To be amazed at this CFery

[OldClothes]

I am a charity shop co-manager and we have a nice group of volunteers. I had a call from a young man on behalf of his girlfriend today who enquired about vacancies. When I said there were none, he asked if we would consider dropping a volunteer so we could accommodate her, as she would be 'brilliant' and versatile. WIBU to be amazed by his cheek and to block his number?

No need to block his number unless he starts calling repeatedly.

Maybe an over reaction, but if he calls again he will get the message.

We do normally welcome prospective volunteers, honestly

Makes me wonder why he's calling on he's girlfriends behalf

Apparently she was at college/uni, according to him.

I must add this, have worked In several industries and you would be amazed how often parents would contact companies asking for work experience for their 15-16 year old. The young people that got that opportunity were the ones who made the contact themselves.

@caketiger Strange isn't it, you'd think they'd realise.

He sounds very odd! Probably been told somewhere that if you’re assertive you’ll get whatever you want.

@GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing

He sounds very odd! Probably been told somewhere that if you’re assertive you’ll get whatever you want.

Agree. This seems like a young foolish attempt at being a go-getter (even worse that he was go-getting for someone else 😂).

Hmm, maybe!

Ah, but you see, his girlfriend is special; whereas your existing volunteers are just ordinary....

Does he actually realise that, even if you were mad enough to do as he asks, the role is unpaid? What with him using the word 'vacancies' and (I'm guessing) not mentioning volunteers or helpers?

Maybe he thinks that, as his girlfriend is so special, you would realise that she is so much better than the other volunteers - and would be falling over yourselves to pay her top whack. Or maybe he's thinking she could just walk straight in to your job and you could simply sack yourself, so that she can have it instead. This would be only fair and the right thing to do, of course.... because SHE is special....

What with him using the word 'vacancies' and (I'm guessing) not mentioning volunteers or helpers?

I'm pretty sure he did realise, I think he mentioned something about her attempts to find 'volunteer work' later on.

However, he did sound a little as you suggest, i.e. he felt she would be top volunteer in no time, and popular with the customers as well.

@caketiger

I must add this, have worked In several industries and you would be amazed how often parents would contact companies asking for work experience for their 15-16 year old. The young people that got that opportunity were the ones who made the contact themselves.

Yes, I had a call from the parent of a 17 year old last week enquiring about work experience. I once had to explain to the mother of a 20 year old that her son needed to approach me directly and couldn’t just organise it all through her...

Aww, cheeky but you have to admire how he's trying to promote his GF really.

@me4real

Aww, cheeky but you have to admire how he's trying to promote his GF really.

Do you?

I think it's odd.

I'm pretty sure he did realise, I think he mentioned something about her attempts to find 'volunteer work' later on.

However, he did sound a little as you suggest, i.e. he felt she would be top volunteer in no time, and popular with the customers as well.

Ah, OK, then - I agree he's probably playing the long-game, though. It's amazing how many people assume that substantial remuneration is automatically always there to reward (what they perceive as) brilliance - even in a charity shop; almost like you'll be (before long) paying her purely for being brilliant rather than for fulfilling a role that is required, budgeted for and for which she is genuinely the best person!

My only other concern, with her being so 'brilliant' yet somehow not being able to contact you herself, is that he might be controlling her in some way. Possibly quite a reach, but this could be his way of trying to shoe her in for a job and then turning the pressure on to her to translate her experience into being paid to 'earn her keep' and/or to show her who's boss (i.e. the one who really earns the money)

The fact that she hasn't contacted you herself could equally signify that she is too shy or lacking in confidence to make that initial reach OR that she doesn't want (or even have any knowledge of) the job that she could end up doing. As you will very well know, having a volunteer who doesn't truly want to be there volunteering is much worse than having no volunteer at all.

I used to live in a house share years ago. The landlady lived there too. An adult man's mum and dad came to look round without him in the hope of their son moving in. He wasn't picked to move in not surprisingly

@OldClothes

Apparently she was at college/uni, according to him.

If she’s so ‘brilliant’ she’d be calling you and promoting herself, so that you could get a vibe off her from the phone call.

I’m fairly sure they let College/uni students out to go home to eat/sleep every now and then….

Actually, the more I think about this, the less convinced I am that the GF actually wants (or knows about) the job he's enquiring after.

It's odd enough when parents do it for adult children, but you can sort of see the enduring helicopter parenting aspect to that - but for a same-age partner??

Really weird that he has called on her behalf.

I used to work in recruitment and you did occasionally get men calling on behalf of their girlfriend or wife. It was always a bit odd and didn't usually result in them getting the job.

Maybe he wants her to work there in the hope she could get them free stuff, or first dibs on anything of value that's donated.

A bit like my alcoholic ex who's always trying to get our son a job at the pubs he frequents.

Is so odd isn't it! ....don't know why parents (and their children) think that they should speak for their young adults ....when in 6th form I had a job that involved being in the offices of a retail store on a weekend ...a lot of the staff were 16-21 .... The number of times parents would call in sick for their children ....I had to explain each time that I couldn't put the call through to the manager as he would only take the call from the staff member themselves (rightly so).

Although there was once one poor mum was like ...buts she is in hospital ... In that instance I did transfer her to the manager!

Nah.... he just wants her out the house to get some wanking/gaming time in

I had a 19 year old not turn up for an interview and parent rung me begging to give one more chance giving a family illness excuse. Their child was 10 mins late and very hard work at interview. When I sent the letter out to say not got the job, parent called me to ask why and give a second change again. Poor woman was probably desperate but still cheeky

He sounds immature and entitled. His GF could be lovely but you'll never know because he's interfered (and been dismissive about the rest of the volunteers).