A friend of mine works for a retail chain that sells mostly useless plastic junk for under $5. Each location typically has four people entrusted to open and close the store; the manager, the marketing manager (works freight), the assistant manager, and a “key holder”. Through the normal bitching about work, I found out her store is down two managers, and what they really need is a part time keyholder that can come in, open, and basically get the store ready to open for when the cashier gets there (it's all automated self check out anyway). Or, flip side, close out, count the tills, shut down shop. Easy peasy stuff.
I've been retired for more or less eight years, and can use a couple of extra bucks per month and it gives me an excuse to get out of the house. The problem is due to health issues, I've got some limitations (max lift load 20 lbs, can't stand for more than four hours at a time, etc). She says no problem, come in, talk to the store manager, you're a shoo in.
I'm 48, not some teenager. I know what the price of a key-holding manager should be. But, it's part time, and it's just covering holes until they hire someone permanent. I tell them I can do four 4-hour shifts a week, $14 an hour (market should be closer to $18-19 for their company, but that's still underpaid. $14 an hour is doing them a huge favor). And as soon as they hire a full-timer, I'll be happy to bow out, I'm just there to cover the hole. The manager says “the shift sounds perfect, it would really help us out. But part timers top out at $10 an hour. We can't start you at top pay.” ADDITIONALLY, they want to fill the full-time position FIRST, before hiring a part-timer who would just cover shifts to help the other three managers.
So… you want me to be an acting manager, responsible for the store, and start at $8-9 an hour? And you have an immediate need, but won't fill it, because you want to fill the position you typically take 2 months to fill first while the store limps on with half staff? I'm just absolutely flabbergasted by the thought process. And apparently, they have several stores in the area in the same position. Employee tenure is counted in months, and turn over is 200%+ per year.