Let me give you a scenario: A 42 year old man, (lets call him Jim) 6' 2", looks like a linebacker (and could have been), has a strong presence that commands respect, (he used to make 80K a year) goes out for an interview. He knows the economy sucks, his job and his company evaporated when the housing industry folded. He knows this place is retail sales and probably gearing up for the holiday season, so they won't keep him long. He knows that there are few positions out there that he can apply to, so he is thinking about going back to school and learning another trade. Jim has dropped his wage expectations to $15 an hour, he thinks this is reasonable considering his CDL A with a Hazmat, forklift trainer certification, Associates in bookkeeping and accounting, and over 11 years of experience in leadership and logistics.
This guy is a go-getter, a driving force that knows how to get things done, manage people and materials and speed up processes. He's hired and fired so many people he can't remember them all, and he knows how to train people, gain their respect and loyalty, and build teams that work together to get it all done and make everyone happy. He's not hard to get along with, he's not a hard-head, and he doesn't get angry without cause. He's looking for something he can do for the next six months or so to keep him busy until he gets his schooling and financial aid figured out. He's not expecting much, just a honest job, doing something he doesn't hate himself for. He gets dressed appropriately for the interview, since this is warehouse work, he wears the standard boots and jeans, belt and Carhardts, he's showered, shaved, brushed his teeth and put on a bit of aftershave, nothing over-the-top. He has copies of his resume, references, work history, driver's abstract from the DOT, his licenses and certificates all neatly tucked into a aluminum driver's clipboard. He has his phone, his bluetooth, pens, pencils - and sunglasses, in case he needs to show them he can drive a truck. He is prepared, excited and ready to go to work.
Jim shows up ten minutes early, and knows where he needs to be and who he needs to talk to. He gets there and his interviewer and potential boss doesn't show up until ten minutes after the appointment, he's about 27, wearing tennis shoes, droopy jeans and a ratty t-shirt. He doesn't apologize for being late. He asks how long Jim expects to be working there, and Jim is honest (he's always honest) and tells him he wants to go back to school, and expects he'd be there about six months or so. The interviewer then tells him that they like to hire people who will stick around. He then asks him about what kind of wage Jim is looking for, Jim tells him his bottom line is $13 an hour. The interviewer then says well, I like to bring people in at about 11 or 12 but 13 is doable. Jim asks him if he's read his resume, and he says yes. Jim then asks him questions about the job responsibilities and expectations, and the interviewer tells him he'd like to make use of the certifications that Jim has, but they will have to figure that out. The interviewer asks Jim if he has any experience with retail and purchase orders. Jim is surprised - his resume clearly states that he has extensive experience with logistics, purchasing, all aspects of warehouse management, accounting, etc. Jim asks again if the interviewer has read his resume, because he doesn't believe that this guy has any idea how to interview, and now has serious doubts about the company, the position and if he'd even get a paycheck if he worked for them. The guy says yes, but offers no details.
Jim tells they guy that he managed 45 subcontractor groups, a warehouse, 25 sales people, the office and accounting staff, and personally supervised purchasing and logistics to supply multiple building projects resulting in almost 2 million in sales a month, out of one office dealing exclusively with floor coverings and interiors, tile, stone, hardwoods and laminates. Also, he knew from hands-on experience how to do each position that he was management over, and frequently would jump in to help. The interviewer looks at him like he has no comprehension of what Jim just said.
Jim said: "You do retail sales online here right? So you never actually have to talk to a customer face to face, or drive out to their home and inspect work that was performed, or manage subcontractor crews that can't speak english, and still have the job done correctly. I did that. I communicated with people to get things done, as they were ordered by the customer, the way the customer wanted, and if it wasn't right, I made it right. I made certain that materials were ordered on time, correctly, according to schedule, and that prices were what was quoted, that the salespeople correctly identified what the customer wanted, it was in stock or available, and that the drivers picking up materials knew where they were going and what they were picking up and when they were supposed to be there. Nothing that happened at that store was a surprise to me, because I had my hands in all of it, including the installations and warranty work. I did it all, that's why I was management, I knew what I was doing... Do you? This is the stuff that ticks me off, nobody knows what they are doing anymore, nobody cares about what they are doing, and no one is willing to pay someone who would care a decent wage or show enough respect to bother reading their resume."
The interviewer didn't know what to say, obviously, he had the resume in his hand, but it was obvious he never read it. He said: "Well I guess we're wasting our time." Jim said: "No, you are wasting your own time, because you're not willing to be prepared, and that shows me that probably your company doesn't care what they are doing either, because everyone in your department is probably being paid just above minimum wage, there is high turnover because you can't keep anyone decent, and you're putting out crappy products. Just one person who has the experience and knowledge could turn this whole place around, but you aren't willing to pay for it, so you'll never hire them".
This scenario has been played out over and over, in one degree or another for the past 2 & 1/2 years for this man. Either they don't want to pay for his experience, the interviewer is afraid he will steal his job, or the owner feels that he should be his own boss (but he can't afford to start a business and there isn't room for it anyways). The problem is, the construction, manufacturing and transportation industries that he's worked in are, for the most part, out of business and the ones left in business are operating with people that are "grandfathered in", family members who can't find a job elsewhere, or transient and other workers who make poverty-level wages. I'm sure he's not the only one, but riddle me this: if the majority of these businesses are only hiring at poverty-level wages, and the prices of things keep going up, wages keep going down, where are we going to be in another year?
I predict a revolt. I'm surprised we haven't seen massive violent protests on the street already. Perhaps we are all just so beat-down and depressed that we don't have the energy to mount a full-scale overthrow of our revered dictatorship. As they say: fluoride in the water makes us passive, technological advances teach our children that they don't have to think, they don't have to question the powers that be, they can be sluggish, brain-dead cogs who work at nowhere jobs for big companies that only offer poverty level pay. The rich get richer, the middle class becomes non-existent, and the poor become poorer. The government has us, we become controlled and controllable, passively letting them tax the hell out of us, while they are guaranteed health benefits and retirement. Can we say SOCIALISM?
