Reply #15: I worked for Borders 10 years ago and am not surprised... [View All]

[sweetloukillbot]

It used to be a great company that looked out for its employees - wonderful benefits even a revolving store credit account that the company paid on monthly. Then they changed owners, decided they need more stores in every market (honestly, I've always thought of stores like Borders, Tower Records, etc. as destinations - it's an event to go to one, they lose their charm when they are on every corner), ignored Amazon.com and decided to expand overseas. And the company cratered between 1998 and 2000 - I was lucky to cash out my stock options (yes, retail clerks got stock options from them in the late 90s) for a nice chunk just in time.

All individuality and autonomy was taken out of the stores, and it turned into another big box mess. I went through two reorganizations and I think there have been a couple since I quit in 02. They used to specifically look for educated and enthusiastic staff - people who loved books and music, usually with degrees in literature or the arts - they didn't pay great but they offered handsome benefits and hired at full-time with a set schedule for the most part. A boon for those of us with "useless" degrees. Now they just look for warm bodies that get part time and little benefits. When I left the company the starting wage was less than the McDonald's across the street.