Royals Just Don't Get It

[gblowfish]

They just don't get it.

http://tinyurl.com/8yswmp6

Royals’ job-fair fee rubs the wrong way
By DIANE STAFFORD
The Kansas City Star

Give the Kansas City Royals points for community outreach, but ding them for being tone deaf about some members of the community.

On Friday morning, as they did last spring, the ball club will hold a job fair. The Royals website lists about a dozen area employers registered to attend.

That’s all well and good. But here’s the rub:
The Royals are charging job hunters $15 to attend. (Last year it was $13.) The reason? Attendees get a ticket to the Friday night game — plus a Royals pen — in exchange.

There’s a $10 parking cost to attend the game, so the cost jumps to $25 if the ticket is used. And unless one goes alone, there’s another ticket to buy.

That might not sound like a problem to a lot of people. But for many job hunters, especially those who’ve been job hunting for any length of time, money is tight.

“I just want to hand out resumes,” said Dave Rehnblom, a job hunter who wanted to attend the job fair until he saw the admission fee. “I asked if they could keep the game ticket and just let me attend the job fair, and they said no.
“I don’t go out to eat. I don’t go to movies. I don’t have an entertainment budget. Whoever thought this up is clueless.”
(Multiple attempts Wednesday failed to get an official Royals response about the job fair.)

Obviously, job hunters can pass on the game and incur no further expenses. But the idea of charging them $15 for access to employers at a job fair runs counter to most best-practices advice in the human resource field.

“I don’t like to see anybody charging for job fairs,” said Maureen Reintjes, a longstanding job club coordinator in the Kansas City area. “I can’t recommend it if they can’t open it for free.”

The pay-to-enter idea isn’t universally disdained, though.

Jonathan Freiden, CEO of US Toy, said he didn’t agree with charging job hunters, but his company attended last year and would be there again this year.

“From our perspective, it was a success,” Freiden said. “We hired an intern from the fair last year, and he’s now our retail marketing coordinator.”

That employee, Chris Luhning, said he fully endorsed the way the Royals handled the job fair and had nothing negative to say about it.

“I didn’t use the game ticket,” Luhning said. “And nobody requires a person to go to any job fair. It depends on what you’re looking for and the position you’re in. There were good companies represented there that I was interested in.”

One reason to charge for job fairs is that it tends to keep out the financially strapped or browsers — job candidates who aren’t tops on most employers’ wish lists anyway.

Charging admission is a strategy with arguable merit for both employers and some job candidates. But when it veers into a marketing ploy for the sponsor, the pitch lands a bit outside the strike zone.

Some recommendations:
Make the job fair free to attend. Have a Royals table to sell discounted game tickets to job hunters who have the money and interest to attend. And understand that at job fairs, the pens are free.

[ChiTown]

Royals Baseball: By the Hour Time!

[Nightfyre]

Crying over 15 bucks to attend a job fair? Really?

[KCUnited]

So this is what it looks like past wins and losses.

[gblowfish]

Crying over 15 bucks to attend a job fair? Really?

Yeah, well, when you're broke and need a job, it's a big deal.

[RippedmyFlesh]

One reason to charge for job fairs is that it tends to keep out the financially strapped or browsers — job candidates who aren’t tops on most employers’ wish lists anyway.


Because you want to keep financially strapped unemployed away.
God knows don't let someone down on their luck improve their lot in life,

[Nightfyre]

Yeah, well, when you're broke and need a job, it's a big deal.

I would hazard a guess to say that even the unemployed could make sufficient lifestyle adjustments to make up for 15 bucks.

[DeezNutz]

Talking on 810 about reporters asking Glass about living in Arkansas. Anyone know more about this? Link? Going to search now.

[DeezNutz]

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/04/19/3565077/glass-isnt-pleased-with-royals.html

Not addressed directly. Have no fear, Glass has seen every game this season. Shit, he might post in the game threads. If so, fuck you, David. And your bullshit son, too.

[Predarat]

I would hazard a guess to say that even the unemployed could make sufficient lifestyle adjustments to make up for 15 bucks.

Most of the unemployed are making all the lifestyle adjustments they can. Charging $15 for a job fair is a shitty thing to do.

[KCUnited]

Talking on 810 about reporters asking Glass about living in Arkansas. Anyone know more about this? Link? Going to search now.

This morning 610 was stating that it was a notorious KC TV station that was asking the questions, but wouldn't disclose who it was.

[Sofa King]

I would hazard a guess to say that even the unemployed could make sufficient lifestyle adjustments to make up for 15 bucks.

They shouldn't have to try to adjust their fucking lifestyle to try to get a goddamn job.

Jesus....

[DeezNutz]

This morning 610 was stating that it was a notorious KC TV station that was asking the questions, but wouldn't disclose who it was.

"How is Haley going to feed his children?!?"

[KCUnited]

Soria out with a tumor on his spine.

[Mr. Laz]

Everyone in the known civilized world knew they needed to upgrade their starting pitching this offseason and the Royals didn't do it.

so yea they aren't exactly 'on point'

[Nightfyre]

They shouldn't have to try to adjust their ****ing lifestyle to try to get a goddamn job.

Jesus....

An article devoted to a job fair that charges $15. Really? $15 is not a big fucking deal.

[Molitoth]

Takes money to make money.

[The Dawg]

Soria out with a tumor on his spine.

?????????

[Sofa King]

An article devoted to a job fair that charges $15. Really? $15 is not a big ****ing deal.

To you it isn't.

Quit speaking for everyone else. If this job fair means they actually get a job and it keeps them off welfare, then good deal.

They shouldn't have to sell a few tickets to watch a shitty baseball team.

[Nightfyre]

QQ

[Molitoth]

Here is a post that pretty much nailed it.



socraticmethod
Collapse
Here's a wild idea. Maybe the employers at this particular job fair wanted a fee to help weed out lukewarm applicants. This helps potential employers to avoid wasting their time and instead focus their attention on serious applicants. A serious applicant will find the money and seize the opportunity to interact with money-making employers. Workers who want a business to carry their dead weight and expect a free ride regardless of whether they're helping their company make money or not will also moan and bellyache about a relatively nominal cost of $15-25. Interview clothes cost money. Dry cleaning interview clothes costs money. Gas money to and from an interview costs money. Resumes and postage costs money. The go-getters out there that employers are looking for will find a way to make a good impression and find a way to overcome obstacles. Those are the people who get hired. They don't show up late for work, put in a 50% effort around the workplace, leave work early or give a weak excuse when they ask for time off. $25 for the opportunity to network with profit seeking employers looking to hire? Money well spent if you are serious about a job. "Hey, what do you say we catch the ball game after the fair? I'd like the chance to get to learn more about your company and the kind of people you're looking for. Can I give you a hand with taking down your display? Would you like any help carrying your display to your car? I really want this job." Everyone else can go to Job Service.

[Demonpenz]

If you aren't smart enough to be able to earn 15 dollars, then you aren't going to get the jobs there. Pan Handle, ask friends, ask a church, bla bla bla.

[wazu]

The Royals seem to make it their mission to serve as a model of how "not to do" anything that they do.

[Nightfyre]

Seriously, if you aren't willing to spend $15 to meet face to face with dozens of prospective employers, then you aren't serious about getting a job. The Royals are offering a job networking service and if they want to charge a nominal fee to do so, that is fine.

[BigMeatballDave]

Fuck that.

I've never paid a fee to inquire about a job and never would.

Its a sham.

And Nightfyre is a moron.

[Nightfyre]

And Nightfyre is an employed moron.

FYP. I would be there if I was unemployed. But maybe that's because I know meeting face-to-face with dozens of prospective employers drastically increases the probability of me getting a job.

[BigMeatballDave]

FYP. Fuck off. I lost my job last month due position eliminated.

[Predarat]

Alot of those companies have no intention of hiring the people at the job fair either. Those sick fucks are robbing $15 from folks who really need it. This is fucking disgusting.

[KCUnited]

This thread is like a Royals home game.

[BryanBusby]

Alot of those companies have no intention of hiring the people at the job fair either. Those sick fucks are robbing $15 from folks who really need it. This is fucking disgusting.

Basically this. The Royals are pretty much using this shit as a way to sell tickets.

[Nightfyre]

**** off. I lost my job last month due position eliminated.

It sucks and I'm sorry for that. But to pass up on an opportunity like you would have at such a job fair for $15 would be foolish.

[BigMeatballDave]

It sucks and I'm sorry for that. But to pass up on an opportunity like you would have at such a job fair for $15 would be foolish.

Its a sham. And anyone willing to do it is foolish.

[BigMeatballDave]

This thread is like a Royals home game.

LOL

[cosmo20002]

I don't know if it is normal to charge to attend a job fair, (I wouldn't think so)but for the Royals to do this, it just looks bad. If it was held at a hotel and there was a fee, probably no one would say anything. But for the Royals, a major league baseball team, to seemingly go into the job-fair business, it just looks like a greedy money grab.

[Deberg_1990]

What's the big deal? You get to hand out resumes and get to see a big league ball game for a value price. Take the kids out to the merry go round and take batting practice at the Little K.

[Nightfyre]

Its a sham. And anyone willing to do it is foolish.

I understand why people would be jaded about these events after employers used them to selectively hire in a down job market. But private sector jobs are increasing in Missouri now.

[cosmo20002]

What's the big deal? You get to hand out resumes and get to see a big league ball game for a value price. Take the kids out to the merry go round and take batting practice at the Little K.

I imagine that if I was unemployed, I might be cutting back on taking the family to a Royals game.

[KCUnited]

Nothing like watching a millionaire miss a cut-off man when you're unemployed.

[qabbaan]

Don't we still get 99 weeks of unemployment in this country?

If you are on unemployment you can save $15 if it's for a job fair. If you're on you 100+th week of unemployment I think you might have issues beyond the $15

[qabbaan]

This morning 610 was stating that it was a notorious KC TV station that was asking the questions, but wouldn't disclose who it was.

810: the message board troll of radio stations

[Frazod]

Nothing like watching a millionaire miss a cut-off man when you're unemployed.

LMAO

[Deberg_1990]

Like someone mentioned earlier....they would never say this of course, but it's basically a way to weed out the non serious candidates from the serious candidates.

[BigMeatballDave]

Don't we still get 99 weeks of unemployment in this country?

If you are on unemployment you can save $15 if it's for a job fair. If you're on you 100+th week of unemployment I think you might have issues beyond the $15

Depends on the state. Ohio is less than 18 months now.

[BigMeatballDave]

Nothing like watching a millionaire miss a cut-off man when you're unemployed.

Holy crap, that's hilarious!

LMAO

[kstater]

They shouldn't have to try to adjust their fucking lifestyle to try to get a goddamn job.

Jesus....

Is the Royals game the only place to find a job? Is anyone forcing them to go to this particular job fair?

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Yeah, well, when you're broke and need a job, it's a big deal.

Cut down on the Mountain Dew, Ding Dongs, and Big Macs and they can scrounge 15 bucks.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Nothing like watching a millionaire miss a cut-off man when you're unemployed.

That's gold :clap:

[milkman]

Don't we still get 99 weeks of unemployment in this country?

If you are on unemployment you can save $15 if it's for a job fair. If you're on you 100+th week of unemployment I think you might have issues beyond the $15

I can't speak for Missouri, but unemployment in California is a joke.

[L.A. Chieffan]

Can I apply for 2b?

[Marcellus]

I doubt the job fair is looking to fill the types of jobs that someone without $15 is going to qualify for.

It may sound shitty but the truth hurts sometimes.

[DRU]

The Royals are pretty much using this shit as a way to sell tickets.

I don't know if it is normal to charge to attend a job fair, (I wouldn't think so)but for the Royals to do this, it just looks bad. If it was held at a hotel and there was a fee, probably no one would say anything. But for the Royals, a major league baseball team, to seemingly go into the job-fair business, it just looks like a greedy money grab.

When you're on the employer's side of things you like the fees just as the person in the article explains. It's a pretty normal thing to see at job fairs. Not all of them, but many do have fees similar to this.

You have to understand, too, that The Kauffman Foundation is about a lot more than just the Royals and Kauffman stadium. They're all about business. Running a job fair is exactly the type of thing they do. If you're running a foundation to help businesses and people, and you're going to run a job fair, and your name is also on the outside of a professional baseball stadium, why not hold the job fair there? Sure, getting some extra asses in the seats at the stadium probably has something to do with their whole model behind this, but it's not their primary goal. They're not "seemingly going into the job-fair business." That's actually a large part of what they do as a whole and they've been doing it a long time.

All of this garbage aside, there is plenty of work out there if you're willing to do it. We spoiled Americans simply aren't willing. We want $85k/year to do monkey work, so we turn down the jobs that would provide the piddly $15 needed to find better work, and then we cry about it.