I read posts on this forum and came across the confession of an author who boasted that shortly after his dismissal he moved to a new company where, as he says, he encountered a super positive atmosphere and people full of optimism.
My experience is completely different. After being laid off here, I moved to another company, which only seemingly offered better terms than they were here. Honestly, it’s just as bad as it is in Staples.
In this industry, I really don’t see a company where everything “exudes optimism”. Either I’m out of luck or I need to switch to a different industry?
5 replies (most recent on top)
I was in the same boat . I felt like being in this industry was a dead end , so I followed the advice of a few of the more amazing posters on this site . I left . Although I spent my 7 high school years at Staples , I knew I had to make the most of my education and doing something better . So I tapped my entrepreneurial spirit and started a dog walking business . It was slow at first , and I was only walking my own dog , but after a few years the business expanded . Mainly because my sister didn’t want her dog anymore and she gave it to me .... and my business DOUBLED ! Wow !
Some day I hope to have paying customers and go public and become a billionaire.
I’ll show you STAPLES !
Meanwhile , my feet hurt a lot .
I hope this helps .
As other people have said, it’s definitely a problem with the industry itself. The business model no longer works like it did 15 or 20 years ago. New competitors have emerged, probably the most formidable is Amazon. Unfortunately, what these big box office supply companies offer is nothing special or unique, and operationally they are inefficient, thus providing a very poor customer experience. Customers have really no incentive to stick around and buy from them. They don’t save money, they don’t have an awesome or unsurpassed experience, and so clearly there is literally nothing that makes it more worthwhile for them, then any other place they could go to do business. Plus, the other places that are out there offer often times the theory same products for a lower price. When customers don’t see any type of unique value for your business, they will leave and that is what is actively occurring. The rapid layoffs or at least partially due to this. Covid has certainly created a unique and more challenging business environment that has probably forced impending layoffs to happen have more of an accelerated pace, but I have a feeling they were coming, just not as rapidly as the occurred over the past year.
Figure out how to develop new job skills and create a new career path for yourself outside of this industry.
I wasn’t trying to boast, sorry if it came off that way. If you’re still in the same OS industry, or similar line of business, I can imagine it might feel similar. For what it’s worth, I moved into a different industry. The new company is much smaller, but growing. I’d suggest giving a different industry a try. Part of the enjoyment comes from learning a new market, industry. Even if you have to take a job for now, keep putting your name and resume out there til you find something that gets you excited, something you think would be genuinely interesting to do. Here’s hoping we’re all in for a better year than 2020!
It’s the office supply industry. It s—s now more than ever. It’s a dying industry and I’d get out if you can. I was let go from Staples SBA Jan 2019 and landed at Office Depot in a like capacity. It’s really no different here. OD has tons of former Staples people and they try the same ineffective c-ap they did at Staples. It’s a bore fest.
Find a new industry...but if want to stay in the industry there are some niche market e-tailers that are doing well. No overhead other than maintaining a website. Check out Office Zilla.com