Pass the Salt and By the Way I Quit

Speaking to other employers I am well aware that I am not the only one who has trouble finding good people to work in my office. The trouble begins when you hire someone you know is mediocre at best and hope that the person can grow into the job even though you know it may be beyond their reach. Such has been the case with the last few individuals I hired. The last person who claimed to have 16 years of law office experience albeit not in the matrimonial world started out quite promising. There was excitement in the office that maybe, even though she seemed a bit quirky on the interview that this individual could in fact do the job. This last employee thought it quite proper to give me her notice over lunch one day informing me that she had found a better job with benefits and could only give me a few days notice. Good riddance to this woman who could barely get through the day without making some ridiculous comment about the number of individuals getting divorced.....this comment made to a divorce attorney in a law office. Where did she think those getting divorced would call?

I always try to get someone in who seems like they will work well together with the rest of the staff. One would think in this job market we would get flooded with resumes from individuals looking for a job. Such has not been the case. Where are all these unemployed individuals we have all been reading about? Where are all these workers willing to learn any skill necessary in order to support their families?

The employees who do apply for the position come in with a very demanding attitude and an entitlement mentality asking for salaries that are outrageous without any experience to back up their requests.

Why should this surprise me when droves of individuals can be seen on lines at the unemployment office accepting checks without consequences or restrictions. Benefits are routinely extended without reason and are granted indiscriminately even to those who have left of their own volition or were fired for cause. One of our passed secretaries moved to Florida and was granted unemployment benefits because she said the economy in NY forced her to move out until we fought the claim proving she had sold assets here and should have been able to find gainful employment. Another employee was fired for cause, excessive absences and the unemployment office found that she too was entitled to benefits.

No wonder the unemployment rate is so high, everyone is given the benefit without having to work. Until something is done about this travesty we call unemployment benefits there will be no incentive for any of these people to re-enter the workforce. It is time to force these individuals to get on their feet even if that means taking a job which they feel is "beneath them." Where is the work ethic from years past when individuals such as my father took any job available from pumping gas to sweeping floors in a factory just to provide for his family.

Keep all this in mind when you call my office....competent help is very hard to find.