Looking for an employee? Advice/help required.

[Niffty951]

I know this is about as off topic as you can get on a car forum but I can think of no larger collection of minds from all industries.

I have just discovered that an extremely bright, friend of mine who immigrated to the UK a year ago is currently working for less than £100 per week, without a contract, for a company who as far as I can make out don't pay their contribution to her taxes as she's just been fined. The whole situation sounds highly illegal to me and I feel they have massively taken advantage of a young girl in her twenties trying to find her feet in a new country!

Without getting into discussions about how wrong this might be as I don't think wasting time on the matter can really help her, can anyone think how an educated girl with top grades in an English masters degree, who speaks 5 or more languages to various degrees and English better than I do could be more gainfully employed?

I know her to be level headed and a hard worker. It seems blatantly obvious to me that a person with such skills could find a respectable job in many areas of business but when it actually comes to thinking of a job she should apply for I'm struggling for specifics.

She came here straight from University in Paris with no contacts except a few family members to stay with. Her primary problem is a lack of previous work experience but there must be some position she could secure to start climbing the ladder?

Any ideas welcome, the more specific the better. Thank you.

[Hedders]

I bid £120 a week.

[Tallbut Buxomly]

Hedders said:

I bid £120 a week.

Ill go to 150 but there will be terms attached.

[ridds]

Olympics translation work?

[Hedders]

ridds said:

Olympics translation work?

The benefits office always need translators too.

[Jerry Can]

i would have thought any multinational corporation would want to look at her for her languages alone.

[Niffty951]

Thank you. Good thought. I'll put that one forward for a start.

[Niffty951]

Jerry Can said:

i would have thought any multinational corporation would want to look at her for her languages alone.

Yes that is something I keep saying to her but as she says its harder to actually find these positions than you think. It's a true statement but usually in connection with a job role requiring previous experience, its an original catch 22 situation.

[Hedders]

Niffty951 said:

Thank you. Good thought. I'll put that one forward for a start.

Mention my offer of £120.

[Jerry Can]

Niffty951 said:

Jerry Can said:

i would have thought any multinational corporation would want to look at her for her languages alone.

Yes that is something I keep saying to her but as she says its harder to actually find these positions than you think. It's a true statement but usually in connection with a job role requiring previous experience, its an original catch 22 situation.

grad scheme??

[purplepolarbear]

Is she legally able to work in the UK without any visa restrictions?

If she is, surely even a minimum wage job in a shop would pay double that. Also, would she be able to sue the current employer for the difference between what they paid her and the minimum wage?

[Hedders]

If she is the litigious type, I had better withdraw my bid.


Am oot.

[Bodo]

What are the languages that she speaks/writes fluently; what other skills does she have, and where does she consider to relocate to?

[Niffty951]

Bodo said:

What are the languages that she speaks/writes fluently; what other skills does she have, and where does she consider to relocate to?

I'll see if I can get a CV from her.

To the other poster, she has legal right to work here but cannot afford to lose her income at the moment. I have put forwards since I found out this morning the idea that she could get a legitimate job at Tesco or similar which would be better paid. She has since spoken to them to inquire about wages etc but it would be a temporary fix rather than a solution, she also found a website advertising for translators for the Olympics. I suppose a lot of people will apply to it but thank you very much for the idea it was a good one which may come to something.

Edited by Niffty951 on Saturday 18th September 19:12

[Tallbut Buxomly]

Hedders said:

Niffty951 said:

Thank you. Good thought. I'll put that one forward for a start.

Mention my offer of £120.

Why would he my offer is better???

[Niffty951]

Graduate schemes I believe she looked into even before she came over here but they tend to be overfilled and preference students leaving UK University sites.

[Hedders]

Tallbut Buxomly said:

Hedders said:

Niffty951 said:

Thank you. Good thought. I'll put that one forward for a start.

Mention my offer of £120.

Why would he my offer is better???

True, you can have her anyway. I have retracted my bid :P

[Rich_W]

purplepolarbear said:

Is she legally able to work in the UK without any visa restrictions?

I suspect not. And that is why she's having her pants pulled down.

In fact that might make her some more money on this very website. Just so long as she can say "You're the best I ever had" in 9 languages she'll be fine

[Niffty951]

Hmmm I sense the thread deteriorating! Rather than publish her CV on line which may be private. Here is the extract with her languages. She also mentions elsewhere that she has previous work experience in web design, updating a website for a magazine which might be useful.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Languages : Fluent in French and English, good working knowledge of Spanish and some knowledge of Russian.

• Computing skills : Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop, Dreamweaver and Internet.

• Driving : Full, clean driving licence.

[R1 Loon]

All the qualifications are great, but the key question is:

Is she fit?

I'll obviously need proof and depending upon the score I award between 1 and 10 will be able to offer a role paying between £20,000 and £60,000 a year.