3,184 people apply for 250-300 RETAIL jobs, 1700 applied for 15 management positions

[Blue Diadem]

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080412/BUSINESS06/189503282

Article published Saturday, April 12, 2008
3,184 applicants seek Bass Pro Shops jobs


More than 3,000 people applied for jobs at the 150,000 square-foot Bass Pro Shops being built in Rossford at a three-day job fair this week, company officials said.

The outdoor retailer, which is expected to open in mid-June, will soon begin notifying those among the 3,184 applicants that it wants to bring in for a follow-up interview. Successful candidates are expected to be notified if they’ve gotten the job by the end of this month.
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http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080408/BUSINESS06/86982841
APPLICANTS GET PRE-DAWN START
Hundreds angle for jobs early at Bass Pro Shops' fair
Many at Rossford site have been unemployed for months

There was a point yesterday morning when the most visible sign of metro Toledo’s struggling economy stretched more than 600 feet through a parking lot in Rossford.

Hundreds of people — many unemployed for months — began lining up before dawn yesterday as outdoor retailer Bass Pro Shops began hiring 250 to 300 employees for its 150,000-square-foot store under construction in Rossford.


snip: Mr. Harre said all of the jobs being filled during the three-day job fair ranged from “above minimum wage” to well below $20 an hour, although he refused to disclose the actual salary range. Still, he said he and his management team were prepared for the onslaught of applicants in part after they saw similar numbers of people apply for work recently for two Menards stores.

“It’s good to be in a position to be able to provide jobs. They’re very much needed,” the store’s general manager said. An earlier effort online to hire the 15 members of the store’s management team generated 1,700 applications, he said.
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I almost threw the remote at the tv when a local news guy referred to the those retail positions as dream jobs. Our area is hurting badly, retail seems to be one of the few jobs still available.

[DS1]

1. People struggling to get a job at a 'Pro-shop'. How telling is that?

It's perfect.

[cloudbase]

2. I was in Lowe's a couple of weeks ago,

and was wearing my t-shirt from my flying club. One of the guys working there was also a pilot, and we got to talking. It turns out he's a degreed engineer who lost his job, and he's a bit on the "old" side to be picked up by another company. Damn shame.

[baldguy]

3. Who's bitter?

[ananda]

4. That is so sad.

Just sad.

[Arctic Dave]

5. I agree. Very little is made here anymore.

This store will only provide partial survibility jobs. Most people working their will still need to have second job to make ends meet. That is the nature of the beast called retail. I would have been more happy to see they were actually making product for the stores instead.

[Kat45]

6. Funny to see a large store opening where so many are out of work--

will there be enough people that have the money to shop at the store. A lot of retailers aren't doing very well now because nobody has money to shop.

[Blue Diadem]

7. They hope to draw customers

from outside the area and catch other people passing through. I'm not familiar with the store, but from what I've heard, it will cater to the outdoor recreational customer. There are already rumors of small shops(even bait stores closer to the lake) being worried about losing their customers once the store opens.

I'm curious to see how well it will do.

[Lars39]

8. Kick

Waiting for a certain DUer to show up and impart words of "wisdom" for those that didn't get the jobs...

[Lars39]

9. kick