The Heinzelmaennchen placement agency has an unusual problem: it has more jobs than job-hunters.
But then again, if you think about what kind of jobs they're offering, the dearth of applicants is not so mysterious after all. Heinzelmaennchen is a Santa Claus agency. It is a company headed not by a CEO but by an *Ober-Weinachtsmann—*literally, a Chief Executive Santa.
The Berlin agency dispatches thousands of Santas every Christmas Eve to families all over the city and its environs. "We prefer chubby men, of course, ideally with a real beard but we're not picky and take what we get," says Rene Heydeck, founder and CES.
Truth be told, the Santa job kinda sucks. Beyond having to wear red felt all day, the Santas have to make 10-20 visits a night. A visit entails climbing down the chimney with a bag of presents made by the elves at Santa's workshop and then saying "ho ho ho" on steady repeat while the kids open them and jump with joy and pull on the poor guy's beard. (Ok, I made up the chimney part and the workshop part. Fake Santas walk through the front door and the presents are store-bought by the parents.)
The pay's not bad, though. 28 euros per visit, though the placement agency takes a 15% cut and requires a 45-euro purchase of that awesome Santa suit. I would totally do it if I was a chubby bearded German dude.
Ho-ho-hoping for more Santas.. [Reuters]
