Good opportunity or Bull?

[Aaronj46]

Just seen this on gumtree, work a week for free? if you put someone on a trial basis i understand or even just paying expenses but £0 for 45hrs+ work? "WE ARE LOOKING TO TAKE ON A PLUMBER'S MATE & ELECTRICAL IMPROVER. IDEALLY THE CANDIDATE SHOULD BE ON A COLLEGE COURSE OR HAVE RECENTLY COMPLETED A COLLEGE COURSE. LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS SOME EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE TRADE. IDEALLY AGED BETWEEN 16-22. CANDIDATE MUST BE A GOOD TIME KEEPER, PUNCTUAL, RELIABLE, POLITE, TRUSTWORTHY AND KEEP TO LEARN. NOT LOOKING FOR SOMEONE THAT IS CONSTANTLY ON THEIR PHONE OR SMOKING LIKE A CHIMNEY. MUST BE PRESENTABLE AND WELL MANNERED. OWN TOOLS ARE NOT ESSENTIAL. NEITHER IS OWN TRANSPORT. AS LONG AS YOU CAN GET PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO EITHER MEET US ON THE JOB OR ON ROUTE TO THE JOB. NORMAL WORKING HOURS ARE 8 AM TO 5 AM. OCCASIONALLY YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO WORK LATE AND WEEKENDS. MUST BE WILLING TO DO A WEEK'S UNPAID TRIAL. THIS WILL FIZZLE OUT ANY TIME WASTERS. ONLY LOOKING FOR GENUINE HARD WORKING TRAINEES. PLEASE CONTACT SAM FOR A BRIEF TELEPHONE INTERVIEW ON 07838 357647. GOOD LUCK."

 

[Badged01]

Says bags about the company if thats the way they want to employ potential employees! But would you really want to work for a company that can happily treat future employees like that?

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

F that! Don't be a mug! Find them out and name and shame!

 

[Aaronj46]

Says bags about the company if thats the way they want to employ potential employees! But would you really want to work for a company that can happily treat future employees like that?

With the lack of opportunities some people may feel that it is worth it, even if only for a reference

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

With the lack of opportunities some people may feel that it is worth it, even if only for a reference

ill give you a reference for anyone who is actually serious about taking up this god awful scumbag firm!

 

[Adam W]

Maybe I'm making generalisations but I envisage the job eventually going to a migrant worker after the person who placed the advert gets "sick and tired of British youngsters who would rather sit at home playing computer games than go and do a days work".

Personally I'd give this a wide berth - if large companies can employ trainees without expecting them to work a week for free then why can't this guy? The usual way to "fizzle out the timewasters" is by meeting potential employees; it's called an 'interview' which usually lasts half an hour or so, not a whole week. He's not even offering to pay for college.
Yes there are (or certainly 'were' during the recession) trainees willing to offer a free trial, but that is usually as an incentive to an employer who hasn't advertised a vacancy, and certainly shouldn't be the way the industry is heading.

 

[Silly Sausage]

Maybe I'm making generalisations but I envisage the job eventually going to a migrant worker after the person who placed the advert gets "sick and tired of British youngsters who would rather sit at home playing computer games than go and do a days work".

Ah...and there lies one root of the problems so vociferously discussed yesterday.
British employers exploiting cheap Eastern European labour.
They'll work for a pittance for a while, get a bit of experience and move on.
Plenty more in the line to replace them.

It all helps to pay for the new R8, I guess!

 

[overskilled]

I think we should ALL apply for it...drive the guy round the bend totally, and throw in some poglish applications for good measure also.....

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

Have you got this idiots contact details?

 

[Aaronj46]

O7838 357647 Sam

 

[Aaronj46]

Have you got this idiots contact details?

Be nice!

 

[Adam W]

Ah...and there lies one root of the problems so vociferously discussed yesterday.
British employers exploiting cheap Eastern European labour.
They'll work for a pittance for a while, get a bit of experience and move on.
Plenty more in the line to replace them.

It all helps to pay for the new R8, I guess!

I don't think this guy is out to exploit "cheap eastern European labour" and probably genuinely expects to offer a long term position to the right candidate, but if nobody wants to do a weeks hard work for free I think he'd rather brand all young people as lazy and workshy instead of admitting he was expecting too much, before implementing a 2 pronged change of tactic - looking for a foreigner, and offering remuneration.
At the very least he should be offering the going rate for someone to lug stuff around for a week with no guaranteed job at the end of it.

Unpaid internships may be commonplace where there's a 6 figure salary up for grabs, but in this industry we still use probation periods.

 

[overskilled]

lie weeks are bad enough...let alone zero pay...

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

I'll give him a call tomorrow and let him know a few opinions I have, then a few hours later I'll get a lad to give him a call to arrange a weeks trial, should save some poor lad a day of worthlessness when our cap doesn't turn up!

 

[Aaronj46]

I'll give him a call tomorrow and let him know a few opinions I have, then a few hours later I'll get a lad to give him a call to arrange a weeks trial, should save some poor lad a day of worthlessness when our cap doesn't turn up!

Be sure to keep us all updated