I need a great lie

Can't you just say that?

Say something like, you're so focused on finding work that you reflexively said "yes," but on further consideration realized that what you really want is something that would lead to longer-term work, or at the very least lasts much more than a week itself.

That seems reasonable enough to me. Better that you didn't say yes in the first place of course, but if you're only choices are a) do it, b) renege on saying yes, the above seems like a reasonable way to do "b".

Tell him that you are signed up with more then one agency and they are offering more money for a job that week.
And just say.. sorry.. I just lost or left my other job.
I really need this money right away.
THen- give him a REAL start date and say that after that date, due to your previous engagement with the other comany, you will be free.

or tell him that National Enquiror is at your door ready to photograph the purple monkeys flying out your rear..

I don't have a line for you, but I thought with all your free time now of a good alternative to work. Apply for survivor.

There are several benefits to this. You get to go some where exotic. My suggestion would be to act like a royal a$$ and get voted off early. That way you just get to vacation some where beautiful for over a month for free and you don't have to go through all the starving, uncomfortable stuff. Bonus - there are usually some hot chicks on the show.

I think I might come off as a bit of a flake if I do the thing you suggested, Soz. But maybe it's not so bad to just tell them the truth. Although Shewolf's lie might possibly sound like a lie, it's possible he might buy it. But maybe not.

So which is better here...flakey, or a liar? Hmmm....

Haha, thanks, Linkat. Actually, I was thinking about going on Big Brother. I think I could win that game!

Call him back and tell him that you are totally focused on finding a permanent position, and say that you would prefer not to be taken out of commission for a week with a job that won't lead to a permanent one. Apologize a lot.

Remember that you can't sacrifice your wellbeing to help him score points with his clients, the employers.

kick, they'll find out you're flaky sooner or later anyhow......

Tell them on the way to buy a new suit for your new job, you were hit by a man on a bike who coincidentally was carrying chinese take out. The take out guy flipped off the bike, at least 20 feet in the air, and landed on your legs, breaking both of them from the knee down. The chinese take out in all of this, flew out of his hands and some kung pow came out of the box, landing right in your eye, blinding you. While you were temporarily blinded, you didn't see the cab barreling down on you and the chinese take out guy. The cab skidded to a halt mere inches from you and now you are in a declining metal state due to trauma. You are sorry but you will be unable to take the job.

bella i will pm'ing you next time i need a lie...holy poo that was good...

Crap, there's too much reality happening around here today...while I was sitting here trying to come up with a way out of doing this damned job, I just had a realtor come and show my apartment...it looks like the girl is going to take it...now it's really official, I have no place to live in NYC as of the end of October.

Okay, now back to the problem at hand...hmmm...

Bella, nice one. Totally believable too...

I'd let you stay with me if I lived any where near you. Sorry.

Thanks, Bella. I'm not too worried about it though. If by some strange quirk of fate I do stay in New York, I'll figure something out.

I haven't heard back from that agency guy yet...maybe I'll get lucky and they won't need me after all.

Maybe.

Either way, think of it this way...You are not at that shitty job anymore!

Yep. That's the beauty of it all.

Just tell him you got another job in the 15 minutes it took him to verify this one. He feels like a schmuck for taking too long (hee hee) and it makes you look very "in demand".

counter it with this-

when he talks to you, tell him that because of his " let me see what i can get you" comment, you HAD to take the other position ( the fake one) simply because you need the money now. Tell him that you were just not sure as he wasnt sure what was available.. but THIS position WAS available and there were no questions.
then tell him something about italian americans always getting ddicked outta money..

Call him back and tell him the truth. If you screw this up for him, he'll be less likely to look for anything else for you.

I don't know about your industry, but in mine, if you sign with more than one agency (or even hint about it) they can freakin' sue you - and then blackball you in the industry.

Stay good with the guy you've got - he's looking for you. Just tell him the truth about what you want.

ehBeth, In NYC, everyone signs up with multiple agencies, and the agencies, although they would like to be exclusive with you, know that that is unrealistic.

Hehehe...I just called them after thinking up the BEST lie. Here's what I came up with. My friend, who currently works at the NYPost is going away for a week. (This part is actually true.) He recommended me as his replacement during this week that he is gone, and it could lead to a permanent position, as he is currently thinking of moving out of the city. (Actually, the part about him thinking of moving is also true.)

So I had it all worked out, and some of the damned lie was even true! Then when I called, I didn't get the actual guy I talked to before. I got the receptionist, who said he was busy. So I just told her that I got something else. I didn't even need to use my lie, I just told her that I was covered for the next week, and to give the message to the other guy.

I was sort of disappointed though, after coming up with such a damned good lie. Crap.

Well, all this action has tuckered me out. I believe it's time to go take a nap in the park.

Wait, what wasn't true?

That you won't be covering for him at the NYPost position?

Yep. That's the only part that wasn't true.