I am not your secretary

My job is the down and dirty of a non-profit. I get my hands wet, so to speak, in the actual mission of the organization. There are many aspects to make an organization run, and these aspects are all valuable and necessary. I would venture to say, however, that some positions are more vital than others. And considering the fact that I actually work with the students in this campus-based organization, I would venture to say that my position is pretty freaking important. I am making the main purpose of the organization possible. And yet, I am constantly treated with little regard, no respect, and no thanks for the amount and kind of work that I do.

At a dreaded board of directors meeting tonight, one of the members actually had the gumption to ask if I would "be a dear and go ahead and make 20 copies of this for the board, I just don't know how to use the copy machine." BULLSHIT. Yes, you do know how to make copies. This is not exactly a new technology. The point is, however, that this is not my job. It is not my job to run every errand, to return speaker systems or pick up packages. It is certainly not my job to make copies.

I think what bothers me so much is that I'm considered expendable. I'll be leaving in a few months, so who cares if I feel demeaned and belittled? Forget about praise or congratulations or even just a little pat on the back.

I feel like I've really gotten the short end of the stick, here. I think that not all campus organizations are as ridiculous as mine; somehow or other, I ended up here. I have to deal with it until I can leave, and if nothing else I've learned a great deal about management. Specifically, I've learned about how not to treat employees. Clearly, the way I've been treated is not the way you treat somebody you want to stick around.

what time is it?

It's time to move on.

I feel like I already have a foot out the door. I have worked and worked and worked-- my last post was about a meaningful experience, but let me tell you there have been many many negative experiences. I've learned a lot about what I'm looking for in a job, let's just say that...

I've applied to graduate school. Yay me! I applied to three schools (one is a joint program), to programs in Jewish communal service. I think one of the things that I've learned is that I'm really interested in management and policy: how these Jewish organizations work, how they treat their employees, and how they function in the community at large. I really do not want to be a gopher anymore; all I do is schlepp and shop and carry and cater. The structure of Hillel, and of many other Jewish organizations, is such that there is an incredibly high turn over rate. Young, idealistic college graduates, like me, are brought into these organizations, and then paid $22,000 a year to work 50 hours a week (plus) doing highly stressful and emotional work. They burn out after one or two years. I'm burned out now-- I would NEVER do this job for another year, not for all the MJEs in the world. Maybe it's time to reconsider the value of operating an organization in this manner.

I really hope I get into graduate school. I also really hope I get some money to go... Let's just say that $22,000 a year wasn't a hypothetical salary.