to get hacked off at journalists moaning about how oh so hard it is to afford school fees

[emkana]

like in the Daily Telegraph for example today

www.telegraph.co.uk/education/main.jhtml;jsessionid=AFH51SI3AUOK5QFIQMFSFGGAVCBQ0IV0?xml=/education/ 2008/01/30/faclass130.xml&page=2

Hey you lot.....I am an intelligent blonde!! At least thats what I tell myself!

You do have the option of changing the newspaper you read, or not reading one at all (and spending even more time on here) ...

Think it's been proven that even very young babies react better to beautiful people (taking beautiful to mean symmetrical features, smile, blonde hair, big eyes etc) - why would a job interview be any different?

Also totally agree with that private school does add loads of soft skills that are not developed in the state sector and that is because the schools have more resources.

Also agree with Xenia's post that some of the spelling on here is atrocious - can barely make out what people are saying! Think this is because of the heated debate though

No one in their right mind goes for public sector jobs though so you don't really want those or want your children to aspire to those...

The good looks thing is not studied enough. I meet huge numbers of people through my work and often I'm standing up there looking at a group and I can tell you by the clothes and good looks of those present (male and female) which are more likely to be from XYZ employer (very hard to get into, academic high paid) and those at the lower end even before they open their mouth. It's not just looks but fitness and slim ness (this is 20 somethings I'm talking about) but also dress sense and quality of clothes, style etc. Black and public school doesn't do you too much harm either as the company gets the class it wants but fulfils the client's "diversity policy" requirements too.

not just looks though also CV, what you've done - whole summer holiday playing computer games or a load more interesting things, helping the sick abroad or world bridge champion or whatever it might be, something interesting, different, something you can enthuse about.

which public sector jobs are those, q???

"Quality of clothes" Xenia? But weren't you just slagging off people who spent their money on clothes, holidays etc instead of sending their children to private school?

Also re jobs in public sector: it's the biggest employer in the UK, so can we really afford to ignore it? The prime minister is employed by the public purse, so is that a job you would eschew for your family members?

(EW thinks: I do hope so. A Xenia-run UK is a shuddersome thought.)

My DH, who is entirely in his right mind, I have to say, is a solicitor in the public sector

And he is currently interviewing a person for a role and he did literally think twice about taking a white blonde lady to second interview. In fairness she was marginal anyway but he really wanted someone asian to balance the team out ....

I have a very good friend in the civil service at a senior level and considering the amount of hours that she works, and what is expected of her, she would be vastly better compensated in the private sector. Guess it is just about the fact that the public sector is not paying a competitive rate for the talent it wants.

Ideally, you would not want a member of your family to be underpaid for the work they do, right? Therefore better to aim for the private sector.

ideally, i want my children to be happy in what they do, no matter how they are compensated.

if it makes them happy doing it, then i am happy.

Does not make people happy to think they are underpaid - no matter what job satisfaction.

Believe it or not, gloriana, there are intelligent, well-educated people out there who are happy despite not being compensated monetarily.

You may not know them, but I assure you, they exist.

Ah, Xenia, my arch nemesis, we meet again... My husband is a public sector worker. He is a very bloody intelligent research scientist. Not wanting to identify him or me, so I shall keep this vague.

Now, by your definition, and if he were i his right mind, he should have shuffled off to one of the many fly-by-night organisations that spring up attempting to offer the same product that his office creates, on the back of the R & D carried out by his office. They poach people right left and centre, drawing them in with their lures of higher pay. Luckily for this country, his organisation, and all of us, he and his colleagues choose to stay and work for their crap wages because they believe in what they are doing, and are not just in it for economic gain. So lucky us, even though by your reckoning he is mentally deficient not to be submitting to market forces like so much will o the wisp.

According to her perameters, duchesse, he's also squandering his talent, wasting whatever fee-paying education he may have had and is a disappointment to his parents and family.

hehe. Actually staying in a long line (four generations) of poorly paid government scientists who worked for their country and scraped by financially. Him parents very proud. But obviously aberrant...

I really hope he didn't waste an Oxbridge place on such a faux career, duchesse!

Ooh I know- all that education, just wasted. He ought to be ashamed of himself. At the very least he owed it to someone to be earning £1000 an hour.

I mean, what parent would want that for their child, duchesse!?

How can one dare to be happy if not making loads of money, blonde, gym honed and speaking with the right accent?

What kind of planet are we living on, for this to be possible?!

Lalaland, clearly. We are phules.

I am a pleb, myself.

A privately-educated one at that.

Oh, and he's a very talented viola player and singer. Could have been professional if it hadn't been for that damnable scientific leaning...

Well, if you're a SAHM, you're also a glorified prostitute, although it may be that your well-roundedness qualifies you for courtesan status.

Ah, but no, Expat, it's worse than that. I a neither fish nor fowl. I stay at home and work! How can such an abomination be even possible? I'm impossible to place in a box!

I hope you're being well-compensated for your efforts, duchesse.

Otherwise, you're really a lost cause.

Especially if you're not blonde, beautiful and have the right accent.

Oh well, one out of four ain't bad...

It's a tough world out there, duchesse!