home depot - Forget "qualifications" for a job, people hire people they like

And no response to date has mentioned the problem of the trying to make payroll every period...

That's because corporations have LOTS of money and everything they buy is a tax write-off. ;)

You forgot to throw in the "corporate welfare subsidies" :-)

... snip

I know that in my "poster child" HD story, the "little" factoid that a supposedly "expert" HD employee didn't know was the fact that one could have more than 100 amps worth of circuit breakers in a 100 amp electrical panel and, in fact, insisted that one could not have more than 100 amps worth of breakers in such a panel. Seems like kind of a major issue when he was trying to influence the design and purchase decisions as a supposed "expert" on the floor. In fact, he attempted to emphasize this fact by telling us that he was an electrician before coming to work at the Borg (he was a fairly young fellow, so he definitely wasn't a retired electrician).

... snip

On Sat, 14 May 2005 07:45:49 -0400, the inscrutable "George" spake:

Manifesto noted. ;)

------ We're born hungry, wet, 'n naked, and it gets worse from there. -

Sure, I understand that. I was just musing on what I see because since I'm in my 50's, I can envision myself working at a Borg like store at sometime in the future. It might be for the money or maybe just to be active in some way within an area that interests me and which I believe I have a certain level of knowledge. Just hoping that I'll like it.

If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, then you baffle them with BS?

If they paid him an extra two bucks an hour, he'd be much more knowledgeable.

Amazing how they're all slugs, slackers and stupid - and underpaid....

My plan is to never retire 100%. (Unless I hit the Powerball tonight for $111 million). I'll be 60 later this year and I've already thought of a couple of things I'd like to do. They all require getting out of the house, socializing with others, responsibility but not high stress. Make a few bucks to buy wood or take some vacations. My boss (the company owner, 1 year older than me) figures we'll both still be coming into the shop or a semi-regular basis. I figure if you sit home and watch Jerry Springer you die too soon.

Right...I'd forgotten they don't have to make a profit to stay in business...

But, I was particularly referring to the examples of the poor individuals not getting annual raises, etc., from a local employer...

Or wish you would/could

"Norman D. Crow" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@enews1.newsguy.com:

That syndrome certainly isn't unique to the BORG.

We had a different saying, back in the day:

Ignorance to Arrgoance, in 90 days.

Patriarch

Or not getting paid at *all* when the mom&pop place goes through a cash-flow crisis. BTDT.

Lee

Keeping up with the cost of living is tough enough. I know someone that owns a "dollar store". They either have to become a dollar-fifty store or go out of business. Just the increased cost of freight alone is taking the profits and they cannot give anyone a raise. Just not enough stuff that can be bought at the right price to maintain the dollar concept.

It's a tough world out there. I can cite plenty of examples in our industry where cost of materials bought has gone up and the selling price has gone down. We've walked away from about a $1 million in sales and profits did not change at all. It would have hurt to keep it. We did get a modest wage increase this year though. It is difficult to justify giving anyone more than a cost of living increase unless they do something to deserve it, such as take on more responsibility, or additional duties. You already (or should, anyway), get paid for doing a good job and showing up every day. That is just a basic part of being employed.

Sometimes you have to change with technology. Considering the proliferation of digital cameras, it would not seem prudent to invest your life savings in a one hour photo shop. There will always be film, just not as much of it.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in news:YOxhe.1379$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr31.news.prodigy.com:

In my industry, what sold for $400/unit in 1999 sold for $40/unit in 2004, and in significantly higher unit volume. Such is the world of Moore's Law.

Patriarch, not complaining

Great that it can happen in certain industries. Problem is, people have come to expect it in everything. While computers and most electronics have improved and gotten cheaper, appliances have turned to crap just to lower cost.

In one case, we made parts for air conditioners. After year one, the customer expected a 10% price decrease and we were able to do it as we came up with better methods and efficiencies. In years 2 and 3 they took longer to pay. Much longer. In year 4, they wanted a 25% decrease plus a 6% rebate for the previous year. that is when we walked. The company that took over the business from us lost their ass and almost shut down. By year 5 the customer moved their operation to Mexico.

In another industry that we supply, we wanted to increase prices 5% to cover increased raw material cost. One of our competitors responded by offering the same customers a new lower price, less than our original price. They took the business away. They went bankrupt and were sold.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in news:ggAhe.1406$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr31.news.prodigy.com:

I've seen that too. There is tremendous power in knowing when to, and being able to, say 'no'.

And mumble kma as you walk out through the parking lot.

Patriarch "Without vision, the people perish." (Proverbs 29:18)

Is that a bad thing? If a guy has worked at the same place for five years, and still is as useless as the day he was hired- why would he get paid more?

OTOH, if a new guy comes in and works twice as hard as one of the long-timers, why should he get paid less?

Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

A ninety day Blunder?