wanted: org chart expert

As I mentioned in a previous post, job #4 came to an end last week....or did it. On Friday, they asked me if I wouldn't mind working Thursday and Friday of this week as they needed me to cover for someone. No problem, it's not like my temp agency called me back for any jobs - a definite downside to having a longish temp contract is that you're no longer at the top of the list with the other temp agencies with which you previously registered. By the time Friday 5pm rolled around, I was really looking forward to my short work week. I had three days off and then work for two days for a bit of much-needed cash. Perfect. I had my three days off all planned out. I would go to the gym in the middle of the afternoon to avoid having to wait for any machines *bliss*. I would also clean the apartment because it's due for a good clean and I would get caught up on my laundry. I would drink a leisurely cup of coffee in the morning while reading the paper, and oh yeah, look for work.

I was just getting ready to leave for French class tonight when my phone rang. It was my replacement at the company I just left. She was having tremendous difficulty putting together the complex org chart that we started working on last week. My boss would like me to come in tomorrow to correct her mistakes and complete the chart as my replacement doesn't feel that she's capable of the task.

Now, I'm not a computer expert by any stretch of the imagination, but org charts aren't hard. I also find it hard to believe that there is no one in this company, which is incidentally an American multinational computer company, that can do this org chart. They have to call a contractor that just left back in to do the 1/2 day job (it will take me all day, I'm sure, I'm being paid by the hour). Actually, I can believe that no one there can do the org chart. They probably all said that it wasn't their job and got away with it. The "it isn't my job" attitude is something that I've found is unique to large corporations. I can't imagine ever getting away with that in the small companies I've previously worked for up until now.

I also can't believe that the person chosen as my replacement, who to her credit is a professional admin assistant, and I most definitely am not, is not very computer literate. She's working for a computer company! As an example, when MSN IM notified me that I had new mail while we were working together on my machine, she thought it was a pop-up from MS Outlook and that it was a work-related mail. She had never seen MSN IM before. She can navigate throughout most Office applications but it really seemed to me that she was remembering what she learned in a 10-week course, and not especially comfortable with the applications.

I can't help but wonder. If I'm so damn good at org charts, and no one else apparently is, how come I don't have a job? I'm not complaining, I'll get paid over €100 for this extra day, but there are just so many things wrong with this picture.