To think that getting a job at a supermarket is impossible!

[Supermarketreject]

Ok, it obviously isn’t because there are thousands of people working in supermarkets but here’s the problem...

DS is 17 and will finish A levels this week. Predicted AAB
He’s really friendly & just a normal, nice lad.
Going to University (in home city) next year so will be able continue p/t work.
Applying for temporary supermarket jobs (advertised as such).
He has stated that he can work any hours/days.
He has filled out the online questionnaires/multi-choice questions (trying to answer them so that he puts customer first/doesn’t pester managers too much/shows initiative).
He gets almost immediate rejection e-mails every time!
What is going wrong? Is it his age? (17)
How do you actually get past the questionnaire & get an interview nowadays?
The computer says no every time!! 😳😓

Can anyone advise or give tips? Or does anyone know how it works?

[nancywhitehead]

2 reasons:

a) He is 17 - although some supermarkets (e.g. Aldi) will hire 16+, some only hire 18+ due to alcohol restrictions. It varies on individual supermarkets and you need to check.

b) Volume of applications. Many, many people have been laid off during the pandemic. He will be competing with people who are more experienced and older than he is.

As other posters have said, try fast food restaurants and local shops that don't sell alcohol, you will have more chance.

[PenguinIce]

I get these online questionnaires are needed to weed out the number of applicants but it’s a bit worrying you can have someone with the relevant qualifications and experience and they still wouldnt get the job as they don’t know the ‘correct’ way to fill in these online questionnaires. Even the police have started their application process with 2 online questionnaires and if you don’t pass it your application goes no further. Feel so sorry for anyone job hunting at the minute.

[BarbaraofSeville]

When is he 18? Might make a difference whether it's tomorrow or 31st August as to how the supermarkets view him as an applicant.

[pixiemummy01]

Our local hospital is always advertising for porters ideal for 18plus.

[Confusedandshaken]

I would think it's because they have many more mature applicants for lower paid pt jobs atm so they can pick people with no age restriction.

[Lollypop701]

Hospitality is the way to go. All students I know have got jobs as they re open

[AlmostSummer21]

@luxurychocolate

What do his predicted grades have to do with it ?

🙄🙄🙄

[cronk23]

@Comefromaway fill it in for him and let him have a shot at the interview. I've seen good people not get past the questions and equally not so good people breeze them but turn out to be not so good in reality. Bring back the good old days of taking your CV to a store and letting the manager decide! Sadly because of the right to work restrictions they are long gone.

[ThatIsMyPotato]

Temp agencies are good too, especially catering/waiting at events. Although I'm not sure how much of that is going on.

[MontysRoseGarden]

I hire 16 years upwards and we sell age restricted products. It’s not a problem

It’s the online questionnaire.

[AlmostSummer21]

@Supermarketreject

When is he 18? It'll be a bit easier then.

I'm sure many are just as bad, but I have a friend whose business is dormant during Covid, so got a job at Morrison's.. let's just say, I'm 52 & I have never known such disorganisation, poor management, & general bullshit in my life. To be avoided at all cost.

[DustyMaiden]

If you have any Spar type stores or other large convenience stores he might have more luck. Same wage smaller team.

[Supermarketreject]

luxurychocolate
What do his predicted grades have to do with it ?

Funnily enough. Everyone asks for a CV to be submitted nowadays...
He has good grades so I don’t think he is being rejected on that.
Some places want minimum of 4 at GCSE for Maths and English.

[BarbaraofSeville]

Spar, Co-op, DIY shops, Home Bargains and the like, Argos, all worth a try.

[Supermarketreject]

@BarbaraofSeville

When is he 18? Might make a difference whether it's tomorrow or 31st August as to how the supermarkets view him as an applicant.

End of August!
I know! All his friends are 18! It’s very sad! 😅

[Viviennemary]

I agree that they dont want to invest time and effort in training temporary staff.

[vivainsomnia]

Both my kids worked at our closest supermarket from the age of 16. They beat older candidates at interviews. They were both treated like everyone else from the start and paid the same. They were both very mature for their age.

[Hellcatspangle]

Has he tried posting on your local fb page asking for a job? We often see posts on ours and they do get responses!

[Welshcakes03]

@Supermarketreject

Ok, it obviously isn’t because there are thousands of people working in supermarkets but here’s the problem...

DS is 17 and will finish A levels this week. Predicted AAB
He’s really friendly & just a normal, nice lad.
Going to University (in home city) next year so will be able continue p/t work.
Applying for temporary supermarket jobs (advertised as such).
He has stated that he can work any hours/days.
He has filled out the online questionnaires/multi-choice questions (trying to answer them so that he puts customer first/doesn’t pester managers too much/shows initiative).
He gets almost immediate rejection e-mails every time!
What is going wrong? Is it his age? (17)
How do you actually get past the questionnaire & get an interview nowadays?
The computer says no every time!! 😳😓

Can anyone advise or give tips? Or does anyone know how it works?

I don't think it's age. I get the same rejection unless I'm to old.

[cronk23]

@Viviennemary I disagree with that statement. If it wasn't for our temporary staff we wouldn't have been able to cope during the pandemic. It doesn't take long to train people and a lot of temporary staff do get taken on permanently so it's never an inconvenience to train someone.

[swampytiggaa]

I work for Morrisons. Husband works for Tesco. Both have put a freeze on new jobs and have cut hours to the bone. Think it’s a national initiative unfortunately.

My friend has just put her notice in. Her job won’t be filled and her allocated hours won’t be redistributed. The company see it as a 12 hour a week saving.

They’ve made massive profits over the last year but because they’ve had to spend out to be Covid safe and have extended home delivery sections they are clawing back the money through staff wages.

We worked solidly through the whole pandemic. We are now being shown exactly how important our roles are.

[ForThePurposeOfTheTape]

My dd can't get past the online questionnaires too. She's a barista (17 is the minimum age at most places)

Her brother worked in retail so no age restricted items being sold.

Ime there seems to be a massive range of shops that hire Sixth formers from B&Q to Currys so I wouldn't limit myself to supermarkets who might be reducing numbers now that the advice isn't Stay at Home any more.

[Supermarketreject]

I work for Morrisons. Husband works for Tesco. Both have put a freeze on new jobs and have cut hours to the bone. Think it’s a national initiative unfortunately

We thought this too but the jobs are on Indeed (new posts) and there are pages of them. Many vacancies to each.

[Comefromaway]

[quote cronk23]@Comefromaway fill it in for him and let him have a shot at the interview. I've seen good people not get past the questions and equally not so good people breeze them but turn out to be not so good in reality. Bring back the good old days of taking your CV to a store and letting the manager decide! Sadly because of the right to work restrictions they are long gone. [/quote]
I do help him but I'm probably not that great at it myself. I've always been a very customer focused person but not always in the way that people want now. For example I used to work in a job where the manager dealt with complaints. She used to tell me that often all people wanted was an apology and she used to deflect many complaints by apologising in a way that didn't belittle the staff member who had made the mistake. Nowadays no-one ever admits anything! I ran my own business for years and hired staff.

The shop where ds did his work experience was a very small independent and they told ds to contact him when he turned 16 but unfortunately they were hit very badly by covid (they are based in a touristy shopping village) and still have permanent staff on furlough.

He got turned down by Mcdonalds though I don't think he's overly suited to fast food anyway.

[Trayble]

McDonalds used to be a great employer when I was at school (although quite a few years ago now). You had decent shifts and could work lots of extra in the school holidays.
There was free food and they used to put on free taxis to get home if you finished at 11pm (I can imagine that perk has probably gone now).
They also used to run a bursary scheme if you were at university (which i applied for and received one year) plus I was sent on a management training course all for free which helped in job applications post university.
They really did used to hire anyone and generally people who weren't cut out for it would leave of their own accord anyway. The staff turnover is usually pretty high.