Now hiring: Zingerman's seeks more than 200 seasonal workers
Zingerman's says it plans to hire more than 200 seasonal workers for its mail order division as the gourmet foods conglomerate aims for a slight improvement in year-over-year holiday sales.Â
The company is planning to hire about 190 workers to fill warehouse shipping positions as well as 30 customer-service representatives in product receiving and order fulfillment, said Tracie Wolfe, who works in Zingerman's human resources department.
"Our sales projections for the entire year are right around $34 million (that's for all 8 Zingerman's businesses) and that represents a small increase over where we ended last year," Zingerman's spokesman Pete Sickman-Garner said in an e-mail. The company began its most recent fiscal year Aug. 1.
"Speaking specifically of the holidays, the months of November and December are crucial for us and right now we're cautiously optimistic that we will end this period right on plan and are forecasting that we'll hit plan for the end of the year."
The Zingerman's hiring total is the most among local retailers seeking temporary help during the holidays, according to a recent report on AnnArbor.com. Retailers across the state are bracing for a flat sales season.
 The seasonal positions will run from November through Dec. 23 or earlier, Wolfe said.
A job fair for customer service positions was held Sunday. Read more about the positions, which pay $9 per hour, here.Â
The warehouse positions, which pay $8.25 an hour, involve assembling phone and Internet orders into gift baskets and boxes for shipment. Successful applicants should have an appreciation and enthusiasm for good food, be detail-oriented, comfortable standing on their feet for up to 10 hours at a time, and be able to lift loads of 20 pounds repeatedly.
To apply, candidates must attend a job fair from 3-7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, also at the warehouse location.
The company also is hiring for permanent positions at its
flagship deli and Roadhouse eatery. Visit the Zingerman's jobs page here.
Contact Sven Gustafson by email, follow him at twitter.com/sveng, or follow his blog, Michigan Job Search on MLive.com. Â
Comments
roadsidedinerlover
Thu, Nov 5, 2009 : 11:46 p.m.
What I am wondering is why the workers who are stooping and bending and hustling to put all those catalog orders together are only being $8.25 and the customer service positions are getting $9.00 an hour? Surely the more physical work would be paid more!To Eagleman...they are weeding out people who have spent hours in line and who filled out a LENGHTY application. They were made to do three tests before being hired. So much for your theory of " It is a job any person could do." These catalog people should be paid the same wage as the customer service people. I am frankly tired of people like Eagleman who tell us just because there is a depression that people in Ann Arbor should take it and put up with it...low wages etc. We are humans out here who want a fair wage.
David Briegel
Wed, Oct 28, 2009 : 6:38 a.m.
Zingerman's pays a living wage, offers benefits, offers nothing but quality product and gives back to the community. Without them there would be no Food Gatherers! If only all members of our business community were so responsible!
Jessica Webster
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 : 8:14 p.m.
Keep in mind that these are wages for seasonal workers. From what I understand, regular staff is paid more.
eagleman
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 : 7:43 p.m.
Billy, in a state where there is 15.4% unemployment, your whining about "unfair wages" is asinine and quite frankly, embarrassing. Why is $8.25 for menial labor "insulting"? It is a job any person could do. Why should they pay more money for something that any person can do? Do you understand anything about business at all? Judging by your comment is doesn't appear that you do. It isn't wrong to make a profit. In fact, that is why we have jobs. We have jobs because the places we work at make MONEY. Those who don't go out of business. Stop whining, billy.
voiceofreason
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 : 6:28 p.m.
I would say that those wages are about right for entry level unskilled labor jobs. The real question is, why does it cost $14 dollars for a sandwich if these are your wages?
Billy
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 : 12:16 p.m.
Those wages are an insult with what the cost of living is in Ann Arbor and the price of the goods being sold are. Zingerman's can easily afford to pay their employees fair wages considering the profit they brag about, but never have.
ju
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 : 11:48 a.m.
Why couldn't you have posted this three days ago? :(
Morris Thorpe
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 : 6:33 a.m.
Wow, at those wages, workers will be able to afford to purchase nearly two brownies per hour worked!