I was hired in the 80's, at a time when it was tough to find a job. If you landed a job with a company like SF you grabbed on with both hands. I had every intention to make SF a career, and most of us felt that way back then. The job was never easy (claims) but we had authority, autonomy and respect. We were people, not numbers, and we had each other's backs. We worked hard and played hard. There were plenty of actual leaders around whom we looked up to. I'm not exactly sure when it all started going bad, but it has been quite a few years since I was proud to work for SF. Sadly the SF that hired me is long dead. Hundreds of times I left for the day thinking I would not return tomorrow, but I always did. I'm glad I did for the financial position I'm in now, but sorry I did for what feels like a career wasted. To our young people I say please make wise financial decisions, they will pay dividends when you need them. It seems there is more opportunity out there than there has been in years, so don't let SF suck the life out of you. If you do, I fear it won't be as easy for you to retire when it's your turn. Best of luck to you.
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Rand Band.
The punk rockers of the 80s are running the company and it shows.
I can relate to this thread, spent 21 years in auto claims, SF has been going downhill since about 1997. Went from respect to "Just be glad you have a job" I left when my field office closed, I would have moved my family twice since then, and kept at a job that was ki----g me. It's not a career anymore working in claims.
If you retire from State Farm, you did double the work of anyone in any other occupation. Tell you something? And be assured, it is NOT appreciated by the big machine.
@1uuv-burger boy. Or maybe booger boy?
You seem to know a lot about fast food. That figures given your intellect and horrible metaphors
@1mse the first few years of the 80s we were still coming out of a recession and it was not until 83 that the economy turned around. At one point getting hired at SF was not as easy as it is today. Back in the day a college degree if not a law degree was required for a Claim Rep and everyone in the industry knew we paid more and had a better work environment than or competition.But at least now we have bring your gold fish to work day as a benefit.
the 80s were hard to find a job???? only one of the best decades of growth in the country. you must have been a sc--w up in the interview or not looking.
Waaaahhhhhhh
State Farm has become a fast food restaurant. If you order a #1 with cheese and a large Pepsi then you are good to go, no problems. Lord forbid if you ask them to hold the onions, no ketchup, mayonnaise instead of mustard, with a medium tot, and large on the drink only. Your f-cked as there is not a picture of that order on the register! It overloads their brains. Your order will not be right and you won't realize it until you get home. Basically all we are hiring is burger flippers and continue the race to the bottom with the rest of the industry. Our wages are competitive with retail and fast food so you get what you pay for. Remember this is all by design to keep costs/expenses at a bare minimum. Execs enjoy your continued misery and will keep just enough people with a little sense around to make sure the ship does not totally sink. They will can those folks too soon enough! Number 31 your order is ready!
Didn't start in the 80s, but I couldn't have written the post any better. Actually that is about exactly what I would write verbatim.
OP well said. I've been gone almost 5 years. I knew it was going down hill when we were no longer respected both internally nor externally. No personal contact and computer focus is the d-mbing of both America and corporate America. All for the elites to gobble up and sp-t out the little guy.
Race for the bottom. I’m way younger. I notice we hire people in claims with very little previous experience repairing or learning how to repair what we are talking about. It’s hard to find professionals when the ones billing us are making 1/2 - 2x more than the one paying it and not knowing what they are paying for.
Data entry isn’t professional, it never was. It’s copy and paste essentially, and just a grimy null job that needs done. On resumes they don’t even call them selves adjusters either they call it data entry…. Amazing way to stand out btw in the corporate world, or in general.