Potential employer taking the p&*s

[One2Four]

DS (nearly 17) recently applied for a part time role at a new local pub. He's at college studying for A-levels/BTEC and his CV shows this as well as his availability for work weekdays & weekends.

He was so excited to get an email this weekend inviting him for a trial training session next week but it seems there's a catch.

The employer invited him to attend a 'trial training week'. He sent a positive & polite email back with availability for the days listed but in short their reply stated they are looking for people who can attend all day on all 3 days: ie 23 hours, over 3 days during the day (all weekdays) - most of it during college time. It's unclear whether this time would be paid, we think not.

One of his friends is planning to skip college to be able to do this. This isn't something we would consider to be ok, or a good start to a new job.

Is this common practice, is the employer taking the piss, or are we being naive?

I don’t think you’re naive, but maybe a little bit unrealistic. They won’t care about his availability. There will be no shortage of kids his age who want to earn a few quid and if an applicant can’t work around them and their needs, he stands no chance of being hired.

Sounds like they are taking the piss a bit tbh

Any training sessions should be paid, it shouldn't need to be 3 trial sessions and the insistence on 3 days makes me wonder WHAT they have on that week that they want to use free labour to cover

His explicit and clear availability not being listened to now would also suggest it'll be taken advantage of later too

A local pub job doesn't need 3 full days of training sessions. You learn on the job. I never had any training days when working in pubs and restaurants. Sounds like they are taking the piss.

Agree. It would be a hard no from me. Sounds like they are offering this to a lot of young people for the free labour. Suspect very few/none will be kept on after this. Valuable life lesson for your DS - some employers are CFs.

Free labour over half term?

It's also Valentine’s Day, is it the 13th/14th/15th they are offering? To catch the busiest day and slightly busier either side as people do it to avoid the rush?

Sounds to me as though they are looking for free labour from students - I’d definitely be clarifying it was paid before saying yes or skipping any college.

I do agree with a pp who said they won’t care about availability though. They’ll want people who can work around them, not the other way around.

Its a pisstake, a training session isn’t normally even a full shift, let alone a full day- or 3?!!!
Im surprised at the poster claiming they’ll be no shortage of people wanting the work, the pubs round here are desperate for staff.

Yep, pisstake. Very common though, unfortunately.

Point him towards McDonalds, they’ve been brilliant for our youngest whilst at uni.

Taking the piss

Second MacDonalds. My eldest & gf were with them for years and managed to get a mortgage on the back of the salary. Great employers and a decent wage.

Pisstake.

My DD did a few "trial shifts" for free until we cottoned on.

Definitely taking the piss. Because why would they need to train people they don't actually employ yet? Training surely comes after a contract has been issued.

Exactly this. Just want him for free labour.

It's not that widespread anymore as pubs are desperate for staff.

It's a pisstake but unfortunately it's real and may well lead to a job.

It should be illegal though.