I support myself and my brother. I lost my job almost three years ago and have worked as a temporary every since. I'm in my 40's and have always been horribly shy. I left one job because I wasn't treated well and found something else that turned out to be a bad company to work for and it was closed down.

I'm a senior secretary and I have to be public even though I'm shy. I have been offered a job finally -- the first and only offer I've had in almost three years. It's a technical feild a little ahead of secretary on the personnnel / pay scale. I can do the work--have been doing the work and I do pretty well at it and because of my experience as a senior secretary, I can be proactive and detailed.

The problem is that this particular type of job usually pays between $25/hr to $45/hr and should pay that much. But its hard to find work because the competition is heavy.

I got on as a temporary. Temporaries secretarys at this company make $15/hr. What I do pays only $18/hr and the benefits are very expensive.

I asked for $20/hr from the temp agency that sent me here and they said no. This company is known for a low pay-scale. But, its very close to home and they will hire me.

Another temporary that they brought on a few weeks ago came on as a secretary to help me and my counterpart, but my counterpart decided to teach her our job and now this woman has had an interview and negotiated a raise for herself. I don't know if she came on at $15/hr secretarial and was raised to $18/hr like I'm getting---or if she's getting more. Its none of my business but I wasn't given a chance to interview or ask for a raise PLUS they told me that I had to wait until next year before they make me permanent and I've been there for six months already and they told the new girl that she is permanent on december 1. I don't think they are slighting me deliberately, but they are overlooking me because I'm quiet and I do my job well and they don't have to monitor me--they count on me to monitor others.

I don't even have a nametag on my door yet and the new girl got hers a week after she was hired.

The new girl is slow -- she doesn't know this field and is not anywhere near my quality/quantity of work yet. She has a hard time grasping and understanding why we do what we do so she isn't as thorough. I'm teaching her the job because now I've been told to.

Should I ask for more money? Should I keep looking for another job and leave this one when I find a new job? I need to make moremoney. I made more as a secretary than I'm making now, and I'm working harder.

Should I just be grateful and try to scrape by? I'm so uncomfortable -- how do I approach my boss and tell him that I need to make more money? What if he says no ro go somewhere else?

Sorry my typing is so bad -i'm half asleep and am not proof reading this.

What should I do? How should I do it? I'm old enough to handle this and I've handled a lot, but right now I'm so scared of being unemployed that I have become totally afraid to squeak, but I'm also hurt that they are making mewait on things and teach someone else who has already got a firm hire date and just got an increasein her wage and she's not as good at the job as I am. She's thinner and more attractive than me and has more confidence. I don't have much confidence left---hence this pathetic post.

I don't know how I would handle being told No again. My nerves are raw and I'm not the person I was a few years ago--and I've always been timid and shy with low confidence (though I used to be able to fake it sometimes).

Now I don't say a word and just take it and go home and cry and sometimes I just feel sorry for myself then I get disgusted with myself for feeling that way and that makes it even worse and I can't makemyself speak up or be assertive when it has to do with me.

I can make work decisions - there are strict procedures to follow, but I can't make personal decisions anymore. It seems that no matter what I woudl decide it would be wrong. Better to not say anything than to make it worse.

[Yamaha]

I'm sorry your so unhappy. By reading your post I think you are a nice person and you deserve to be recognized and appreciated. If it was me I would go to your boss and say exactly what you have written here. They are taking you for granted. Since you are shy and timid it will be hard for you to speak up for yourself. Shyness is a debilitating social problem for many people. Unless you are in the shoes of the shy person you have to idea how hard it is to be assertive. Usually as you get older many people outgrow their shyness to a degree and it is sad that you are still there in to your 40's.

Since you are unhappy with your pay but afraid to voice your concerns I would look for a different job while you continue where you are employed. This way you will still have a job so the fear of losing employment will be erased. It is always easier to seek another job while you are still employed.

I hope you can find it in yourself someday to have the courage to be you.

Just my 2 cents.

[curiousnycgirl]

There are potentially some other variables here that you have not considered in your post. Firstly did both you and the other woman come from the same temp agency? If not that could be the reason for the different treatment right there - it could be that this company has a different deal going on with different agencies that govern when they can hire someone introduced by the Firm.

It is very difficult for you to discuss higher pay with your current "boss" since you are not paid by that company - you are paid by the temp agency.

I would focus on determining why this other woman was given an interview so soon and you were not. If possible reach out to HR, if that is not possible then go to the boss. There is no reason to be contentious about it - just raise the question. It seems clear they have already said this is a temp to perm spot - so why not just ask why you are being delayed. This conversation also gives you an opportunity to let them know you are keenly interested in joining this particular company on a permanent basis.

There is a strong possiblity there is a good reason, but you can't possibly know that until you ask. If there is not a good reason, asking the question may get some action regardless.

Doesn't feel like you have reached the point that you need to look for a new job, first exhaust all avenues where you are. There is always time to move. on.

[Becoming]

I would focus on determining why this other woman was given an interview so soon and you were not. If possible reach out to HR, if that is not possible then go to the boss. There is no reason to be contentious about it - just raise the question. It seems clear they have already said this is a temp to perm spot - so why not just ask why you are being delayed. This conversation also gives you an opportunity to let them know you are keenly interested in joining this particular company on a permanent basis.

There is a strong possiblity there is a good reason, but you can't possibly know that until you ask. If there is not a good reason, asking the question may get some action regardless.

Agree! In fact, you can ask if your work is satisfactory, if there's anything you can do better because you'd like to work there.

And in the meantime, there's nothing to prohibit you from looking for another job, right?

Unemployment can be a real blow--underestimated, I think. But your work is solid. Trust in your abilities and others will be more inclined to do so, too.

Best wishes!