Why cant supermarket job adverts have more detail?

Soconfused14

I applied for job at a supermarket. No mention of hours needed, just "flexibility" required.
I got a call to say could I come to an interview, so asked the caller about hours, contract and area of store. She said she didnt know about hours or contract but that they were looking for tills or shop floor. So I said yes.
Interview going well, I say Im flexible but earliest start is probably 8am, maybe occassionally 6am.

Its not until 20 mins into interview that she mentions its on the Bakery department, the one area Im absolutely not interested in. I know someone who does it and its a ridiculous amount of work(not just baking but cleaning industrial ovens) and for the same pay as someone on a till or stacking shelves.

Im not sure what to do but listen and answer questions all the time thinking, I dont want this position. From what shes saying Im perfect and jobs mine. 

We finish interview and as Im leaving , we see someone from bakery, in a hair net, who puts me off even more by saying what hard work it is.

Next day I get a call to offer me the job, which I turn down.

All this could have been avoided if the ad said which department or the person arranging interviews had known which deopartment. I feel bad for turning it down but was trying to not burn bridges if another job came up.

What can I do to make sure this doesnt happen again??

DullGreyGuy

You can't, though once they said which department it is in in the interview you could have said that you wouldn't be interested in the bakery and cut the interview short.

Hiring is a rather complex thing and is very time consuming for a business. One of the things that makes it complex is internal applicants who dont fulfil the role so much as just move the vacancy. Time is often of the essence too as whoever you hire typically has a similar notice period as the person you're losing so every week spent hiring is a week you'll be short handed. 

Advertising internally before advertising externally just risks adding more time that you are without staff. Advertising externally as a job in the bakery risks the vegan working on the meat counter getting the job internally and so having to restart the recruitment process now hiring for the butchery whereas advertising it externally as a generic role enables you to pivot and point the external candidates at either department. 

We're doing the same, need someone for a new team but suspect it will be applied for internally so would need someone to replace them externally but can't afford the wait to do the internal recruitment to confirm it. 

kempiejon

Well I reckon you've both dodged a bullet there. You didn't get a role you don't want and the employee didn't get an employee who couldn't do early mornings or hard work. I've been unemployed for 6 months. I'm not in a position to turn down roles. Good luck in your continued search.

Soconfused14

@DullGreyGuy I get what you are saying, Ive hired people in the past. But surely when i queried it when offered the interview, they should have known then. As it is, it wasted everyones time. I didnt walk out because I may apply for another role at that store and didnt want to burn bridges.

@kempiejon Im not scared of hard work but everyone who I know that works or has worked on that department, has moved from it or is trying to. Its the worst job in the store. All that responsibility and non stop, for the same wage as someone on a till is wrong.

 And my point was that you should be made aware of what role you are applying for, even if its at invite to interview stage, so you can say no thats not for me. 

LinLui

 And my point was that you should be made aware of what role you are applying for, even if its at invite to interview stage, so you can say no thats not for me

You are applying for a job at a supermarket. The contract is routinely "you work where you are put" and employees are moved around to suit business needs. That is because they are a business and their only concern is their bottom line, not yours. You could apply for shelf stacking and two weeks later be moved to the bakery. If hard work is a disincentive then I suggest this isn't a line of work for you. I'm sure shelf stackers and till operators (who interchange according to need all the time, and could spend time in specific departments like the bakery too) will be glad to know they have cushy roles. 

I don't think you have a realistic view of working in a supermarket if you think that you get to apply to do one specific job and that's where you stay. Nor if you think that telling the employer that work they offer "isn't for you" will result in any further interviews for anything with them in the future. 

Soconfused14

The point is this is bakery, just bakery.
As I said not got an unrealistic view, Ive worked in retail all my life. 
When you apply for a Supermarket ,you are generally recruited for one area and then get chance to train in other areas. Again worked in one before.
 

kempiejon

Soconfused14 said:

@kempiejon Im not scared of hard work but everyone who I know that works or has worked on that department, has moved from it or is trying to. Its the worst job in the store. All that responsibility and non stop, for the same wage as someone on a till is wrong.

I didn't say you were scared but sorry I misunderstood.
It's a good job you didn't get the role and have to come in early and work harder than someone on a till. And lucky the employer didn't get someone who couldn't.
Good luck I hope you find work more suited to your attitude soon. Being unemployed is upsetting and of course fiscally limiting.

LinLui

Soconfused14 said:

The point is this is bakery, just bakery.
As I said not got an unrealistic view, Ive worked in retail all my life. 
When you apply for a Supermarket ,you are generally recruited for one area and then get chance to train in other areas. Again worked in one before.
 

Really? How long ago? Because I have friends working at Asda, Morrisons and Aldi - and not one of those recruits as you are suggesting. And a quick root through google shows the major supermarkets recruiting for (in some form of wording) "store assistants" who are flexible. The only roles advertised for specifics are supervisory / managerial or other roles requiring set skills. Otherwise they are recruiting store staff or warehouse staff. Perhaps supermarkets are different around where you live.

TELLIT01

It's possible that initially they were advertising for a number of different areas but those had all been filled by the time of your interview.

Marcon

Soconfused14 said:

The point is this is bakery, just bakery.
As I said not got an unrealistic view, Ive worked in retail all my life. 
When you apply for a Supermarket ,you are generally recruited for one area and then get chance to train in other areas. Again worked in one before.
 

Seems to be a similar gripe to the one you raised in August last year when you were looking for a job in a supermarket: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6464720/why-are-job-vacancies-so-vague-hours-pay-etc#latest

As you are still looking, maybe there's a message there in terms of how flexible you need to be...?

Soconfused14

Yep still looking. Had to change lots of things to make sure I'm flexible as poss including weekend.  But when 300 people apply for one position it's hard. 
@LinLui not sure why you're coming across as so aggressive. But yes the last two times I've interviewed for supermarkets, it's been for specific area, this time bakery and last time freezer dept.  I also applied to The Range and that was specifically for the Pet food