Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this is utterly humiliating

194 replies

merricat · 07/08/2015 00:29

So, I live in a reasonably quiet Scottish village. We moved here two years ago after my husband got a job at [neighbouring city's university].

I know I'm overqualified for normal jobs - I have a PhD - but I want and need a job. Such jobs keep becoming available at our local Co-op shop. I would be fine and good at it, reliable etc. I have no commitments and could work any hours they wanted (which they said was a plus the first time I applied). I have now applied three times for a part time job on the tills. It is getting embarrassing. I will not apply again, but this evening I went in and noticed signs up saying they were recruiting. Every time I go in, the manager makes a point of ignoring me - he has my application on file and I've spoken to him about it previously, but can't keep doing so. I'm here, local, willing, and able. I cannot seem to get this shop job, despite the fact that they've been advertising consistently since I moved here, and despite having my application on file.

What is wrong with me? Why won't they even interview me? What can I do? How can I manage to get a job in a shop?

It's really started to depress me. Whenever I go in there, the manage very concertedly avoids eye contact. It's humiliating!

OP posts:
Sothisishowitfeels · 07/08/2015 07:40

A few years ago I got a job in a shop by just leaving any qualifications I got after GCSE off my cv. My cv was exactly the same as my many times rejected one apart from that.

I didn't lie they didn't ask and got the job!. I did have experience in a charity shop which probably helped - this might be an idea OP if you want a retail job.

diddl · 07/08/2015 07:45

Well part of me thinks good for them for not taking anyone overqualified if that is the case.

LeafyLafae · 07/08/2015 07:47

Relevant experience or transferable skills need to be on the CV - was it tailored to the role or was it a copy of the master CV that has all the (irrelevant) stuff on it too?
Could also be the manager would hate to employ someone more qualified than themselves, or you don't fulfil a quota they're aiming for?

tobysmum77 · 07/08/2015 07:55

why diddl? If someone is capable of doing a job they should be given it. Whether they have a phd or not is entirely irrelevant.

I think you do need to match the skills you have to the person specification though.

yanbu op.

Cassimin · 07/08/2015 08:04

If you really want a job in retail, why not try some voluntary work in a charity shop? This can work around any commitments you have and give you some experience. You will also integrate yourself in the community and fill your spare time. Will look good on a cv too.

SoupDragon · 07/08/2015 08:17

I think some of the comments here about you moving on due to boredom, asking why you want a shop job. Thinking it's good they've not offered it to someone "over qualified" and accusing you of going on about your PHD probably show why you haven't got the job.

SoupDragon · 07/08/2015 08:18

Perhaps the manager is like the posters making those comments.

MarchelineWhatNot · 07/08/2015 08:23

Maybe he thinks you won't be a good 'fit' for the company.

I remember a few years ago one of the secretaries in our company got her PhD. She was just like a team secretary, not even a PA. Fine. But she then signed off all her emails with 'Dr Whatever-her-name-was'. It just looked ridiculous. And I think caused a bit of resentment amongst the other secretaries, in a 'she thinks she's better than us' kind of way.

Sigma33 · 07/08/2015 08:24

When I looked for work that fitted family commitments rather than being the next career step I left my post-grad qualification off my CV, and down played the level of responsibility of my previous jobs. Fit your CV to the post you are looking for.

Cheby · 07/08/2015 08:30

Lots of posters ready to put the boot in here, not really sure why. Jealousy over your PHD maybe?

You really don't need experience to work on the till in a supermarket. I know because I worked those kind of jobs all the way through uni; supermarket checkout, deli counters, bookies, bar work and waitressing. All of it can be learned quickly and all of those employers were happy to take me on with zero prior experience in the specific roles.

I'd suggest he thinks you're over qualified. A legitimate concern might be that you would get this job then leave as soon as something more suited to your qualifications came along.

I'd ask the manager straight out why he hasn't given you a shot and try to reassure him you won't be buggering off at the first opportunity.

Bunbaker · 07/08/2015 08:31

"Well part of me thinks good for them for not taking anyone overqualified if that is the case"

There was no need for that unkind remark.

I expect the OP has good reasons for not wanting to get a job in academia. Maybe the hours don't suit, maybe there aren't any in her field or maybe the commute is too long.

thatstoast · 07/08/2015 08:33

The key criteria when I worked in the co-op was being under 18 so they could pay you £3ish an hour rather than proper minimum wage. Don't over think it, look for other opportunities.

outtolunchagain · 07/08/2015 08:33

I know a surprising amount of people who won't look at any applications with PhDs on or God forbid an MBAHmm

More likely though is that they want teens who can be paid the lower level of minimum wage .The local co op to us is staffed almost entirely by teenagers who basically pass the job onto friends when the go to university or get a full time job .They also only really recruit people they know, welcome to life in a small town .

outtolunchagain · 07/08/2015 08:34

Cross posted

WilburIsSomePig · 07/08/2015 08:38

Our local co-op seems to have a policy of only hiring scarily chatty people. They do small talk to the point of interrogation and look at you meaningfully.

Yes, this! You have to have nothing short of a detective if our local Co is anything to go by!

And the 'are you English' comment is pretty offensive to be honest.

diddl · 07/08/2015 08:41

My remark wasn't mant to be unkind.
I apologise if it came across that way.

It's just annoying when people with more qualifications are given a job leaving people with less qualifications to work where?

Still, it's never going to happen that most/all are working to their qualifications.

LindyHemming · 07/08/2015 08:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Coconutty · 07/08/2015 08:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SoupDragon · 07/08/2015 08:45

It's just annoying when people with more qualifications are given a job leaving people with less qualifications to work where?

No more annoying than needing a job with no huge responsibilities and being ruled out because you happen to have qualifications.

Igneococcus · 07/08/2015 08:50

Maybe the quiet Scottish village is too far from a University to look for an academic job. There are plenty of very remote areas in Scotland where commuting isn't feasible.
I live in an area like that, there is one campus of a University here but unless your PhD is in anything other than natural sciences, ideally in the marine section of natural sciences, there isn't really a job here.

bamboostalks · 07/08/2015 08:52

I'm laughing my tits off here at posters claiming what hard work and a difficult job retail is! Are you having a laugh? No offence to those who do it. We've probably all done it at one point, reason being that you basically have an hour's training and you're on the tills. Perhaps it's the buoyant job market where I live but any 18 year can walk into a role.
Look he's either xenophobic, doesn't like you for other reasons, promised the job to his niece etc. forget it and look elsewhere.
Or email head office asking for an explanation. Let's be honest, it's not going to lower your chances at this stage.

monkeymamma · 07/08/2015 08:54

Hmmm. After living in rural Scotland myself for ten years I don't think the posters asking if op is english or mentioning discrimination are all that way off the mark to be honest. Unless you've been an English person living in certain areas of Scotland it can be hard to imagine the deep hatred and prejudice that can exist there. But for some reason people don't like to acknowledge this and/or if they've lived in Scotland's cities and towns they will have had a very different experience. But my local coop didn't employ any 'snooty southern bastards' and didn't chat to them when they did their shopping either.

LornaGoon · 07/08/2015 08:54

Is it perhaps that you haven't lived there long enough to qualify as local and really they are only going to give it to someone whose family has lived there for at least four generations Hmm

Happens in my small little village all the time. Your face doesn't fit yet, and possibly, dare I say, your accent?

Although it shouldn't happen, it's likely the manager knew someone already who they were going to give the job to. The advertising for the job was just a formality.

Also, some people are really intimidated by those with long lists of academic qualifications. An intimidated manager isn't going to want someone who is going to undermine him. Not that you would but people can get the fear that they are going to embarrass themselves. Perhaps tailor your CV as needed.

Bad luck OP. Maybe it would be a blessing in disguise. I went for a retail job I thought I'd be good at. Didn't get it. But later found out that they treat the staff like crap. Lucky escape really.

DiscoDiva70 · 07/08/2015 08:55

Op, you say you've spoken to the manager and now you seem to think he makes a point of ignoring you. I may be wrong but it could be that you came across to him, like a pp poster said, that you are after a job in his shop although it's a job that's 'beneath' you.
None of us can know for sure the impression you gave him, however if you feel that you were approachable and friendly etc towards the manager, then why not just pop in one more time for a chat with him?

Another possibility, could there be someone who already works there who knows you/of you from your neighbourhood or whatever who could have diswayed the manager from considering your application?

DiscoDiva70 · 07/08/2015 08:56

Dissuaded!