Wibu to ask for reasons dd didn't get the job

[BedofRoses88]

My dd did a trial at a cafe last week along with some others. I picked her up at the end of it and it all seemed so positive. She was sat down, paid, asked when she could start and what days she could do etc and I was almost certain she would be offered the job. They were taking on more than 1 person. She's 16 and it was me who originally saw the advert so I had previously messaged the owner and chatted to him quite a bit. She's not been told either way but would have been asked to start tomorrow so I'm sure she's not got it. Part of me thinks leave it but the other thinks it would be useful to get constructive criticism. But I don't want it to come across like I'm demanding why she didn't get it! Wwyd?

Are you in the UK?

Because all cafes and restaurants are closed except for takeaways.

That is most likely to be the reason you haven't heard.

Dd then went to do the trial. It was only because I went into the cafe after the owner chatted to me. I stood back away when he wanted to speak to dd because I didn't want to interfere!

So you actually went with her when she went for the trial? Oh gawd yes. She won't have got it because she will have looked immature - mummy being the one to message and then clucking along behind her when she meets them.

Also - if that's the dynamic, it's probably a bit likely that she didn't just LOOK immature - she possibly would have acted that way too. At 16, I wouldn't have stood for my mum bustling along to something like this - I saw myself as independent at that level and so I was. She's clearly not, and that probably became obvious compared to other more independent folk at the trial. Less confident, less able to acton her own initiative. And they would have taken one look at you following in behind her and thought 'I don't want to be dealing with Mum calling up every time there's a problem...'

@Bluntness100 Do you agree people should work for free then? Particularly young people who will be looking for these types of jobs? Does it not feel weird that a cafe would by hiring multiple people at the current time?

@ExclamationPerfume

Sometimes they use "trial" to mean free work. My DD did a trial shift and was promised a job. It turns out they use loads of teenagers for free work. They never actually employ anyone. I let everyone I know with teenagers to avoid them.

Same here. My DD was used for 3 hours and promised a job. Nothing.

I used to work at McDonalds, I was involved with the recruitment process as I used to look after people on trial shifts. (Believe me they won’t be using people on trial shifts as free labour, it’s much more effort having to babysit someone).

There’s was a running joke that we ran a ‘kids club’, parents would phone in sick for their kids, phoning up saying they had to study etc. I remember a man once game in demanding to speak to a manager who made his son stay on for an extra 20 minutes the previous day (it’s in the contract to help with rotating staff tho it’s barely ever needed).

After a while the recruitment manager realised that taking on kids whose parents sat a few tables away watching their interview was probably more hassle than it was worth. They really cut down on the number of 16 year olds they hired after that, which is a shame because some were really good.

It doesn’t matter if it’s just a first job in hospitality, it’s still a job, you should not be interfering with it. Parents like you are the reason a lot of employers are hesitant to hire younger people.

It turns out they use loads of teenagers for free work

It's disgustingly common in the hospitality industry. And yes, if this is a case I do think that for a 16 year old a parent should be raising it because it's also illegal.

@GlobeUs

It turns out they use loads of teenagers for free work

It's disgustingly common in the hospitality industry. And yes, if this is a case I do think that for a 16 year old a parent should be raising it because it's also illegal.

Whilst this is obviously something that should not be happening I don't see why so many people are bringing it up on this thread as the OP clearly states her child was paid for the shift.

@diversity101

Have you thought that perhaps you are the reason she hasn’t got the job? If she is old enough to work then she is old enough to apply ect by herself! If I was the owner I would be staying clear!

This ^

They will have inundated with applications for a job like this. So many people furloughed/redundant and older students in need of a job. So why would they employ a lackadaisical girl with a pushy mother?

Where are cafes open?

@Same4Walls Apologies, I did miss that - I have just re-read the OP and can see it is mentioned in the comma'd list.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Who do you think provides all the food for the Deliveroo and Just Eat crew to deliver? confused

Takeaway fairies 😁 😂

My SiL says he's going to buy some fairy wings to wear on his next shift

My SiL says he's going to buy some fairy wings to wear on his next shift grin

Need a pic😁

I think asking for feedback when they've probably had to seriously rethink their hiring decisions due to lockdown will make you or your DD look completely clueless and tone-deaf to the current lockdown rules, especially after you went inside the cafe during the work trial. Honestly, wait to hear back, and if you don't hear back, move on. 16 year olds don't need "constructive feedback" about work trials in name badge jobs, you'll just damage her self esteem and you sound like the sort who will go on and on about it to her face and behind her back on here.

None of your business.

She could ask for feedback though, if she’s bothered.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

My SiL says he's going to buy some fairy wings to wear on his next shift grin

Need a pic😁

Me too, I'll try and persuade him

@Mrgrinch

That was a unkind reply. As you can see from the thread using teens for free labour with no intention of employing them is really common.

Superdrug should not be asking teens to work for free.

Some of these replies brought back a long hidden memory of a civil service interview I attended as a college leaver.

My mother decided to travel up to London with me and shop whilst I attended the interview. It turned out to be a much longer process than I'd anticipated with various tests and interviews taking up several hours. Half way through a panel interview with 3 senior officials my mother burst into the room, hotly pursued by the concierge, demanding to know why it was taking so long! She then sat down next to me and proceeded to answer most of the questions on my behalf. I was mortified!

Surprisingly, I was offered the job!

@WildWaterSwimmer oh my goodness! I’m glad you got job despite your mother’s behaviour.

I’d be humiliated if my parent even thought of doing this to me! Nothing worse than an overbearing parent. It’s up there with parents who still go into the room at a doctors appointment with their teenagers.

I used to employ young people, 16+. Having to email their mums their rota and take sick calls from their mums was not something I was prepared to put up with, so I wouldn't be interested in employing someone who depended on their mum to handle the recruitment process for them. I was really surprised to learn that some of them wouldn't make their own GP appointments or anything. Why are so many parents raising their kids to be giant adult babies?

Ask her to ask if her school cleaning company need any extra help. My 17yo has been part of a 6th form group cleaning their school every evening for a few hours, including during this lockdown. For this they get £8ph and he’s started a workplace pension. In return the school has had less year group outbreaks. It’s a good model

They also get holiday pay

@WildWaterSwimmer

Some of these replies brought back a long hidden memory of a civil service interview I attended as a college leaver.

My mother decided to travel up to London with me and shop whilst I attended the interview. It turned out to be a much longer process than I'd anticipated with various tests and interviews taking up several hours. Half way through a panel interview with 3 senior officials my mother burst into the room, hotly pursued by the concierge, demanding to know why it was taking so long! She then sat down next to me and proceeded to answer most of the questions on my behalf. I was mortified!

Surprisingly, I was offered the job!

Hahaha I cant believe she did that and they still hired you! You must have performed really well on your interview!

It's still early anyway op. Your dd may still get the job.

I once applied for the same job as a friend. We were about 16. We both had an interview and soon afterwards she got the job and I didn't. I didn't hear anything from them either way but as I knew my friend had been hired, I worked out it was a no! After she'd been there for two weeks, she made a mistake on the job and walked out and didn't come back! They called me up the next day and asked if I wanted the job so I said yes.

The assistant manager told me privately that we had both done well in the interview but my friend had seemed a lot more confident. They'd not ruled me out entirely, I was the second choice. (He also said I was a much better employee once I was in the actual job... I'm still awful at interviews!)

Something similar may happen with your dd. They may hire someone who was better at the interview but if it doesn't work out or another vacancy comes up, she might get a call.

Probably late to the party here, but IMO your DD should work on the assumption she has the job, and get in touch with him and ask 'what time would you like me to start tomorrow?'