Back in the grim days of The Great Recession, companies large and small laid off workers while discouraging new hires with a wealth of “no hiring” signs.

Train In Vain

Historic Pullman, a former company town dating from the 1880s, is today one of Chicago’s 77 defined community areas. Though the South Side district has been a National Historic Landmark Site since 1969, renovation and rehabilitation of its buildings – including the former Pullman Clock Tower and Administration Building (now the Pullman National Monument Visitor Center) above – is an ongoing process, one that requires laborers… sometimes.

Construction work is typically one of the go-to manual labor options when times are tough. We’re assuming such jobs in the Pullman Historic District were snapped up quickly during late-2007 to mid-2009, when the above photos by Flickr members Bart Heird, crowbert, and Lynn Josse were taken.

Just Say No-No

They thought “no hiring” was so nice, they had to say it twice! Well, not really, but you can’t blame English-speakers for just seeing the “NOT HIRING – NO” part and tuning out “Se contrata a nadie” (“Nobody is hired”). Flickr member Indiana Public Media/WFIU captured the above sign posted in front of a construction project in April of 2009.

Peak Helplessness

“NO HELP WANTED”, reads the sign posted at Summit Industries in September of 2007, to which Flickr member and photographer bluefishtuesday replied, “especially not yours” and “recession, much?” Times were tough all over back in The Great Recession but Chicago seems to have been hit especially hard – this photo was snapped on W Lawrence Ave in the Far North Side.

Take Your Talents Elsewhere

More construction, this time in Miami, FL where workers hopeful of employment were greeted by “NOT HIRING” and “No nececitamos trabatatores” (“We do not need workers”). Times must have been tough indeed: the company couldn’t even afford a pre-printed no-hiring sign… and you can bet somebody was charged for the orange spray paint. Flickr member R. Maas captured the above labor-unfriendly scene in March of 2009.

Pay-Away Plan

How to save money when hiring staff, Exhibit #42… brought to you by The Brick, a chain of Canadian furniture and home appliance stores. In 2007, Flickr member Alex Indigo snapped this sign that appears to tell prospective hires they won’t receive any financial compensation ’til 2009. We don’t know how many workers this store ended up hiring but we wouldn’t be surprised if at least one was fired.

Garage Banned

“Too many people looking for work. Don’t bother asking here,” stated Flickr member Kyle Harr about Ron’s Garage in Pewamo, MI. The eponymous “Ron” must have had unemployed workers pestering him day and night for a job, any job, even the thankless task of hanging “NOT HIRING” signs on multiple windows to deter job-seekers approaching from any direction.

Speaking of signs of negativity, note that Ron’s also posts “NO PARKING”, “NO SOLICITING”, “Authorized STUDEBAKER Service” and “Approved PACKARD Service” signs. That might help to explain why the garage apparently conducts NO BUSINESS and thus, needs no staff.

OW My Bank Balance

Flickr member Pak Gwei snapped this trio of fence-mounted signs in Washington D.C.’s Franklin McPherson Square back in March of 2007, mere weeks before the Subprime Mortgage Crisis sparked what would turn out to be the worst global economic contraction since the 1930s. Hope may always spring eternal but in the spring of ’07, the stage was being set for an epic fall. Note to the anonymous wiseguy who made an “adjustment” to the handmade “No Hiring” sign: much pain is about to ensue; you should have erased the “N” after adding the “W”.

This eclectic selection of “We’re Hiring” signs illustrate some of the unusual ways companies offer jobs in a booming economy with low unemployment.

“We’re still hiring humans”, declares this billboard ad for Carnegie Robotics in “The City of Bridges” (presumably Pittsburgh, PA), and that’s good news, right? Right?? Indeed, there’s something more than a little sinister about this pitch and the image of a vaguely Bender-ish robot doesn’t help. At least they didn’t give him a goatee. Flickr member Nick Amoscato snapped a couple shots of the jumbo hiring ad in June of 2018.

Hirers Gonna Hire

OK, maybe you could write off this hiring banner for Sears as a “vintage” photo but according to Flickr member and photographer Random Retail, the image dates from 2013 and was taken at a newly closed Sears store in Pennsdale, PA. Like Sears hasn’t trolled its remaining workers enough; does it really have to jerk the chains of potential employees as well?

Proofreader Wanted

Now we know why there’s no “I” in “team”… it’s found a new home on this bizarre hiring ad. While one might excuse a typo on a hand-written sign, this appears to be a manufactured or at least, a bulk-printed piece. That means there must be many more out there, barring any flashes of comprehension by the staff members charged with deploying them. Normally we’d mask some or all of the phone number to avoid embarrassing the proprietor but in this case, Flickr member Domenico Bettinelli‘s image has been posted for almost 12 years. Also, they deserve to be shamed.

Eat Mor Pengwin

Is this a hiring billboard or a lost cat, er, penguin poster? Why not both? “Tux” the penguin is the official brand character of the Linux brand so, umm, where is he… and what’s with that ‘gator’s evil, lip-smackin’ grin? Who designed this ad anyway, Admiral Ackbar? Flickr member Michael Coghlan snapped the fearsome hiring billboard in Austin, TX (wherever you are) in January of 2012.

Hiring In Plain Site

Yes, “site”, as in a plain site situated in plain sight. Bet it looks even plainer on the inside due to the apparent lack of windows, not to mention a door. Wouldn’t the latter make the whole “inquire within” thing somewhat of a challenge, to say the least? Maybe they’re interviewing pole vaulters. Flickr member joepopp captured this enigmatic example of hiring-inside-the-box back in March of 2007.

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