I really hate hiring people. Not that I don’t need the help, not that there aren’t good people looking for work, not that I don’t like people very much, well maybe.
We have an opening. Full time work for a little bit more than minimum wage. I would love to pay more but we are located in Michigan and we are trying to survive.
I run two retail stores and we need people available while we are open and we need to be open if we are to remain retail. Over the last few years we have pared back employees as the economy slowed. Some of them were justified, some left us for other opportunities, some times I just had people double up their duties (usually me) to fill in the spaces. The problem is that it is hard to be stretched thin. Every vacation, sickness, doctor’s appointment becomes a problem.
So I have an immediate need for a low wage body to cover the floor. Being low person on the totem pole they will have the worst selection of hours. Problem #1 is that I have a rather complicated business. No, not really complicated, more multi-faceted but it does require knowledge in a number of different areas.
The resumes I get all seem either from un-qualified losers or over qualified people who will take any job. The problem with those I feel are un-qualified is I will either waste my time trying to train them until I give up in disgust or I may find a gem. The problem with the over qualified is that I can feel them sending out resumes every day looking for work or I may find a gem.
I am going to err on the over qualified and hope they can bring some energy and ideas.
Our business is sound but we could well use some new ideas, a new direction, and after 32 years some new energy. If my new hire can bring me some of that I can find a way to pay them more, to use them in ways they are better suited for, to find a place for them to succeed with us.
That’s why I like these blogs. They give me a chance to write through my problems and realize I do have some answers if I trust my instincts. Sometimes I overthink the problems and until I see them on the screen they are confusing and seem impossible.
