I heard this story on the news a little while and the more I think about it the more outraged I am. This story has really got to me. The thought of those tosserish HR types treating genuine job seekers as performing monkeys for their own entertainment says all you need to know about the wealth gap in Blair’s New Britain and the state of class relations in the UK. It’s one of the most disgusting jobseeking-related stories I’ve read in a long time.
B&Q want employees who can dance
Tuesday, January 2, 2007B&Q: They blame it on the sunshine, the moonlight, and quite possibly also the good times.
If you’re going for an interview as a van driver at B&Q in the coming days, you’d better put on a sequined outfit and brush up on your dance moves.
The DIY giant seems to want drivers who can do a passable Passa Doble as much as it wants ones with basic road driving competence.
Several jobseekers attending interviews at the firm’s store in Norwich were faced with a bizarre request to do a jig as The Jackson 5’s hit Blame It On The Boogie was played. Some were even photographed by managers.
One of those interviewed said he felt like an ‘idiot’ as well as being embarrassed by the unusual request.
Union bosses are not happy with B&Q’s antics. ‘This is utterly bizarre,’ Ed Blissett, an official of the GMB union. ‘It seems to reduce jobs our members do to some kind of joke. It is time that B&Q stops this nonsense.’
B&Q said in a statement: ‘This session was run as the Norwich store was looking to recruit a large group of store based staff. The candidates were offered tea and coffee when they arrived and this was followed by a light hearted exercise before the formal interview process began.
‘This practise isn’t a formal part of our recruitment policy although our stores are encouraged to make sure candidates are relaxed before going into the interview process.’
Neither Bruce Forsyth or Tess Daly were available for comment.
Next year New Labour is to bring in welfare reforms that will force the chronically sick and disabled to engage in ‘work-related activities’ (up to and including forced medical treatment) or have their benefits cut, the decision to be made by medically unqualified outsourced benefits offocers, with no judicial oversight.
Dance, monkeys.
Read more: UK news, Work, Labour relations, Jobhunting, Unions, B&Q., Welfare reform
