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...or just stupid?
This morning I was doing the SOS I do every day (straigtening and picking up after slobs) when a very classy, nicely dressed woman (NDW) approached and inquired:
NDW: "May I ask you a few questions?"
Me: ...thinking she'd ask something about the Fashion dept..."Sure."
NDW: "I'm hoping you'll be honest with me."
Me:
"I'll try to be."
NDW: "Do you enjoy working for Meijer?"
Me: ...being brutally honest..."NO!"
NDW: "The reason I'm asking...I've found myself in need of a job and have been unable to find work." (Our economy is the worst in the country right now.) "What does Meijer have to offer someone with a degree?"
Me: "Nothing to my knowledge. All the managers here started as baggers or cart pushers in high school and have worked their way up to management. I don't believe Meijer hires managers 'off the street' and even if they did, they are downsizing and just got rid of 3 of ours about two months ago. We have very few managers left in this store."
NDW: ... looking very disappointed.
Me: "Our dept is looking for more help right now, though."
NDW: "What do you do in this dept?"
Me: thinking...pick up after slobs..."Mostly we stock, straighten, put away returns, cover jewelry and customer service. It's mind-numbing work but you do what you have to, to get by."
NDW: "What does Meijer pay entry level employees?"
Me: "Minimum wage."
NDW: ...now she's looking flabberghasted. "Wow! Minimum wage?"
Me: "Unfortunately, yes. Meijer is one of the lowest paying retailers in the Midwest."
NDW: "Do they offer full-time?"
Me: "No. They no longer hire full-time people. Even though many of my co-workers have worked 40 hrs per week all summer long they are still classified as part-time."
NDW: "How can anyone survive working part-time on minimum wage?"
Me: "We can't. That's why most of us have a second job."
NDW: ...tears welling up in her eyes..."I'm 60 years old, facing a divorce and can't find work. I'm at my wits end and don't know what to do."
At this point I felt pretty bad for her and wished I could have told her it was a great place to work. I wish I could have told her that they paid us an honest day's wage for an honest day's work. I wish I could have told her that we are treated with respect. I wish I could have told her that my co-workers are great and we work together as a team to get the job done...but I just couldn't lie to her like that.
I'm afraid I was more honest than she expected me to be.
And if she was a mole, I may be in trouble.
This morning I was doing the SOS I do every day (straigtening and picking up after slobs) when a very classy, nicely dressed woman (NDW) approached and inquired:
NDW: "May I ask you a few questions?"
Me: ...thinking she'd ask something about the Fashion dept..."Sure."
NDW: "I'm hoping you'll be honest with me."
Me:
"I'll try to be."NDW: "Do you enjoy working for Meijer?"
Me: ...being brutally honest..."NO!"
NDW: "The reason I'm asking...I've found myself in need of a job and have been unable to find work." (Our economy is the worst in the country right now.) "What does Meijer have to offer someone with a degree?"
Me: "Nothing to my knowledge. All the managers here started as baggers or cart pushers in high school and have worked their way up to management. I don't believe Meijer hires managers 'off the street' and even if they did, they are downsizing and just got rid of 3 of ours about two months ago. We have very few managers left in this store."
NDW: ... looking very disappointed.
Me: "Our dept is looking for more help right now, though."
NDW: "What do you do in this dept?"
Me: thinking...pick up after slobs..."Mostly we stock, straighten, put away returns, cover jewelry and customer service. It's mind-numbing work but you do what you have to, to get by."
NDW: "What does Meijer pay entry level employees?"
Me: "Minimum wage."
NDW: ...now she's looking flabberghasted. "Wow! Minimum wage?"
Me: "Unfortunately, yes. Meijer is one of the lowest paying retailers in the Midwest."
NDW: "Do they offer full-time?"
Me: "No. They no longer hire full-time people. Even though many of my co-workers have worked 40 hrs per week all summer long they are still classified as part-time."
NDW: "How can anyone survive working part-time on minimum wage?"
Me: "We can't. That's why most of us have a second job."
NDW: ...tears welling up in her eyes..."I'm 60 years old, facing a divorce and can't find work. I'm at my wits end and don't know what to do."
At this point I felt pretty bad for her and wished I could have told her it was a great place to work. I wish I could have told her that they paid us an honest day's wage for an honest day's work. I wish I could have told her that we are treated with respect. I wish I could have told her that my co-workers are great and we work together as a team to get the job done...but I just couldn't lie to her like that.
I'm afraid I was more honest than she expected me to be.
And if she was a mole, I may be in trouble.
)
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