Lost

Most days I really enjoy my work and feel as though I've hit the Trifecta.  I'm doing interesting work as a technical writer, my boss is amazing and the team members, are, for the most part, intelligent, kind, competent human beings.

But ... I'm a contractor and and a woefully underpaid one at that.  Now, not to look a gift horse in the mouth and this job came along at the exact right time to prevent me from taking up residence in a cardboard box and I am grateful for it but honestly, I'm frustrated that I'm paid just slightly more than the office secretary and after spending almost two weeks at home because I'm fighting off bronchitis and praying it doesn't turn into pneumonia. I've lost two weeks of pay because, of course, I can't afford health insurance or even pay out-of-pocket for a doctor who now charge up to $200 for uninsured people.

When I found out how little I was making compared to the others on the team, I attempted to negotiate an increase.  No dice.  Actually this pissed everyone off that I had the audacity to be speaking about salary.  Ironically, the Supreme Court has stated that discussions about salary are protected although, you have to do it on approved breaks and on your own time.  Well, of course, no employer in their right mind would actually admit to firing someone because they discussed salary but they would find out about that time you took an extra 15 minutes to run to the bank last month and use that instead.  So, I shut my mouth and just suffered.

Until I found out that I can be making almost double in this market for the same job.  The irony is, I'm now the Subject Matter Expert on a software program that has millions of dollars associated with it and the company still won't increase my salary.

So, as much as I really like the people I'm with and the work, I'm looking for greener pastures and full-time work. I was burned once before by this same company who made all sorts of promises which they never honored.  "This is a temp to perm position after 6 months... " blah, blah, blah.... "We'll take care of you."  blah, blah, blah. "We want you to work here forever at a secretary's salary doing really complex things....."

Yeah right.  So, for now, I smile and drink the Kool Aid and send out my resume like crazy.  In my over-active fantasy life, I'll get that Google Technical Writing job in Mountain View, CA complete with relocation and my current employer will suddenly realize their horrible mistake and make me full-time with three weeks paid vacation and a huge "I'm sorry" bonus check and double my salary.

Well, it's a nice fantasy but that's all it is.  The moral of the story?  Get as much money as you can, discretely find out what your colleagues make and never stop looking for the dream job.

So, anyone need a Top Notch Senior Technical Writer?  Call me!