crosstownTraffic Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 I'm so disgusted! I went into this dept store a week or two ago, and asked if they might be hiring. I was told.. "oh, yes, we definitely are, and even if you work 30 hours, you still get health insurance" by this nice sales girl. Well, I had to come back to the store to talk to the manager that was supposedly hiring....Then I had to come back again to fill out their application process, which was a pain in the neck to complete, complete with THEM checking into your credit reports, asking all kinds of questions of your neighbors, etc.. you know the drill the whole, invade your privacy for a cruddy barely above min. wage job! well, I went to the interview yesterday and it turns out this lady manager only has a few jobs, and none of them are for more than 8 hours per week!! 8 HOURS!!! Are you kidding me??? And they don't pay that much per hour to start. maybe $8 or $9 buck at most, and they are only seasonal at that! The kicker was this..... One of the days.. that's right you couldn't just do your 8 hours in one day.. was that you'd have to come into the store at 6 am on a SUNDAY and then you only stay like 4 hours! I wish I had known all this before I drove all the way down to the store, cuz now I hardly have any gas in my car, and I know of NO gas stations in my area that have any gas to sell either! This situation is so f***ed up,, they had a radio announcer get on the radio and say that our own governor was not even aware that our city has hardly any gas left! We don't live in the highest population but it's grown by leaps and bounds.. there are at least, I would say 100-120,000 people in our city. The lines to the gas stations are at least 1/4 to 1/2 mile long!!! To make things even worse, since hurricane Ike.. that big storm in the Gulf of Mexico a few weeks back in the states, our city has hardly any gas at any of the gas stations! Why not tell someone that you are only offering them 8 hours per week, especially in this dire situation where hardly no gas stations in town have any gas! When I first met up with her, she was talking or training this other lady. But yesterday she told me that was her last full time hire for this year.. So.. if you know that.. and you KNOW how bad the gas situation is (I mean we spent HALF the interview CHATTING on how bad and how difficult it was to find gas.....why not tell the person you are asking to come in for an interview that the position only entails 8 hours per week, BEFORE she drives all the way to your store??? It was not like she did not have all my personal INFO, including my phone number! That just seems so grossly unfair to me! I did fill out the store application, so I guess I could call the HR people and ask if there was ANYTHING else in the store. The manager kept saying on how her employees had to have a certain "look" to them..cuz of the clothes she sold were more high end than other parts of the store... but one girl who was in training, looked barely out of high school, and gave me this most menancing look when I stepped into the room to be interviewed, it actually scared me! Plus she was a huge fat Afro-american girl, and the manager is also blackand so was MOST of the interviewees in the room, so I'm starting to suspect reverse discrimination here.... If the "look" she is seeking is to look like someone who i'd be afraid to step out in a back alley with, then I definitely DON'T have that look! She kept saying on how we had to be so polite to the customers, which I have no problem with.. but the new trainee sure seemed very hostile to me... and she hired her full time! Then.. this weekend. I went to another store.. and it is a store I really like their clothing in.. Retail sucks... I know... lol... but everyone was friendly and it seemed a friendly environment. So.. I took home their application and returned it last night after my other interview.. When I brought it into the store.. I told the girl I had an application I had filled out, I wanted to return.. She starting in on how they were NOT HIRING, meanwhile standing directly in front of the sign in the store that says NOW HIRING! I had asked her about the other store in the next state, that is about an hour away.. but i like that store..that is where I first found out about their clothing store... and if I could get a full time job there.. even though this store is only 5 minutes away.. It might be worth it.. instead she kept insisting that she knew nothing about that store, even though it was the flagship store for the whole area, and the first store of its kind to open. She claimed that they were only hiring for management, but I've told her I had two college degrees....but she acted like I was not qualified to sweept the floor in her store! you know.. i've got MAJOR BILLS to pay, lady! This is just a rant of course, but all these stores that put up signs that say NOW HIRING and then claim they simply are not, are putting our lives and safety at risk. I cannot afford to spend HOURS of my time filling out applications to places that are simply jerking me around! I don't know what to do now... I need a job, but if you cannot trust the sign on the door that say NOW HIRING, then what are you supposed to do? Go on welfare???? I don't have a bunch of little kids at home... so I'm not probably not going to be qualified to get welfare, but my circumstances are dire! Link to comment
Scorpion Fury Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Was that chick a manager? If not, I wouldn't bother to waste my time to argue with her. Just say, "Thanks for the info" and take your application and try to bring it back later. When you go back, ask to speak with the manager, shake their hand, and give THEM your app. That chick may or may not have had something against you, but if she's not a manager it wasn't her place to have an argument like that with you. Most places are always ACCEPTING applications, even if they don't have any hiring plans. Were you applying for a management position? Just curious, why are you applying for jobs you're obviously overqualified for? Is it just for the meantime because the economy sucks so bad you'll take what you can? Link to comment
qualia Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 All I can say is WOW. First I am sorry to hear you are in such a bad situation. You have two college degrees and can't find a 40hr/wk job paying $10 hour? What kind of college degrees do you have? What town do you live in? I can't believe America is collapsing at this fast of a rate! The other day I read somewhere that more than 70% of the US population is living "paycheck to paycheck" and have ZERO savings whatsoever (far worse, a lot of people are in or soon will be in a ton of bad debt..) The only advice I can think of right now is if you live in a "bad" part of the country to do WHATEVER IT TAKES to relocate to a 'livable' part of the nation, because when the crash really does come and the chaos and panic spreads it will be too little too late... Just to give you an idea, Plano, Texas is the best city (in terms of economical wealth per capita) vs the worst such as Detriot. Link to comment
crosstownTraffic Posted September 24, 2008 Author Share Posted September 24, 2008 well, I definitely would like a job in my field, but when I go into the nice printing shops and businesses ( I have a degree (a 4 year one) in Graphic Arts, I'm told, sorry, we're not hiring, good luck!" So, yeah, I'm applying to jobs I'm probably way overqualified but so what.. i need to eat and pay bills too. My pride has taken a dive along time ago.. and now it's not a matter of what I can be proud of doing, it's more like, what can I survive and pay bills doing! $10 an hour, in this town! You gotta be kidding me.. They will pay you $7 an hour and no benefits and work your * * * * to the bone, and act like they're doing you a favor... Meanwhile all the millionaires with their Hummers and brand new SUVs are moving in here by the thousands and look down their nose at us local people.. but what do they expect? Difficult to get your hair done every week and the latest nail job when you're making $7 a hour and the housing is $900-$1200, even for a dumpy house! I'm just being sarcastic a bit here, and not meaning to be offensive, but that is way things lay out in our town. Our town council, instead of courting good business that would bring sustainable wages to our area, instead got all the high paying housing developers here instead who buy up our land, clear cut all the trees and then charge $350,000 to $500,000 for some pricey house to outsiders who think this area is great, but don't need incomes here to survive... The rest of us are suffering badly.... even the long-time residents are being driven out by high taxes and low wages, and it's pitiful to see how they've screwed up our economy with their mismanagement.. but that seems to be the state of the whole country now.. Maybe someone sensible will get into office and fix our financial woes.. but god.. I've ;never ever seen this country in such bad straits.. I remember the 80s were pretty bad, but that was nothign compared to this situation... I'm starting to think we are going into a depression, only no one wants to tell us! Link to comment
crosstownTraffic Posted September 24, 2008 Author Share Posted September 24, 2008 But the good thing is, I've gotten into the habit of COPYING my application at a copy place before I turn them in. I did that after BARNES & NOBLES told me they LOST my application, after I applied to them, and had spend HUNDREDS of dollars at their store! So... if a person with a degree in Publishing arts cannot get a job at a bookstore, you can see why I don't really trust the local businesses to do as they say! So.. I guess I could get another application, filled it out from the xeroxed one, and turn that into someone FRIENDLY.. but I'm wondering if I go thru the same thing again, it would not behoove me to contact the company directly and ask just WHY they bother wasting people's time saying they are hiring if they are NOT?? It also makes me NOT want to buy any more clothes at that particular store EVER! I think the corporate office should know that! Was that chick a manager? If not, I wouldn't bother to waste my time to argue with her. Just say, "Thanks for the info" and take your application and try to bring it back later. When you go back, ask to speak with the manager, shake their hand, and give THEM your app. That chick may or may not have had something against you, but if she's not a manager it wasn't her place to have an argument like that with you. Most places are always ACCEPTING applications, even if they don't have any hiring plans. Were you applying for a management position? Just curious, why are you applying for jobs you're obviously overqualified for? Is it just for the meantime because the economy sucks so bad you'll take what you can? Link to comment
qualia Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 I don't mean rude to suggest this, but since you are in such dire situation have you not considered trying to get a job at the local wal-mart or sam's club? These stores are everywhere now, and you can apply online (I'm sure most retail stores like Kroger/Albertson/etc are the same as well) inside of wasting more gas driving around to fill out and return paper applications.... I guess when the return on investment of college degrees drops below a certain threshold the zombie massess won't be so obsessed about getting that PhD anymore, LOL... Reminds me of the highway analogy. When times are good (low traffic) everyone can easier get ahead of anyone else all you have to do is study/work hard (step on the gas pedal) When times are bad everyone tries to take the shortcut / loophole/ go to the "fast/open/empty" lane and so soon enough when the traffic congestion hits a "critical mass" no one will be getting anywhere and the swerving back and forth of cars (everyone trying to get ahead of everyone else) actually slows everyone down even more.... and its a viscous cycle.. BTW I thought minimum wage increased to $8 per hour? I don't think $7.00 per hour is still even LEGAL anymore?? Link to comment
Scorpion Fury Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Federal minimum wage is now $6.55 an hour. Different states can raise it higher if they choose, but not lower. the minimum wage in Cali is I think $8.00 an hour, but from what I hear the Governator is dropping all the state employees pay to $6.55 per hour, the federal minimum wage. Link to comment
CaptainPlanet Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 You've got to get out and look for jobs that are catering to the elite of America. Basically get out of your town and go somewhere where there is money. Are you attractive ? if so it will help you get jobs in service and as an admin/secretary that will pay well. I understand the economy is bad and that it might be impossible to get any sort of job. However there aren't any jobs in places where people have no money to spend. Link to comment
thejigsup Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Umm, the 80s were actually a time of properity for many people who had, and who didn't have, college degrees. My best friend and I were barely hs graduates at the time and we had a killer condo by the beach in La Jolla. We had extra money to party every night almost and we drove late model cars. Try that on a high school diploma type blue collar job nowadays. I miss the 80s, they rocked! Link to comment
calidreamin0 Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 if they lowered california wages to national standard, imagine how many MORE people would be homeless and lose their homes, apartments, lives! disgusting. I just moved back up here from orange county, the streets down there were lined with foreclosure signs. Is there a reason you are staying in the town you live in? family? free rent? It might be worthwhile to move if there is nothing solid keeping you there? they dont have gas?! Link to comment
crosstownTraffic Posted September 26, 2008 Author Share Posted September 26, 2008 Wow.. they are making "state" employees work for only $6.85 an hour.. yikes.. that would explain all the foreclosures in CA! Why not make the CA congressmen work for that sum... You know what astounds me? Is how much BANK all these huge corporations make and their CEOS and also our senators and congressmen.. but how little the average american is forced to work for, esp. after they spend thousands of dollars on college educations! well, let me get off that soapbox... It cost $$ to move, that why i stay here, and I've lived here half my life... the gas shortage is only a temporary problem.... but jobs have never been good here... after the gas gets back to normal.. I wonder.. can you check out jobs in different cities via Craigslist or link removed? This place is hopeless when it comes to making a decent living... they act like getting $7 an hour is a sustainable wage here! What a joke! Then all the clubs and bars downtown, get all pissy with you if you don't spend a big pile of money in their establishments, when all you are doing is just getting by. I guess the "trust fund babies" as we call them, can afford to spend $50 a night on cover charges and drinks, but I need that $50 to pay my bills with. This town needs to wake up..... although I'm afraid they have started to see what the town council courting only the rich developers has put them into...... The rich are not going to be very happy with a town where they can find no low paid workers to take care of their needs... none of the service industry workers can find affordable housing... I hope the rich will all learn Spanish soon, cuz only the aliens who don't have to pay taxes are going to be able to afford to live here soon..... But you see, that's half the problem, instead of our country taking care of our own, we've insisted on helping out all the foreigners who come here. Does anyone know.. if you are not American born, how soon you have to start paying taxes to the government? Is there some kind of time period where you are exempt for awhile? Link to comment
thejigsup Posted September 27, 2008 Share Posted September 27, 2008 If you work, you pay taxes out of your paycheck. Most of the people who are in our country illegally work under the table or use a fake Social Security Number. So, no, they don't pay taxes and they aren't exempt. Link to comment
crosstownTraffic Posted September 27, 2008 Author Share Posted September 27, 2008 Yeah, I know alot of people who work under the table too... I'd like to be able to at least have table to work AT! lol... well, I meant to say I always wonder how these huge corporation make so much money they can hire $2000/hour models to advertise their products but still, they only want to pay their workers $7 an hour and NO benefits. I'm starting to really loathe these huge corporations in our country. They've caused so many problems in our country... and all their advertising campaigns.. i think has corrupted the public to some degree.... You know, before Victoria's Secret, you'd never ever see a woman on TV in her underwear! Now it's commonplace, and to me.. it's never been anything but soft porn! Wow.. now if a guy appears in his underwear, even for ONE ad.. that's so sordid and out of line! Anyway.. i'm starting to sort of wonder if I really want to work at the mall! I've been applying there, but the atmosphere there, is just so... well to me.. icky & plastic. The stores are nice & such, but people seem so superficial there... I did apply to this large dept store there. actually they have a nice little tiny mall on the other side of town, I'd LOVE to work there instead of the huge mall nearby... They actually interviewed me after I filled out their online application form and they said they were starting a training class in a few weeks... well... we'll see. Then I went and dropped off 4 more applications to four other stores. One store, I got to meet the manager and she seemed nice and seemed to like me... I guess it's just a numbers game... sort of like sales.. you just gotta try until u land something. Well, off to mail a letter the darn mailman neglected to pick up from our mail box, arrggggh! I'm going to complain to the post office.. The last thing I need to do is drive to some mailbox cuz the mailman is too lazy to stop at our mailbox... this is the 2nd time this week he's done this!! Link to comment
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