Lucky One
I'm pretty lucky when it comes to my job. Acting does not pay all that well so almost every actor needs to have another job to support him or herself. This job must also be very flexible so that they can go to an audition at the drop of a hat. That is why many actors become waiters or bartenders. The hours are flexible and usually at night, which means that they can use their days for auditions. Others manage to get by through temp work. The ones who have computer graphics and web design skills become their own boss.
I fall into none of the above. I have full-time job.
I work at the University of Ottawa as the Intramural Programs Assistant Coordinator. I'm in charge of a staff of over 30 students, the majority of which I hired myself. I make sure that they are doing their jobs, all the while doing all the little menial office tasks that my boss throws my way. I don't mind though, not at all! My job, on a daily basis, is really easy. There are only 2 or 3 times a year that I am really busy. Whenever we have our Intramural Registrations, I can expect to work about 60 hours a week without overtime. The following weeks, I then spend countless hours doing data entry as rosters are changed. But once that's done? It's smooth sailing from there. I sit at a computer, do a little work, surf the web, do a little more work, update my blog, ect.
But here's the part I really appreciate. Because things have been going so smoothly, my boss is super flexible. Before he hired me, I did make it clear that acting was a priority for me and, lo and behold, he was ok with that! Top it off with the fact that whenver he gives me something to do, I'm usually done pretty quickly. This means that whenver I have acting stuff to go do, even if it's in the middle of the work day, he doesn't mind. When I got that BG work on a MOW, I got called at 8:30am for a 2:30pm shoot. I got to work and said, "Um, I gotta leave at 2pm cuz I'm going to be in a movie." His response? "Ok, have fun! See ya later!"
Wow!
I really like my job. It pays the bills and gives me the time to do what I love. So why am I stressed? Well, it's a contract position. You see there are no intramurals during the summer so at the end of April, I'm out of work. I know my boss has been trying to make my position a full year one, but I was also told that I should apply for my old bosses position, also with Sports Services. She is in charge of Promotions and, as a student, I used to work for her. She is currently pregnant with a due date in May. she will be going on sabbatical for a year and so would need a replacement. With all my experiences with Sports Services, my extensive knowledge of student associations, and my strong work ethic, I am a very good candidate for the position.
But I'm nervous.
Am I really cut out for so much responsibility? Could I really do the job? And, more importantly, will it still be flexible enough to allow me the acting time I require?
While I'm not too sure about the first two questions (even though everyone's been very positive about it), the last question is even trickier. Currently, I would say yes because I honestly haven't done too much that requires alot of time off during the day. But if I get an agent soon, that might all change. Or it might not at all. I don't know. It's true that the Promotions Officer does a lot of overtime and, since the University is so cheap and doesn't offer overtime pay, that has to be taken in time off. That means that I could probably bank a lot of hours for when I need it.
Well, I should at least apply I guess. Worse comes to worse, I don't get the job and have nothing lined up for the Summer. I go on EI and focus on acting full-time until I can return to my Intramural position. Or I don't get it and my boss keeps me on throughout the Summer somehow.
If those are my worse case scenarios, I guess I don't have that much to worry about. I am really lucky after all.
I fall into none of the above. I have full-time job.
I work at the University of Ottawa as the Intramural Programs Assistant Coordinator. I'm in charge of a staff of over 30 students, the majority of which I hired myself. I make sure that they are doing their jobs, all the while doing all the little menial office tasks that my boss throws my way. I don't mind though, not at all! My job, on a daily basis, is really easy. There are only 2 or 3 times a year that I am really busy. Whenever we have our Intramural Registrations, I can expect to work about 60 hours a week without overtime. The following weeks, I then spend countless hours doing data entry as rosters are changed. But once that's done? It's smooth sailing from there. I sit at a computer, do a little work, surf the web, do a little more work, update my blog, ect.
But here's the part I really appreciate. Because things have been going so smoothly, my boss is super flexible. Before he hired me, I did make it clear that acting was a priority for me and, lo and behold, he was ok with that! Top it off with the fact that whenver he gives me something to do, I'm usually done pretty quickly. This means that whenver I have acting stuff to go do, even if it's in the middle of the work day, he doesn't mind. When I got that BG work on a MOW, I got called at 8:30am for a 2:30pm shoot. I got to work and said, "Um, I gotta leave at 2pm cuz I'm going to be in a movie." His response? "Ok, have fun! See ya later!"
Wow!
I really like my job. It pays the bills and gives me the time to do what I love. So why am I stressed? Well, it's a contract position. You see there are no intramurals during the summer so at the end of April, I'm out of work. I know my boss has been trying to make my position a full year one, but I was also told that I should apply for my old bosses position, also with Sports Services. She is in charge of Promotions and, as a student, I used to work for her. She is currently pregnant with a due date in May. she will be going on sabbatical for a year and so would need a replacement. With all my experiences with Sports Services, my extensive knowledge of student associations, and my strong work ethic, I am a very good candidate for the position.
But I'm nervous.
Am I really cut out for so much responsibility? Could I really do the job? And, more importantly, will it still be flexible enough to allow me the acting time I require?
While I'm not too sure about the first two questions (even though everyone's been very positive about it), the last question is even trickier. Currently, I would say yes because I honestly haven't done too much that requires alot of time off during the day. But if I get an agent soon, that might all change. Or it might not at all. I don't know. It's true that the Promotions Officer does a lot of overtime and, since the University is so cheap and doesn't offer overtime pay, that has to be taken in time off. That means that I could probably bank a lot of hours for when I need it.
Well, I should at least apply I guess. Worse comes to worse, I don't get the job and have nothing lined up for the Summer. I go on EI and focus on acting full-time until I can return to my Intramural position. Or I don't get it and my boss keeps me on throughout the Summer somehow.
If those are my worse case scenarios, I guess I don't have that much to worry about. I am really lucky after all.
posted by Nancy Kenny at
2:00 PM
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