My experience of recruiting new staff

bristol_pilot

poorlittlefish wrote: »

Quite a few of the applicants had degrees - even Masters degrees (yet some of those had poor GCSE grades - don't quite get that).

It indicates an able person who had the misfortune to be sent to a carp school by their parents.

Missme

bristol_pilot wrote: »

It indicates an able person who had the misfortune to be sent to a carp school by their parents.

Of course, because parents set out to send their kids to to rubbish schools.

I was 'sent' to my local state primaries (I went to 3 because my parents moved home) and as much as I wasn't a model pupil and didn't necessarily appreiate it, I had excellent teachers who certainly embedded the basics. This was in the early to late 70s.

When I sent my own children to the local state primary, it was clear from the offset that standards had changed. Excellent teachers but they couldn't spell and/or didn't correct such things! Blew my mind completely and irritated my kids no end when I challenged them on spelling/grammar/punctuation.

We have generations of kids, who received a sub-standard education who then go on to teach other kids. Not everyone can afford private education and if we all could it would have less kudos.

I really don't remember covering all of the subjects that small people do now and I'd really much rather they received a firm foundation in language and maths from which to have the confidence to learn and express (correctly) other subjects.

flea72

poorlittlefish wrote: »

To answer a couple of the questions... it was a fairly generic administration/customer service role, so I did expect quite a high number of applications, just not such poor quality. Quite a few of the applicants had degrees - even Masters degrees (yet some of those had poor GCSE grades - don't quite get that).

I have what would be classed as poor gcse grades, but am currently part way through a degree. I agree, on paper it must look odd if you arent intelligent enough to pass a gcse, but hold a degree. In my own case, i would say i let school and gcses pass me by due to a lack of confidence and with no real push from teachers/parents that good grades were important (you left school and took the first job you were offered, whether it interested you or not).

I also took gcses the first year they came out and can say, that very few people i knew (even those classed as brainy) got above a C grade, so again the grades dont really match capability. I resat my gcse maths exam recently as a grade C+ was a condition of my uni offer. It seemed so much easier this time round, but im digressing now

Also degrees can be quite tailored to a field, where general gcses bear no relation, and experience is more important. So again, the results you got at school have no link to holding a degree

Kynthia

bristol_pilot wrote: »

It indicates an able person who had the misfortune to be sent to a carp school by their parents.

Or were a late developer. I didn't really put effort into my studies until I was at university and more mature/driven. Since then I've done a couple of additional tough professional qualifications taking another 6 years while working full time and I passed every exam first time (not that easily done) with good scores.

Dr_Teeth

bristol_pilot wrote: »

It indicates an able person who had the misfortune to be sent to a carp school by their parents.

Still seems a bit fishy to me.

BigAunty

poorlittlefish wrote: »

Quite a few of the applicants had degrees - even Masters degrees (yet some of those had poor GCSE grades - don't quite get that).

I've only got 5 o'levels at fairly average grades (without maths) but have good a'levels, a 2:1 masters degree and post-grad qualifications.

I went to what is known as a 'sink' school which had one of the lowest GCSE results in the county. When I attended only around 12% of pupils gained 5 GCSEs which over a couple of decades limped up to 22% which was still less than half the national average.

It was a massive school with obviously quite low socio-economic demographic and weak teachers. I spent years in a class with a handful of immature boys ruining each and every lesson showing off and where being 'brainy' was punished with bullying.

When I reached sixth form (the only person in my class staying on for A'levels), we had small groups of between 3 to 8 pupils in a class with really motivated teachers and really motivated fellow students so I got fabulous A'levels.

mattcanary

poorlittlefish wrote: »

I have recently had to advertise for a new member of staff and was shocked at the applications that I received:


- One-word answers to competency-based questions
- Spelling mistakes in almost every application ("proffesional" being a favourite)
- Sentences that made no sense whatsoever
- Lowercase letters used throughout
- Words abbreviated as if they were being used in a text message rather than a job application
- "Glamour" photos on CVs
- Failing to apply by the stated method


I could go on. When there are so many candidates fighting for each vacancy I can't understand why anyone would put so little care into their application unless they are actively trying to avoid getting shortlisted.


When it came to interviewing there were candidates who were dressed very casually, who'd done absolutely no research about the company and hadn't thought to have any examples ready in relation to the competencies they knew we were looking for.


A good number of the applicants were unemployed, some for two or more years and frankly, I'm not surprised when they make such little effort. Is my experience of being a recruiter being repeated all over the country or was I just unlucky?!

Yes, many of the applicants didn't want the job (or at least didn't really have any interest in doing the job). That is what employers are faced with, under the sanctioning regime operated by the DWP. People apply for jobs so they don't get sanctioned.




However, on the other hand:


If the job is something like stacking shelves in a supermarket, I really cannot see the point in an employer wasting money and time on an in-depth application process

mattcanary

bristol_pilot wrote: »

I have totally the opposite experience, I'm constantly amazed by the high quality of applicants. They ALL have a string of A/A* at GCSE, 4-5 A-grade A-levels, a first from a top university (often a PhD), a string of awards and prizes and well-prepared answers to competency-type questions. OP, I suggest you are simply not paying enough to attract good candidates and are just getting those seeking to avoid JSA sanctions.

Or advertising on Universal Jobseach?

Gavin83

I'm not sure what school you attend makes a huge difference, you either have the ability as a student or you don't. I think it's more to do with general maturity as you grow and a greater appreciation for education.

What exactly do you find suspicious about bad GCSE's but a good degree?

Takeaway_Addict

Missme wrote: »

Of course, because parents set out to send their kids to to rubbish schools.

I was 'sent' to my local state primaries (I went to 3 because my parents moved home) and as much as I wasn't a model pupil and didn't necessarily appreiate it, I had excellent teachers who certainly embedded the basics. This was in the early to late 70s.

When I sent my own children to the local state primary, it was clear from the offset that standards had changed. Excellent teachers but they couldn't spell and/or didn't correct such things! Blew my mind completely and irritated my kids no end when I challenged them on spelling/grammar/punctuation.

We have generations of kids, who received a sub-standard education who then go on to teach other kids. Not everyone can afford private education and if we all could it would have less kudos.

I really don't remember covering all of the subjects that small people do now and I'd really much rather they received a firm foundation in language and maths from which to have the confidence to learn and express (correctly) other subjects.

Obviously not excellent then really are they.