Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Where are all these jobs if hospitality is supposedly crying out for people?

32 replies

Comefromaway · 30/06/2021 11:20

Dd has applied for hundreds of jobs in retail and hospitality both in the city she is currently studying and our home city. She drives and has experience working with children and working for an age compliance auditing company.

She has had no reply apart from one company in the city she is moving to in September to study (a theatre who is currently closed but are opening in the summer).

All I keep hearing is that there is no excuse for students not to be able to find work. The hospitality industry is crying out for people. She needs to work to fund her studies (postgrad so the loan available doesn't even cover all the fees).

OP posts:
LoonvanBoon · 30/06/2021 11:46

Well, they're certainly not in our northern market town, @Comefromaway. My DTs have applied for everything going, as well as going into takeaways, restaurants etc. to ask about vacancies since their A level assessments finished, and only one has managed to find anything (local pub/restaurant) so far. Lots of their friends are in the same position.

They've both been volunteering too so as to have some work experience, and DT2 who still hasn't found paid work is doing more applications every day, but it seems very much tougher than when I was their age. I lived in a smaller town than the one we're in now and found retail work in holidays and throughout the 6th form very easily.

Most employers don't seem to acknowledge applications and some aren't interested in temporary staff, despite not making this clear in their advertisements.
DT1 had an interview at a well known fast food chain which was terminated after 2 minutes when the interviewer found out he was going to university in the autumn, something that DT1 had stated in several places in his application!

Original poster
Comefromaway · 30/06/2021 11:49

We are North West too. The interview dd has got is in London. She may have to move there early if she gets it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Comefromaway · 30/06/2021 11:52

There is a massive out of town retail park about 10 mins drive from her current halls of residence, the only ones of her friends who have been successful there are those who have previous retail experience.

OP posts:
Onthegrid · 30/06/2021 12:00

I have 2 DC away at uni and both found summer jobs, one walked into it through a friend, the other had to apply to many places and do a couple of trials before she was successful. BUT both are 20+ live in cities and have previous hospitality experience which helps. Neither have retail experience and got nowhere with any retailers so I don’t think it is as easy as very one makes it sound

CovidCorvid · 30/06/2021 12:04

DD has a bar /barista job but has had it for nearly 2 years, so pre covid. They advertised for 2 or 3 positions recently and had well over 100 applications.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 30/06/2021 12:04

Tourist areas, second homes means lack of families with children who would traditionally pick up jobs from 14/15/16 now local families are sadly being priced out and that combined with lack of public transport to get to the jobs from larger villages or towns means there are jobs available in my area.

Original poster
Comefromaway · 30/06/2021 12:07

It's a real catch 22. How do you get experience?

The interview dd has is for a theatre usher. Dd studies performing arts and has volunteered front of house at college shows. She also volunteered at the local library when she was younger. Of course we expect they have had loads of applications so she may not get it.

It seems that the kids who manage to get retail jobs seem to know someone who already works there.

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 30/06/2021 12:07

Two of our local pubs are crying out for staff. I’d maybe try smaller less city like places.

AtLeastPretendToCare · 30/06/2021 12:08

I think, anecdotally at least, a lot of hospitality vacancies near me are created by jobs that were pre COVID done by Eastern Europeans. I live in London so there were lots. If you didn’t have that locally that may be why there aren’t many vacancies.

Original poster
Comefromaway · 30/06/2021 12:10

She has bluntness. Although she is currently in a city she is on the border of a quite rural area on the welsh border. As she drives and has her own car she can be quite flexible. Where we live is on the border of two counties. The city centre is about 10 miles away but where we are is quite rural.

OP posts:
Original poster
Comefromaway · 30/06/2021 12:13

@AtLeastPretendToCare

I think, anecdotally at least, a lot of hospitality vacancies near me are created by jobs that were pre COVID done by Eastern Europeans. I live in London so there were lots. If you didn’t have that locally that may be why there aren’t many vacancies.
Yes, that might be the case. There were (still are) quite a few Eastern Europeans in parts of our area but I think they tend to be employed in warehouse/factory work/car washes as well as a lot who are self employed.
OP posts:
PurpleMustang · 30/06/2021 12:13

Has she tried hotels. I know they are struggling for staff as many went home and now have to pay a visa to come back. And the hotel companies can't pay the fees to help for them to come back as it would cost to much for all of them

Original poster
Comefromaway · 30/06/2021 12:41

The only hotel vacancies have stated they want permanent staff and/or previous experience.

OP posts:
Original poster
Comefromaway · 30/06/2021 12:42

I think that Atleastpretend has the reason though. These are areas where there were not large amounts of foreign staff working anyway.

OP posts:
motogogo · 30/06/2021 13:00

Was in Wales last week, every shop, restaurant, hotel etc had vacancies. They even had to close the supermarket at 4pm due to lack of staff! Students would be snapped up as long as they don't mind camping, lack of housing

ClerkMaxwell · 30/06/2021 13:21

Tell her to not give up. My DD says you just need to apply to as many jobs as possible and develop thick skin if they don't get back to you. Consider unpopular jobs like fast food in the interim. Once you have relevant experience it gets easier. DD found she had to apply for less jobs 2nd time around. If you get an interview give it your all even if you realize that 50 people are being interviewed for one post. DD didn't get the job but they liked her and contacted her when another job came up.

DDs friend who is very sociable plus looks good had no success online but had success going round independent cafes/bars/pubs in person dropping off her CV (four out of 10 called her back). Another friend registered with an agency. Agency work wasn't great but it did lead to permanent part time with one client.

Bryonyshcmyony · 30/06/2021 17:10

retail isn't hospitality? I wouldn't expect there are many retail jobs around but there are certainly a shit ton of pub and hotel jobs going here (SW)

Daisysway · 30/06/2021 18:45

I live in a tiny village and the cricket club have advertised today looking for 18 Yr olds bar staff.. Training provided.. Same with pub in next village and also the garden centre... So it definitely depends where you live...

If she wants more compliance work drop me a pm.. There is a Facebook page where all the mystery shopping companies advertise specifically for 18 to 23 Yr olds.... Also if she looks at Apps like Shepper, Roamler and Smartspotter she will pick up very easy work doing spot checks. Shepper are doing a big job next week (6th),checking outlets that sell lottery tickets she could earn quite well from this but jobs get snapped up.

Original poster
Comefromaway · 30/06/2021 19:18

That would have been great but she was put in isolation yesterday (argh) as a classmate tested positive. She’s with Serve Legal and has been told as she is young looking she can do another year with them. But the Facebook page sounds interesting.

OP posts:
Daisysway · 30/06/2021 19:33

There are lots of companies offering age related work... www.facebook.com/groups/799207644060297/

App companies I mentioned offer work all around the UK and its work you randomly pick up...

Notagardener · 30/06/2021 22:32

dc having probelms as well, as she is only looking for work for just the summer months and they want someone for longer than that. She has another job but that's only for 4 hours/wk, having lost 2 hours.

Longtimenewsee · 01/07/2021 08:20

We live in the north west town . Dd and her friends ( all applied to uni) found work in hospitality and retail very easily. Lots of 0 hours contract pub jobs or low hours contract retail jobs but all seem to be doing lots of shifts or have a couple of zero hours contracts in order to pick up enough hours. I wonder if it was timing that made the difference?- DD’s A level assessments were done early and so she was freed up to get in applications just before/as things opened up properly here.

shallIswim · 01/07/2021 08:23

Problems here in Cornwall and also in the Cotswolds where I've just been. Pubs and eateries unable to open the hours they want bc of shortages.
Could it be the seasonal type places that have the problems?

Bryonyshcmyony · 01/07/2021 08:37

Dd off today to a cafe job four days and one evening a week. There's loads of holiday let cleaning jobs out there but you need a car.

Original poster
Comefromaway · 01/07/2021 09:03

@Longtimenewsee

We live in the north west town . Dd and her friends ( all applied to uni) found work in hospitality and retail very easily. Lots of 0 hours contract pub jobs or low hours contract retail jobs but all seem to be doing lots of shifts or have a couple of zero hours contracts in order to pick up enough hours. I wonder if it was timing that made the difference?- DD’s A level assessments were done early and so she was freed up to get in applications just before/as things opened up properly here.
That might be having an impact. Dd’s Term doesn’t finish until next week.
OP posts: