C4 Dispatches: Middle Class and Jobless

wigglebeena

If you're technically over-qualified for a job you can find yourself in a delicate position in interviews, trying to justify your application/prove you will take the job seriously. I've managed it sometimes but often you can tell you were never going to get the job even before you walked in.

bo_drinker

wigglebeena wrote: »

If you're technically over-qualified for a job you can find yourself in a delicate position in interviews, trying to justify your application/prove you will take the job seriously. I've managed it sometimes but often you can tell you were never going to get the job even before you walked in.

Trouble is the employer doesn't really know your intentions, a better deal could come along at any time and then you may be gone in a flash. Then he has to go through the same rigmarole to find staff again. And anyone with an ounce of sense will realise that loyalty means nothing either way nowadays so the employer needs some one who can do the job well and "needs" the job and therefore may not be tempted by another job.

The_White_Horse

i turned this programme on half way through. the fat one in dominoes was annoying. I wouldn't hire him. the one who worked for the dog trust had an earring!! how does he expect to get a job looking like a chav? and the other one, the older guy, he looks useless. don't know what he did in the past. presumably some kind of hr marketing non job on 60k plus.

wharty

Does the middle class really exist? As far as i am concerned if you offer a service for payment(wages) then you are working class in my eyes so that includes doctors,lawyers and uni graduates.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

23rdspiral wrote: »

a year ago i was made redundant, i have a BA and specialist MA. my local co-op ripped up my application stating that they wouldnt train me just to have me leave for a better job. nice. so i lied on an application and got waitressing work, which i'd done when i was a student, and just said i'd not worked for a few years. they were happy with that. odd. they'd sooner employ an apparant lay-about than a professional. but at least i got a job.

I briefly did a minimum wage job at my hometown cinema (actually one of the most enjoyable jobs I've ever had), with no intention of staying there too long (7 weeks before I got a job in London). The manager told me she didn't have a problem hiring graduates, as she knew they wouldn't be there long, but that they would be good value as employees. Conversely I did get rejected for a low wage admin job a couple of years later for being "too good for the position". Obviously a complete gamble going into an interview for a downmarket position.

gmang

That useless unemployed "executive" for Hamleys was just shocking, he was totally living in a dream world.

His statement that because his nearly-new BMW 5 series is worth less than remains on the car loan he might as well just keep it really sums it up. A marketing man who doesn't understand the sunk cost fallacy? Surely selling it for £25k and buying a Fiesta for £2k will leave him with £23k. His loan payments will remain regardless of whether he has the car or a cheaper car!

Maybe with that £23k he can keep his daughter "Darcy" in an overpriced private school. God help her in the local comp! Good job his daddy stepped in to help him, that says a lot too.

andygb

OK, this is my situation. I want work, and have wanted work for the past year. My last interview was in November last year, where I had succeeded in fighting off 30 other applicants for a one in three chance at the job. I came up short. The last reply I had for an application was in March, no joy, I phoned them up, and was told that there had been 70 applicants for the one job.
I am 51, have worked for 33 years. I have three quite serious medical conditions which require constant care and attention, but which I do not disclose, and for which I do not receive disability allowance. I am receiving no benefits at the moment.
I looked at three (the only three) local recruitment agencies yesterday, and went into one of them, armed with a few copies of my CV. It went something like this:
Recruitment Man: Hello, what do you want?
Now, I was wearing walking shoes and a waterproof top, because it was chucking it down, but I was nice and clean, and smelt nice (OK, you will have to take my word for it), and I was well groomed (OK say what you will).
Me. I am looking for permanent or temporary work, and I am immediately available, and I have a copy of my CV.
Recruitment man turns his back (He is in his mid thirties), and asks his colleague to help me.
They both look at me and say " Have you done warehouse work?", then the lady (In her twenties says "What have you been doing up until now?".
Me. "I have 33 years Accountancy experience".
RecLady: "Could you do warehouse work?"
I then offered copies of my CV, and they told me it had to be E Mailed - couldn't they scan it?
I cannot take the warehouse work, because we only have one car, and the warehouse work was working nights, and it was 15 miles away. I can walk miles, but I cannot lift anything, and I have no grip strength whatever.
This agency was not interested in my CV or my experience, they just wanted a body to put in a job.
There are millions of able young men who are not qualified in anything, surely they should be doing this type of work.

Generali

BritRael wrote: »

I think you'll find that Prince Charles is Upper Class and jobless :rolleyes: :rotfl::rotfl:

According to Wikipedia, he has started 16 charities, lectures on architecture, helped start the Canadian version of the National Trust and runs a large organic processed and raw foods company (Duchy Originals, the profits of £6,000,000 go to charity). As well as all those bits and bobs things that come up like state funerals, looking after foreign leaders etc.

robin_banks

Afriend wrote: »

Especially is their degree was in media studies.

Almost all media studies are middle class, that's why they can afford to work as 'interns' etc for the bbc, name your paper/mag. Or maybe a runner on a film set.

robin_banks

Generali wrote: »

According to Wikipedia, he has started 16 charities, lectures on architecture, helped start the Canadian version of the National Trust and runs a large organic processed and raw foods company (Duchy Originals, the profits of £6,000,000 go to charity). As well as all those bits and bobs things that come up like state funerals, looking after foreign leaders etc.

Charlie's a funny one, not qualified to lecture on architecture ( I at least have a 17 year old degree/post grad in Town Planning), involved in organics in the current economic climate ain't a good thing.