Unemployment in America

[StPaulHusker]

So I have a job opening in my warehouse. I put an advertisement out and immediately received over 50 resumes for the position.

 

Out of those 50+:

 

I contacted 23 that I thought were good candidates for applying/interviewing

Out of that 23, 8 responded to my call

Out of that 8, 5 showed up to apply

Out of the 5, I contacted 3 for an interview

All 3 declined the interview because they found a different job

 

So I went back to the pile of resumes and contacted 3 from my "B" list.

I spoke to 2. Both said they would come in to apply

Neither one showed up.

 

So now I am back with another advertisement for help. Is anyone else having trouble finding people for open jobs?

[Landlord]

What was the job opening? Something highly specialized?

[StPaulHusker]

What was the job opening? Something highly specialized?

Just a warehouse worker. Drive a forklift (which we train people to do) and pull orders and ship them out. Typical warehouse stuff.

[NUance]

I think people on unemployment in some states are required to send out a certain number of resumes. Probly a lot of those resumes were sent by people who didn't really want jobs.

 

Oh, by the way, could that warehouseman position be filled by someone who chain smokes cigars, has a bad back, and goofs around on HB way to much? Just wonderin...

[StPaulHusker]

I think people on unemployment in some states are required to send out a certain number of resumes. Probly a lot of those resumes were sent by people who didn't really want jobs.

 

Oh, by the way, could that warehouseman position be filled by someone who chain smokes cigars, has a bad back, and goofs around on HB way to much? Just wonderin...

2 out of the 3. Goofing off on HB is my thing. Can't have 2 people doing it.

[NUance]

 

I think people on unemployment in some states are required to send out a certain number of resumes. Probly a lot of those resumes were sent by people who didn't really want jobs.

 

Oh, by the way, could that warehouseman position be filled by someone who chain smokes cigars, has a bad back, and goofs around on HB way to much? Just wonderin...

2 out of the 3. Goofing off on HB is my thing. Can't have 2 people doing it.

 

 

Well, okay. Guess I'll stick with my current gig then. Good luck with the search!

[ColoNoCoHusker]

Yeah, not all that uncommon really. Frustrating tho. Part of it is the economy, a lot of it is how companies react to the perception of the economy/work force. A lot of employers out here go into "hire first & ask questions later" mode. It really makes it hard for companies that try to get a good fit up front.

 

If you like the resume, can you streamline the process to have them fill out the application right before the interview? Save you one go-round on the decision and buy some time with the candidate pool...

[Landlord]

 

What was the job opening? Something highly specialized?

Just a warehouse worker. Drive a forklift (which we train people to do) and pull orders and ship them out. Typical warehouse stuff.

 

 

 

That's strange.

 

 

In my experience from the other side of it, at least in my skillsets, jobs have simultaneously become so specialized, but also expect you to be capable of so much more stuff than before. I've sent my resume out to hundreds of places that, by the letter, I wasn't qualified for, but you never know when someone might think it's a good fit based on something other than your experience.

 

Now that I think about it, I haven't really been paper qualified for any of the jobs I've had over the last 3+ years.

[StPaulHusker]

Update:

 

Had 1 of the 3 from my "B" list finally show up to apply. He was sitting in my conference room filling out the application and taking a simple aptitude test when he gets up and tells my admin assistant that he needs to go to his car to get some phone numbers.

 

He walks back in and asks if he can just drop off the test and application tomorrow because his kid just called him to say his car has a flat tire. I don't expect to see him tomorrow.

 

 

 

Also, had a guy come in last week. He said he had just quit his job 2 days prior so he could get in some golf and get ready for the arrival of his baby IN JULY.

[TGHusker]

Update:

 

Had 1 of the 3 from my "B" list finally show up to apply. He was sitting in my conference room filling out the application and taking a simple aptitude test when he gets up and tells my admin assistant that he needs to go to his car to get some phone numbers.

 

He walks back in and asks if he can just drop off the test and application tomorrow because his kid just called him to say his car has a flat tire. I don't expect to see him tomorrow.

 

 

 

Also, had a guy come in last week. He said he had just quit his job 2 days prior so he could get in some golf and get ready for the arrival of his baby IN JULY.

The bold: It would be so funny if it wasn't so sad - deserving of a double :facepalm: and a triple :waste

[JJ Husker]

Update:

 

Had 1 of the 3 from my "B" list finally show up to apply. He was sitting in my conference room filling out the application and taking a simple aptitude test when he gets up and tells my admin assistant that he needs to go to his car to get some phone numbers.

 

He walks back in and asks if he can just drop off the test and application tomorrow because his kid just called him to say his car has a flat tire. I don't expect to see him tomorrow.

 

 

 

Also, had a guy come in last week. He said he had just quit his job 2 days prior so he could get in some golf and get ready for the arrival of his baby IN JULY.

What we've done is go the temp agency route. We don't hire a lot of people or have much turnover but we sure weren't having much luck selecting "winners" on our own. It's not a bunch better with the temp agency but it does allow us to see them in action for an extended period of time before they become our problem. If you don't like a temp that shows up, just send them away and ask for another one. No unemployment, no benefit enrollment, no garnishments, yada yada yada, saves ya a bunch of hassle while you're still figuring out if they would be a good hire.

 

As for why things are this way, I think unemployment and government assistance are too attractive for many potential employees, especially the ones who don't have a large amount of valuable skills.

[StPaulHusker]

I think I am giving the search one more try over the weekend and if I dont find good help I am going the temp route.

[strigori]

There was an article in the World Herald about a week about regarding something similar in Omaha. Employers were having a very hard time finding people for jobs, and were having to expand into people they would not normally hire, or sweeten the deals to get people in the door. Though in Omaha the unemployment rate is something like 3% so that may or may not be the same up there.

[BigRedBuster]

We use a temp agency. It alleviates one heck of a lot of headaches trying to find help. They come here and they are employed by the temp agency for 60 days. At the end of the 60 days, we can roll them over to our employee or say...see ya. It is amazing how many times even the temp agency has a new employee lined up to start and they don't even show up the first day.

 

I do have an opening for an office person that has been frustrating. After weeks of advertising the position and getting a few applications, I found one who I thought was qualified. She comes into the interview and seems like she might workout. She then asks how we resolve conflicts in the office. I thought it was an OK question. I answer it. Then, she proceeds to go into this long story about how at her current job she was hired and then after they hired someone else she thought she wasn't being compensated fairly so she walked right into the boss's office and told him how unhappy she was and on and on and on and on....

 

Ummmm......no.

[BigRedBuster]

It really is amazing what some people do when applying for a job. I had an 18 year old kid one time apply for a job. Well, he indicated on his ap that he didn't graduate from HS. So, when asked, he proceeded to tell me how he decided to quick HS and just get a GED because all the teachers were just so stupid and impossible to get along with.

 

Ummm....if you can't get along with any of your teachers...you aren't going to get along with a boss.