Availability rant! (didn't want to threadjack Custard Chick's post)

[XCashier]

Custard Chick's post brought up a sore point with me. I didn't want to threadjack her post, so here's mine. It's a long and bitchy rant, be warned.

I've been searching for a job in either admin, retail or grocery for many months now. So far, no go. Now, I am available to work from opening (even the wee hours of the morning) until 3:00 PM Monday-Friday and full eight-hour shifts Saturday and Sunday, a total of well over forty hours a week. I'm even willing to work holidays (including Thanksgiving and Christmas) and tough out Black Friday. Unfortunately, I cannot work weekday evenings because I have a child in Kindergarten, school lets out at 3:00 PM and my husband works the 3:00-11:30 shift. As every school in the city lets out around that time, I'm sure I am not the only person in this city with this problem.

Because I cannot work weekday evenings , I'm SOL. One hiring manager even told me that if I could get a babysitter Thursday and Friday evenings, I might have a chance at the Thursday-Sunday shift. Okay, show me a babysitter who'll work for minimum wage or less (and is willing to give up their Friday evenings), and I'll show you a babysitter who'll fly in from London via parasol and sing "A Spoonful Of Sugar"! In other words, that person doesn't exist! So, I'm supposed to hand over half (or more) of my paycheck to a babysitter so I can work this minimum-wage job?

What happens when a person is unavailable weekday mornings because they have school? Does the company tell them, "Sorry, you'll have to quit school, we want you available to work days,"?

In conclusion: job hunting sucks. As does this job market. The hiring managers have you at their mercy, and they bloody well know it.

Thanks for letting me vent. That does feel a little better.

[Jester]

Sadly, the shift you're looking for doesn't exist, at least not in retail. Most retail shops don't open up until 10 or 11 am, so being able to work till only 3 pm is not very helpful to them, nor is being able to be there at the wee hours of the morning.

Administration hours in most businesses tend to be normal business hours, i.e., 9-5. See above.

Grocery might be your only bet.

As for the babysitter, you may not be entirely correct. There are often people that take care of people's kids for several hours a day, and they take care of several kids, so their prices may not be that bad. I am not a parent, nor do I live in your area, so I don't have any concrete details in this area, but it is something you might want to look into. Being able to expand your schedule at the tail end for only a couple hours could potentially open up many more jobs to you.

[digilight]

I can't believe I'm saying this but if you have a Kinko's in your area give them a shot.

Note: Nothing personal but I freaken hate Kinko's, they used to be head quartered locally (hint the same city where my shop is) until about 5-6 years ago when Paul Orfalea Sold his portion and the company began to move its operations to Texas. Alot of local jobs were lost, and alot of realestate became vacant, they were among the top 5 employers in this county with the list consisting of Kinko's, the County of Ventura, Amgen, Countrywide, and Technicolor. So that should show you the kind of employer we lost. Oh yeah, and they are one of my competitors so I kinda have to hate 'em. No offense RK, its all said in fun.

But honestly Kinko's normally runs a 24/7 shop, and will need all shifts covered, they may have an availability there.

[Der Cute]

the other place you may want to work is a convenience store.

24/7, but warning; the weekday M-F 6a-2pm shift is usually the coveted one.

Is there a university in your area? My old one had a DAMN good daycare unit, and it was run at a VERY reasonable rate. Had a waiting list, too.

Speak to the local job helpers, and ask about daycare facilities. Try and price them out, ask if there are any ones w/ low income programs...

Simply put, you MAY NOT be able to find a job on those specific hours. Start stretching the net a bit.

Cutenoob

[Rine]

See, my availability are exactly like yours...I can only work mornings until 2 and weekends. I have school in the afternoon and evening.

However, my job works very well with my schedule. I do pricing and my team's regular hours are like 6 AM to 2 PM daily and Sunday mornings, 6 to 2.

Maybe you should see if a retail place needs someone to set ads and stuff; usually they work early hours before the store opens. Just a thought. Hell, my work schedules cashiers 9 AM to 2 or 9 AM to 3 shifts because many of them are working mommys too. Management works very well with whatever availability their employees have; it's always been a perk about working there.

Well, good luck.

[Boozy]

What happens when a person is unavailable weekday mornings because they have school? Does the company tell them, "Sorry, you'll have to quit school, we want you available to work days,"?

Of course not. They have dozens of existing employees willing and eager to work days, and hundreds of applicants wanting those shifts.

Don't give up. You WILL find something.

Off the top of my head, why don't you try a coffee shop? They do more business in the mornings than afternoons, and would probably appreciate someone willing to come in at 4 am.

[Primer]

Check with your child's school to see if they offer any after-school programs. I know in my neck of the woods they have "extend-a-care" at the schools, which basically is a school sponsored baby-sitter until about 5:30 or 6:00 in the evenings. Good luck!

[drunkenwildmage]

Also, Try a place like Office Max, Office Depot, or Staples. When I worked at Omax, they opened at 7:00am on the weekdays.

[Retail Associate]

Your chances of getting an entry level, first shift job in retail are slim to none. There are people who have been at my store for 8 years or more who still don't get those early hours. They are only given to employees with seniority. And believe me, those with seniority make sure no one below them gets better shifts than they do.

I've been back at my store for 2½ years and still work 2:30-11:00PM. (I've been with the store for nearly 8 yrs total) People with less seniority come and go but the long-term employees stay forever. I won't live long enough to get off second shift.

.

[AKWalMartCartGuy]

Sadly, the shift you're looking for doesn't exist, at least not in retail. Most retail shops don't open up until 10 or 11 am, so being able to work till only 3 pm is not very helpful to them, nor is being able to be there at the wee hours of the morning.

I was on 8-noon m-f for a little over a month, which I didn't ask for, they just put it on the schedule and I did it. try for 11-3, the stores pick up a little at 11, a little more at 11:30 and then get busy around noon, so 11-3 would work for both parties. try a target or wal mart, wal marts usually pay more, they give more generous raises, smaller shops aren't going to be in as much of a "well we need somebody to come in sometime" situation as a big box.

of course, it was just me, 3-12, and a 6-10 for cart pushers at the time(ok 2 6-10s, but I call one of them Mr Time Theft, and he earned the name)

As for the babysitter, you may not be entirely correct. There are often people that take care of people's kids for several hours a day, and they take care of several kids, so their prices may not be that bad. I am not a parent, nor do I live in your area, so I don't have any concrete details in this area, but it is something you might want to look into. Being able to expand your schedule at the tail end for only a couple hours could potentially open up many more jobs to you.

if you show me a babysitter over the age of 19 that will watch your kids for under $10 per hour per kid here i'll show you Mary Poppins too. not counting people that do it for friends or relatives. hell I've had a friend give me $10 to watch his kid for an hour.

[Jester]

Sadly, the shift you're looking for doesn't exist, at least not in retail.

I was on 8-noon m-f for a little over a month, which I didn't ask for, they just put it on the schedule and I did it.

As for the babysitter, you may not be entirely correct.

if you show me a babysitter over the age of 19 that will watch your kids for under $10 per hour per kid here i'll show you Mary Poppins too.

I stand corrected. On both counts. Hey, I never claimed to be all that bright, ya know!

[Broomjockey]

I stand corrected. On both counts. Hey, I never claimed to be all that bright, ya know!

True, you often reserve the right to be spectaularly wrong

[Jester]

No, I ALWAYS reserve the right to be horribly, spectacularly, and embarrassingly wrong!

[KellyHabersham]

I can totally relate to issues with availability and finding a job, as I've been experiencing frustration with that myself. Only in my case, it stems from not being able to drive, our bus system doesn't run that late at night, and most places seem interested in only those applicants who've got open availbility at night.