Good opportunity or Bull?

[Aaronj46]

Just seen this on gumtree, work a week for free? if you put someone on a trial basis i understand or even just paying expenses but £0 for 45hrs+ work? "WE ARE LOOKING TO TAKE ON A PLUMBER'S MATE & ELECTRICAL IMPROVER. IDEALLY THE CANDIDATE SHOULD BE ON A COLLEGE COURSE OR HAVE RECENTLY COMPLETED A COLLEGE COURSE. LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS SOME EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE TRADE. IDEALLY AGED BETWEEN 16-22. CANDIDATE MUST BE A GOOD TIME KEEPER, PUNCTUAL, RELIABLE, POLITE, TRUSTWORTHY AND KEEP TO LEARN. NOT LOOKING FOR SOMEONE THAT IS CONSTANTLY ON THEIR PHONE OR SMOKING LIKE A CHIMNEY. MUST BE PRESENTABLE AND WELL MANNERED. OWN TOOLS ARE NOT ESSENTIAL. NEITHER IS OWN TRANSPORT. AS LONG AS YOU CAN GET PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO EITHER MEET US ON THE JOB OR ON ROUTE TO THE JOB. NORMAL WORKING HOURS ARE 8 AM TO 5 AM. OCCASIONALLY YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO WORK LATE AND WEEKENDS. MUST BE WILLING TO DO A WEEK'S UNPAID TRIAL. THIS WILL FIZZLE OUT ANY TIME WASTERS. ONLY LOOKING FOR GENUINE HARD WORKING TRAINEES. PLEASE CONTACT SAM FOR A BRIEF TELEPHONE INTERVIEW ON 07838 357647. GOOD LUCK."

 

[Baker1988]

If it leads to a proper job I cant see the problem, If that job oppertunity was in my area I would jump at the chance

 

[Aaronj46]

I would personally approach with caution, it just seems like a 'come work with us'.... 'Oh sorry, we don't feel you're right, thanks for the graft'

 

[elliot123]

When I was looking for a job before, had some dodgy replies via gumtree one a asked to send them 50 quid so they could do a crb check due to the work being in a school email seemed quite legit had a proper company name etc but soon as I typed number into Google came up on a fraud website so be careful

 

[ferg]

I suppose it depends on how badly you need or want the experience.

If you are prepared to look at it as a weeks unpaid work experience with the possibility of a job at the end of it then you have nothing to lose.

Personally I don't like the Idea of having someone work for nothing but there are lots of guys on this forum volunteering to do just that.

 

[Tridentsystems]

I would talk to them and ask for a payment after first week if you got on well. Even a token gesture

 

[HandySparks]

Hours are a bit steep.

 

[timo1]

Im sorry I think this is disgusting! Reduced rate then fine, even a trial day, but a week is absolutely taking the urine. The sad thing is they will get someone to work for free, and then pay them peanuts, no sick pay or other benifits, what a sad state of affairs. I really do pity the young workers.

 

[overskilled]

Seen it advertised around my way also, numerous times by the same companies...another scam.
Fair enough few hours trade test or weeks trial - pay bus fare/pick up and drop off and cover expenses (lunch and some beer tokens even). Even paying minimum wage would be more than fair.
Be interested to know how the above stands in relation to the minimum wage act?

Though I know what the post means about some applicants....might be half an idea to drop the 16-22 condition (age discrimination act breach?)

 

[Simonslimline]

Be wary of gumtree , always lots of scams on going on.

 

[Guest55]

anyone even remotely serious in recruiting a young skilled operative long term isnt going to use fookin gumtree are they ?

come on ! thats where the dodgy skip hire firms do business.

and remind me why it needs to be free ?
surely the weeks wage can be retained and paid to the eventual successful candidate ?

and only a complete chav retard spells out his advert entirely in capital letters.

the whole thing is a big dose of fail.

 

[Aaronj46]

knowing how hard it is to get into electrics someone is sure to graft for 50+ hours for 'experience', personally i'll stick to hard work and patience

 

[7029 dave]

Absolutely disgusting nobody should be asked to work for free, no matter of any situation!!.

 

[Guest55]

ha ha , just read the advert again and i love the " got no transport ? thats ok just use public transport ( bus) to get to the job"

so as well as paying you nowt , they cant be arsed to give you a lift either ?

yeah , they sound a real class outfit lol !

 

[jimmymac]

That's a con if I've ever seen one, I think they want someone young so that they can bully them and they won't know have a clue about employment rights. My advice....STAY WELL CLEAR!

 

[Badged01]

Says bags about the company if thats the way they want to employ potential employees! But would you really want to work for a company that can happily treat future employees like that?

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

F that! Don't be a mug! Find them out and name and shame!

 

[Aaronj46]

Says bags about the company if thats the way they want to employ potential employees! But would you really want to work for a company that can happily treat future employees like that?

With the lack of opportunities some people may feel that it is worth it, even if only for a reference

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

With the lack of opportunities some people may feel that it is worth it, even if only for a reference

ill give you a reference for anyone who is actually serious about taking up this god awful scumbag firm!

 

[Adam W]

Maybe I'm making generalisations but I envisage the job eventually going to a migrant worker after the person who placed the advert gets "sick and tired of British youngsters who would rather sit at home playing computer games than go and do a days work".

Personally I'd give this a wide berth - if large companies can employ trainees without expecting them to work a week for free then why can't this guy? The usual way to "fizzle out the timewasters" is by meeting potential employees; it's called an 'interview' which usually lasts half an hour or so, not a whole week. He's not even offering to pay for college.
Yes there are (or certainly 'were' during the recession) trainees willing to offer a free trial, but that is usually as an incentive to an employer who hasn't advertised a vacancy, and certainly shouldn't be the way the industry is heading.

 

[Silly Sausage]

Maybe I'm making generalisations but I envisage the job eventually going to a migrant worker after the person who placed the advert gets "sick and tired of British youngsters who would rather sit at home playing computer games than go and do a days work".

Ah...and there lies one root of the problems so vociferously discussed yesterday.
British employers exploiting cheap Eastern European labour.
They'll work for a pittance for a while, get a bit of experience and move on.
Plenty more in the line to replace them.

It all helps to pay for the new R8, I guess!

 

[overskilled]

I think we should ALL apply for it...drive the guy round the bend totally, and throw in some poglish applications for good measure also.....

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

Have you got this idiots contact details?

 

[Aaronj46]

O7838 357647 Sam

 

[Aaronj46]

Have you got this idiots contact details?

Be nice!

 

[Adam W]

Ah...and there lies one root of the problems so vociferously discussed yesterday.
British employers exploiting cheap Eastern European labour.
They'll work for a pittance for a while, get a bit of experience and move on.
Plenty more in the line to replace them.

It all helps to pay for the new R8, I guess!

I don't think this guy is out to exploit "cheap eastern European labour" and probably genuinely expects to offer a long term position to the right candidate, but if nobody wants to do a weeks hard work for free I think he'd rather brand all young people as lazy and workshy instead of admitting he was expecting too much, before implementing a 2 pronged change of tactic - looking for a foreigner, and offering remuneration.
At the very least he should be offering the going rate for someone to lug stuff around for a week with no guaranteed job at the end of it.

Unpaid internships may be commonplace where there's a 6 figure salary up for grabs, but in this industry we still use probation periods.

 

[overskilled]

lie weeks are bad enough...let alone zero pay...

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

I'll give him a call tomorrow and let him know a few opinions I have, then a few hours later I'll get a lad to give him a call to arrange a weeks trial, should save some poor lad a day of worthlessness when our cap doesn't turn up!

 

[Aaronj46]

I'll give him a call tomorrow and let him know a few opinions I have, then a few hours later I'll get a lad to give him a call to arrange a weeks trial, should save some poor lad a day of worthlessness when our cap doesn't turn up!

Be sure to keep us all updated