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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think that surely it can't be that hard to get a job?

34 replies

FreddysTeddy · 13/02/2008 08:55

where I live a lot of people live on benefits and I'm constantly hearing how hard it is for them to get a job. I don't get it. Surely there are plenty of shop and bar jobs around that you don't necessarily need experience for.

I'm a single mum of 3 and I manage to work part time. It really gets my goat the amount of single, childless men I know who just won't work.

OP posts:

ChirpyGirl · 13/02/2008 08:59

You have got to be kidding?!

mellowma · 13/02/2008 09:02

Message withdrawn

Original poster

FreddysTeddy · 13/02/2008 09:06

Yeah, thats true. Not nesessarily talking about people with kids though. If you could see where I live you would know what I mean - I'm not having a go at all people who claim benefits cos I claim them myself. I just know a lot of people who could work and don't.

OP posts:

mellowma · 13/02/2008 09:07

Message withdrawn

nutcracker · 13/02/2008 09:12

I agree that for single childless people, alot of the time there is no reason why they cannot work.

As for people with kids though, it is hard to find something. I have really struggled and have lost count of the amount of jobs I have applied for.

I have a childless friend who sees no reason why i cannot just get a job anywhere with any hours 'just for now'. She has no clue.

ChirpyGirl · 13/02/2008 09:13

Sorry, had to run off, to elaborate I meant it like mellowma says, you don't know someones full details, they might be (like a good friend of mine) really bad at interviews , unable to work for whatever reason or have another reason.

It's a very sweeping judgeing statement to make.

If you mean the type of person who likes the fact that they don't have to work and they get paid for it then fair enough

sleepycat · 13/02/2008 09:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ZippiBabes · 13/02/2008 09:16

i have found it impossible to get a job and i am a single adult with grown up children

the last job i applied for was a bar at the end of my street

i handed in the application and went back twice to ask about it and heard absolutely nothing

in my case i am sure it is age discrimination

and lack of spoecific experience in any area

mrsruffallo · 13/02/2008 09:16

Of course there are lots of jobs around. The proiblem is that people want a high wage to make it worthwhile. Once you take out rent, council tax, travel, having to get up early..it doesn't seem worthit.
I don't understand that mentality I would rather earn a small amount more and work but it seems people's expectations of wages are unrealistic

spokette · 13/02/2008 09:35

My niece's former best friend went to private school and had a charmed upbringing. She now sits at home (parent's house)claiming benefits (single and no dependents) because she can't be bothered study or get a job. She is spoilt rotton and her parents need to find the backbone to kick her out unless she starts doing something with her life.

That is why she is a former friend of my niece who is currently at university (she went to state school) and is doing very well.

HappyMummyOfOne · 13/02/2008 09:43

Lots of people wont work for the minimum wage when they can be "paid" by the government to stay at home - "its not worth me working" etc seems to be a common mantra nowadays.

We need a good overhaul of our benefits system - some countries you can only claim for the same time period you have paid into the pot - sounds like a great idea to me (obviously disabled people wouldnt be included as they have a genuine reason not to work in many cases. This would stop the teenage mothers never having to work for years as well as those who leave school and dont get jobs etc.

2shoeswithheartson · 13/02/2008 11:46

freddysteddy
get real is all I can say

Original poster

FreddysTeddy · 13/02/2008 11:48

What do you mean 2shoes?

OP posts:

2shoeswithheartson · 13/02/2008 11:55

not a lot really I was going to swear.
I hate these kind of threads. they just give people the chance to maon about people on befits.
It is ok saying that people should take a job for the minuim wage. but how is a father of 2 supposed to then support his family?. oh yes the goverment top it up with benifits.
my dh is looking for work at the moment and strangely he would like to stay in the trade he has been in for 30 years.
and breathe and go and post on a happy theread

Original poster

FreddysTeddy · 13/02/2008 12:02

Right, so, I'm on benefits and I started a thread to moan about people on benefits? Work that one out...

OP posts:

BackToBasics · 13/02/2008 12:04

Speaking as someone who employs people i have to say i prefer to employ older people who have grown up children etc.

They are more reliable, better looking (no ugly piercings/tattoos/multi-coloured hair) and they are nice to customers and actually care about their job.

I have had so many younger people come to interviews late (without an appology) and wearing denim mini skirts, flip floops, ripped jeans etc which just isn't suitable for an interview. Some come in and just go through the motions for so they can still claim JSA.

The young ones have always given me the most grief. Some come to the interview with no piercings in then if i hire them, they start coming into work with a little bit more each day. The last girl i hired was blond with no pirecings. She went from that to having 2 lip piercings, a nose stud and purple hair! She left last week. They don't stay long which means i have to go through the paying £50 for the ad, taking the phone calls and doing the interviews again which i hate.

The older people always stay for years and do a fanastic job and they don't give me mouth and whine when asked to do things.

2shoeswithheartson · 13/02/2008 12:04

freddy you might not have but that is the way it normally goes.
love your name by the way did you get it from the book?

Original poster

FreddysTeddy · 13/02/2008 12:07

Oh, right, sorry, I thought that was directed just at me.

My little boy is Freddy

OP posts:

2shoeswithheartson · 13/02/2008 12:09

oh i thought it was form "where's my bear."

2shoeswithheartson · 13/02/2008 12:09

oh i thought it was form "where's my bear."

loopylou6 · 13/02/2008 12:09

the goverment have it all the wrong way round, u have 2 options 1. stay home and get the rent/council tax paid for you, get money stuffed into your hand every week and get your kids school dinners for free. 2. get off your arse and slog your guts out for a min wage, pay your rent and council tax yourself, pay for your kids school dinners your self, and then scrape by the week with a 5er in ya purse because your skint after paying all the above and the goverment wonder why no one wants to go to work...

dizietsma · 13/02/2008 12:12

That's right, let's squabble over the scraps we're thrown by the Oligarchs.

Morons.

loopylou6 · 13/02/2008 12:14

i dont see anyone 'squabbling'

2shoeswithheartson · 13/02/2008 12:19

ok i give in wtf is a Oligarchs?

posieflump · 13/02/2008 12:26

zippi - without meaning to sound flippant have you tried cleaning jobs? my elder sister got back into work that way as no one cared about age or experience. then she was a dinner lady for a while and now works in a supermarket. she wouldn't have been right for barwork either

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