Why are the rents so high when wages don't support it? (Portland: real estate, rental)

[Steve Pickering]

Having an online process and being the only method are two different things.

[oldtintype]

Originally Posted by Steve Pickering

Because you are wrong. Most do.

Most (as in the majority if not almost all) have online application processes and require and email address. I'm not wrong.

[oldtintype]

Originally Posted by Steve Pickering

Having an online process and being the only method are two different things.

Multnomah County, the state and many others only take online applications.

[Steve Pickering]

Multnomah County Central Human Resources will provide a paper application for those who need it or have a disability by calling phone: 503-988-5015. They will take some handicap applications by phone or send a representative to take it in person.

[oldtintype]

Yeah, if you call MultCo, have a disability and request an accommodation they'll give you one. However, they also state that they don't take paper applications on their job application so it's something you have to specifically call and request and is a process.

Many times they only take the first 50 applications which means that a job will be listed ONLINE (yes because that's where they list their jobs) only for a few hours or at best a few days. With no internet you're pretty much **** out of luck while you're waiting around to get a paper copy. You won't be applying for that job.

I think even you know you're being ridiculous when you look for every loop hole known to man to prove that you can use a paper copy still.

Fact is that Mult Co states they no longer take paper copies on their website, as do most state, city, county and federal agencies, so unless you have a specific reason for needing one and go thru a process you can't apply. So, time to get over it and accept that the good old days are gone. Employers generally do not accept paper copies from 99.5% of the public. Kind of like rotary phones aren't used by people anymore but there are a few still in existence.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by freemkt

..........Where else are you going to find the lowest jobs like, say, dishwasher? You think employers are going to post those jobs on Monster?

I have this suspicion that if a person can't qualify for any job but dishwasher, they really should be considering moving to a cheaper place to live. Sometimes you just have to admit that you can't earn enough to meet all of your dreams.

There are places in the USA where you can rent a place to live for $400 a month. All those places have restaurants that hire dishwashers. It would be difficult to live in Portland on a dishwasher's salary because Portland is a high cost of living location.

Personally, if I didn't have any marketable job skills, I would make the effort to learn some sort of job skill that would qualify me for a better job. It seems that many of the low end employees are unwilling to do so. That unwillingness to self-improve sort of limits my sympathy.

If the low income people have their very necessary internet connection, there are plenty of classes on-line for self improvement and lots of information that if you take the time to learn it, you become qualified for a job that's better paid than washing dishes.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by oldtintype

Most (as in the majority if not almost all) have online application processes and require and email address. I'm not wrong.

I'm sorry, but that's just an absurd statement. How many employers are there in the Portland area? And you're saying you've surveyed "most" of them to determine their method of job application, have you?

Do you seriously think the gas station on the corner requires an on-line application ... or even has an on-line application to apply for a job there? The food cart. The auto repair shop. The coffee shop. The restaurant. Please.

[Steve Pickering]

You have to be really wrong for Enrico and I to agree.

[Metlakatla]

It's been a long time since I've looked for an entry-level job, or any job at all, really, but the younger people I know tell me that Internet access is an important job-search tool, so I'll take their word for it.

I don't know about the gas station on the corner -- if it's independently owned (are there any of those left?), they probably take paper applications. Food carts are pretty much owner-operated with hand-picked help, if any, from among family and friends of the owner. Culinary professionals are well-represented among my social and familial circles, and online applications for restaurants are the norm. There might be a few small mom-and-pops here and there that still do paper, but why would anyone limit themselves to those who do?

I've also heard plenty of stories of people just walking into places and asking for an app. and being told to visit the company's website.

Still, I believe that anyone who truly wants to work can find something even if they don't have Internet access, but it's going to cost them more time and money than if they had a basic device, and their choices of where to apply are going to be extremely limited.

From what I hear, it's a competitive job market out there; why begrudge job seekers anything that's considered a basic job search tool everywhere in the First World simply because they're poor?

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by oldtintype

Some employers only take online applications period. Heck, even Multnomah County hasn't accepted anything but online applications for years. There are some people who would hire someone with a paper application (maybe McDonalds?) but I'd say it's a very small number of employers. You'd spend hours walking around trying to find these employers instead of spending 2 minutes online on a job site (including the Oregon employment department job board which has TONS Of low wage jobs listed but they only take paper applications too).

I'm ashamed to say that I went through the drive-through at MD's last week in Eugene because I had a weird craving for one of those pancake McMuffin things. They had a sign up saying they were looking for help and that interested parties should visit their website to fill out an app. So even they've left the Stone Age.