Why not attend interview?

[freenote]

Looking to hire a couple of people for sales positions at the moment.

I have had several people book in for interviews in the past couple of weeks. 5 of them have not turned up! I struggle to understand why.

I'm wondering if they might be on benefits, whether they just have to prove they are applying and then not bother following through??

Any thoughts?

[blugnu]

I've applied for jobs in the period between having an interview and being offered the job.

Perhaps they have been employed since applying?

But then, with the information you have provided, we can't really rule out the possibility of them spontaneously combusting, winning the lottery or being head-hunted to replace Bob Diamond.

I don't suppose it will stop people speculating though.

Have you asked them why they didn't come?

[blindswelledrat]

We were having an uncanny similar conversation ourselves this morning.
SUpposedly high unemployment, well-paid trainee sales roles and the response/attitudes are unbelievable.
Lost count of hte number of applicants that you leave a message with to arrange an interview and they simply do not come back to you.
Why apply?
The general attitude of the average work seeker at the moment seems to be fking st.
I cannot comprehend it.

[freenote]

blindswelledrat said:

We were having an uncanny similar conversation ourselves this morning.
SUpposedly high unemployment, well-paid trainee sales roles and the response/attitudes are unbelievable.
Lost count of hte number of applicants that you leave a message with to arrange an interview and they simply do not come back to you.
Why apply?
The general attitude of the average work seeker at the moment seems to be fking st.
I cannot comprehend it.

Exactly! We receive a call from them applying for the job, arrange interview for the next day and they don't bother showing up. I'm not going to chase someone to come to an interview.

The only conclusion that I can come to is that they don't need the job in the first place. And if that's the case, why is it that they don't need to work??

[TonyHetherington]

For benefits do you need to show evidence of arranging intervies (confirmation emails or some such).

Is that enough to continue the unemployment benefit (job seeker's allowance I think it's called now?).

[freenote]

blugnu said:

I've applied for jobs in the period between having an interview and being offered the job.

Perhaps they have been employed since applying?

But then, with the information you have provided, we can't really rule out the possibility of them spontaneously combusting, winning the lottery or being head-hunted to replace Bob Diamond.

I don't suppose it will stop people speculating though.

Have you asked them why they didn't come?

Would you really bother calling someone who didn't show for an interview and didn't have the courtesy to cancel?

Although I did have one who texted 5 mins after the interview was meant to start saying they were on the right street but couldn't find the address! Texted back how to find and they never showed.

[freenote]

TonyHetherington said:

For benefits do you need to show evidence of arranging intervies (confirmation emails or some such).

Is that enough to continue the unemployment benefit (job seeker's allowance I think it's called now?).

I have no idea but would be very interested to know if someone has an answer.

[blindswelledrat]

freenote said:

I have no idea but would be very interested to know if someone has an answer.

I have no idea either, but I dont think its applicable to our adverts in this case.
OUr target applicant is typically a young graduate who dont tend to fall into the 'benefits' stereotype.
THat said, until recently I wouldn't have said they fell into the 'rude ' stereotype either

[BJG1]

If I apply for 10 jobs and you come back first offering an interview, I'll say yes. If a better job I applied for then offers me one I'll say yes to that too. If I start getting a few more offers for interviews on better money than yours I'll not bother with you anymore. I've been in that situation in the past couple of weeks (one not going to an initial interview, the other not going to a 2nd interview) I did have the courtesy to let them know in advance though.

Interviews are a 2 way process.

[ralphrj]

freenote said:

TonyHetherington said:

For benefits do you need to show evidence of arranging intervies (confirmation emails or some such).

Is that enough to continue the unemployment benefit (job seeker's allowance I think it's called now?).

I have no idea but would be very interested to know if someone has an answer.

In order to receive Jobseeker's allowance (JSA) you need to be "actively looking" for work. There is a jobseeker's agreement which sets out what you need to do to qualify for JSA which will probably say something like "apply for at least one job a week, write to at least one employer a week, visit at least one employer a week" etc.

I am currently on JSA and I keep a record of all the jobs I apply for as well as all the conversations I have with recruitment consultants and submit this to the Jobcentre when I sign on (including contact details). To my knowledge no-one has ever checked that what I have written is actually true. However, there is the threat that if anything I claim proves to be false then I could be prosecuted for benefit fraud.

[freenote]

BJG1 said:

If I apply for 10 jobs and you come back first offering an interview, I'll say yes. If a better job I applied for then offers me one I'll say yes to that too. If I start getting a few more offers for interviews on better money than yours I'll not bother with you anymore. I've been in that situation in the past couple of weeks (one not going to an initial interview, the other not going to a 2nd interview) I did have the courtesy to let them know in advance though.

Interviews are a 2 way process.

A little courtesy is all it takes!

[blindswelledrat]

BJG1 said:

If I apply for 10 jobs and you come back first offering an interview, I'll say yes. If a better job I applied for then offers me one I'll say yes to that too. If I start getting a few more offers for interviews on better money than yours I'll not bother with you anymore. I've been in that situation in the past couple of weeks (one not going to an initial interview, the other not going to a 2nd interview) I did have the courtesy to let them know in advance though.

Interviews are a 2 way process.

THats commonsense though. YOur attitude is how it should be.
Is the job market that good then?
WHy is unemplyment so high if people are getting offered so many opportunities that they dont even need to go to half the interviews

[freenote]

ralphrj said:

In order to receive Jobseeker's allowance (JSA) you need to be "actively looking" for work. There is a jobseeker's agreement which sets out what you need to do to qualify for JSA which will probably say something like "apply for at least one job a week, write to at least one employer a week, visit at least one employer a week" etc.

I am currently on JSA and I keep a record of all the jobs I apply for as well as all the conversations I have with recruitment consultants and submit this to the Jobcentre when I sign on (including contact details). To my knowledge no-one has ever checked that what I have written is actually true. However, there is the threat that if anything I claim proves to be false then I could be prosecuted for benefit fraud.

So I assume you don't actually have to prove you've been to an interview or could just as easily claim that no-one has offered you an interview if you were so inclined?
For example, if you were living at home not paying rent, could JSA be enough to get by? Forgive my ignorance.

The real question is, are benefits/JSA so attractive for someone who's a little work-shy that they just don't bother trying to get a job?

[BJG1]

blindswelledrat said:

BJG1 said:

If I apply for 10 jobs and you come back first offering an interview, I'll say yes. If a better job I applied for then offers me one I'll say yes to that too. If I start getting a few more offers for interviews on better money than yours I'll not bother with you anymore. I've been in that situation in the past couple of weeks (one not going to an initial interview, the other not going to a 2nd interview) I did have the courtesy to let them know in advance though.

Interviews are a 2 way process.

THats commonsense though. YOur attitude is how it should be.
Is the job market that good then?
WHy is unemplyment so high if people are getting offered so many opportunities that they dont even need to go to half the interviews

Job market's pretty good in my sector (E-Commerce) but if you look for entry-level jobs in it there's none, think that's the end of the market that's really suffering.

[ralphrj]

freenote said:

So I assume you don't actually have to prove you've been to an interview or could just as easily claim that no-one has offered you an interview if you were so inclined?

To my knowledge, no-one has ever checked if I have ever been to an interview but as I have only just signed on I may be viewed as a low priority compared to some long term claimants.

freenote said:

For example, if you were living at home not paying rent, could JSA be enough to get by? Forgive my ignorance.

JSA can vary depending on the claimants age, past NI contributions, financial circumstances, if their partner is also claiming but the maximum is £71/week for over 25s or £56.25/week for under 25s.

freenote said:

The real question is, are benefits/JSA so attractive for someone who's a little work-shy that they just don't bother trying to get a job?

JSA on its own? Probably not but this might be topped up by council tax benefit, housing benefit etc.

[blindswelledrat]

BJG1 said:

Job market's pretty good in my sector (E-Commerce) but if you look for entry-level jobs in it there's none, think that's the end of the market that's really suffering.

That makes sense.
THis is what is confusing me though.
THe people we need are trainee/no experience sales roles. A basic above the national average wage as an entry role and you would expect to be inundated with applicants from the media description.
Im beginning to wonder whether our economy is fked because of the younger generation work ethic rather than the other way around

[freenote]

blindswelledrat said:

Im beginning to wonder whether our economy is fked because of the younger generation work ethic rather than the other way around

My thoughts exactly!!!

[YRRunner]

Are you offering a decent basic salary, or are these "OTE" or commission only type roles? There seems to be gazillions of jobs out there, but a lot of sales jobs offer no basic or a very poor basic wage plus seemingly un-achievable OTE's. In the current economy, people who need to work and are looking for jobs also need the security of a fair basic wage and 40 hour week.

Edited by YRRunner on Friday 6th July 11:50

[freenote]

YRRunner said:

Are you offering a decent basic salary, or are these "OTE" or commission only type roles? There seems to be gazillions of jobs out there, but a lot of sales jobs offer no basic or a very poor basic wage plus seemingly un-achievable OTE's. In the current economy, people who need to work and are looking for jobs also need the security of a fair basic wage and 40 hour week.

Basic plus achievable commission = good OTE

[blugnu]

freenote said:

blugnu said:

I've applied for jobs in the period between having an interview and being offered the job.

Perhaps they have been employed since applying?

But then, with the information you have provided, we can't really rule out the possibility of them spontaneously combusting, winning the lottery or being head-hunted to replace Bob Diamond.

I don't suppose it will stop people speculating though.

Have you asked them why they didn't come?

Would you really bother calling someone who didn't show for an interview and didn't have the courtesy to cancel?

I would if I wanted to know why people weren't turning up, yes.

You seem to think that the best way to determine the answer to that is to ask strangers who know nothing about the job, the application process or the applicants.

But then you don't seem to want answers - you seem to want your prejudices confirmed.

In which case - they didn't turn up because they are lazy, and benefits are so generous they were all getting drunk playing new games on their X-box and big tv, before going on holiday.

Do you feel informed?