To be suprised we can't fill these vacancies at work?

[CatthiefKeith]

I have been trying to recruit weekend receptionists for over a year. Ideally I am looking for two people, who can work every other weekend. We have tried having someone that works every Sunday, and someone that does Saturday's, but it never works out.

The money isn't brilliant, admittedly, but it is above minimum wage, the work is easy and sometimes you get to mess about on boats on the river.

For the last 6 months, I have been working Saturdays, and we have had another woman just doing Sundays. She has recently found a full time job, and has realised that she loses most of her part time wages to tax, so has handed in her notice.

Surely there must be people out there willing to work weekends? What am I missing? Why can't I find any staff?

It's supply and demand, not like it's a skills shortage . Your company will have to pay more.

When I last had a job where they changed everyone's hours during the week to share out covering the weekend, I left. I had to, i couldn't find childcare and parent care, and the price to my family life otherwise was too much anyway. So I'm in the don't restructure to make everyone do weekends camp.

Would you not attract more people if it were a 16 hour a week job (so they can claim tax credits?) so every weekend instead of every other? Why do you want to split it across two people?

Problem is that you now need to do 24 hours a week to qualify for WTC, it's only 16 hours if you're a single parent. Which is unfortunate for OP as single parents are the ones less likely to be free to work at weekends, since childcare is more sparse then.

Dd would do this - she is finding a weekend job impossible to get. I think I know where you are as were in kent. Think the travelled be an issue at that time.

Ah I thought it was 24 hours a week between both parents with at least 16 hours for one? May well have changed recently though.

It is ceeveebee but I don't think there are many couples where one partner is working just 8 hours already. Before they changed the requirement to 24 hours in 2012 I reckon it would be filled quite easily.

I really wish this was closer to me as I'm desperately searching for something like this!

This is a great role for a carer.

Under the £110 maximum weekly wage they're allowed to earn and weekend work whereby (if the situation made it possible) other family members became the carer for the day/weekend whilst the carer got to be part of society again.

I'd love the opportunity of a job like this. If only it were my part of the country.

It's a similar scenario to when perfectly good houses fail to sell - the price is wrong.

The salary needs to be better.

I also think summer work shouldn't be less well paid than winter work. If previous staff have left because their wage was swallowed by tax (and probably also travel) then that's your answer.

The only problem with students Doctor is that they tend to bugger off for the summer, which is our busiest time.

Look for a student who is home rather than at the local uni.

Have you tried TES? I'm a supply teacher, this would suit me fine for over the summer when I don't have any work, I'm actually looking for a summer job at the moment.

It wouldn't work all year but certainly over the summer.

The Shaw trust also work with exprisoners, how would you feel about having a prisoner on weekend leave?

Disabled people can get WTC for 16 hours, could you target your adverts differently?

It does seem like perhaps the market has spoken.

I think it has to be worth someone's while to work weekends. It is when most people go out or go away overnight.
It may suit someone who's other half works Monday to Friday or a lone parent, providing they have exclent child care.

A retired person would also be good but I' m wondering if it effects pension/benefits?

We've found suitable candidates for part time/ admin roles by advertising on jobsinkent (sorry don't do links). Don't know if you've advertised on there??

Where in Kent are you? Could you message me as I am looking for this sort of work on Kent!

This would have been great for me when I was in 6th form - I worked a full day every Saturday on checkouts for the whole time I was at college. Im not much of a party girl, rather have the cash :D