When 700 people apply for a single job, Are you are paying too much for that position? by EJ Moosa
(libertarian)
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Over 700 people applied for the position of janitor in Perry Township. Those who are hiring have extended the deadline, and have said this will be like "searching for a needle in a haystack".
The first few paragraphs tell you about some of the people who have lost their jobs and have applied to be janitor. Things are so bad that 700 people applied for the position of janitor when the person in that position retired. This style of story will be repeated in the weeks ahead on a recurring basis to let us know just how bad things are.
I say that someone running a business would shrink that haystack. So let's look at this from another perspective: this position just might be ovepaid in today's economic reality.
This position pays $15 - $16 an hour (plus benefits I would wager). If you have 700 applicants vying for a position, you are paying too much. This school should do the taxpayer a favor, and have the applicants bid upon the position as to who would accept the job for the least amount. I know this would never happen(Unions come to mind immediately). School systems do not spend money like a small business would. They spend it like the government would.
I would have even advertised the job at minimum wage. Certainly there would be someone willing to do this job and receive benefits at minimum wage. In fact, they could have hired two employees and kept the school twice as clean. And when July arrives, they would get a nice minimum wage increase.
The school system should take this opportunity to save the taxpayers some money, it's the fiscally responsible thing to do. Of course they will not. It's a major reason this nation is in the mess we are in.
What is the point of saving thousands when we are spending billions? It's the priciple use the resource(money) efficiently-get the biggest bang for your buck that you can.
Fiscal responsibility must occur at all levels, and it must start somewhere. Why not here?
Otherwise, expect even more people applying for positions like this in the very near future. These 700 applicants know a good opportunity when they see it.
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The only people you are allowed to say are overpaid in this society are evil, selfish capitalists. These are not for profit schools. The value of a dollar well spent to them is meaningless. They only exist via the use of public debt. Consequently, there is no such concept as being overpaid in a government sector job.
No position payed for by taxpayer money will EVER take a serious reduction in wages.
Posted By: Jonathan Maguire
Date: 2009-03-10 09:07:58
Agreed, but would our society ever go for that? Even in private industry there is a sense of paying someone for their worth, instead of what the job is paying. Supply and Demand principles should govern here, but as Americans right now we don't think that way.
 In my current work, we have someone who thinks they are "worth" more and would like a raise. The truth is, while he is a valuable member to the team, he could be replaced by someone for $15,000 less and we could do most training in 6 months. Talk about cost savings. While the company understands that, the individual does not. It's not what you think you "should" get, it's what the demand for you position is that should dictate wage.
Posted By: No Name Supplied
Date: 2009-06-11 11:53:32
Personally I am one of those people who lost my job due to the economy. I think this article is ludicrous! I was making 44,000 a year, now all I can find are jobs paying 26,000. And ..they do not want me because I am over qualified. Needless to say that does not support my mortagage and car payment. So my standard of living must go down. I must give up my car and lose my home so you can save money and make more profit in the real world.  My last job was not union yet they paid real money for real work. In defense of the unions, I believe they have a purpose to protect and serve the employees from "fat cats" like you. You are an insect sucking the blood and life from the american worker. You probably consider working without safety precautions a savings as well.Â
 Thanks for your feedback. Let me see if I follow you correctly:
You consider me, someone who worked their way through school, lives well within their means, drives an 11 year old vehicle that is paid for, and who is being sucked dry by taxes on top of taxes, as a fat cat bloodsucker?
Be certain that without people like me, the capitalistic society that could afford to pay you $44,000 a year would not have existed.
As the capitalistic society is destroyed, you now make $26,000 a year, and still continue to attack the wrong target. If things continue, you will be lucky to make $12,000, because unemployment is going to rise in the future.
 If 700 people all applied for the same job, how can it be ludicrous that they are overpaying for that job? Â
You need more protection from the socialist agenda of Obama than you do from "fat cats" like me. I am not spending money that will have to be extracted from your children and grandchildren in the future.
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