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Jobless Professionals Vie for Holiday Sales Work
13 WMAZ ^ | 12/06/2009 | 13WMAZ

Posted on 12/06/2009 3:24:07 PM PST by The Magical Mischief Tour

UNDATED (AP) -- The person who wraps up your holiday gift purchase at the mall could be someone who's highly qualified -- in a field other than retail.

With double-digit unemployment, lots of people who've been laid off from jobs for which they've been highly trained and well paid are taking full-time or part-time hourly-wage jobs waiting on holiday shoppers.

The manager of a clothing boutique in Detroit says mortgage brokers are among those who've been looking for work. He says, "They just want a job," and that they don't care what it is.

Scott Beebe, an engineer with two postgraduate degrees and eight years in product development at GM, now mans the customer service line at online retailer Moosejaw Mountaineering. He says since he took a buyout from GM, he's been looking for engineering or management work, with no luck.

An official at Toys R Us says a "higher caliber" collection of holiday sales clerks will mean better service for customers.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Government
KEYWORDS: christmas2009; jobs; obama; obamanomics

1 posted on 12/06/2009 3:24:08 PM PST by The Magical Mischief Tour
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour
If you have a Graduate Degree in Engineering and 10 years of Management experience, Toys R Us is hiring... for cashiers!
2 posted on 12/06/2009 3:25:16 PM PST by The Magical Mischief Tour
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour

The guy who invented Sanka wrapped my underwear today.


3 posted on 12/06/2009 3:27:28 PM PST by Krankor
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To: Krankor
As Rodney would say.....It's a dog eat dog world and I'm wearing milkbone underwear!
4 posted on 12/06/2009 3:30:20 PM PST by eyedigress
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To: Krankor

“The guy who invented Sanka wrapped my underwear today.”

How long did it take?


5 posted on 12/06/2009 3:30:54 PM PST by jessduntno (Stop The Federal Usurpation.)
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To: jessduntno

Well, he freeze dried them, and then wrapped them in an instant.


6 posted on 12/06/2009 3:35:08 PM PST by Krankor
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour

The father of my daughters’ classmates (also twins) is an out of work engineer. Saw him cashiering at WalMart on Saturday.


7 posted on 12/06/2009 4:07:07 PM PST by Mygirlsmom (What do the _hite House and I have in common? We're both missing W....)
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour
If Americans will continue standing up to our new Marxist/Communist government, next year we can make this say:

Jobless Politicians Vie for Holiday Sales Work

8 posted on 12/06/2009 4:30:31 PM PST by FlingWingFlyer (I don't care who did the hacking. The Climategate emails speak for themselves.)
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour

But the MSM said it was “Funemployment” for many.

Aren’t these people having “fun” doing something completely different from what they were trained to do?

Come on ... its Christmas time ... its “Funemployment” time!


9 posted on 12/06/2009 4:30:46 PM PST by CapnJack
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour

And to think that useless congresscritters have job security, guaranteed medical care and a helluva pension after screwing this country.


10 posted on 12/06/2009 4:33:26 PM PST by 353FMG (Save the Planet -- Eliminate Socialism)
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour

THey don’t make better workers. I was a retail manager in the past and the professionals that were out of work or looking to make some extra dough for one reason or another were among our worst cashiers/customer service type people because they felt the work was beneath them.

I once handed one a broom to sweep up at end of day closing and he said “I am an engineer” so I said “Okay then I will show you how to sweep the floor”


11 posted on 12/06/2009 4:35:09 PM PST by rexgrossmansonlyfan (Brennan and Booth THEY finally begin December 2009 (Keep flammables away from TV 12/10))
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To: rexgrossmansonlyfan
THey don’t make better workers,

I hope by this statement that you don't mean all of the unemployed professionals working in retail due to economic reasons don't make better workers. A pretty said and most likely untrue statement if you were trying to include all unemployed professionals. I can assure you there are some exceptional unemployed professionals that would be exceptional retail employees. It is a shame here in America that talent is not being utilized to the fullest benefit of our country.

12 posted on 12/06/2009 4:43:41 PM PST by LuvFreeRepublic (Support our military or leave. I will help you pack BO!)
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To: Krankor

heh, heh


13 posted on 12/06/2009 4:45:41 PM PST by jessduntno (Stop The Federal Usurpation.)
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To: CapnJack

It’s never “fun” when you have to deal with the public.


14 posted on 12/06/2009 4:55:23 PM PST by ChiMark
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To: Krankor

LOL, Krank. So....cracked corn all around then?


15 posted on 12/06/2009 8:06:21 PM PST by Prince of Space (Don't use a big word when a diminutive one will do....)
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour
If you have a Graduate Degree in Engineering and 10 years of Management experience, Toys R Us is hiring... for cashiers!

A sad commentary on the USA today. Welcome to the glorious "Service Economy". You won't earn much above subsistence, but boy!, are those imports cheap!

16 posted on 12/08/2009 7:54:20 AM PST by Oatka ("A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves." –Bertrand de Jouvenel)
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