Finding employees in this market is challenging, not just anecdotally. In an industry that needs staff for events, I have seen people hired simply for walking by the check-in table. I have seen people who would have been considered a last resort hire be promoted to manager. I have seen people who show up two hours late ushered into the venue.
How hard is staffing right now? One manager told me about an email exchange with someone whose email address was toohightowork420. The email address itself was an issue (not the first impression most of us would like to convey).
However, the hiring manager went forward and sent an application to toohightowork420.
In reply, toohightowork420 then asked for the hiring manager’s email address to ask a couple of questions.
“I sat there for a long time and tried to decide what to do,” the hiring manager said. “We’re too short-staffed this week to let anyone not work, but this candidate was sending an email asking me for my email address.”
Eventually, the hiring manager gave toohightowork420 the email address. Then, in a separate thread, toohightowork420 asked for the hiring manager’s phone number, which he provided to the person. Minutes later, the phone rang.
“Hey man, I was wondering about a job,” the voice on the other end said.
“Great,” the hiring manager replied. “I’ll send you an application. What’s your email address?”
“Hold on. I have it written down. It’s toohightowork420,” he said.
They hired him as soon as the application came through. He didn’t show up.