even on a budget.

Monday, I was fortunate enough to discover that on the first Tuesday of each month, many museums offer free admission. This webpage shows a list of local museums and when they have free entry days. I chose three that were within a few blocks of one another on Mission Street. After lunch at home, it was a quick Bart to Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the Cartoon Art Museum, and the Contemporary Jewish Museum. Most of the exhibitions allowed photography, so here are some I have to share.

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts presented two exhibitions. Landscape: the virtual, the acutal, the possible? highlights the curiosity of human activities creating a new landscape with a combination of nature and technology. Artists focused on two different environments, California (having diverse natural elements and the Silicon Valley) and Pearl River Delta region in China (having land struggles and being a major global electronics producer).

Paul Kos, The Sound of Melting Ice, 1970

Yes, those are two 25 pound blocks of ice being recorded by eight microphones.

Lois Weinberger, Field Work, 2010

The second exhibition, Alien She, had influences from the 1990’s punk feminist movement, Riot Grrrl.

Next I traveled to the Cartoon Art Museum.

I enjoyed the amount of detail placed into each drawing and the satire that many contained. It was also interesting to see the differences and similarities cartooning has across the decades. Almost felt like being in a fancy comic book store. Definitely a fun environment.

Lastly, I meandered over to the Contemporary Jewish Museum. This might have been my favorite of the day, since it presented a wide variety and great historical stories.

The large blue square to the left of the picture is the “Yud Gallery”. It is named from a letter in the Hebrew alphabet (as well as other languages) in which has a /j/ sound, such as Jerusalem. This portion of the building mainly houses sound installations and performances. While I visited, it housed a lovely tribute to Warren Hellman.

Among his many achievements, he is better known for his creation of Hardly Strictly. I have yet to attend the festival in the city, however it’s pretty neat to know how it all started. Warren Hellman basically wanted to play music with his buddies and put on a free show for the fans. Photography was not permitted in this exhibition, but it included his jacket, signed banjo, and plastic lawn chairs in front of a screening of the him playing with other artists. Great presentation.

This next exhibition comes from a children’s story by J. Otto Seibold and Vivian Walsh. The scene was adorable. As if I just jumped into the books. The picture above on the left, is from Mr. Lunch Borrows a Canoe. On the right, Mr. Lunch Takes a Plane Ride. “Mr. Lunch” is a little dog who is apparently very good at chasing birds. J. Otto Seibold created the illustrations through careful computer animation.

The final exhibition I journeyed through was entitled, Arnold Newman: Masterclass. I was very intrigued by his styles of photography, that I have decided to write a whole new post for it. Overall, this gallery included photographs of various artists of the 20th century. Painters, sculptors, photographers, architects, dancers, statesmen, actors and actresses. In black and white photos, he brought each “sitter” to life.

As the sun began to set, my museum adventure came to an end. I haven’t been to many recently, so it proved to be quite a nice outing. There are still plenty more that I want to check out too. Perhaps next month. It’s always interesting to see something new and put yourself into someone else’s shoes.

Tuesday Techniques: Bottle Cap Trays

December 2, 2014March 19, 2015cmjjones Leave a comment

Feeling crafty? A rainy day is perfect for taking on a new project. Each Tuesday I plan to get creative with an art project, DIY or a fun recipe. Lately I have been collecting bottle caps and making trays. A few years ago I wanted to cover a coffee table, but later switched to trays. They are easier and quicker to make, usable, and make nice gifts. Being in college, collecting the caps wasn’t all too difficult. It was fun to see which beers we favored. I even saved a few from when I traveled to Chile. To gain a heftier quantity, I went to a couple brew fests and asked the vendors to save their caps for me to pick up at the end of the day. Only a few remembered, but even a little count. The trays I found at thrift stores, and the resin and glue at Ace Hardware.

First, is to create a design. This took the longest, since I had to move them around to make sure they all fit the way I wanted. A friend of mine called it an “adult puzzle”.

Next, in order to assure they don’t move around when the resin is poured, I glued down each cap. Tedious, but you lose the risk of ruining the design and making a mess.

caps

Once the glue dried, I mixed the resin, poured it, and smoothed it over. Occasional bubbles would appear, but either blowing on it or putting a flame to it did the trick.

After covering it with saran wrap to avoid dust getting in, I let it sit overnight. And tah dah!

I’m really excited about the outcome of these. Friends and family have requested them, but I’m still on the hunt for more trays! It’s a fun project, but definitely had to crack open and enjoy a bottle during the process. 🙂

Stay busy on an extremely low budget

November 25, 2014March 19, 2015cmjjones Leave a comment

As a recent college grad, finding a job has been quite an exhausting journey. Sure, most of my time is put into the many cover letters and applications, but I definitely need a brake and to take some time to explore. I have been in the Bay for almost two months now, and there is still so much to see. I want to go out and do things, but keeping to a budget does have its limits. From going day to day without any real plans or an office to go to, I have come up with a list of free or almost free activities to keep my lazy unemployed butt preoccupied.

1. journal. everyday.

I recently just started this. Every morning I write down what I did the day before, the conversations I had with others, and how I felt about it. It’s a great way to reflect on accomplishments made yesterday, and/or if I am working towards a solution. If I had nothing to write, I guess that’s motivation to go out and do something today. It keeps my thoughts organized while also keeping tabs on my level of laziness. “Sat on the couch with Netflix today” does not make a good journal entry. I like having something for my own personal use. It’s not to impress or do good for somebody else, it’s just for me. Once a week I plan to walk to our neighborhood cafe. It’s a perfect little nook to sit and gather thoughts and ideas. Plus they have a delightful cup of coffee for about $2. Great cheap morning outing.

2. blog!

Also obviously just recently hopped on the blogging bandwagon, but I would like to get further into it. Goal is to post something once or twice a week. Similar to having a journal, in order to write a post, I had to have done something or learned something. This can also force me to take more pictures. I love to look back at photos, but I’m pretty bad at taking a moment to snap a shot. I enjoy reading other blogs as well. They can inspire to help my own blog, and it’s fun to see what ideas others have to offer. It’s also nice to see another try out something you may have wanted to learn, but were afraid of the mess. Let them make the mistakes first! That’s what is great about the collaborative blogging world, and learning from one another. Once again to get out of the house, I am going to walk to our town library and work there. Change of scenery and free wifi!

3. craft.

I have plenty of craft supplies. String/twine, beads, paint, and my bottle cap crafts that I will blog about later. There are so many things you can make from string, ribbon, buttons, and recycled materials such as plastic bottles, glass jars, cardboard, and unworn t-shirts. Lots of things that are just lying around the house, waiting to become something of use.

4. cook/bake.

There are many recipes that sound delicious, and would be fun to prepare. However, most have so many ingredients that it can become a bit pricey. I like looking for recipes that contain things I already have in my fridge or pantry. Most of the time I honestly just make it up. I pick one main food item (a meat or vegetable) and then decide what I have that would make a tasty dish. For instance, I have been really into different squashes (’tis the season of fall after all), and have only spent about 50 cents to a couple dollars to obtain a healthy squash (depending on quantity and size). Other fresh ingredients like an onion, tomato, avocado, etc. can go long way if you choose to make different meals that have similar ingredients. I would get tired of eating the same thing all week, so by using bits and pieces from previous lunches/dinners, I am able to make something completely different. For me, it is relatively inexpensive to cook a “fancy” meal for one or two (plus leftovers!).

As for baking, I think it is worth investing in supplies (flour, sugar, baking soda/powder etc). I got them all at the Grocery Outlet for $5-$7. The extent of a couple cups of flour is pretty amazing. I like baking the sugary goods like cookies and brownies, but my roommates don’t want me to “fatten them up”, so I’m not allowed to do that all too often. I tried this awesome pretzel recipe. It’s so easy, and so good that I had to make more the next day. Also considering baking my own bread instead of purchasing it at a store. Pretty inexpensive, fun to do, and you get to eat what you make!

5. learn a new skill.

A new language: I have studied Spanish for years, and have still not been able to master it. Since I can’t afford to take more classes, I utilize the resources I do have. Currently, I am reading a novel in Spanish, and have the opportunity to use workbooks/textbooks at my local library. Free check out with residency! I can read proficiently, so I chose a novel I read in English back in high school. It’s helpful to be familiar with the story line. I have also been using a free app called Duolingo. They have multiple languages you can learn from your phone or computer.

Improve a current skill: I would like to improve some of my technical skills. There are many tutorials online for gaining a refresher on tools such as Excel or photoshop. I also have a pretty average typing speed. I found some free tests online to help practice. In addition to typing, my penmanship could use some brushing up on, and if not in a journal, having a pen pal is fun.

6. clean!

Cleaning is always necessary at our place. Sometimes it’s even a bit of a workout. Great way to utilize free time.

7. workout.

It’s free to jog out your front door. Plus many videos and online guides to working any muscle.

8. volunteer.

Yes. It would be nice to get paid to work, but it’s a nice feeling to help a good cause. I don’t have money to donate, but I do have time. Might as well use it for a good reason. It also provides a few benefits to the job search. One, employers like to see volunteering, and that you are doing something productive in your free time. And two, you never know who you’re going to meet while working on site. Maybe a new friend or potential networking opportunity. Volunteering is a win for everyone.

9. search the craigslist free section.

As they say, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Most of it pretty much is trash, BUT you never know what you may find. Maybe even gain a new project. Kinda fun to browse here and there.

10. thrift!

Lots of affordable hidden gems. And more cheap stuff that could lead to a project!

11. take a photography trip.

After recently moving to the Bay I have wanted to take a little adventure, and capture some photos. Being right next to a bike path provides a perfect opportunity to walk/bike around a see what the area has to offer. We are close to BART as well, and its relatively inexpensive to take a trip into the city. Wherever you are, it’s fun to play tourist and site see. Sooner than later, I’ll pack a lunch, a camera, and have a little daycation.

12. window shop.

Not particularly my favorite, since I can’t actually have it, but could be a nice outing. Maybe even get some ideas for a DIY.

13. if it’s nice out, have a picnic!

I’m going to eat lunch (or brunch/snack) anyways. Might as well bring along some friends, a blanket and enjoy the fresh air.

14. once again, if nice out, go for a hike!

My aunt took me on a great hike in the trees up in Oakland Hills. Felt like I was in the mountains again. There are many more trails around that my friends and I want to try. Hiking=exercise, photo ops and fresh air

15. read.

Get lost in a book or stay up to date with the news. Even while unemployed, I force myself to keep learning. I read random articles for the fun facts, and others for the actual content. I have been using a free app called Circa. It provides snip-its of top news stories nationwide and worldwide with access to read further. You can also choose to follow a story, and it will notify you when a new article related to the topic is published. It’s a quick and simple way to stay in the loop.

That should be enough to have some level of productivity. I am pleasantly surprised by how many things I am able to do on a no-to-low cost budget. This is not simply a list of ideas, but also a reminder that there are a bunch of opportunities out there to discover. Just have to go out a get it.

First stop: introducing me.

October 16, 2014October 30, 2014cmjjones Leave a comment

Hey there, I’m Chelsea. And this is a little documentation of a new era of my life. Like an online journal. I’m here to share and remember the little things that happen in your twenties. There are so many changes after you graduate. You begin to discover who you are and who you want to become. I am very very much in the preliminary stages of all that, so we’ll see what comes next. But I think that’s what makes life exciting. You never know who you’re going to meet and how much you’re going to enjoy (or dislike) something before you go out and try it. This blog will provide some things that I have tried, and how it all turned out. From moving to a new place, to craft projects and recipes, to reaching career goals and living frugally, to exploring my surroundings. While trying to maintain organization, I’d like to be a bit more spontaneous as well.

As for the title, why trucks? Well that’s because it has been a nickname of mine for years, and to some, it will never change. It all started back during my freshmen year of college at the beautiful University of California, Davis.

early bird studying at least had a view

Feeling lost and not knowing anyone. And let’s face it, I am physically small, and grew up in the small town of Truckee, CA. Davis is more than three times the size of our little community. But hey, it’s college, and I was ready for a fresh start. As awkward as freshmen are, we begin with the basics, “hi, I’m Chelsea from Truckee and an Econ major.” You meet so many new faces and learn so many names, it’s hard for one to keep track of them all. For two guys on my floor, Chelsea was a name that didn’t stick with either of them. When I saw them the next day, they looked at me and then quickly looked at each other, hoping the other remembered. But one was clever and blurted out, “Hey Truckee!” And it stuck. Spread like wildfire across everyone I met. I didn’t mind. Actually came to love it. Then my friends got creative. Trucksters, Truckeemon, Truckee Truckerson, Ruckee, Truckamisu, Mother Trucker….and the list goes on and on. My favorite was the simple one, Trucks. I have even also now developed this silly liking towards trucks. Not like an F150, those are cool too, but I mean like a semi truck. No one really likes those. They’re the slowest ones on the freeway that kids try to get to honk. I’m not the biggest fan of them when driving, but even though ridiculous, if I see a picture of one, I smile. The nickname and trucks themselves continue to remind me how lucky I was to meet such amazing friends. Friends I know I’ll keep in touch with for years to come.

That’s the gist of it. I’m just taking one day at a time and seeing where the next stop will be.

Chasing Trucks

Taking life one truck stop at a time

Author cmjjones