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Online job application questionnaire

17 replies

monoid · 08/08/2011 21:03

I hate the online questionnaire thing to start with. I'm really crap at them. I was applying for a job at pizza hut as a "hut host" a few weeks ago. It was 16 hours a week on week days, which is ideal as a single mother. So I was working my way through and one of the questions was something along the lines of

"If your manager asked you to work on Saturday but you had already made plans, what would you do?" and then the options being something along the lines of a) drop everything and work, b) see if you can rearrange your plans, c) say you'd get back to them about it, c) no.

Obviously, I couldn't work on a Saturday and that was the reason that I was applying for a weekday job. So I reluctantly said "no". It said immediately after this that I wasn't suitable for the job. My problem is that it isn't that I'm reluctant to work extra hours. I have a term time job at the moment and have dropped everything a number of times to go in when needed. I'm happy to work extra hours if I can get childcare to cover it. I'm enthusiastic and genuinely enjoy working. But I can't work Saturdays. I just can't.

I have seen a similar job advertised in my area and wanted to know if you think I would be unreasonable to lie about this to try and get to interview stage and then mention it at that point (if I ever get there) or do you think it would be terribly wrong...

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FabbyChic · 08/08/2011 21:05

Lie about it, then put your best foot forward at interview.

TheMagnificentBathykolpian · 08/08/2011 21:06

No, I don't. I think advertising a weekday job and then dropping you when you say you can't work saturdays is wrong!

Do what you have to do to get to interview.

If they are really offering a weekday job, fine. If they do expect you to be willing to do the odd saturday in an emergency, at least you'll be talking to an actual human being about it!

mrspear · 08/08/2011 21:08

Yes - to yourself.

All types of customer service work in shops / restaurants expect their staff to be fully flexible and be prepared to do overtime as a former manager in a shop i was told to spell this out to all interviewees. It is shit tbh and i swear i never got the best staff because of it; the fact that my life was on permanent hold due to work was the reason i left retail and went into a {boring} 9 to 5 office job

tyler80 · 08/08/2011 21:09

I'd have opted for b) or c)

I don't think it's lying to go for either of those options, however unlikely it is that you'll be able to re arrange

Andrewofgg · 08/08/2011 21:12

If you say anything except No, get the job, and then don't make any effort to help in a real emergency, expect to get the boot and to deserve it.

monoid · 08/08/2011 21:12

Thanks Fabby and The Magnificent, I thought that, but also worried that they might have deliberately said Saturday because it will be one of their busiest days and if they need cover, then I would be relatively useless.

mrsspear I would love a boring 9-5 office job, but despite getting my ECDL level 2 and trying to match up with job descriptions, I haven't got the experience :( I have this problem with retail jobs as it's difficult to get childcare over xmas/new year/bank holidays... I'm just kinda stuck at the mo

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monoid · 08/08/2011 21:14

tyler80 - I was thinking that :)

Andrewofgg - I know, that's why I said I would fess up at interview. I don't want to lie but feel a bit miffed that I'm not considered by a real person for a weekday job because I can't work hours that I wouldn't be contracted to work.

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SaffronCake · 08/08/2011 21:18

It's the recession, employers know they can take the piss because there are plenty of other people they can kick if you don't bend over for them. I find it pretty distasteful that this is the way it is too. Whether you stick to your guns and don't let yourself be treated unfairly (and rule out a lot of jobs), to roll over and put your kids last, or to lie and hope to pull it off is your call. There isn't a right answer. The right answer would be if faceless firms didn't treat people like consumables. That probably means I'm living in La-La land these days.

monoid · 08/08/2011 21:30

This is the thing though, Saffron. Even if I did lie to get to (hopefully) get to interview, there will probably be a bazillion other people who don't have the restrictions on working hours that I do and so it would probably be a waste of time anyway. I'd still like to talk to a real person about it though instead of being ruled out by an automated system.

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SaffronCake · 08/08/2011 21:35

I know, it's a disgrace that Pizza Hut think they can treat people like dogs at thier beck and call all hours. It's 16 hours a week waitressing, it's not the special sections of the armed forces. I don't know how they dare. (As I said I'm probably living in my own bubble quite frankly).

monoid · 08/08/2011 21:42

I've found myself rejected more and more by internet questionnaire recently. I think it's becoming "the done thing" and I don't think this is going to go well for me at all... at least I have a term time job with a lovely manager who appreciates me. I might come and live in that bubble with you

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didldidi · 08/08/2011 21:42

It's the same at Tesco. All of their checkout jobs are 'core hours' but must be extremely to cover a shift at any time of day or night! unless you're a student I can't see how anyone can be this flexible in a poorly paid job

didldidi · 08/08/2011 21:43

extremelly flexible that should say.

Butterflybows · 08/08/2011 21:46

I hate those online questionnaires! It's also so depressing I can't get a crap job let alone something I might actually want to do/find fulfilling.

I always put the answers I think they want but never hear back

monoid · 08/08/2011 21:50

Doesn't surprise me didldidi, especially as Tesco are open pretty much all of the time.

Butterfly - I always write the things I think make sense and then I'm deemed not suitable... what do they want from me?! I know it's depressing. I only got this term time job because I knew someone who worked at the shop. I didn't get it off my amazing interview technique or anything. It is very much a case of who you know and not what you know.

I'm just really pissed off that I graduated from uni 2 years ago. Can't get a graduate job, can't get anything vaguely related to my degree and now I can't work in retail (the only thing that I have experience in) because I am a single parent.

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KAZAMM · 08/08/2011 21:54

If It's any consolation I applied for pizza hut a while back, completed their application and then waited. And waited and nobody ever got back to me despite them sending me an email to say they would review my application an let of know if I made it to interview stage.

Just think of it as their loss when you do get an interview for another job just explain your situation and put your best foot forward. Good luck.

monoid · 08/08/2011 22:00

KAZAMM - feel thankful that you didn't get pushed onto the internet questionnaire round
I will try to stay positive about it. Probably isn't worth lying to get a job when I know it'll all go to pot over xmas anyway, because I don't know what I would do for childcare.
Thanks for the help guys. I think I'll abandon it.

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