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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

not to beleve in all these jobs

319 replies

Orangejuicemarathoner · 15/09/2021 17:54

Supposedly there are thousands and thousands of vacancies, but if you actually look, most are agencies. You don't so much apply for a vacancy as get lured in to sign up for an agency. They might or might not then put your name forward for something, and it might not be suitable if they do.

And most of the jobs that are not actually just imaginary fronts to help an agency get your details on file, require ownership of a vehicle.

AIBU to believe that there are actually far far fewer vacancies than the news headline figures are suggesting.

I would guess 10-20% at most

OP posts:
Cazziebo · 15/09/2021 18:07

It's illegal for agencies to advertise jobs that don't exist. If you know this is happening, then report them www.gov.uk/government/publications/pay-and-work-rights-complaints

Recruitment is a very long and tortuous process, made worse in recent years by government rules that makes benefit recipients apply for a certain number of jobs whether they are appropriate or not. Most companies do not have the resource to cost effectively manage recruitment in house so they outsource it to agencies.

You get good agencies and bad agencies. Find a good one. It's the main route to work these days. I've just put 6 positions out to an agency today.

Original poster
Orangejuicemarathoner · 15/09/2021 18:15

It might be illegal, but it is common practice, and I have complained in the past. Nothing happened, except the agency took down the fake ad, apologised and replaced it with another fake ad.

OP posts:
leavesthataregreen · 15/09/2021 18:18

Look on Indeed. There are so many jobs.I have found work via Indeed and had several interviews through them too, so I consider it a very reliable website, and it has a good filter system for location, hours, pay and job spec, showing up genuinely suitable vacancies.

FightingtheFoo · 15/09/2021 18:18

I don't know, so many places in London - coffee shops, pubs, shops - have notices in their windows saying they're looking to hire. More than I've ever noticed before in my life.

Mintjulia · 15/09/2021 18:21

I walked through my local high street today. Almost every pub and restaurant has a sign in the window advertising for staff.

The local farm shop, the local food company, building sites, plumbers merchants, all looking for staff. The IT company I work for has been searching for developers for months. Local Tesco and Sainsbury are looking for delivery drivers. Car dealer also advertising for mechanics.

I'm not sure what is in doubt....

Mintjulia · 15/09/2021 18:31

I just got an email, even the local constabulary is recruiting. Smile

leavesthataregreen · 16/09/2021 14:15

@FightingtheFoo

I don't know, so many places in London - coffee shops, pubs, shops - have notices in their windows saying they're looking to hire. More than I've ever noticed before in my life.
I agree. It's suddenly like the 1980s again. You can walk into a job if you want one. Not a career, maybe, but steady work in hospitality, retail, care or deliveries.
EmmaStone · 16/09/2021 14:19

In my industry, we're absolutely crying out for people, the industry is short termist by nature, so now that we can all work again, everyone is trying to make up for lost time, but there's only so many skilled people in the pool.

DD16 walked into her first hospitality role recently - she could take her pick pretty much, with no experience (and we live really rurally, so it's not because there's a plethora of establishments in the area).

I'm not sure there's lots of jobs in every sector, but certainly there are lots of jobs.

LadyCatStark · 16/09/2021 14:21

Every single shop, pub and restaurant is hiring around here. There are jobs for those that want them!

PlanDeRaccordement · 16/09/2021 14:23

YANBU but not for reasons you are saying

The same job can have multiple advertisements posted for it by several agencies so a simple count of job adverts would definitely be an over estimate of jobs available.

AlternativePerspective · 16/09/2021 14:27

I think it depends on what kind of job you’re looking for.

There are certainly jobs in the hospitality sector and there will be jobs in the retail sector coming up to Christmas. Unfortunately as I am visually impaired I am unable to do any of those kinds of jobs due to accessibility or I would be in one by now.

Other jobs such as admin etc have tightened their criteria to take account of the fact that they are actually in an employer’s market, and “must be qualified to degree level” isn’t an unusual one to find in the admin sector for jobs paying around £18k, along with “must provide references from (paid) employment within the past 3 years,” so voluntary work no longer qualifies, and God help you if you’ve been a stay at home parent.

So while I think there are lots of jobs in certain sectors, I certainly don’t think that there are lots in all sectors, to the extent that some are clearly having to take steps to limit the number of applications they receive.

Crimeismymiddlename · 16/09/2021 14:27

My Company, a national retailer that offers excellent hours, 6 weeks paid sick a year and has competitive management pay has currently 10 pages of job vacancies-mainly full time. Friends in other retailers have the same experience. The only way to fill them is to raise the hourly pay-Aldi and Lidl have already done this, I think it is coming for most other retailers-it just might take some time as they are so used to cheap, replaceable labour. Now the labour is not replaceable.

icedcoffees · 16/09/2021 14:31

There are loads of jobs going, but probably not the hours and sectors that people particularly want.

Biancadelrioisback · 16/09/2021 14:36

We're desperately trying to recruit at work but there is a massive skills shortage in our field. Jobs been online for months now and despite offering plenty of interviews to applicants, hardly any turn up.
It's a senior role too so doesnt make sense!

MeanderingGently · 16/09/2021 14:51

Yes, there are thousands and thousands of vacancies. The jobs are real but obviously agencies will be trying to recruit for them as well as the companies themselves.

I'm now working in hospitality and we are desperate for people, from waiters to room attendants to gardeners to maintenance people. There are jobs in other sectors, such as construction, farming, fruit picking, shelf-stacking, care workers or lorry-driving. My local GP surgery is trying to recruit admin people, our nearest University can't get staff, they need everything from cleaners to administrators and student support officers. The school I used to work for can't find support staff.

Why on earth wouldn't you believe there are lots of jobs?

edwinbear · 16/09/2021 14:52

DH lost his senior 'career' job 2 years ago, he's been unable to find another one. He's now working in a pub on NMW, so I'd agree it depends what sector you work in. There are certainly no FX trading jobs around for people in their mid-50's!

Camomila · 16/09/2021 14:57

I'm looking atm (mainly admin) - there are lots of real non-agency jobs on indeed in my town...with normal (as in not dodgy/pretend looking) companies like high street solicitors/ local estate agents/the council/the local uni.

On my local high street lots of clothes shops and cafes also have 'help wanted' signs.

BigPyjamas · 16/09/2021 15:03

We're also absolutely desperate to recruit. Hundreds of vacancies, sometimes we have almost no applicants at all.

poorbuthappy · 16/09/2021 15:07

I've also noticed that a lot of adverts are not specifying salary.
Esp on LinkedIn.
I will not apply for a job unless I know the salary and competitive just doesn't cut it.
Obv this doesn't apply to the normal hospitality roles. Grin

Original poster
Orangejuicemarathoner · 17/09/2021 04:19

@PlanDeRaccordement

YANBU but not for reasons you are saying

The same job can have multiple advertisements posted for it by several agencies so a simple count of job adverts would definitely be an over estimate of jobs available.

yes, that is also true.
OP posts:
Original poster
Orangejuicemarathoner · 17/09/2021 04:20

@LadyCatStark

Every single shop, pub and restaurant is hiring around here. There are jobs for those that want them!
well, I know plenty of people who want them! and can't find them!
OP posts:
Original poster
Orangejuicemarathoner · 17/09/2021 04:24

@MeanderingGently

Yes, there are thousands and thousands of vacancies. The jobs are real but obviously agencies will be trying to recruit for them as well as the companies themselves.

I'm now working in hospitality and we are desperate for people, from waiters to room attendants to gardeners to maintenance people. There are jobs in other sectors, such as construction, farming, fruit picking, shelf-stacking, care workers or lorry-driving. My local GP surgery is trying to recruit admin people, our nearest University can't get staff, they need everything from cleaners to administrators and student support officers. The school I used to work for can't find support staff.

Why on earth wouldn't you believe there are lots of jobs?

why wouldn't I believe there are lots of jobs?

Because my student children couldn't find summer work, and I watched them try!

And they have never had a problem before

The only casual work on offer was for vehicle owner/drivers - which they are not.

And some bar work, which meant 3 am finishes, and no means of getting home, so again, only really for car drivers

Nothing else.

OP posts:
anon12345678901 · 17/09/2021 05:41

But many jobs don't want casual workers there for a few weeks, it takes time to train people. Why couldn't they get taxis back if doing pub work? There are jobs out there.

SW1amp · 17/09/2021 05:53

What sort of places were they working in before that didn’t need them to drive?

I’m surprised at all the bar work needing them to stay until 3am, given clubs didn’t reopen til late July

Did they leave it quite late in the summer to start looking? Most students have their summer jobs lined up by June IME

Overthebow · 17/09/2021 06:02

So there were jobs available, just not ones they wanted.