The current economic situation in Detroit and around our nation has created an unusual boon for some employers. Today I interviewed for a position at a major department store. The position is that of an "early morning inventory" person. The hours are 5AM to 9 AM at least 12 hours a week but less than 40. With in 15 minutes they offered me the job. The pay is $7.40 an hour.
Six years of college and 20 years of sales experience, why this job? My husband has been laid off for 5 months. My own client base is slowly migrating to the competition or halting all fund raising activity completely. Idle hours seem like wasted hours. I accepted the job. The hours won't interfere with my full time job. It is only 15 miles away. The extra money will help bridge the gap. How many others are there out there just like me?
A recent conversation at one of my clients brought a recently published fact to mind. Never has there been such an inequity of female to male workers, more women working than men, since WWII. The jobs for men, construction, factory, manual labor are the ones hardest hit by this economy.
Not to blow my own horn but hey, no one else will, this department store is getting a sweet deal at $7.40 an hour. But, I appreciate the work, very genuinely.