Hiring & Recruiting: Anyone having difficulties even in this economy?

Hiring top talent is always difficult but I thought it's supposed to be easy with so many people in unemployment.  Anyone else having challenges in the recruiting department?
 
Chef Dave Kim
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I am having a terrible time. I am only interested in hiring part time help at the moment for the lunch rush. There has to be retired people or students out there somewhere but I haven't found them. Have advertised on Craigslist, Thrifty Nickel, and now have it on my flashing signs.

Welcome Chef

Your being facetious right. The slow economy didn't effect the gene pool, and the good workers are still working. It's mostly the no shows, always late's, call in sickies, and thieves that got laid off or fired.Or at least that is typical here in Springfield

Hi Chef, and Welcome. I hired a cook today, the first replacement in 15 months. I had 25 people apply and only found one I would hire. Nothing has changed, there are just more bad ones available. ..............Billyb

This topic would make a great thread for a sticky:

How do you interview, how do you weed out the people not to hire, Who do you give a second chance too, Is it worth it to give a young (I wanna be) the time and training to get a good team member, do you always advance from within your current staff, and what happens to the attitude of the rest of the staff if you don't? The list could go on forever.

It most likely should be  separate thread, but maybe not. I just don't want to pervert or steal a thread from a new member.

Jack

I like bold daring people. People who are not afraid of the interview. Full of confidence  without unbearable arrogance. People who talk about their food ideas and skills without framing it around themselves. A verbal resume not a sell thy self.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

  We have had very little turnover where I work. I have been there for a year and a half and the other cooks have been there two to three years more than that. We have one guy that we hire back every winter because he is a good cook and he is reliable. He has been with the company for 5 years.
  When we do lose a team member then it can be difficult to replace him. Recently, some of the people who quit about the time I got hired on, are now trying to get their jobs back.  We don't have room for them. We WILL find another body because we have over 250 applicants for the one job that might be available. We are willing to train the right individual even though his experience may be lacking IF his attude is good, he takes initiative, and he is a fast learner.
  As someone else stated above: There are a lot more bad cooks looking for work than good cooks. The good ones never left their jobs due to slacking, dirtiness, theft, personal problems, or any of those reasons.

JMHO

David O.

It's impossible, around here to find qualified, ie. someone with a pulse, who is not a drug addict, theif, in a relationship that necessitates a no show way of life, oh did I mention, alcohol and drug abuse, lack of a scintilla of common sense, ability to make change for a dollar, in their heads, complete lack of awareness of life outside of this area...Wednesday, I asked one waitress whate she thought about  the situation in Hati, she said "what are you talking about?" 
True...yesterday alone, I had a female waitstaff physically threaten me and the Restaurant because I had to fire her for stealing, in the evening I had a female waitstaff, OD, on who knows what, had to 911 her...yeah, high unemployment, higher lack of any human pride in an honest days work, or recognition of personal responsibility...we are on a slippery slope...BTW, almost all of these creeps have learned to "job the system", and are on some type of Gov. assistance. One last note, virtually every female waitstaff under 26, that have worked here, has at least 1 child out of wedlock, live with their parents, and many can't drive due to DUI's...The gene pool around here is a Cess pool, sorry to say, but true!
As a side note, never expect to get a truthful recommendation from a reference, as they are afraid of a lawsuit, if they tell the whole truth, which they are prohibited from doing.

chewingthefat


It's impossible, around here to find qualified, ie. someone with a pulse, who is not a drug addict, theif, in a relationship that necessitates a no show way of life, oh did I mention, alcohol and drug abuse, lack of a scintilla of common sense, ability to make change for a dollar, in their heads, complete lack of awareness of life outside of this area...Wednesday, I asked one waitress whate she thought about  the situation in Hati, she said "what are you talking about?" 
True...yesterday alone, I had a female waitstaff physically threaten me and the Restaurant because I had to fire her for stealing, in the evening I had a female waitstaff, OD, on who knows what, had to 911 her...yeah, high unemployment, higher lack of any human pride in an honest days work, or recognition of personal responsibility...we are on a slippery slope...BTW, almost all of these creeps have learned to "job the system", and are on some type of Gov. assistance. One last note, virtually every female waitstaff under 26, that have worked here, has at least 1 child out of wedlock, live with their parents, and many can't drive due to DUI's...The gene pool around here is a Cess pool, sorry to say, but true!
As a side note, never expect to get a truthful recommendation from a reference, as they are afraid of a lawsuit, if they tell the whole truth, which they are prohibited from doing.

I think those are all the reccommended qualifiactions to be in Congress............

As long as they are at least 25 years old.
 
 

CCinNJ


I like bold daring people. People who are not afraid of the interview. Full of confidence  without unbearable arrogance. People who talk about their food ideas and skills without framing it around themselves. A verbal resume not a sell thy self.
  

I have no problem with a interview in this manner. My problem is shutting up, which I remind myself to do as it goes.  I can describe so much about my various abilities that I wonder if sound overqualified. I can say-with confidence- that I can do just about anything. Well, I hate pantry and do not bake pastries....
I mention in my resume that I have contributed reviews to Roadfood in order to demonstrate my love of and style of cooking. I am at the mid-century point and I know it is important to stay current, but even here I question whether this is a problem.

I'm trying to rebuild myself and need to accomplish a few things in order to do it. My resume and job history is sketchy at best, with a long period of part time and unemployment to boot. Where I lived in CT. got real slapped in the downturn. This is my main reason for moving here.
I am in a new city in a new state, my past history and references mean very little.

I am in a interesting position where I am cooking, I work nights creating whatever I want while the owners are gone. I take photos of my creations and need to take things a step farther.  I need to use a social network site...facebook, etc. I need to promote myself. That said, someone did take a picture of her meal and posted it on her site.

I am very proud of what I am serving. I want the restaurant to be busier at night and the owners to see what I am doing. They leave after 3 PM.  I am getting compliments from many customers and I think that I am creating a little 'buzz'.. I want to do so much, but I am seriously under-utilized. I want to be stolen away by another restaurant that has heard of what I am doing.

This is all I can do.  If I went for a different job, the employer will assume that this is a example of someone who will change jobs in less than a year. I am staying right where I am as I keep hearing the worst isn't over and I am lucky to be working.
I have a Shane fantasy where I ride off into the distance as the owners shout "Shane.. whoops, Mark... come back..!"
 
mark

  v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}

 

 

Thought this would make your day!_
This comes from 2 math teachers with a combined total of 70 yrs. experience

Here is a little something someone sent me that is indisputable mathematical logic.
It also made me Laugh Out Loud.
This is a strictly mathematical viewpoint.....it goes like this:

What Makes 100%?
What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?
Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?
We have all been to those meetings where someone wants you to give over 100%.
How about achieving 103%?
What makes up 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these questions:

If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then:

H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%*


and
K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But,*

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

And,

B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T
2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103%

AND, look how far ass kissing will take you.

A-S-S-K-I-S-S-I-N-G
1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7 = 118%

So, one can conclude with mathematical certainty, that While *Hard work* and* Knowledge will get u close, and **Attitude** will get you there, it's the** Bull***** and* Ass Kissing* that will put you over the top.



'REMEMBER SOME PEOPLE ARE ALIVE SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL TO SHOOT THEM'

[id=ecxrole_document font="times new roman"] 

 

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doggydaddy

CCinNJ


I like bold daring people. People who are not afraid of the interview. Full of confidence  without unbearable arrogance. People who talk about their food ideas and skills without framing it around themselves. A verbal resume not a sell thy self.
 

I have no problem with a interview in this manner. My problem is shutting up, which I remind myself to do as it goes.  I can describe so much about my various abilities that I wonder if sound overqualified. I can say-with confidence- that I can do just about anything. Well, I hate pantry and do not bake pastries....
I mention in my resume that I have contributed reviews to Roadfood in order to demonstrate my love of and style of cooking. I am at the mid-century point and I know it is important to stay current, but even here I question whether this is a problem.

I'm trying to rebuild myself and need to accomplish a few things in order to do it. My resume and job history is sketchy at best, with a long period of part time and unemployment to boot. Where I lived in CT. got real slapped in the downturn. This is my main reason for moving here.
I am in a new city in a new state, my past history and references mean very little.

I am in a interesting position where I am cooking, I work nights creating whatever I want while the owners are gone. I take photos of my creations and need to take things a step farther.  I need to use a social network site...facebook, etc. I need to promote myself. That said, someone did take a picture of her meal and posted it on her site.

I am very proud of what I am serving. I want the restaurant to be busier at night and the owners to see what I am doing. They leave after 3 PM.  I am getting compliments from many customers and I think that I am creating a little 'buzz'.. I want to do so much, but I am seriously under-utilized. I want to be stolen away by another restaurant that has heard of what I am doing.

This is all I can do.  If I went for a different job, the employer will assume that this is a example of someone who will change jobs in less than a year. I am staying right where I am as I keep hearing the worst isn't over and I am lucky to be working.
I have a Shane fantasy where I ride off into the distance as the owners shout "Shane.. whoops, Mark... come back..!"

mark

 
Any restaurant owner would be fortunate to have you. Some only want a set of hands.
 
Some want NO part of anyone threatens them by knowing more or  someone who has natural talent. Some look at talent and vision as hard to control instead of taking them places that they cannot get to...alone. Sometimes a Chef is given the task of hiring  and feels threatened.  
 
When I was really young and would talk to ( sort of cold call to learn as much as possible about everything) restaurant owners about their business I would  say "I may think I know everything...but I am dying to learn more" That  struck a really great balance.
 
 Many times  the best "candidates" for any given position arrive or are discovered when the formal interview process is not taking place. They want in and inquire call back or you find a gem when you are not looking and convince them they are hired!

CC, well said...........

My last "interview" took less than five minutes for the job that I have had for the last year and a half. I gave the Boss Lady my application and then she took me back to the line. The Kitchen manager asked me to make eggs in several different styles i.e. OE, OM, OH SCRAM, and OMELET. It took about five minutes total and I was hired the same day. Sometimes you have to be able to demonstrate what you can do.

 Any boss that would  watch you improve their business and demonstrate high levels of ability would be a fool to let you go. Maybe you should ask for a raise, bonus, or some other incentive to keep you instead of jumping ship.

 Burning a bridge to get a new position in a "trendy","hot", or "new" place may well be all and good at the time but in my experience, those jobs didn't last long or they weren't the job promised at the interview.

JMHO

David O.

I have no idea about whether the chef was kidding or not, but we have signs in McDonald's for $10 an hour jobs, and they are there often. My niece works at a sports bar as a server. Now, she is REALLY good looking, and she say she usually makes $125 - $150 a night working weekends, and she also said her place can't find help.

Finally, but not restaurant related, we have a brand new wholesale club near me. It opened about 6 weeks ago. They have a HUGE sign for help wanted. I didn't ask about wages, but I did ask the cashier if they really needed help, or whether the sign just wasn't taken down from before it opened, and she said they DEFINITELY are shorthanded.

So, who knows?

That was only the first part of my thoughts.  First off, thanks Mr. Kim for your question and your presentation on Facebook.  I think that this is one way for me to go.
Living in a 'Food Town'  is no real improvement. Good paying jobs are few and far between as the employers can pick and choose. I found this to be true in NOLA too.
Walking through Whole Foods the other day created a epiphany. This place is a giant emporium, unlike any WF I have ever seen. It leaves the one in the Time/Warner center behind. 
I realized that I am making more than those guys and where I work serves crap. Maybe it is better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven. I have been living in Limbo for a while...

Regarding finding good help, we have a odd situation. There is one cook who works every morning, seven days a week (8 hours X 7 days). I have never seen him take a off day. He then works five nights a week part time at the other restaurant up north. I think that is another 25 hours.
That could be one shift that could go to a new employee. It would not be 40 hours but I'm not working that many hours either. It has been a thorn in my side as I could use a few more hours. This guy has been a thorn since I started.
He is a professional assassin who is guilty of culinary homicide. Since the owners have no clue about good food, they are happy to see plates go out the window.
The owner does support me as he will bring in whatever I need to make my specials. Some items are spur of the moment ideas and I need to stop him from buying marinated artichokes.

That's the problem. I have created a ying/yang feeling about the place. Some customers have said that they should have brought in a bottle of wine.  We are alcohol free....
There are two types of food coming out of the kitchen. I am serving their pre-made/ manufactured crap while I serve -everything- from scratch.  You would think that there would be some acceptance of my input by the day crew, but they won't even touch the chopped parsley that I leave from the night before. Other things get moved or hidden.
It is here that I will refrain from comments about cultural stereotypes along with poor owner skills at dealing with employee relations or direction where they want the business to be.
If things ever came to a head, the owners would have to try to side with the shoemaker....

===I would  say "I may think I know everything...but I am dying to learn more" That  struck a really great balance. ===

I have better sayings than that.  I also try to demonstrate that I have a sense of humor.
One place advertised their 'rock and roll'  atmosphere and I said that  "I am like the Grateful Dead, I am not the greatest band in the world, but I am the best at what I do."

I may not know everything but I know a little about most anything.

I am a culinary chameleon, capable of adapting to all cuisines and situations.

I am the Dr. Frankenstein of food. I bring dead things to life.

mark

===Any boss that would  watch you improve their business and demonstrate high levels of ability would be a fool to let you go. Maybe you should ask for a raise, bonus, or some other incentive to keep you instead of jumping ship.===

That is funny. After working a good period of time, I wrote a whole proposal.  I said that I appreciated  the opportunity to shine and have some extra freedom from the day shift/crew.  With it, I wanted to try to create a noticeable improvement in business from prior years.

I felt that my history and current activities associated with food could be used to the restaurant's advantage.  I tried to be guarded, but I said that after 15 years, they should consider some things to bring the place up to current trends.
Simple things like using a local bakery for hamburger buns instead of the ones that come from Nebraska. Putting hamburgers that contain no dextrose and seasonings into those buns would be good too.

I don't think he has even read my review of Hut's. He did not know that Ross'  is less than a mile from where they are.

I wrote that I need a wage that can support someone at my stage of life. I actually said to the owner, who is my same age, "Would you and could you make it at this wage..?"
This was written over two months ago and I have pursued this topic. This is a case of a owner thinking that being cool can overcome being weak and indecisive.

He has told me that of all the cooks he's had, I am the only one who could make it on Hell's Kitchen.  He felt that if the day crew were to watch me for 15 minutes, they would learn a lot.  It doesn't and won't happen. This is sad, as I like to teach.
The opening episode had the cooks create their signature dish. The diner owner presented his biscuits & gravy.  Ramsey barely put it in his mouth before spitting it out.  He then kicked the owner off the show halfway through the first episode. I suspect he did cook from scratch. Not here.

There will be a menu change shortly but I have no idea what some of the changes will be. I am disappointed. I have so much that I could add based on my experience. This is what I do.  Old saying:  "I must be a mushroom. They keep me in the dark and feed me Bull*%@3" What is worse is that we are adding more pre-made garbage.

I am smart enough and do not or have not given too many suggestions.  No owner wants that, at least at the level that I could do.  He does solicit opinions, but I tell him I only want to give just enough without sounding like a complainer.

Okay. I have written enough this morning and you know what? It is a beautiful day!!!  Bright and shiny.  I have to count my blessings that I cook Mon - Fri nights  till 9:PM, with weekends off. That is a bonus and does make me kind of lazy about searching for another job. I like mingling with real people and seeing what is happening out there...

mark

doggydaddy


===Any boss that would  watch you improve their business and demonstrate high levels of ability would be a fool to let you go. Maybe you should ask for a raise, bonus, or some other incentive to keep you instead of jumping ship.===

That is funny. After working a good period of time, I wrote a whole proposal.  I said that I appreciated  the opportunity to shine and have some extra freedom from the day shift/crew.  With it, I wanted to try to create a noticeable improvement in business from prior years.

I felt that my history and current activities associated with food could be used to the restaurant's advantage.  I tried to be guarded, but I said that after 15 years, they should consider some things to bring the place up to current trends.
Simple things like using a local bakery for hamburger buns instead of the ones that come from Nebraska. Putting hamburgers that contain no dextrose and seasonings into those buns would be good too.

I don't think he has even read my review of Hut's. He did not know that Ross'  is less than a mile from where they are.

I wrote that I need a wage that can support someone at my stage of life. I actually said to the owner, who is my same age, "Would you and could you make it at this wage..?"
This was written over two months ago and I have pursued this topic. This is a case of a owner thinking that being cool can overcome being weak and indecisive.

He has told me that of all the cooks he's had, I am the only one who could make it on Hell's Kitchen.  He felt that if the day crew were to watch me for 15 minutes, they would learn a lot.  It doesn't and won't happen. This is sad, as I like to teach.
The opening episode had the cooks create their signature dish. The diner owner presented his biscuits & gravy.  Ramsey barely put it in his mouth before spitting it out.  He then kicked the owner off the show halfway through the first episode. I suspect he did cook from scratch. Not here.

There will be a menu change shortly but I have no idea what some of the changes will be. I am disappointed. I have so much that I could add based on my experience. This is what I do.  Old saying:  "I must be a mushroom. They keep me in the dark and feed me Bull*%@3" What is worse is that we are adding more pre-made garbage.

I am smart enough and do not or have not given too many suggestions.  No owner wants that, at least at the level that I could do.  He does solicit opinions, but I tell him I only want to give just enough without sounding like a complainer.

Okay. I have written enough this morning and you know what? It is a beautiful day!!!  Bright and shiny.  I have to count my blessings that I cook Mon - Fri nights  till 9:PM, with weekends off. That is a bonus and does make me kind of lazy about searching for another job. I like mingling with real people and seeing what is happening out there...

mark

 
I know this thread/post is over a year old. But I find myself in a similar position at the moment. And am wondering how you resolved the situation.

Just my opinion but I think we're actually finding out that the reality is that the unemployment rate we're having right now is a lot like our debt issue.  It's been a long time coming.
 
For years employers have been wanting to just get what they were asking their employees to do out of them.  The basics of work and not just showing up and punching a clock.  Actually doing the work instead of trying to take a smoke break every 20 minutes, wandering around a retail store looking for nothing to do while shelves needed to be stocked, product moved, etc., reports researched and turned in, sales made, inventory counted or whatever and on and on.  I think too often, people in today's world just want to come to work but don't want to put the work in that deserves a paycheck. 
 
Honestly, I don't know how many employers I know that have managers that constantly complain about their employees NOT doing basic work.  They're not even asking them to go above and beyond reasonable goals but just simply do basic work.  But instead, the government protects these jerks if they get laid off or constantly create a difficult work environment for the few that are actually decent employees in the work environment.  They're called "viruses" and ruin a business.  Employers have to worry about rising unemployment costs which is unfair.
 
So, I think that employers have been fed up with putting up with it and have said "no more" and don't want to hire until employees are ready to actually work.  It's probably going to be a long, long time. 
 
As said earlier, I also think the ones who were laid off were "probably" (not always but more than likely in general terms) laid off because they were lazy, showed up late, didn't carry out their duties, always wanted a raise but less work, more time off, called in sick when they were out drinking the night before & the other employees knew about it, etc.  If they were worth keeping on over another person, they would probably have a job.
 
It is surprising that even with the way things are right now that so many people that are looking for work don't seem to be very enthusiastic about it (attitude as mentioned earlier in the "math" bit).  In other words, their behavior hasn't changed.  They don't have much value to bring to the table for an employer to feel good about when considerring them for a position at their business because they don't have anything to offer or gain.  If an employee can't help the business, the employer has no benefit by hiring them.  Employees need to realize this when going through the interview process but don't. 
 
Like I said, I think this has been a long time coming and the reality is, people need to be willing to just work a "reasonable" amount but they're not.  Doing any more than punching a clock & standing at a checkout line punching a cash register (now days just scanning product) is asking too much.  God forbid you request that they clean the restrooms, dust shelves, pick up trash from the parking lot, sweep & mop, refill necessary supplies, or whatever needs to be done.  Not to mention having a decent enough attitude to smile to customers every now and then.  To them, this is too much work but it's not even close, it's not even the basics.  Our government has "coddled" the workforce so much that employers are scared to hire anyone that isn't worth it.  Which a lot aren't. 

Why work when Obama will send you an unemployment check to sit at home? What these people do is collect the monies and get side jobs from people willing to pay cash under the table. Been there and done that in my last business, not Obama, but my governor that allowed a person to make $1995.00 in gross pay, and they were allowed to collect full unemployment bennies with little recourse from the business owner that was footing the bill. I went through one to many employees until one of them told me of the scam they were pulling. One even stole a quarter of a million dollars in product and equipment from me, he did not get his UIA bennies, but it was VERY close. At the end, 11% of my payroll was going to UIA along with $18 a hundred for workman's comp. The government buried me, and put me out of business with their taxes and fees. Trucking, $4 fuel was the end and final nail in the coffin.

Jwill,
 
How to resolve the situation? When you get a guy wanting to work for you, have him go clean the toilets. If he is unwilling to do that at the interview, you don't need him. I still clean toilets.

Dr of BBQ


Welcome Chef

Your being facetious right. The slow economy didn't effect the gene pool, and the good workers are still working. It's mostly the no shows, always late's, call in sickies, and thieves that got laid off or fired.Or at least that is typical here in Springfield

you also have to think of this..... the good ones that were laid off over the last year or so...... if they are making 500 a week on unemployment, your going to be hard pressed to hire them for 300 a week.... 

Some of you folks don't know what you're talking about. You wouldn't believe all the crap you have to put up with to make $10 a hour around here. Most everyone who has a full time job is scared to death it could go away any minute.

Theshow,
 
Well stated sir, my reply would have gotten me banned from the site.
 
Mike

localnet


Theshow,

Well stated sir, my reply would have gotten me banned from the site.

Mike

Well Localnet,
I appreciate that. 
The thing is, I don't mind someone who disagrees because I have a tendency to debate a lot and sometimes people don't like that but don't make it so specific or personal.  I wasn't talking about Jacksonville, Florida or Militarybasebeach, North Carolina in specific.  I was generalizing based on what I've read, the research I've done, my experience and other things.  I could be wrong but I think my analogy was reasonable. 
 
Yes, I could've said some other things that could've been vulgar or whatever but that doesn't do any good.  I'm not even saying that the person responding is a bad person because I don't know them at all.  But, if their defense of out of work people and how they responded has any indication of who they are, I would probably be looking at a different person for my business.  It may suck but even if I have the knowledge to program a computer or give a presentation to Sony's top 50 executives and my boss wants me to wash his boat, I may ask him where the hose is before I tell him to get lost if I know that 100 other people that are just as qualified as me want my job.  I'm not saying all employers are great or that pay is fair or benefits are good or time off is equal or the job requests aren't bs, or....or...or........         But, in the end, as extremely difficult as things are, we all have choices. 
 
A coworker of mine once summed up the way that she and I both feel about people in the workforce one time.  She said when it comes to drama and things that you don't agree with at work you have 2 choices, you can either accept that things are going to be the way they are, deal with it and stay or.......you can put in your notice and leave.  You can't bitch about the way things are and not do anything about it (like most people do).  It doesn't work that way.  Has anyone EVER gotten anything accomplished this way?  I doubt it. 
 
Bottom line, bring some value to a job and you'll have one.  And with more pay than the government could ever afford. 

Theshow,
 
Could not agree more, and you are so right regarding the bulk of the work force out here. I'm in MI, and you would not believe how many (not all) people are, many I have run into are like UAW members looking for that picnic table to take their nap on. And I can say that, I was a UAW member and have been in more UAW plants than I can shake a stick at. In fact, all but a few are now long gone.
 

BackAlleyBurger


all i can say is...you both need to come down to the south and get a little taste of what life is like out here.... Yes, because I'm sure it's so much worse down South than anywhere else right now.  Just because you live there and don't live somewhere else doesn't make it more or less hard.  There are factors such as the immigration issues but it's not like it's 10 times worse than somewhere else.  Everyplace has it's reasonings for being difficult or better and not necessarily because of location although that is a factor sometimes.

its easy to sit back and say just quit, or just move to greener pastures....well, bull****, thats a cowards answer who doesnt know what he is talking about. Why is it bs?  Even though you may have family there, does the government put a restriction on where you can live in this country?  (not at the current time anyway).  Are you broke so you can't afford to move?  (that's probably true and would make it difficult)  I didn't say "hey, move to New York City" where the cost of living is generally at least double if not triple what the average place is.  The point is it is easy to say quit or move because these are all CHOICES you have.  You don't "have" to stay at your job and you don't "have" to live where you do.  Nobodies forcing you.  Again, you're making excuses.  I'm not a coward.  I've lived in a few different areas.  I haven't necessarily moved from where I was to 1000 miles away but I have moved.  It wasn't easy to afford but I did it and more than once.  It can be done.  To say it can't is again being naive and just someone making excuses.

and who is paying for my truck ???...i am you smug SOB..... i payed into that system for damn near 20 years.....this is my first time unemployed.... and i think its much more responsible that i use MY money to regroup and move forward then for some fat urban bitch to get it that been living on welfare their whole life... Well you originally said you were unemployed so is this not correct?  I was going by what you said that you were getting $500 a week from the government "INSTEAD OF" working a job for $300 or less if it was minimum wage.  Those were your words, not mine.  In this case, the "government" would be paying for you fixing your truck.  If this was an example that's fine but you were making sound as if this was the case with you.  And I don't disagree with taking advantage of something you've paid into for so long but again, you're not being part of the solution if you're using when you could actually get a job.  If you and everybody else did this, there wouldn't be that money to use when needed.  Those programs are meant for people that really truly "need" it and can't actually get a job.  I didn't think you were one of those people?  As far as "regrouping" and moving forward, that's understandable but I don't know how fixing your truck and not wanting to get a job that pays less money is "regrouping" and "moving forward" unless your truck is your only form of transportation and you plan on saving a lot of the $500 towards moving or education.  But if that's the case, how do you afford to live every week on that type of income?

you make me laugh.... im a whinner..... but those poor employers just want decent workers, your views are skewed, and you have surely drank the corporate koolaid and liked it....Nice Bill O'Reilly reference about "corporate koolaid".  I like Bill sometimes but other times I think he's off.  That's a different thread though.  Umm....again, my views aren't skewed at all.  I've worked in many different environments and managed different businesses.  Some were corporate and some not so much.  Both had their goods and bads but I wasn't in some cult or under any spells about their ways in either of them. 

just for the record, those examples are not mine, i wouldnt have a disrespectful boss who demands/expects those things....those are family (younger) members and friends from years past..... Then why were you speaking as if it was you.  Even if those were examples, what are you doing to help them change the outcome?  Again, you can "whine" all day long (which is what that was basically) but that doesn't change the fact that these people were in jobs they didn't like or worked for an employer they didn't like.  Again, they had choices.  If they weren't smart enough to decide to do something about it by making a change, then that's their fault.  Not the government's.

so.....until you come down here and walk a mile in some southern shoes, how about you shut your mouth about "not generalizing" I don't need to go down South.  It's not that different as you want to make it out to be.  And btw, aren't you in "North" Carolina?  Isn't that pretty much middle of the country if not a little more North?  Even so, being in the middle of the country (yes actually more in the middle), I could go over to your state and it wouldn't be what you say it is.  I've been to NC once or twice.  It's beautiful but a little too hilly for me.  And no, I won't "shut my mouth" about "generalizing" (which is what I said.....I didn't say "not generalizing") because a lot of things are very similar all over the country.  I'm not the one trying to be so close minded and think that only things happen here or only in the North are jobs more scarce or over East the pay is always better or buying a house is so much better in Florida right now.  Every place has goods and bads and you have to deal with it.  You're not dealing with it the way you should (or the people you're referring to).  That's not anybody else's fault but yours or theirs.  Be proactive and make a change. 

oohh yea, we were talking about jobs and the work force idiot, what the hell do you think we were talking about....... I knew that but you didn't explain what you meant by your comments about military and their spouses and wives being a first choice of something.  You just got upset about something but didn't actually explain what you meant so it wasn't understandable.  That's all.

i'll make you a deal....you shut your mouth, i will shut mine....and we will move on to your beloved greener pastures over in a different thread.... outside of that, you can go **** yourself, that goes for you to localnet Simply put, if this was your management style or the way you handled things as such, I can DEFINATELY UNDERSTAND why you don't have a job now.  You comment on a thread by basically "whining" about all the things that employers do wrong and how hard it is for you (or the people you were referring to) instead of talking about the things that "can" be done.  You can't change employers as easily as you can change your situation.  It's just not going to happen.  You forget, employers don't owe you anything.  They're providing you with a job.  Sure, it needs to work both ways for it to be beneficial for both but in the end, you are disposable.  When you have an attitude like you did on these last few posts, that would make any employer say "get lost".  I know you're not working here but you can tell a lot about how a person acts or in this case "reacts".  Your reactions haven't appeared to be rational and calm but frustrated and mad.  To tell someone to go **** themself is just rude and unnecessary and if it's any indication of who you are (which I'm going to assume it is) then like I said, I can see why you don't have a job or don't have that management job anymore.  Go whine somewhere else. 

Hey, I don't necessarily agree that employers are great all the time but you can make decisions to do something different.  Like it or not, yes, you do have this right.  It is one of the things the government has NOT forced us to do "yet".  You can work for who you want, live where you want to live, and do a lot of stuff you want to do (I didn't say "everything" because we do have some limitations but for the most part we're free).  You don't have to like the circumstances or situations you're in but if you don't, then do something to make a change.  Behavior is known as one the hardest things about us, as people, to change but if you don't change it, you just keep doing the same thing.
 
Dave Ramsay (a well known financial advisor....look him up on the internet he's worth it) has a great saying for a lot of people trying to get out of debt but it also pertains to how you live life.  The saying is:  "Live like no one else, so you can live like no one else".  For those of you that don't understand what it means, it means to sacrifice and live on less and not go out to eat at restaurants, buy nicer cars, wear fancier clothes, be a member at a golf club, and do a lot of things that are "unnecessary" in your life NOW.  By doing so, you'll hopefully save a lot of money and later on in life you'll be able to have the things you want.  But it's not just about money, it's about a way of life.  It's a behavioral change.  If you keep spending money you don't have, you'll stay in debt forever.  If you keep bitching about the job you're at and do nothing about it, you'll be there forever.  If you don't scrape up what little you have or take a second job to save a little more to hopefully move somewhere different, you'll be where you are forever.  Make a change, but don't whine about it.

Stay away from the political references and Foul Language in your posts if you want to keep using this forum.
AL

Basically employers have you by the shorthairs these days and they know it. My wife has been with the same company for 15 years and her workload has doubled the last 3-4 years as they have fewer and fewer people to do the work.