I don't understand the practice of retail stores employing people to stand on street corners holding signs that advertise the store's sale and clearance events.  My confusion is twofold:  (1) Why can't stores use traditional advertising techniques, like, oh I don't know, real signs, and (2) what kind of person accepts a job opportunity that entails holding a sign? 

I realize that the purpose of the temporary signs is to advertise a temporary event, so a traditional permanent sign would be no good.  Then why don't they just hammer a stake into the ground and hang a sign on it?  Is there some law against that?  Don't people do the same thing when they have garage/yard sales?  The idea of hiring a person to stand there and hold a sign is just ridiculous. 

And as for the type of person that might accept that job opportunity, I realize not everyone has the same expectations from and qualifications for a job as I do.  Not everyone is interested in health insurance and a 401k, and not everyone has a clean legal record.  But still, it seems like there are about 100 jobs I would take before I even considered the idea of standing around and holding a sign.  That's just me. #business