This is just depressing - is any brand growing / hiring into 2024 ??? I am teaching a class now and literally competing for jobs against my students who have zero years experience.
More layoffs at KEEN and Wolverine Worldwide too. No, no one is growing. People aren’t buying anything extraneous right now because the economy is terrible and there’s no extra money at the end of the month. And also, brands aren’t making things people want to buy.
A relative in the industry was just approached by Timberland about a job in Colorado where they are being moved. She turned them down because of their inflexibility towards remote work (even though what she does can be done fully remote as she demonstrated for the last three years). Who wants to move when every brand is tanking, especially if you own a home and your mortgage is at a decent rate? It’s too great a risk. Companies need to rethink everything and then make real changes.
The relo-issue you mentioned is exactly correct. No one wants to risk relocation to an area where their skills aren’t transferable to nearby companies.
Is this true about Timberland?? Is it confidential ? Shoes and apparel?
It’s a huge issue. I used to be willing to relocate anywhere (and did move many times in my career) but after I got stuck in a state where there were no other footwear or apparel brands (no one would even interview me because I wasn’t local and they didn’t want to do a move package), I became more selective about the where.
I believe it’s public knowledge that all VF Corp brands are moving to Colorado.