Unemployment Chronicles: The Next Big Thing

It is possible to google-image a phrase, such as "meeting agenda," and not have anything interesting pop up, but it is surprising how often you can pick something innocuous like "the next big thing," just an ordinary phrase, and it's obvious right away that this has some very specific meaning to someone.  The Internet is vast.  Turns out The Next Big Thing is a video game, with lots of puzzles to solve and wacky, colorful characters.  Let me know how it turns out.

It's Thursday evening, and I last worked last Friday morning.  At some point, preferably soon, I will have to work again or one day start living under a bridge, or worse, move to Stringtown.  (Little inside joke there -- no offense intended to anyone, living anywhere, or anybody's family...Let's move on.)

First step to making the contract thing work was to get the first contract.  Check.  Second was to do a good job, make the client like me.  Check.  Third thing is to get the next one, a pretty important step.  What I still need to see is whether this career can result in reasonably steady work; two weeks between jobs is manageable, but ten isn't.  Well, check, maybe.

My preference would be to continue to work with Robert Half (Resource Management) if they can continue to keep me busy, just because otherwise I am jumping from company to company and scrambling for an opportunity every time a contract ends.  Other firms have contacted me, especially in the last week or two.  They seemed to know somehow when I was coming to the end of the contract, like they share information or have little spies everywhere or something.  I respond to almost everyone (except the guy who is a recruiter/gym owner and personal fitness coach), but I think continuity with one firm is the most likely path to keeping busy.

Resource Management gave me a courtesy call Tuesday, and they at least sounded as though they wanted to find another job for me, which is nice.  They also gave me a classic noncommittal look forward:  "It's a little slow right now, but the timing is really good because it's picking up."  However, I got a call today, and they have a job possibility that looks promising.  It's with an insurance company, and it could start as early as next week.

So I am enjoying my time off again, and the initial signs are good for the next big thing.  Another contract, and then another and another, and pretty soon this could be a career.