Does it Count as a Promotion if You’re Just a Temp?

I’ve been working at this financial institution for nearly two months now. As I’ve mentioned before, the people are cool, the work is easy, and the pay is decent. The drawback(s)? I’m a temp and therefore have no benefits. The customers are vile and finance is a field I have zero interest in. I get paid every week, which also has its pros and cons, but I couldn’t go to a doctor even if I needed to.

After working here about four to six weeks, I was given a promotion of sorts. Really, I’m taking over for someone who will be on extended maternity leave (massive déjà vu!), though they said they would probably still need me anyway even after she returns. It involves a small pay increase, which is nice, of course. And hey, it feels good to be recognized in some way, even if the promotion is just more of a “right place at the right time” rather than stupendous merit.

I have such mixed feelings about this place and the whole situation. Damn this job market! One small light is it looks like some local. Jewish NGO is going to hire me. I’m not sure, but I’ve deftly hurdled all their little obstacles so far. The hiring process in this city is so damn complicated and drawn out. It’s totally ridiculous. MULTIPLE interviews, each one involving a small army interrogating you as if you’re an Al Queda member at Guantanamo Bay, writing samples, background checks, long lists of references checked. My god! What if you go through ALL this hassle and realize you hate your new job? It’s not worth quitting since it’s so damn hard to get hired anywhere else!

Since getting this little promotion a few weeks back, I’ve scaled back tremendously from my job search. I’m actually exhausted by my over two months of hardcore researching, applying, interviewing, and then reading rejection letters. I feel at a bit of a loss anyway. I thought I had screwed up the Jewish NGO interview. It’s one of those things where you start reflecting back on the interview and realized you said something REALLY stupid and you just gnash your teeth and think over and over, “Why why why did I say that?” Yet, they called me back again and again.

And I thought I had had an AMAZING interview at NYU. The NYU job was perfect for me, it actually matched my skills and experience (not something easy to find!). The people seemed to really like me and I was walking on air after the interview. Just yesterday I got the rejection letter with its tepid enthusiasm and read between the lines “Piss off!” message.

And in the meantime, I have my current position in the Banking industry, which more and more seems like a place I should just set down roots at and be happy I have a decent job. This is my current dilemma. Simply be happy at the fairly good job I have? Start trying to pay off bills, get settled, etc.? (I have been in the damn city for four months now!) Or do I keep going on these interviews, keep trying to get a good job, despite the fact that I may go through this and end up somewhere that doesn’t pay as much (NGO’s have shitty pay) and may turn out to just suck in general anyway? Bird in the hand…