Help me if you can, I'm feeling down....

So, yesterday wasn't one of my happier days.
I know, in today's economy - we should all be thankful for being employed. That being said -- yesterday was a day that reality smacked me right in the face.
And I had it validated this morning, which in some way - is very helpful and allows for me to feel that I'm not imagining the situation.

I have never, ever been the type of person to say "that isn't my job". But today I am going to publicly make the statement.
(And let me preface this with the caveat that to any of my fellow blogging friends who are in a different job position than I am - please don't be offended by the following statement. If this is your job, it's a lovely job, but unfortunately -- not my career path or background.)

I am not a file clerk.
I am not a file clerk!!!

This morning, when the office was quiet -- a co worker of mine whom I've known since my first office here on base, and we are now working together again - sat me down and asked me why the heck I was in this job, and that it was steps backwards for me. (Thank you! Vindication!!).

Unfortunately, the way the position was described to me was very different from what it was. It was Requirements, and Project Management. They were "desperately seeking" someone with strong program management skills -- even quizzing me about how I lifecycle a project from beginning to end. It was high visibility, and politically charged. Had they been honest during the interview process, yes I would've declined. But they knew that....and had been struggling to fill the position (I now learn) and so....here I am. Rerouting an email or two, scanning a few documents -- and oh yes, filing.

Who even does paper filing any longer? They should all be electronic. But no, I have to file documents from 1999 - 2008.

Yeah... found that little tidbit out yesterday. When it was suggested I go through each file one by one (thousands of them?!?) to determine what should stay and what can be shredded, I had to hold myself back from saying, "you can't be serious, right?". Again, no offense to anyone reading --- I work with people who are file clerks, and that is their job. They know this - it's their job title and they interviewed with that understanding. I am not a file clerk, nor did I expect to be one.

I understand that it's often a crap shoot and you don't know what you're going to truly end up with when you interview for a job, but I am utterly, utterly disappointed. It's a dead end clerk position for which I am severely overpaid for. Oh, and get this - the person who I report to knows this. I supervised his staff in my last job!! He knows I'm not right for this job. But contracting is a dirty business...

Should I laugh and enjoy the down time and collect the check? I suppose. But I am not happy about it. To add insult to injury, if the people here perceive me as being that, how will I ever be able to prove that I'm not supposed to be in this kind of a job?!? That limits my opportunities in this organization. And truth be told, I'm embarrassed. Because I know how the construct of this organization is, and I'm now perceived as a very junior person - and even worse in my mind -- as the office "fluff".

(Insert really loud F-bomb HERE.)

Thoughts, suggestions, kind words, laughter.....all are welcome, and much needed today.