[DaneA]

Because these people are not employable.
I have been trying to find a cashier for the last two weeks. A simple job of running a cash register and being nice to customers.

I have been through around 100 applications and have only found 4-5 that even make the cut to get called in for an interview.

Some interesting things on applications though:
Under customer service skills:
"im about good at that"
Under previous employment:
Employer Name:
didn't have one
Address:
Don't know
Phone number:
phone book

And best of all, when filling out an application it is a good idea to put a phone number on it to be contacted at.

Really it should be this hard to find a qualified person to run a cash register. It isn't exactly skilled labor.

[MarinePride]

It's the continuing dumbing down process of the USA and you are seeing the results of it, firsthand.

[devildog2067]

Originally Posted by MarinePride

It's the continuing dumbing down process of the USA and you are seeing the results of it, firsthand.

It's not that simple. The education that students at top public schools receive is better than it has ever been. I took multivariable calculus in high school. In many ways, the US is smarter than ever.

The issue is that lots of people who would have flunked out of high school 40 years ago are being passed along from grade to grade without being required to learn anything.

[DaneA]

Originally Posted by meleors

Yes, in only 5-10 years you can be making a whopping $30k per year!

Apparently you either have never worked in retail or just weren't smart enough to move up. I just had a guy that had been with the company less than 2 years with 0 retail experience when he started go from $8.50/hr to 45k/year plus bonus. Retail is one of the few industries left that someone without a college degree can excel. I know many store managers and district managers that do not have a college degree but run great stores and districts.

Originally Posted by devildog2067

It's not that simple. The education that students at top public schools receive is better than it has ever been. I took multivariable calculus in high school. In many ways, the US is smarter than ever.

The issue is that lots of people who would have flunked out of high school 40 years ago are being passed along from grade to grade without being required to learn anything.

No Idiot Left Behind. Good idea, horrible execution.

[SevenSixtyTwo]

Originally Posted by devildog2067

It's not that simple. The education that students at top public schools receive is better than it has ever been. I took multivariable calculus in high school. In many ways, the US is smarter than ever.

The issue is that lots of people who would have flunked out of high school 40 years ago are being passed along from grade to grade without being required to learn anything.

I made it to advanced algebra. Never thought I'd use it. Now I use it quite often. I thought very highly of my government school algebra teacher. Loved math. Hated literature. School took a turn in '72.

The same people who are being passed along from grade to grade are being raised by parents being passed along from house to house with you and I paying 70% of their rent while they run down our neighborhoods. Society took a turn in '68.

[frizz]

Originally Posted by DaneA

Because these people are not employable.
I have been trying to find a cashier for the last two weeks. A simple job of running a cash register and being nice to customers.

I have been through around 100 applications and have only found 4-5 that even make the cut to get called in for an interview.

Some interesting things on applications though:
Under customer service skills:
"im about good at that"
Under previous employment:
Employer Name:
didn't have one
Address:
Don't know
Phone number:
phone book

And best of all, when filling out an application it is a good idea to put a phone number on it to be contacted at.

Really it should be this hard to find a qualified person to run a cash register. It isn't exactly skilled labor.

Awful. I wonder if any of them were just putting in applications so that they can stay qualified for unemployment benefits.

And you aren't kidding about the ease of the job. When I was working fast food in high school...


That says it right there. I was still in high school, as were many co-workers, so that means a high-school dropout could do it.

[jfost11]

Originally Posted by frizz

Awful. I wonder if any of them were just putting in applications so that they can stay qualified for unemployment benefits.

And you aren't kidding about the ease of the job. When I was working fast food in high school...


That says it right there. I was still in high school, as were many co-workers, so that means a high-school dropout could do it.

I'd put money on you being right. A few years back, my sister-in-law was out of work after having her son. Her husband was doing a year in the regional jail at the time. Between my wife and my mother-in-law, all the leg work of finding out where to go and what to do to draw unemployment was done for her. All she had to do was sign a paper and fill out a certain number of applications a month(I forget how many but it was low), and she would be paid almost as much as she made working as a nursing home butt wiper. She was too lazy to fill out applications, so she never got a dime. The sad part is, she actually finished high school.

[guns54]

Originally Posted by frizz

Awful. I wonder if any of them were just putting in applications so that they can stay qualified for unemployment benefits.

And you aren't kidding about the ease of the job. When I was working fast food in high school...


That says it right there. I was still in high school, as were many co-workers, so that means a high-school dropout could do it.

How right you are.They dont want to work.

[Bruce M]

Whether they know no better or it is intentional, it is sad and telling.

[geminicricket]

You had 4 or 5 applicants who wanted a job. All of the rest were earning the unemployment benefits.

[ChuteTheMall]

But they can vote, so somebody thinks they are worth thousands of dollars per year.

[snubfan]

I agree totally with MarinePride on the dumbing down process. I also think the process got a little out of hand and the populous was dumbed down a little too much. My evidence for this theory is the re-election of BHO.

I do carpet installation and the first question I ask prospective help is "Can you read a tape measure?" I've never been told "No" and I've rarely called out a width and length and had it handed to me cut correctly. The worst part is that when they screw it up, it's never long, it's always short.

[RonS]

Hope you don't want them to pass a drug screen too.

[Indianashooter]

Some times I give more than the amount due so I can get an even amount back. The last couple years all I get is a glazed face looking back at me.
When I was in high school, I worked at a gas station (they weren't called convenience yet) and we rarely put the amount tendered in the register. All change was counted back from our head. Try that now and see what happens.

[michael e]

Originally Posted by Indianashooter

Some times I give more than the amount due so I can get an even amount back. The last couple years all I get is a glazed face looking back at me.
When I was in high school, I work at a gas station (they weren't called convenience yet) and we rarely put the amount tendered in the register. All change was counted back from our head. Try that now and see what happens.

I love doing this . Have you had them get a manager to help them figure it out yet? Even after yo tell them several times what they owe you.

[F350]

Originally Posted by Indianashooter

Some times I give more than the amount due so I can get an even amount back. The last couple years all I get is a glazed face looking back at me.
When I was in high school, I work at a gas station (they weren't called convenience yet) and we rarely put the amount tendered in the register. All change was counted back from our head. Try that now and see what happens.

Me too; AND in Indiana at that time sales tax was calculated after the sale; so if a guy wants $10, you have to figure what the tax is on $10...BUT wait that puts the purchase price under a couple steps of the sales tax so you have to add back in a few cents to make everything come out.

I'm with you on the even change, but even then all they have to do is enter the amount tendered, what I like to do is give then say a $10 on a $6.50 purchase, let then ring it up then say "Oh I have the .50 and watch the fear jump up in their eyes Great fun if you have the time to kill.

[hamster]

Originally Posted by Indianashooter

Some times I give more than the amount due so I can get an even amount back. The last couple years all I get is a glazed face looking back at me.
When I was in high school, I work at a gas station (they weren't called convenience yet) and we rarely put the amount tendered in the register. All change was counted back from our head. Try that now and see what happens.

To be fair, nowadays everything goes into the register for transaction tracking, inventory management, etc...

I'd want employees capable of basic math, but I'd also want them using the POS system.

[ChuteTheMall]

Originally Posted by Indianashooter

Some times I give more than the amount due so I can get an even amount back. The last couple years all I get is a glazed face looking back at me.
When I was in high school, I work at a gas station (they weren't called convenience yet) and we rarely put the amount tendered in the register. All change was counted back from our head. Try that now and see what happens.

When I have a little time to burn, I'll do that too.

Cashier: "That'll be $4.37."
Me: "Here's $5.12."
Cashier:{deer in headlight panic}(tries to get rid of me with a dollar bill instead of correct change)

[gilfo]

Originally Posted by ChuteTheMall

When I have a little time to burn, I'll do that too.

Cashier: "That'll be $4.37."
Me: "Here's $5.12."
Cashier:{deer in headlight panic}(tries to get rid of me with a dollar bill instead of correct change)

I guess I am one of the dopey ones. But if you handed me $5.12 for a $4.37 bill I would ask you what the hell are you doing.

[ChuteTheMall]

Originally Posted by gilfo

I guess I am one of the dopey ones. But if you handed me $5.12 for a $4.37 bill I would ask you what the hell are you doing.

I'd rather get back $0.75 change than $0.63, and I'm tired of all these pennies accumulating.

[Z71bill]

Originally Posted by ChuteTheMall

I'd rather get back $0.75 change than $0.63, and I'm tired of all these pennies accumulating.

I would give you your change

1 quarter
3 dimes
3 nickles
5 pennies

You said you wanted $.75 in change

[Woofie]

Originally Posted by ChuteTheMall

I'd rather get back $0.75 change than $0.63, and I'm tired of all these pennies accumulating.

My bro in law runs a seafood shop and during crawfish season I help him out when I can. I get a lot of register time in and get to oversee kids on the register even more.

A lot of people like to add to the amount after it's been tendered. Some are trying to be funny, many are trying to scam the high schooler into giving back extra money, not a lot really worry about what their change is.

When I recognize people who do this habitually they receive their change back in nickels and pennies.

[Haldor]

Originally Posted by gilfo

I guess I am one of the dopey ones. But if you handed me $5.12 for a $4.37 bill I would ask you what the hell are you doing.

Looking for 3 quarters in change. I am with him, I hate getting pennies, nickels or dimes back in change. Far as I am concerned the quarter is the new penny. There is no reason for anything smaller. What can you buy that costs less than $0.25

[N4LP]

Originally Posted by Haldor

Looking for 3 quarters in change. I am with him, I hate getting pennies, nickels or dimes back in change. Far as I am concerned the quarter is the new penny. There is no reason for anything smaller. What can you buy that costs less than $0.25

I just use a debit card 90% of the time and don't worry about change at all. It used to be that it was more time consuming and didn't necessarily make sense for small purchases, but using a debit card today is actually faster than using cash. Debit cards and credit cards are probably a big part of the reason that cashiers today have trouble making change in their head - it's simply something they don't do with anywhere near the frequency they might have 20 years ago.

[Detectorist]

Originally Posted by ChuteTheMall

When I have a little time to burn, I'll do that too.

Cashier: "That'll be $4.37."
Me: "Here's $5.12."
Cashier:{deer in headlight panic}(tries to get rid of me with a dollar bill instead of correct change)

When I worked at WalMart I had a customer try that on me. The sad part was that the joke was on him. He miscalculated and then complained that I didn't give him the right change.. He made a fuss until I explained it to him......

The problem is not that we were smarter in our youth, it's that we received better training.....