Has anyone noticed??

[Debstmomy]

That the age of entry level workers, ie Fast Food, Retail, has increased? Meaning I am noticing that more & more of these workers are older. That there are less "teenagers" filling these jobs.
Makes me wonder, and sad, very sad. (Wonder, what happened? Why do you need this job? (I know what happened, just their personal stories.) and sad, because I am sure that this is not where they want to be, but HAVE to do it.)

[samandhenrysmom]

I have definitely noticed too. They also seem more professional. I do think people are taking jobs they never considered in the past. Definitely a sign of the times

[Katzchen]

Originally Posted by Debstmomy

That the age of entry level workers, ie Fast Food, Retail, has increased? Meaning I am noticing that more & more of these workers are older. That there are less "teenagers" filling these jobs.
Makes me wonder, and sad, very sad. (Wonder, what happened? Why do you need this job? (I know what happened, just their personal stories.) and sad, because I am sure that this is not where they want to be, but HAVE to do it.)

It has been that way in my town for years, but I live in a very low income blue collar area where it is unusual to have a college education or vocational training.

[newbymom05]

I've noticed it at retail places. Penney's, Macy's,Target, etc., the people are much older than I used to see. I'm seeing people that look old enough that they've already retired once but gone back into the workforce, and it seems like there are too many of them to think they're just bored and doing it for fun, y/k? Not to mention standing all day at 60+ can't be a fun way to spend the day. I know my dad is still working at 72, and although he wants to and sets his own schedule, he really kind of has to 'cause his portfolio took a big hit.

[CarrieMF]

There is a huge back to work program here becuase of a shortage of workers. They encouraged people who retired to go back to work. There is help for them finding work.

People who are older tend to go back to work in jobs like fast food due to the hours, times they work, & for something to keep them busy vs "having" to work to pay bills.

[Krystal323]

yup, i've noticed too. i also saw on the door of a local McD's that they are having a "Hiring Event"--since when did fast food become a sought-after job to the point of holding hiring events???

It's quite sad, and I am very thankful that i have a great job right now, albeit a near-entry level one

[Magelet]

you know what the other hard part about it is? The high school graduates who aren't going to college, or who are trying to put themselves through college without enough aid to live on as well as pay tuition, the kids who are trying to start out their lives, are having a very very hard time, getting those entry level jobs, because older people with more experience are getting them. I know they have families that need to be taken care of, but I want to start my life, get on my own, and be able to start my own family when I'm still young. Its hard all around.

[velochic]

We have a library page position open where I work. These have ALWAYS been filled by high school students. For the first time we have a majority of Adults applying for this minimum wage job. A few even have college degrees. People are willing to take anything these days.

[chiromamma]

Yep.I was just talking to some HS students yesterday who can't find summer jobs...16 isn't old enough to flip burgers. It does make me sad.
Dd & DS's middle school had a literature teaching position open. At least 1/2 the candidates had PhD's!

[marimara]

My brother just joined the Army and he said there were lots of men over age 30 in his basic training. Which is strange. Even some in their 40s. My brother is 27. He thought he'd be the oldest.

[yeahwhat]

Some of them could be people like my mother, who retired from a stressful job with a long commute, but then decided that she wasn't ready to entirely give up working. She now works part time at Sears.

[JamieCatheryn]

Not here, I don't go in fast food places but the cashiers at the grocery I'm finding are all under 18. I don't think our area has been hit so hard by the layoffs I keep hearing about. Or the housing market issues either.

[CatsCradle]

I know my dad is still working at 72, and although he wants to and sets his own schedule, he really kind of has to 'cause his portfolio took a big hit.

My dad too! My dad took an early retirement before age 60 (he was a professor at a university). My parents' portfolio took such a huge it that now, at 71, he is returning to teaching. They have always been very fiscally conservative and it reminds me that no matter how well you plan, financial security is not always a given.

[Juvysen]

crazy. I think we'll see more of this before it gets better, though

[MangoMommy]

It's happened here already. We just got 2 new Targets, and they held a hiring fair in the fall. They had an incredible turnout! By the time the job fair opened (and it was JUST for the 2 Target) at 8am, they were already turning people away because it was full. People camped out, just to apply/interview with TARGET! (which I love and have worked for personally but I'm making a point, what people will do around here for a $10 job!)

Now when I go to Target, most of the employees are older, it's a regular job for them.

DH deals with Navy/recruiting/retention and times are lean in many branches of the military and he has been getting more new sailors to his command who are older (young 30's/upper 20's) but very low rank, where they just came in.

[Dar]

My 16 year old daughter has been looking for a job for months... not happening here, with an unemployemnt rate near 10%. She's held paying jobs since she was 11....

Dar

[enkmom]

In my town, people will line up for a job that pays MINIMUM WAGE! Thousands showed up for the Kohl's job fair 5 years ago when we got a new store, and it was made very clear that all the full time and managerial jobs were already taken. I am the ad-set supervisor there, and we have had an uptick in the number of applications requesting evening hours. This tells me people are taking on 2nd and 3rd jobs.

I hate to see so many seniors having to go back to work (versus it being a choice) because retail is very hard on many of the ladies I work with. Their feet and backs are not up to being on their feet for hours, and they hate working on the cash registers. I know some thrive on it, but others are driven to it because they need the money/insurance.