How many jobs?

[GROUCHO MARX]

How many jobs will be lost as a result of the Sears/Kmart closings?

 

[Mr Nice]

Quite a few people will be out of work. Read the job losses around the USA and its doom & gloom for people in many different career fields. Its going to get very bad in the next few years if things don't change. Dailyjobcuts.com

 

[eljefino]

... but the shoppers will go elsewhere, and the low level jobs will go elsewhere too, barring increases in efficiency. The MBA who decided to put appliances in a seperate warehouse three blocks away, sometimes closed during showroom hours, will probably spend some time on the unemployment line.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Low level jobs or entry level jobs? I'm guessing there are some qualified, competent people who will lose their jobs. How likely is it that they'll find a similar position at another retailer? Not too likely. Retailing is in a state of transition. Internet retailing has taken a big bite out of the revenues of traditional retailers. I'm curious as to how the initial unemployment claims are going to look in the first two months of 2012. They fell below 400k in the last month and to hear the media reports we're in an economic boom! What's even more curious is that employment is a lagging economic indicator. It doesn't portend future events but indicates previous rates of economic growth. Good luck to all in their endeavors in the new year.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: GROUCHO MARX

Retailing is in a state of transition. Internet retailing has taken a big bite out of the revenues of traditional retailers. I'm curious as to how the initial unemployment claims are going to look in the first two months of 2012. They fell below 400k in the last month and to hear the media reports we're in an economic boom!

Retail is always in a state of transition and change. Part of the Sears/Kmart problem is that they didn't keep up with other retailers, who had a pretty good year in 2011. While I'm sorry for those who will be losing their jobs, it's part of life and it happens. Assuming the employees who lost their jobs want to stay in retail, there will be other retailers who will absorb most of them as the economy continues to ramp up. My own opinion-this should be a wake up call for them to consider a less volatile career. And while I wouldn't yet call it a "boom", the economy is clearly on the upswing in many areas of the country. Around here housing sales are picking back up, businesses are busy, and even our winery is on track for about a 25% gross sales increase over last year, with about 20% of that being net profit (we won't have firm numbers until we close the books on 2011). At this rate we may need to put on another employee in 2012, assuming we can find one that meets our standards.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Pop Rivit, I don't know why anyone would prefer a job in retailing over another job. Unless they're paid some fantastic premium.

 

[andyd]

Dont worry, stores will close, part time help will be summarily let go. Life will go on at corporate. Some will be encouraged to seek further opportunities elsewhere, but the bottom line will look good for the quarter...

 

[91344George]

Originally Posted By: andyd

Dont worry, stores will close, part time help will be summarily let go. Life will go on at corporate. Some will be encouraged to seek further opportunities elsewhere, but the bottom line will look good for the quarter...

Yet again no real penalties for those that executives that mismanage organizations (which should be firings!and loss of monies from contracts) Don't be fooled folks the REAL unemployment number in the US figure U6 from the DoL is ACTUALLY around 19%! Perhaps the top 2 or 3% of the income earners are doing a bit better this year compared to last but the rest are NOT. It is only going to get worse as companies look for that last penny for greedy shareholders.

 

[Trav]

We will never know. The unemployment rate will be under 8.0% by next summer even if 10 million more people get made redundant. You can bet the farm on it!

 

[crinkles]

Are jobs becoming obsolete? http://edition.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/09/07/rushkoff.jobs.obsolete/index.html