Institutional Logic

Here, wrap your brain around this, and see if it makes sense, would you?

Just over a year ago, Robbie, Jason and I were hired on as 2-94's. Now, in local parlance, what this means is that we are on a two-year temporary assignment. Our positions do exist and are covered in the budget - we're not stranded in eternal temporary limbo, which I have been in the past, and it's not much fun. But our old supervisor had three positions he needed to fill in a big hurry; the regular posting-and-hiring process is lo-o-o-o-o-ong an convoluted; and the 2-94 process is pretty quick.

We get full pay and benefits, but when the two years are up, our assignment is over. Naturally the positions will still exist and will need to be filled; naturally, the logical people to fill those positions will be us. But the jobs cannot be posted for hiring until they're vacant. And the regular posting-and-hiring process - I may have mentioned this - is lo-o-o-o-o-ong and convoluted. We'd be out of work for a while.

But one of our coworkers left for another job a few months ago. His job has been posted, the regular way, and the posting closes today. So this morning, in something of a panic, our supervisor raced around breathlessly telling us 2-94 riffraff that we needed to apply for it.

How is this going to work? Well, I guess, we all submit our applications, and (assuming they pass muster with HR, by no means a given) she interviews us, and hires her #1 favorite. (My money's on Jason!) Then Jason becomes Bill 2.0 and we have an opening for Jason 2.0, right? So Robbie and I submit applications and our supervisor picks, let's say, Robbie. This leaves an opening for Robbie 2.0 and I apply for it and what do you know?! By gosh! I get the job, because I'm qualified for the position I will have been in, by that time, for at least a year and a half, probably longer.

Or am I? The job requirements were written with little regard to the actual job functions. I believe HR may have been involved. Perhaps I will have to face the unpleasant realization that I am not qualified to perform the trained monkey work I've been yawning over for a year. I suppose that would be a bit of a blow.

But say it all goes off without a hitch: our supervisor will have managed to convert all three of us 2-94 scumbags into actual, legitimate employees some months ahead of schedule, and we might actually be able to hire Elizabeth 2.0 - and thereby fill the shortage left by Bill - only a year after the position first became vacant!

What could possibly be more logical?