If You're Wondering Why "No One Wants To Work Anymore," These 29 Nightmarish Job Listings Might Explain It For You
Maybe people would come into work if you paid a living wage.
COVID is by no means over, but many people have had their unemployment benefits cut short or been forced to return to an office. Surprisingly (sarcasm), some employers have struggled to get employees to come back to work, or recruit new ones, leading to the oft-repeated "nobody wants to work."
Minimum wage, part-time positions have been especially impacted, as many people can't afford to live off these salaries and still do not want to risk their health. Instead of increasing health and safety protocols, wages, and benefits, many companies have taken up this "no one wants to work" phrase.
It's all, essentially, a way to deflect responsibility to workers rather than companies that won't raise their wages even in the face of worsening conditions and inflation. It's also largely a myth, and many people are finding it's still difficult to find a good job. Ghosting, withholding salary information until late in the game, and job offers far below someone's qualifications are common.
Basically, it's hard out there! And to prove it, we've gathered some utterly horrible job descriptions that offer dirt pay (sometimes below minimum wage) for roles that encompass multiple jobs, but don't offer multiple salaries.
1. This person wanted to hire an assistant, housekeeper, and babysitter with a "flexible schedule" (i.e., you can't get another job because you need to be on call) for $10 an hour only 10-15 hours a week.
2. This marketing job description required being able to lift 50 lbs, work tools, and run(/crawl???) for up to eight hours. I'm starting to think this is not a marketing job.
3. This job required being Christian, which I don't think is legal.
4. This job expected 55-hour weeks...with no mention of overtime pay.
5. If a job description calls things like PTO "touchy feely"...run.
6. This job wants you to have a "servant's heart."
7. This job description advertises signing you up for their MLM (which, of course, will probably be almost impossible to cancel) as a "perk."
8. This Los Angeles-based job wanted someone up-to-date on local laws despite paying lower than LA's legal minimum wage of $15.
9. This job description proudly stated the company offers gift cards as bonuses.
10. And this job thought advertising "below market rate salary" was a good idea.
11. This job listing simply forbids you from having any bad days. Also, you must "give the appearance of good and healthy vitality."
12. This job advertised the fact that the last person was fired for "poor performance" (which definitely had nothing to do with a lack of training or large workload on the part of the company).
13. This job description was literally for at least four different employees, but they were only hiring one person.
14. These physical requirements were downright creepy.
15. This job required you giving 100% at all times and started off by threatening potential employees about faking sick. (Great first impression for a company so focused on first impressions!)
16. This job straight-up said, "Don't apply if you're looking for work-life balance."
17. This internship paid $20 a week, which is totally legal (again, sarcasm).
18. Well...at least they acknowledged their expectations (for a literal Pepper Potts) were high.
19. And this job description also had a lot of cringey pop culture references.
20. This job posting listed a law as a "benefit."
21. This job, that pays potentially as low as $20/hour, literally requires 25 years of relevant experience.
22. This job posting contained a majorrrr red flag.
23. This minimum wage job expected that you should be doing unpaid work outside of work hours.
so you're the receptionist. and the sales department. and the housekeeper. and a shill during your free time. because when you work at a "spa-like" California plastic surgery office, you should expect minimum wage, abstract job descriptions, and unpaid labor -- and MAYBE you'll get full-time. from antiwork