To hate the phrase 'Just get a job at Tesco.'

[LemonSherbetFancies]

Aimed at unemployed people?
As if it's that straightforward and easy to just walk in, ask for a job and start the next day.

Yes passes me off.
I'm ex cabin crew.
I applied to Tesco. Over the past year ive applied for a few of the 50 million vacancies they have advertised in our area. I chose the ones with the most hours being that I used to work full time.
Yes 12 hours a week but better than the 20 plus jobs on there offering 8 hours a week.

Did all the online assessments etc. Never heard back.

Same with McDonald's and KFC.

I'm applying for many jobs people tell me "will employ anyone". But seemingly not 45yo ex cabin crew. I also yet told there a millions of jobs out there. Yes loads of them. Lots of 12 hours a week jobs that require you to be totally flexible, that maybe able to offer you more hours but maybe not, oh and let's not forget they're all temporary too which I get is the norm, but 3 month contracts??? Ffs. How are we supposed to live like this??

yANBU.
My DD worked bloody hard at Morrisons before going to university. Up before 5 some mornings.
I tried to get a job at our Tesco. I failed.
As a child the worst job you could have that was possible to walk into was at Tate and Lyles

Yes, it's really weird. When the DSs were looking for PT work my Dad said similar. (Although he still thinks you just drop your CV into the manager!).

Also all the 'just get a job stacking shelves'. You have to wait for one to come up, go through all the lengthy online application process and if you pass that, get an interview (or group interview-shudder) and see if they want you.

I agree. DS has a friend whose DM works at Tesco - she was lucky to get the job by applying at the start of the first lockdown. So she worked her ass off for months, exposed to infection, taking every shift offered, and then in August they just cut her hours right back so she couldn't make her rent. It's just not the case that the work is always there if you are willing.

Ha yes, I get grief about my job from family sometimes, but what is really out there for a 40 year old with zero computer skills competing with hundreds of youngsters they can pay less....

I'm assuming thanks to the job centre and uts sanctions policies that jobs are now so overrun with applications from hundreds of unsuitable candidates that you'd be lucky if you didn't make the straight to the bin pile anyway.

There seems to be alot of piss taking too. Group interviews, unpaid trials, lengthy probation periods to cover holidays and still be able to just sack u akd re hire newbies vefire the pay rise and notice period has to kick in.

Now I'm.on UC I'm supposed to be looking for more hours but Im.on furlough from my part time job and have a 10 year old I'm supoosed to he trying to homeschool.

YANBU. I suspect the people saying that are of an age where their job market was considerably different to how it is today and/or haven't had to be part of it. I'm in my 50s and things are considerably harder now than when I was younger. For example, the job I got with only 2 O Levels back in the late 80s now requires a degree as they scrapped the 9 week in-house training.

I agree. As pp have said, they generally expect complete flexibility and offer low levels of guaranteed hours and these jobs are quite in demand.

Also, some of them require you to complete an online personality test (no obvious right answers) before you’re even allowed to apply. If you don’t pass that, that’s it. Game over.

Yes it is annoying. It seems pretty hard to get a job at Tesco, there is no shortage of applicants.

@Jointhecircus

I agree. As pp have said, they generally expect complete flexibility and offer low levels of guaranteed hours and these jobs are quite in demand.

Also, some of them require you to complete an online personality test (no obvious right answers) before you’re even allowed to apply. If you don’t pass that, that’s it. Game over.

Years ago when I had young DC to work around I did an online application for Asda. They didn't want me. Could have been the way I answered the endless multiple choice questions or the fact my availability wasn't 24/7? No way of knowing.

I agree. As pp have said, they generally expect complete flexibility and offer low levels of guaranteed hours and these jobs are quite in demand

I notice this in my job. I've had my hours reduced and told the shifts I had disnt exist. Then somehow there was loads if over time.i ended up doing which was great but when ever I took holiday I'd only get paid for the hours I was contracted.

I.waa also told I.wasnt flexible enough after a spent weeks doing over time working in several different branches, often going in early unpaid to sort a mess out that the staff had no idea how to sort , it's like why did I bother seriously.

Even now I do a fair bit of overtime which just gets shoved on the rota but I cabt officially get more hours.

I mean why do companies do that. Hire someone on say 10/15 hours then rely on forced over time and expect you to be available at the drop of a hat. How om 10/15 hours can a job still take over your life like that..

@CandidaAlbicans2

YANBU. I suspect the people saying that are of an age where their job market was considerably different to how it is today and/or haven't had to be part of it. I'm in my 50s and things are considerably harder now than when I was younger. For example, the job I got with only 2 O Levels back in the late 80s now requires a degree as they scrapped the 9 week in-house training.

Not directed at you candida its just your quote is a good one

I am of an age when it was easy

I went for a little part time shop assistant job when the children were small and walked out as supervisor

Before children i could absolutely walk out of one job and straight into another, temping agencies would take you cv and send it out and you’d get an interview...not hours of application forms

My very clever ds1 has applied for part time jobs at places like mcdonalds and kfc and hasnt got a reply let alone an interview

DP applied to Tesco and all the other supermarkets last March when it became clear there was going to be no work for him in his usual employment of festivals and concerts in the short to medium term.

He has van driving experience, and extra training above a normal driving licence and several people had told him that all he had to do was walk into a supermarket and show them his driving licence and he would be taken straight on as a delivery driver.

Needless to say that he could find no-one in any shop who could help him with this, but he did some online applications. He heard nothing back at all until September when Tesco called him to ask if he was still interested. Fortunately, he's been working elsewhere for the last few months, but if he'd relied on the supermarkets for work, he'd have got nothing.

I think the phrase "just get a job a Tesco" is more aimed at those who are being picky about which roles they apply for. Anyone who is not completely out of touch with reality will know you can't just walk into a supermarket and come out with a job - applications are harder than that.

The phrase more means "apply for a job that anyone can do, but most people don't actually want to do because they feel it is beneath them. You need a job and you can't afford to be picky - apply for everything even if it's just a supermarket job." (Which is a lot more long winded.)

Completely agree! I have been watching my ds apply for jobs to fit around college after he lost all his hours at the start of the November lockdown and it is so hard. The online test for Tesco do not even make sense, does anyone know the ‘correct’ answer?

YANBU. It's patronising bullshit. Anytime I read 'just' my eyes glaze over for the rest of it because you know it will be utter bollocks. 'There are jobs out there'. Sure, plenty of them that pay the bills and aren't zero hours gig shit, that's why unemployment is so high. Statements like this are usually followed by further bullshit anecdotes about 'grafting' and how the person toiled down the mines and was proud blah blah blah. It's not 1980 anymore.

My favourite is when someone's DH has been made redundant and someone will suggest that he gets a job as a binman.

Like the DH just leaves his job as an accountant on the Friday, rings up the council, says I'll be in on Monday and then digs out his overalls.

This is rampant - I was told this by a manager when I was working p/t lecturing at a college (qualified teacher) and complained about how I was being treated!! I also have a prison officer friend who reported that the prison governor said this to the entire staff!!!

It's so true about the totally over the top recruitment processes too; 20 years ago if you wanted a job, had some experience and quals, you could walk into an agency and they would hook you up with a job for the next day/ week. One form / one typing test. I hate how it is now, loathe applying for work. And I like actually working.

@TakeTheCuntOutOfScunthorpe

I think the phrase "just get a job a Tesco" is more aimed at those who are being picky about which roles they apply for. Anyone who is not completely out of touch with reality will know you can't just walk into a supermarket and come out with a job - applications are harder than that.

The phrase more means "apply for a job that anyone can do, but most people don't actually want to do because they feel it is beneath them. You need a job and you can't afford to be picky - apply for everything even if it's just a supermarket job." (Which is a lot more long winded.)

But even then it's not that easy.

These sorts of things are usually trotted out by people who have never been out of work.

I hate this too. Although I do hate the attitude of not applying for something because you think it is beneath you, I also recognise that applying for a job at Tesco is not in any way the same as being successful as applying for a job at Tesco. Tesco are a decent employer, there is a lot of competition to work there.

@TakeTheCuntOutOfScunthorpe

I think the phrase "just get a job a Tesco" is more aimed at those who are being picky about which roles they apply for. Anyone who is not completely out of touch with reality will know you can't just walk into a supermarket and come out with a job - applications are harder than that.

The phrase more means "apply for a job that anyone can do, but most people don't actually want to do because they feel it is beneath them. You need a job and you can't afford to be picky - apply for everything even if it's just a supermarket job." (Which is a lot more long winded.)

Why not just say...

Get whatever job you can

Agree totally . The whole things seems snobby to me anyway .The lady at the kiosk in SB had a queue of people ,and a chap couldnt believe he had to wait behind everyone else as she was dealing with Refunds as well .Any job public facing will be challenging and ATM many people are looking for work as well

@wellthatsunusual

I hate this too. Although I do hate the attitude of not applying for something because you think it is beneath you, I also recognise that applying for a job at Tesco is not in any way the same as being successful as applying for a job at Tesco. Tesco are a decent employer, there is a lot of competition to work there.

Ds1 is a uni student

I told him that supermarkets and mcdonalds were usually fab for graduate schemes so he could do part time work and if he liked it look at moving to a graduate scheme

@PenguinIce

Completely agree! I have been watching my ds apply for jobs to fit around college after he lost all his hours at the start of the November lockdown and it is so hard. The online test for Tesco do not even make sense, does anyone know the ‘correct’ answer?

I took (and failed) this test and posted a thread about it at the time. I got a fair bit of vitriol for "assuming" I could pass just because I have worked for 30+ years and have previous retail experience. I found it utterly baffling - the answers are highly ambiguous and require knowledge of how Tesco actually works.

One great result was that a lovely fellow MN poster offered to complete the test on my behalf. Lucky for me I got another job so didn't need to take her up on it.

It is ludicrous.

I'm not going to say the company as it seems I'm making good progress but I'm 45 and recruitment is a total load of boll9cks for the jobs and rare of pay on offer.
I'm currently on stage 11 of god knows how many stages because no where does it say how long the recruitment process is for a customer service job that pays £9 odd an hour and will be for 20 hours a week. No life or death decisions, no real safety aspects etc but the hoops I'm jumping through are crazy. I'm just going with the flow. Recruitment started mid November. Every time I pass a stage I get a new email saying congrats you've made it to the next stage. Now you need to do blah....

I've done 2 psychological questionnaires - would you prefer to be a green triangle or red box??? Type if bullshit.

Reading a paragraph on video.
2 online interviews.
Maths test.
Grammar test.
Spelling test.
Had to play a computer game online to test reactions or something.
Prepare a 3 minute presentation on the importance of customer service.
Role play scenario on video in my own front room. Cringe!

I'm waiting in anticipation for the next round. If nothing else it relieves the boredom of lockdown and unemployment.
What does one have to do for a job that pays £20 an hour???

It is awful and likely to get worse (in the short term) as Covid-19 has finished the job that the internet started, in killing the High Street. The zero-hours contracts take the piss - there's now more stability in going self-employed than working for a major retailer. At least you can set your own hours and put aside holiday pay.