Well, it's crunch time.

They're creating a permanent position here, FINALLY, that incorporates
ALL of what I do, plus a few extra things that I don't do now (ie, data
input for another department that I haven't worked with yet).

I put in for the job.

Today I found out that one other person, a current employee of this
company, also put in for it.

So, does Other Person get preference over me because they're already an
employee here? Or will the fact that I've actually BEEN DOING this job
for 15 months count for something?

In the past four years, I've seen a lot more of "the person with the
'in' gets chosen over the outsider with the experience". Every freaking
time, in fact. And I've always been the outsider, the temp who's
actually been doing the job and trying to become a permanent worker
while the company looks for someone permanent.

You'll notice that I'm no longer AT those other places.

You'll probably surmise that I don't have tons of faith that ANY amount
of hard work I've put in will outrank the fact that someone who already
works here wants THIS job instead of whatever the heck it is they're
doing now.

Which makes me wonder what, exactly, they ARE doing now? What in the
flying blue blazes could their job description possibly be, that they
would consider an entry-level position (IMO) to be a step UP from it?

I guess I'll find out soon enough, if they take this job, because then
I'll have no choice but to apply for THEIR old job if I want to stay
with this company in some capacity.

On a related note, I had a migraine yesterday. Gee, what a surprise.
Not.