Out Of Job

"Will you be able to convert into full time?"

"Huh? Oh ... no, I'm afraid not ..."

"Then I'm sorry to inform you that we can't continue to employ you."

"Oh ... er ... all right ..."

Somewhat surprised, "Are you sure?"

"Yes", somewhat speechless, "Yes, I understand."

I dont know what else to say. I've kinda of seen this coming as they don't seem to know how to utilize my services, and I think they worry too much.

I've signed a one-year contract to work part-time in a school, you see. They've registered my existence with the Government Ministry, placed my photo in their annual report, pasted it up in their notice board and did all other necessary official stuff to establish my station with them. Yet a few months into the job, they suddenly decide without prior warning that I should convert into a full-timer.

I thank God that He has given me the privilege to choose my lifestyle and for reasons peculiar to my family, I am not prepared to do full-time.

Flashback to my interview with them five months' back ...

"We are looking for some stability, someone who'll stay for at least a year."

"Yes, it's ok with me."

Another flashback to my first month of service there ...

"You're hired for 4 hours a day and we'll not let you work for more than 4 hours, cos' it's not fair to you, you've other commitments."

So what's happening now? They decide it is only fair that I work 8 hours because their needs have changed.

Well, in my quiet moments, conflicting thoughts race through my mind ... On the one hand, I understand their decision to stream line their work, but on the other hand, they've got my commitment to stay a year, but ... Am I too naive to keep promises? Have I misplaced my integrity? Going forward, how shall I regard my next contract job? What shall my future work attitude be like? Anyway, it's pointless to analyze the situation now ... Let it be, it's time to move on.

It is not without misgivings that I'm letting it go though ... Shucks, I've lost my small but steady source of monthly income. Had I known that my stint there is so short, I would have viewed and done things very differently. And, sigh, the usual mistakes that I often made in life are repeated here, sheesh ... But I'm determined to do better, 'cos God is not finished with me yet!

Something I've never regretted though is that I've worked diligently in ALL tasks assigned to me! Yeah! This trait, however, seems to have gone unnoticed ... but God, you saw, right?

I now realized that the contract worker is worth very little to the employer. One minute, you're hired, the very next minute, you're fired. This is a very surreal experience to me.

There's this strange feeling of relief, "Yes! I am free to do something new again!"

Then, there's this anxiety too, it's difficult to find a job, be it full or part-time in this employment climate, what am I to do next?

I don't know ...
Hire me, anyone?