IKEA is hiring. Check it out if you’re looking for FT or PT work
IKEA’s new store in Stoughton is now hiring and surely you don’t mind if I put on my Old Country* hat for a second to enthuse about the company’s culture and management practices. Swedish companies haven’t always covered themselves in glory around here. Think “The Astra Way.” Think Metro. IKEA is nothing like that. IKEA is what a company should be. I have never worked at IKEA myself, but I have relative who’s currently working there, and I have friends who’ve worked there and they’ve all had very positive experiences.
In other words, if you’re looking for work, take a look at IKEA.
On a different note, it’s great that companies like IKEA are expanding in our state, but check out this reality-check paragraph:
Jobs like the ones IKEA is offering will provide at least temporary employment for people who have trained as engineers and information technology experts, but who can find no jobs in those areas. ”We have a lot of people willing to take these jobs because the original job they were looking for that would meet their skill set is not there now,” [Anne Whooley at the Employment and Training Resources office in Norwood] said. ”Now, they are looking for a job that takes into account some of their skill sets or maybe it is a hobby for them, like painting.”
In spite of some small pockets of critical-skills shortages, Massachusetts’ labor market is a very employer-friendly one right now.
*Strictly speaking, IKEA is really from Småland, a province in southeastern Sweden whose people has distinct accents, and a culture and history that is somewhat different from that of the rest of Sweden. No part of Sweden resisted centralization in the 16th century as violently as Småland did, for example. Much of that Swedish crystal is from Småland. IKEA’s legendary frugality is sterotypical Smålandish. A LOT of Swedes who emigrated to America in the 19th Century were from Småland. The world’s most famous Smålänning is probably Astrid Lindgren, author of Pippi Longstocking (and a lot of other, and way better, books).
Hailing from other tribes than Småland’s, I’ve never really had much love for Småland and its über-dense forests, so don’t think I’m some kind of Smålandish nationalist. Tribally speaking, I’m mostly Goth**-turned-centralist/nationalist Swede. I’m just giving credit where credit is due.
** No, NOT that kind of goth.
