Costa del Dole - hundreds apply to lob lattes at yumummies

ruggedtoast

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/more-than-1700-people-apply-for-just-eight-jobs-at-costa-coffee-shop-8501329.html

More than 1,700 people applied for eight jobs at a new coffee shop, in an indication of how tough the jobs market remains.

Coffee shop chain Costa said it received 1,701 applications for the posts at their new branch in Mapperley, Nottingham, after advertising in early December.

It comes ahead of new unemployment figures published by the Office for National Statistics tomorrow.

A spokeswoman for Costa said the firm was shocked at the response for the three full-time and five part-time posts at the shop, which is due to open on Woodborough Road on Friday.

She said applicants for the posts, with wages between £6.10 and £10 an hour, ranged from new graduates to former managers who were clearly overqualified for the positions.

The applicants included employees of music chain HMV and Clinton Cards, which have both been among a number of high street stores forced to call in the administrators due to the tough economic climate.

More than 1,000 jobs are to be lost at HMV as administrators announced it is to close 66 of the music chain's 220 UK stores over the next two months. Hundreds of jobs were also lost when Clinton went into administration last year but many were saved when the brand was bought by a US firm.

The spokeswoman for Costa said: "We were shocked at the response - I don't think we expected anything like the number of applications we received. Applicants ranged from new graduates to ex-shop managers among others, and we've been really encouraged to see so many people wanting to work at their local Costa store."

Another British success story.

Nikkster

ruggedtoast wrote: »

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/more-than-1700-people-apply-for-just-eight-jobs-at-costa-coffee-shop-8501329.html



Another British success story.

Saw this on the news - my initial thought was the contrast between over 200 people applying for each of the jobs, and the people who the successful candidates will be serving £3 coffees too.

Generali

Does this reflect the state of the UK's economy or that in the Internet age, applying for a job is effectively free?

I remember us putting up job ads for part time nanny/babysitters in about 2007 (definitely in the boom) and getting 2-300 responses in the first day.

It used to be 'expensive' to apply for a job as you'd have to have a physical copy of your CV and get it to the employer somehow. Now you briefly type a cover email and attach a CV. It takes a matter of moments.

kabayiri

I guess this puts the myth to bed that all jobless people in Brits are lazy, good for nothing types who would rather watch daytime telly.

People obviously want to work. I'd say it's actually a strength we have.

Nikkster

Generali wrote: »

Does this reflect the state of the UK's economy or that in the Internet age, applying for a job is effectively free?

I remember us putting up job ads for part time nanny/babysitters in about 2007 (definitely in the boom) and getting 2-300 responses in the first day.

It used to be 'expensive' to apply for a job as you'd have to have a physical copy of your CV and get it to the employer somehow. Now you briefly type a cover email and attach a CV. It takes a matter of moments.

It might not be expensive to apply online, but I would be willing to bet that applications for these jobs would involve filling in slightly torturous online forms rather than just firing off a cv and covering letter (not that filling in an online form is enough to put someone off if they want the job, but once you've filled in a few in a short space of time, you do have to remind yourself to retain the will to live).

chewmylegoff

Wish I could get 200 applicants for each of my bloody vacancies. Lucky to get 20 and 15 of those couldn't spell.

Graham_Devon

chewmylegoff wrote: »

Wish I could get 200 applicants for each of my bloody vacancies. Lucky to get 20 and 15 of those couldn't spell.

Three wer'e me.

Generali

Nikkster wrote: »

It might not be expensive to apply online, but I would be willing to bet that applications for these jobs would involve filling in slightly torturous online forms rather than just firing off a cv and covering letter (not that filling in an online form is enough to put someone off if they want the job, but once you've filled in a few in a short space of time, you do have to remind yourself to retain the will to live).

Not really. Name, address, are you eligible to work in the UK? How much do you expect to earn and attach a CV.

http://gs10.globalsuccessor.com/fe/tpl_whitbread02.asp?s=YbKeMXoYzVDrEgPwrWePgtHrY&key=83934542&c=546248826559&pagestamp=sezikhwlxhnrwyhjdl

I agree that filling out those long forms is terrible but IME most companies don't bother with that any more unless you get the job.

michaels

Plus of course nowadays you have to demonstrate to the benefits office that you have been actively looking so 5 minutes on the application form, print off the submission receipt and 'jobs' a good un for your fortnightly JSA etc.

Thrugelmir

kabayiri wrote: »

I guess this puts the myth to bed that all jobless people in Brits are lazy, good for nothing types who would rather watch daytime telly.

95% of the applicants were either Irish, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Portuguese or Greek.

zagubov

Nikkster wrote: »

Saw this on the news - my initial thought was the contrast between over 200 people applying for each of the jobs, and the people who the successful candidates will be serving £3 coffees too.

Thrugelmir wrote: »

95% of the applicants were either Irish, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Portuguese or Greek.

I'd pay £3 for an Irish coffee. :beer:
Not for any of the other nationalities though.

Remember when people used to write to the newpapers letter page to complain if a coffee cost about a pound. Still at least this chain pays some tax.