That really sucks. I worked a similar job a few years ago where the supervisor, for reasons best known to himself, refused to advertise or hire staff. It was in a hockey stadium cafe based at a university which had a lot of international (mostly Asian) students looking for part time work so it would have been ideal for them as the work was part time and seasonal. And I feel sure the Asian students would have been reliable and worked their butts off.

But instead, when we had our crazy busy times when there was a state or international hockey carnival on, we were stuck with whatever friends of her granddaughter the head cook could rope in. They were generally lazy and happy to stand around at slow moments chatting among themselves while I was buzzing around restocking the fridges, cleaning up the espresso machine area and restocking the supplies, etc.

It made me so angry but there was nothing I could do about it as the stadium's board of management had no clue how to run a cafe so they left it up to the cafe supervisor, except when they had a crazy stupid idea to "streamline" service such as installing an automatic coffee selling machine to replace our espresso machine, which resulted in pretty much the same amount of work for me restocking the machine and cleaning up after patrons who slopped their coffee everywhere and littered the place with empty sugar packets and stirrers, but reduced our coffee sales to about a quarter of the previous espresso sales, because the machine made lousy coffee.

Man! I used to H A T E overtime! You once said your paid well, that should make it all OK....but...I know you feel your taking on an unnecessary burden to hold this company up. I do enjoy your holiday posts. I think you should reward yourself with somethng BIG. Is there anything your heart desires right now? Something pink catch your eye?

Some people are just plain terrible at their jobs - and when they're in positions of power, they cause more people, and the business, to suffer the consequences of their bad decisions - it's such a shame.

Here's hoping your worst fears don't come true and everything works out for the best...

I love your holiday descriptions of the decorations you put up, the candy dishes, the holiday meal stuff you make for the family gathering. I am happy for you that your overtime will plump up the budget for those things you love to do. I am hoping that whoever is hired, is competent and easy to get along with.

Although I can wait, I can't wait to see your decorations!!!

I'm sorry that it's going to get funded this way, but I'm glad to hear that you can handle it well.

I wish you luck on your future coworker.

It's so frustrating to have to work with and clean up after incompetent managers and co-workers. Maybe you will be lucky and get someone reasonable as a replacement. I certainly hope so. In the meantime, I hope the long hours don't wear you down. Overtime pay is nice, but not at the expense of your health and happiness.

You've been through a new hire scenario there before. You know what to expect and you're not pleased to be excluded from the screening and hiring processes. That angers you, though I don't know why you'd let the same thing grind in to your happiness over and over. I can see three choices and there may be more:

1. You can communicate your desire to move up to a different job or higher level of responsibility at the company so that you will be involved in future instances. If such a move is possible with what you do and in the structure,

or

2.. You can suck it up, drop the attitude, and keep your head down doing your job as normal. Many decisions are made at every employer that folks at lower levels are not part of. This just happens to be one of them. Mind your own business and accept that it is what it is.

or

3. You can leave and work elsewhere.

Good luck.

I understand your frustrations.

With jobs so hard to fill these days, do you think they might be leaving out many ’undesirable’ details just to get people to apply? I know it seems like it would weed out many, but perhaps your supervisor directed this, which is another way he can encourage his preferred people to apply.

Can’t wait to see your holiday decorations. Enjoy some weeks of peace meanwhile and don’t forget to use some of that overtime cash on yourself!

Elmer, few things:

I am not ANGRY, I am concerned. And that concern does not come from thin air, but from recorded history. I want NO PART of the screening or hiring process. I want the process used to be both fair and to make sense. To me, it makes no sense to hire a grown man who no one else wants because of his incompetence and arrogance as a favor to his mommy, when there are most likely a slew of qualified, nice candidates to consider. And I do not in any way consider the pick mes over in HR "higher up" than me. Here, they make the final call on hiring though. 7 years ago, the head HR troll vetoed a candidate that had been screened, interviewed and chosen by my boss at the time because her sisters husbands sister needed a job. And she didnt have to do anything to get it. My boss never even met her before her first day. She was an annoying shrew, and everyone had to tiptoe around her and ignore her obnoxiousness because of her connection to HR. And now she doesn't even work here anymore. What is the point of that? Would you be okay with that sort of behavior? I do not even know why my current boss is looking at resumes, if someone that HR likes has a friend that needs a hook up, they are gonna get it. I would not think that you would agree that that is a smart or beneficial way to staff a business. But maybe you do.

I NEVER keep my head down, it is high in the air. Probably why you think I have an "attitude" to drop. I call it as I see it.

It is my GD business. Any time any company hires someone, it is the business of those who have to work with them or around them. Its not my DECISION, but it is my business.

I hope you do not ever complain about or express concern for or get annoyed with your wife. Just divorce. Hope you agree fully and lick the backsides of all government officials and their decisions and actions. If not, you have an attitude and can just move out of the country. I can like my job without loving every aspect of it. I accept what it. But that does not mean I have to LIKE it or that I cannot vent about it. In the long run, what I have seen in this regard has been detrimental to the business that I work for. I can express concern about that. I know that as a "higher up" in your working life, you probably look down upon those who are on what you consider "lower levels" and that is sad. I don't see levels. I see different, equally important parts all working together towards a common goal.

Outside, yes i do think that is why they did that. I also think its dumb because there are not a lot of people that want to work the hours required. And I think they need to be up front to avoid wasting time sifting through tons of applicants, if most of them are not willing to do what's required. This company does not lack interest as far as people trying to apply. The company provides fair pay and great benefits, and had for many decades, and the people who live here know it.

I am excited for decoration season as well. On that note, hope the newbie isn't a sniveling fuddy duddy who whines about "witch imagery" like mommys boy!

From elmer :

“That angers you, though I don't know why you'd let the same thing grind in to your happiness over and over.”

Elmer, there are reading comprehension classes available and maybe a lock for a certain cabinet

Your cowardly insult - is it because of anonymity or does it indeed come from a bottle?

" I know that as a "higher up" in your working life, you probably look down upon those who are on what you consider "lower levels" ...

No Amy, not at all, and much more the opposite. .

There a religious connection to the following that makes me hesitant to quote it but this is what I think you need to think about:

" grant me the courage to change the things I can change, the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, and wisdom to know the difference. "

Cronyism and nepotism are toxic, IMO.

And FWIW, I've seen a number of accounts of people calling out such bad bait & switch hiring practices too - it's apparently a thing - and despicable.

I think in many of these situations, the perpetrators are more likely to be clueless and inept than being deliberate evil doers.

I think my insult to you was because of your presumptuousness

Anonymity is just built in to the forum - if you were at my house I might be slightly more polite

But then you might not have made your remarks in person either

I don't like people or waste my time with those who think it's okay to deliberately and gratuitously insult others. Thanks for letting me know, how sad.

I'm sorry Elmer that ...

“That angers you, though I don't know why you'd let the same thing grind in to your happiness over and over.”

In this job climate be glad you know it's only temporary. Many businesses are cutting back, laying people off and while its horrible for those let go it's no piece of cake for those left to pick up the slack. Sometimes it's better to be the first out the door.

I fail to see the point of encouraging people to apply, reading through their resumes and then interviewing them only to find at the last hurdle that they don’t want to work night shift. What a colossal waste of everyone’s time. Much better to advertise that it’s night shift, so you only interview applicants who have some prospect of taking the job.

Ha - you'd think such sensible thinking would prevail, wouldn't you?

Too bad it doesn't seem to for some people...

I was @ Home Depot. They have these HUGE....maybe 12' tall skeletons, scary witches....I wonder if you could put one out in front of the building at work...to greet you when you come in? Wouldn't THAT be fun! Link to shop till ya drop in Halloween heaven....you should find something here

Do you know there's a Facebook page for those skeletons?

There is one nearby my house. They keep it up year-round. I would love to see it "wear" clothes and change them for the season/holidays. Could you imagine one dressed as the Grim Reaper? shiver

https://www.facebook.com/groups/179562984163315/

" In this job climate be glad you know it's only temporary. Many businesses are cutting back, laying people off... "

According to the BEA (Bureau of Economic Analysis), GDP was up 9.1% in 2022, 6.3% in 2023, and at 1.4% Q1 '24 and 2.8 Q2 '24. The job climate has been hot for many years. Someone having trouble getting a job is either in the wrong location or doesn't have skills in demand - both of which are fixable problems.

Amylou, I like your attitude, and I’m sure your coworkers will appreciate your take: more OT means more holiday festiveness!

Saw this on FB and thought of you!

I love Halloween and flamingos, if we still lived in the city I would so do this!

Not only worth repeating, absolute perfection.

"I hope you do not ever complain about or express concern for or get annoyed with your wife. Just divorce. Hope you agree fully and lick the backsides of all government officials and their decisions and actions. If not, you have an attitude and can just move out of the country. I can like my job without loving every aspect of it. I accept what it. But that does not mean I have to LIKE it or that I cannot vent about it. In the long run, what I have seen in this regard has been detrimental to the business that I work for. I can express concern about that. I know that as a "higher up" in your working life, you probably look down upon those who are on what you consider "lower levels" and that is sad. I don't see levels. I see different, equally important parts all working together towards a common goal. "

You both need to practice how to deal rationally with situations when people disagree with you. Without responding with insults. That's what well-adjusted adults do. Some youngsters with proper parental guidance learn to do it too.

(Edit to add - I ignored the first iteration, it didn't warrant being repeated.)

Kathyg, the flamingos! Love it! Pink, Halloween, totally Amylou!

Saw that Tractor Supply is selling rooster skeletons for Halloween and thought of this thread...

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/catalog/halloween-statues?cm_sp=Holiday%20LP--Tile--Lawn%20Statues

I NEVER keep my head down, it is high in the air.

Just now reading updates to this thread and ran across this. Awesome.

Colleenoz, this reminded me my BI’s interview for a pharmacist position when they related dating.

He did not want weekends and that was a check box in the application.

After a lengthy interview, he was told that the position required every other weekend.

He got up and said, “ This interview is now over” and walked out!

They thought they could slide it in!