Honda receives 5,000 applications for 18 spots at Indiana plant
In late February, Honda announced it would be accepting applications for positions at a new plant it's constructing near Greensburg, Indiana. The Japanese automaker ran ads in newspapers around Indiana looking for workers with experience in Automotive Engineering, Purchasing, Information Technology and Administration. Eighteen slots were available, but Honda was inundated with over 5,000 applications. They've stopped accepting applications for fourteen of the positions in the areas of production and maintenance, just so that the mountain of applications can be sorted and sifted through. Those interested in applying for the remaining four positions can click here. What does that mean? Some might say it illustrates how a languishing workforce is eager to throw its hat in the ring with a Japanese automaker, perhaps expecting greater job security in these uncertain times. From our perspective, it illustrates how saturated the job market is for anyone in an auto-related field. With layoffs and voluntary separations occuring around every corner, there are clearly many more qualified people than there are available jobs right now. And it's not often we see a "Now Hiring" sign put out by an automaker, so when it happens, regardless of the automaker looking for fresh blood, a glut of applications is almost guaranteed.
[Source: The Detroit News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Billy Ray 1:15PM (3/08/2007)
Most of these guys were probably the losers who used to build GM's crap and got laid off.
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iQuack 1:26PM (3/08/2007)
Good, NON-UNION jobs.
Whoever is hired will perform like they work for the company that pays them, not a damn union!
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Mike 1:40PM (3/08/2007)
This is a sad story. You can thank the autoworkers unions for strangling American car companies and creating massive unemployment. It's tough to make a quality product and sell it at at an affordable price to help your company grow and employ people when $1k of the cost of every car goes just to pay the CEO quality health care packages of the guys who spends 5 hours out of an 8 hour workday lazily screwing in a few bolts on each chassis.
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Chet 1:45PM (3/08/2007)
This is hardly surprising. Haven't the domestic automakers cut more jobs than the foreign automakers employ in the US?
The glut of applications would tell any business owner that they can probably afford to pay their workers less.
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rpc 10:14AM (3/20/2007)
Why would Honda announce for just 18 spots?
Are they fishing?
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Ian Lewis 10:37AM (3/14/2007)
This is not just the Auto Industry. Wal-Mart had been trying for years to open a store in the San Francisco area (I think in downtown SF). Well, after dealing with much politics they finally opened a store and had something like 18,000 applicants.
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geo.stewart 2:45PM (3/08/2007)
Everyone wants to blame the union or the management for the demise of US Automakers. The truth is BOTH. Letting beancounters drive the design and execution of product is wrong. It has led to inferior and undesirable product.
The union has helped (NOT) by being short sighted and not considering what synergies need to exist but 1) what can you do for ME, and 2) paying for all those union management positions so they dont have to get their hands dirty. Most of this MAY have led to the beancounters arguing for control of product.
The end result was a terrible product at inflated costs. GM has been great at bringing Bob Lutz- ultimate car guy of the current cast of thieves- and we are beginning to see his impact on GM culture. Now we are seeing somewhat competitive product at somehow competitive prices.
Ford was smart in hiring Mulally but they also need a CAR GUY (or GAL, I'm not sexist) to direct product. Promote Ford of Europe's design chief to Global Car Guy.
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Puff Chizzel 2:54PM (3/08/2007)
This is not news. Any major corporation that advertises like they did will get thousands of resumes, many from people already employed somewhere else who are just fishing for something better. The real question is why Honda feels motivated to issue a press release about the number of resumes they received. This looks like a political piece more than anything. Kinda like saying "See how badly everyone wants to work for good ole Honda? We sure are great for American workers. People are beating down the door just for the opportunity to work for us."
Not that I'm complaining. I for one welcome our new Japanese overlords.
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jwood 5:46PM (3/08/2007)
I think it shows that we need more Mexican workers coming to America since "American workers" don't want to work.
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Bryan 3:43PM (3/08/2007)
You know that Asian guy is thinking to himself..stupid Americans, we convinced you to turn on your own people..and now we make more money because of your incompitence and lack of respect..thank you, thank you! I guess some here just don't get it. When you buy Japanese(and don't make any excuses please) it is a slap not only in the face of your fellow Americans, but to yourself. You are basically giving up on this country too, and saying that you are an incompitent piece of trash that cannot do anything right so you will just let someone else lead because you are too lazy and really do not care. Sad, very sad. I for one will remain a leader. I will not give up on America, or our Auto industry.
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Babyblues 3:45PM (3/08/2007)
I agree, it does make you wonder why this corporation felt the need to announce that out of 15 jobs avaliable, 3000 people applied for the jobs. I think they are trying to make some kind of statement, trying to say how wonderful people like to work there. I think its a bunch of Bolonga, and the store brand at that.
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Babyblues 3:47PM (3/08/2007)
I'm sorry that was 5000 jobs. Its a shame that that many people are in need of a job. Its not a joke, its just sad..
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Dave 10:06PM (3/08/2007)
Well thankfully Bryan, most of us aren't moronic, ignorant bigots like you.
Sure it's sad when people lose their jobs and have to look for work, but the reality is that buying Japanese cars doesn't make you a "traitor" or a "piece of trash" as you so hatefully claimed. Why? Because people from all around the world buy goods from America! Pharmaceuticals, Airplanes (ever heard of Boeing?), financial services, etc. Does that mean they are traitors to their own country? Absolutely not. It's called trade. Works best when it's free, but better than having no trade.
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macgnome 4:39PM (3/08/2007)
Number 8 You are so pathetic I barely have any saliva for you . This is all an illusion and you my friend are head deep. The whole world has been seperated by cultural and ethical divisions. The world is never gonna be the same as it was in the first 50 or so years of American car history. Those days are over -we are heading into the space were everyone works for everyone in peace. People who buy (foreign) do so because they think they have found something they like. Your words are nothing but fetal attempts to maintain control over peoples buying habits. Your leadership is nothing but deep rooted fear and so deep infact you would turn to heavy rheoteric to try and make someone feel guilty about realizing something greater than a man made creation of nationalism. I applaud these people for saying I will not buy something just because someone thinks it the right thing to do for my government? I will buy something becuse I know it is a great product and I want to support a company that thinks about its customers first. So go buy whatever you need or desire based on your mental fears and I will buy a car that will run perfectly for more than 3 years.!!!!
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Steve C 5:05PM (3/08/2007)
A hearty welcome to those of you who never took economics.
The simple laws of supply and demand say that when the supply is 5,000 and the demand is 18, the price is cheap, really cheap.
To the degree that most of the 4,982 who didn't get a job view themselves as auto workers, they are in deep trouble for the foreseeable future as their numbers guarantee they will be "underpaid".
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Big Rocket 5:35PM (3/08/2007)
#8 (Bryan): Your post incorrectly placed the blame on the American consumer, while turning a blind eye to the unions and the executives, who have taken every opportunity to financially sabotage the domestic auto industry. So, I made a few corrections to your post.
UAW Version:
You know that UAW rep is thinking to himself... stupid Americans, we convinced you greedy unions are good for America... and now we make more money than the customers who buy our cars and trucks... thank you, thank you! I guess some here just don't get it. When you buy a union-made car (and don't make any excuses please) it is built by UAW ingrates who have used strong-arm, blackmail tactics of strikes and walkouts, to force the domestic automakers to pay them $67 an hour in wages and benefits, or $100,000 in severance packages. They are basically giving up on this country too, and saying that they are going to squeeze all the cash reserves out of the domestic auto companies, and to get all they can while the getting is good. Sad, very sad. I for one will remain an outspoken critic of greedy unions. I will not give up on America, or our domestic auto industry.
CEO Version:
You know Alan Mulally is thinking to himself... stupid Americans, we convinced you greedy executives are good for America... and that we deserve to be paid millions and millions while our companies lose billions and billions... thank you, thank you! I guess some here just don't get it. When you buy from the domestics (and don't make any excuses please) it goes straight into the pockets of the big cheese, who would think nothing of wasting $50,000 to $70,000 every week to use the company jet for personal purposes. They are basically giving up on this country too, and saying they can pocket millions in salary and millions more in stock options, while at the same time sending tens of thousands of workers to the unemployment office at the taxpayers' expense. Sad, very sad. I for one will remain an outspoken critic of greedy executives. I will not give up on America, or our domestic auto industry.
Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/23/business/23auto.html?ex=1300770000&en=57ea081b0a798618&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/27/breaking-chrysler-group-reveals-details-on-union-worker-buyouts/
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/01/alan-mulally-making-friends-fast-receives-a-raise
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Brian W 7:47PM (3/08/2007)
When lazy union members go work for Honda, do they magically become high quality works and try harder for their company? Quality comes from the company not the workers.
Funny that everyone knows all about union/nonunion auto plants but have never set foot inside one.
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KJC 8:59PM (3/08/2007)
Maybe they thought the openings were for production assembly.
Honda didn't annouce the job openings just ran ads. in local newspapers which is normal.
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Barney 10:32PM (3/08/2007)
I'm sure Honda didn't go running outside their offices to brag about how many want to work for them. Like any lucrative job, everyone will put in their name. People will apply for jobs they know they have no chance of obtaining. It's like buying a lottery ticket. There is always a chance. My present job only became real because I took the initive to try against many others.
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Bryan 12:33AM (3/09/2007)
Hey #11 who said I liked the government? I'm a hardcore democrat! You really think that they aren't laughing? If you think they are so perfect, why don't you move there, since you seem to support them. You know, I am only 28 years old, and I get it. Why can't you? So Ford and GM made some bad models. Well now that Toyotas quality stinks(and thats everyones excuse for buying one) why would you buy one? Free trade my rear end. This is excatly why this country is going in the hole. Americans BASHING their own kind. Its complete self distruct mode. And I am not saying hateful things, just truthful ones. People who give up are quitters and weak. Does Ford make the perfect vehicle? No. No one does. But at a time when your fellow Americans need you, half of you slap them in the face because you are so BLIND to see that American cars are NOT bad. Who on earth lusts after a Camry, carolla, accord, or a civic? Who? See I do not give up. Because its what you do, and what I was taught. You stand behind your own no matter the cost. We basically put the world on wheels, it is our legacy...and you people want it to die? Because? My point is, I will not for one second let the Japanese take over this country. This is America, not Japan. You all need to wake up, and realize that there is nothing wrong with American cars. Say what you want about me, but honesty and loyalty are two traits you can never say I don't have! But you know what I love the most, is I got you thinking, and that was my sole purpose. Ignorant, ha! More like alive and have a pulse and not easily fooled. Have fun with your sludged up Toyota and tranny dying on your Honda!
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