primitive finds people working at Home Depot

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2172924

Oh my.

At first, just from the title, I thought this was the opening shot in the annual War on Christmas, but no.

NRaleighLiberal  (1000+ posts)      Sun Oct-23-11 04:54 PM
Original message
 
Eye opening trip to Home Depot right now....pretty much everyone working there were mid 50 somethings (just like me), and judging from some of the chats I had with a few of them (wonderful chats, by the way), professionals who got bounced from their companies (just like me). A few mentioned that they got the job because they needed the health benefits. A few others because they couldn't find anything else/better. We had some stories to share, that's for sure (my company - a big pharma - quietly got rid of nearly 10K people in the last 5 years - and most of the cuts did not make a peep in the local news). Where did most of the jobs go? Offshoring or outsourcing (China and India, primarily).

Just an observation - everyone there was incredibly helpful, very friendly, made it a really good (and educational) experience....not at all what we used to find at Home Depot in terms of working demographic. Even as recently as a year ago, I would have been asking 20 somethings where this or that is.

Just a bit of food for thought on a Sunday afternoon. Me? haven't found work yet. Starbucks or Home Depot at some point? possibly....doesn't seem to be a big hunger in big Pharma for mid 50 somethings like me, despite my 25 years experience.

Well now, I thought the Magic One was going to take care of this.

And he's had almost three years.

The primitives promised us he would.

Brickbat  (1000+ posts)      Sun Oct-23-11 04:57 PM
Response to Original message
 
2. They better not get too comfortable.

The Home Crap-pot in my area just switched to self checkout, with one kid to float.

customerserviceguy  (1000+ posts)      Sun Oct-23-11 05:32 PM
Response to Reply #2
 
18. Checkout is only a small part of the jobs at these stores

A large number of employees are walking the floor, looking for people to help in the enormous big box who are trying to find something. They also give advice on what to pick, and how to use it. A lot of twentysomethings barely know which end of a screwdriver to hold.

I know that I'm grateful for folks my own age group who have actual experience working in a field, who can give me friendly, helpful advice on what I choose to attempt on my own. My father even worked for the home improvement section of a local chain variety store for a few years after his formal retirement, and liked being able to do it, even though he was in his late sixties.

Kaleva  (1000+ posts)      Sun Oct-23-11 04:59 PM
Response to Original message
 
5. I see this at Lowes too.

And there are guys my age and older working as bag boys at the local supermarket.

monmouth  (1000+ posts)        Sun Oct-23-11 05:00 PM
Response to Original message
 
7. Same great experience for me only at Target. Woman that helped me was a bank executive, laid off, had to pay rent and buy food. She took the job at Target while still looking. Anyway, she was so helpful, only a few years younger than me and helped me find the perfect jeans. I asked her name and told her I would specifically ask for her again. Wish I could have told someone in management what an asset she was. Any suggestions?

NRaleighLiberal  (1000+ posts)      Sun Oct-23-11 05:03 PM
Response to Reply #7
 
9. The woman who sliced my lunch meat the local grocery store was former corporate from up north -

Nicest person - from a six figure job with lots of responsibility to awful hours slicing bologna. But you know what - she was thankful for the job. Again - health benefits.

The thing that makes me shake my head - if this is one city, a few examples, a company here and there - multiply it across the country. I just can't see where the future jobs are going to come from to make things better. Then I ponder my two daughters - 26 and 30 - one with a decent job (she hates), and another with a pretty awful job (she hates) - and wonder what the future will be for them.

Warpy  (1000+ posts)        Sun Oct-23-11 05:58 PM
Response to Original message
 
21. The last CEO found out hiring feckless teenagers because they worked cheap didn't work out too well when the company's reputation suffered and much of their business trotted over to Lowe's or other stores. Usually those 50 somethings are guys who got to old to work in the building trades but who know their stuff.

That they're hiring guys from other professions is interesting. I'm just glad they're hiring older folks. At least they'll keep track of their inventory better than the teenagers did.

lifesbeautifulmagic (1000+ posts)      Sun Oct-23-11 06:08 PM
Response to Original message
 
22. If you take the time to notice, you will see over 50's doing a lot of jobs, that used to be done by younger workers -

I see older people holding real estate/advertising signs on the corners, working at fast food joints, holding stop/slow signs for traffic before construction zones, even bagging groceries. I can't imagine these positions pay anything over $10 an hour, if not minimum wage.

It is depressing and the reason why wages overall are dropping and the middle class disappearing. And yet, these days, if you are over 50, and have lost your job, you do feel lucky to be working. At anything.

Well, what's the Magic One doing about it? 

[BattleHymn]

Just a bit of food for thought on a Sunday afternoon. Me? haven't found work yet. Starbucks or Home Depot at some point? possibly....doesn't seem to be a big hunger in big Pharma for mid 50 somethings like me, despite my 25 years experience.

DUmmie math:

   1 year of experience working at a pill factory

+24 years of substance abuse primarily focused on and around the use of pills
_____
=25 years experience

[franksolich]

DUmmie math:

   1 year of experience working at a pill factory

+24 years of substance abuse primarily focused on and around the use of pills
_____
=25 years experience

Awesome, sir, just awesome!

[Evil_Conservative]

If I go into Home Depot or Lowe's, I'd rather get my home project advice from someone older than me.  I don't want some 17 year old kid telling me how to do something that he (more than likely) has no knowledge of himself.  The older generation would be the first ones I approach in the home improvement shops.

[BEG]

They seem to have personal conversations with every employee where they go.

[Delmar]

minavasht (322 posts)           Sun Oct-23-11 07:05 PM
Response to Original message
37. I feel bad for the young
   
guys they fired to hire the old ones.
Seems unfair.

Home Depot plays the zero sum game.

The DUmmies are acting like old people participating in all walks of life is some kind of new phenomenon.  Old folks have always been working out and about nearly everywhere, in my experience.  Now that I think about it, I suppose there are exceptions--trendy clothing stores and the like. 

[GOBUCKS]

They seem to have personal conversations with every employee where they go.

Yeah, what's up with that, anyway?
It's like all the conversations and arguments they have in the grocery checkout line.
In other words, imaginary.

[USA4ME]

The only thing this thread tells me is that people who formerly had high paying jobs didn't sit on their butt and cry about it when the job was lost, they found something else to do.  It wasn't what they would prefer to be doing, but if the choice was doing that or taking a handout, they didn't want the handout.  And when things turn around, they'll be the first to move back into better positions because they've demonstrated a work ethic that says they're going to do what it takes to get the job done.  That's America.  The primitives don't recognize just who and what these people are.

.

[thundley4]

Do the DUmmies consider that some of these older people are just using the jobs to fill their time? I know a couple of electricians that took early retirement at 58, but they work at home supply stores in the electrical departments.

[Doubleplusungood]

NRaleighLiberal  (1000+ posts)      Sun Oct-23-11 04:54 PM
Original message
 
Eye opening trip to Home Depot right now....pretty much everyone working there were mid 50 somethings (just like me), and judging from some of the chats I had with a few of them (wonderful chats, by the way), professionals who got bounced from their companies (just like me). A few mentioned that they got the job because they needed the health benefits. A few others because they couldn't find anything else/better. We had some stories to share, that's for sure (my company - a big pharma - quietly got rid of nearly 10K people in the last 5 years - and most of the cuts did not make a peep in the local news). Where did most of the jobs go? Offshoring or outsourcing (China and India, primarily).

Just an observation - everyone there was incredibly helpful, very friendly, made it a really good (and educational) experience....not at all what we used to find at Home Depot in terms of working demographic. Even as recently as a year ago, I would have been asking 20 somethings where this or that is.

Just a bit of food for thought on a Sunday afternoon. Me? haven't found work yet. Starbucks or Home Depot at some point? possibly....doesn't seem to be a big hunger in big Pharma for mid 50 somethings like me, despite my 25 years experience.

This DUmmy has diagnosed the symptoms, but I bet he/she won't figure out that the illness is caused by voting in libtards who chase away business out of this country with iron fist regulations, over taxation, and a generally hostile to business agenda.

[JohnnyReb]

What the DUmmie really wanted to say was...."Why are these people working? Don't they know that they could be getting even more money and benefits just by sucking the government tit? Don't they ever vote in their best interest? ....well actually in my best interest because I don't plan to work any more. I plan to suck this government tit until it goes dry."[DU/mode]

[whiffleball]

They seem to have personal conversations with every employee where they go.

For some reason people want to talk to me and I don't know why.  Complete strangers, especially the very elderly, strike up conversations on a regular basis.  It's never an argument like DUmmies, just everyday chit chat.  It drives my husband crazy, but I feel I owe some time to the older ones.

[whiffleball]

Sounds like this particular DUmmie thinks there's something wrong with working. How unusual!

[docstew]

This DUmmy has diagnosed the symptoms, but I bet he/she won't figure out that the illness is caused by voting in libtards who chase away business out of this country with iron fist regulations, over taxation, and a generally hostile to business agenda.

I was gonna say the DUmmie has noticed lots of people who would fall into that U6 category, a number currently hovering around 17%.

[jtyangel]

lifesbeautifulmagic (1000+ posts)      Sun Oct-23-11 06:08 PM
Response to Original message
 
22. If you take the time to notice, you will see over 50's doing a lot of jobs, that used to be done by younger workers -

I see older people holding real estate/advertising signs on the corners, working at fast food joints, holding stop/slow signs for traffic before construction zones, even bagging groceries. I can't imagine these positions pay anything over $10 an hour, if not minimum wage.

It is depressing and the reason why wages overall are dropping and the middle class disappearing. And yet, these days, if you are over 50, and have lost your job, you do feel lucky to be working. At anything.

BS...I've worked in retail over the y ears and I've found the home improvement stores to be some of the better paying retail, evne as a cashier. The guys on the floor made a few bucks more an hour then we did and we weren't getting min. wage. The pay for the floor guys varied by experience. If you had a guy who was a former plumber, he was going to be in the high mid teens compared to some kid with no experience mixing paint who might get 10 or 11 bucks an hour. I found them pretty generous based on experience since they liked to have people on the floor who could actual advise customers in how to do certain things around the house.

[Aristotelian]

One of the major D.I.Y. chains over here made a specific point of trying to employ more older staff members, and used it in their advertising (on the premise of folk who actually know what they're talking about)...pity that the DUmmies have to denigrate such people and their work-ethic.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Peronally, I'm incredulous about the entire premise that liberals would patronize an establishment for Do-It-Yourself'ers.