In This Economy?
Mind you, I'm sad for my friend that he didn't get the job. But am I highly amused why? Yes, yes I am.
A few days ago, my mom sent me a screenshot of a Brick and Mortar's facebook post, advertising a career position as a marketing associate. A low-earning job, but a job in a bookstore.
As a book store, it's pretty popular, pretty zany, and a haven for introverts. It's a relatively small book store, but it's smack dab in the middle of Redmond Town Center, so it's got a good position for economic flow. But really, it's the books and the ability to read books during lax times that would attract any nerds to the scene.
I already have a job - as rewarding as it is - so I forwarded the screenshot to my best friend. He's a big fan of the store, craves books like chocolate, and in dire need of a job.
So he applied. Yay, I did my best friend duties!
We waited with bated breath for several days. Then he got the email. And oh boy, what the email said made the implications far more hilarious than sad.
It was a rejection email, though it said more than just a "no". It said that the store got so many applicants in such a short time that they couldn't sift through everyone that applied - not even all the nerds with a lot of bookstore-marketing experience! While I will not check my math here, I daresay that the store was more choosy about who it hired than MIT or Harvard is about accepting applicants. The email went on to say that they - the bigwigs, I think - hadn't expected this immense wave of interest. Especially for a job that doesn't have a high-paying salary.
Now to me, that's the most hilarious part.
Our economy is really bad - at least, it feels like it. While we are not in the Depression-level era of bad, inflation is up, affordability is low, and job opportunities are so rare that scammers have better luck catching a sucker with a job bait than anything else.
At least, it feels like that as a Washingtonian. I cannot comment on how it feels to live in other states.
Groceries and gas is more expensive, the news is always pessimistic (or at this point, realistic), and I keep hearing about layoffs and people losing their jobs. It's why I'm so thankful for my job; because even though I have very little hours and make a very meager sum of money every payday, I still have a source of income doing something that I actually like doing and feel valued in.
When my friend and I are turning 26 and about to be booted off our parents' health insurance, a job (with insurance benefits) is a dream come true. It means we will at least have insurance. We will at least have a handhold in this tumultuous game of life. The bar is so low that even a low-paying job will make us grateful.
Add all this in mind when you think about what a bookstore supplies to a community: education, socialization, opportunity for growth and connections and happy times. Very important.
So it's hilarious that these higher-ups or whoever decided to start hiring people for this company were surprised with the tremendous number of applications they were getting.
Mind you, I'm sad for my friend that he didn't get the job. But am I highly amused why? Yes, yes I am.
Citations for the Job Statistics:
USAFacts
