Temp work is more than just a last resort to keep from having to beg your parents for money after getting fired for youthful indiscretions at your previous job. It can be a valuable learning experience. Not only can you discover that it really is possible to be even more expendable than an intern, but you can find your way to parts of office life you might never have considered before. There’s the ever-popular data entry position, which can allow you to work somewhere for months on end without anyone in the office ever even learning your name. Or the living hell of the reception desk, where you quickly learn why there’s particularly high turnover for reception staff. But if there’s one thing to always keep in mind, it’s that there is no tougher bunch than the seasoned veterans of the mail room. And if you cross them, they will cut you.

Quote of the Week

In the halls of a D.C. law firm:

An office services employee on his cell phone while delivering mail: “Look, I’m not going to get into who pulled a knife on who first…”

After the jump, the sound of one hand typing, the Red line extension, and unlikely road trips.

This being August, we know you’re really only pretending to work. Take a break from Minesweeper for a little while and go find some conversations to listen to. Send what you hear to overheardindc (at) gmail (dot) com.

Photo by zenfrisbee.