Browse Sections

Interactive

Popular Sections

Weather

Partly cloudy

Personal Finance

Balance Transfer

Card	Typical APR

Virgin Credit Card	16.6%
Barclaycard Platinum	15.9%
NatWest Platinum	16.9%
Royal Bank of Scotland Platinum	16.9%
Egg Card	16.9%

Customers with a 'good' credit profile

Company

Typical APR

Platinum Exclusive	7.8%
Sainsbury's Personal Loan	7.9%
Alliance & Leicester	7.9%

Fees may apply

News

| Submit Comments | Comments (28) | « Previous Story | Next Story »

Chris Walker is now retraining as a driving instructor

Woolworths employee out of work - after applying for 100 jobs

Alice McKeegan

January 23, 2010

A year after the closure of Woolworths, Chris Walker is still looking for a job.

The father-of-two had worked for the firm for 21 years and was a quality assurance technician in Castleton when the High Street giant collapsed.

Since the firm closed, he has applied for 100 jobs, but without success. Chris, 58, from Ashton-under-Lyne said his experience showed the hidden human cost of Woolies' failure.

He told how he has suffered 'rejection after rejection' despite applying for scores of jobs – from office work to the retail industry – and has gone from earning £18,000 a year to £60 Jobseekers' Allowance a week. He is now retraining to be a driving instructor but remains uncertain of his future.

He said: "Spending a year out of work is an awful experience and something I wouldn't want anyone to have to go through.

"I've applied for around 100 jobs without success – I've only had a couple of interviews and it was pretty much 'thanks, but no thanks'.

"The credit crunch is making things much harder – more people are unemployed and everyone seems to be going for the same kind of jobs.

"My age is definitely against me and the whole experience has been horrible."

Chris lives with his wife Susan, 50, a council worker, and explained how being made redundant has affected his family life.

He added: "I did get a small amount of redundancy but that's pretty much gone now so it's tough. Fortunately my wife is in work so that makes things a little easier but we are struggling and it's tough on the people around you.

"It's really depressing – it gets you down and you can see no light at the end of the tunnel. I go every two weeks to the job centre and staff try to help but there doesn't seem to be enough jobs to go around. But I'm not the only one - there are thousands of people in the same position."

| Submit Comments | Comments (28) | « Previous Story | Next Story »

Most recent user comments 25 of 28

1 | 2 | Next Page Show 25 | 50 per page

Perhaps we should all bear this in mind come the 6th May (sssssshhhhhh don't tell anyone but that is when the election will be) so that we can rid ourselves of this turbulent unelected Scotsman and get ourselves a decent government.

This man's story seems to buck the trend. More than half of those made redundant in this current Labour-created crisis get another job. Applying for two jobs a week sounds a bit like the mimimum you have to do to keep DWP off your back.

Hurry O'Caine - the Irish Whirlind, Typhoon Tipperary
26/01/2010 at 10:22

Ace - there's a world of difference between the employment opportunuties afforded to people doing "unskilled" work (warehouse packing/labouring/shelf stacking etc) that I am talking about and roles requiring a level of education, professional qualifications and the like - not to mention the levels of salary required. Having said that I was of the opinion that quantity surveying - or anything at all to be honest - was not a good place to be at the moment.

Orb, Rochdale
26/01/2010 at 10:09

Ace Riley said: "Orb, Rochdale Answer me one question? We have in openshaw a lot of immigrants who have traveled halfway across the world never mind europe and they get work in our hospitals etc,And the last few years weve had polish workers who came to britain and found jobs no problems? even macdonalds had a lot of polish workers"

Ace, it's really because of our own expectations and salary requirements. For many immigrants, our low-paid jobs are good money to them and they don't want to spend their hard-earned income the same way we expect to. I witnessed two Polish women in Wetherspoons who had a full three hours social chat over a cup of coffee each. They had an afternoon out (in the warm) without feeling the need to spend tons of money, which I expect they didn't have anyway. (I will admit I enjoyed 4 pints of 5% porter for £1.39 each, and had just as good a time, if not better.)

PW, Manchester
26/01/2010 at 09:46

I could imagine a headline if he was a doctor trying to get a job or a teacher like myself who struggles to get a contract. Maybe he should have set his sights higher when times were good.

Marquis de Sade et la petit monge tout,
26/01/2010 at 08:25

I think a lot of job nowadays are going to people who already work in the firms that are advertising them, and that's why others are not getting the opportunity. I know that the firm I work for, sometimes advertise positions which are already ear-marked for others currently doing the job by agency staff, or from internal applicants. It really does make it hard for those who are looking for jobs and it wastes their time going through the interview process.

laalaa22, Denton
25/01/2010 at 17:57

Retraining as a driving instructor is the equivalent to re-training as a brickie a few years ago and retraining as a computer repair engineer. most are just time wasters? My freind in stockport his wife runs four cars in her driving school and is finding it hard to make a living.What happens when we have thousands of instructors out of work do they retrain to become a brickie?.

Ace Riley, outsidethebox
25/01/2010 at 13:42

Ive just beem on manchester councils website and theve got vaccancies on their site.lots of jobs on the site.Why is it that i know people who walk out of one job right into another without any problems? surely its about motivation and expectations.Is it time that people on unemployment should be made to sign on daily and made to do community work for their unemployment to stop them getting depressed and lazy.?

Ace Riley, outsidethebox
25/01/2010 at 12:50

Orb, Rochdale Answer me one question? We have in openshaw a lot of immigrants who have traveled halfway across the world never mind europe and they get work in our hospitals etc,And the last few years weve had polish workers who came to britain and found jobs no problems? even macdonalds had a lot of polish workers.We still have quite a few polish neighbours who still have work.My son has changed jobs four times in the last five years because of the company making him redundant.but within a few days he got a low paid job until he got a better job (hes a quantity surveyor) but hes never been out of work for more than three days since he left school.Both my sons are around 30 years old but none of them have been out of work very long.you have to ask yourself why can they get a job and others struggle??

Ace Riley, outsidethebox
25/01/2010 at 12:38

To be quite honest i dont know what the scenario with agencies is if they do get any commision on registering with them,put it one way i worked for a well known agency in Manchester for the past 2 years when my role ended Aug 09 i was out of work for 3 weeks,but after contacting them again they said i needed to re-register ??? Why they knew my background its not has tho ive grown an extra head,it just doesnt make sense.

engine1, manc
24/01/2010 at 16:20

Even the lowliest jobs are being snapped up, many by post-graduates until professional appointments become available to them. Why have some unskilled worker, when you ca pay a highly intelligent person the same money for however long they last? I hate to say it, but if you went through your education smoking behind the bike shed and wagging it, you´re on the scrap heap. I hope this gentleman finds employment soon, but without retraining, which thankfully he´s doing, he doesn´t stand a chance. Me? Well I prefer to be responsible for my own livelihood and work for myself. I´m guaranteed a job for life.

Pandora ,
24/01/2010 at 15:49

Chesney - yes Recruitment agencies do advertise false jobs. I applied for one on a Monday- when i rang on the Tuesday -returing their call - the job had been filled. And on eagencuy asdked me to send them lists of the jobs I applied for their records. Shouldnt it be the other way round?

tiggerluc, somewhere in shaw
24/01/2010 at 15:07

Why is this worthy of a story about it? I have also been out of work for almost a year and I have applied for a lot more than 100 jobs. The unfortunate fact is that there are so many people out of work at the moment that there are a lot of people applying for the same jobs, so it is nearly impossible to even get an interview, no matter what kind of job your are applying for.

Mrs Jammy, Sitting on the settee
24/01/2010 at 14:29

Ace Riley - regarding Aldi and McDonalds are always looking for staff.

I'd love to know what alternate reality Ace resides in; I don't think it bears any resemblence to the real world whatsoever. The reason Aldi and McDs are always wanting staff is that they have a very high staff turnover. Think about why this might be. This will not, however, mean that they won't be getting several *hundred* applicants for every single job - competition is fierce.

Chesney - regarding recruitment agencies and ficticious job roles - this does happen (IT recruitment is very notable for this - it's used as a vehicle for the recruiters to obtain details of past employers and bosses). The reason the agency won't tell you the name of the employer is (a) in case you are actually another agency trying to steal business or (b) you could go to the company direct and the agency won't get their commission. Nothing cloak and dagger about it; they're protecting their business.

You also state that your husband went down to see about a job on "the same day" and it had gone. You have my sympathy but that's not quick enough right now - if that job was posted on the internet you can expect CVs and applications to be hitting them within minutes at a fairly high rate. I fielded a job at the beginning of December (minimum wage) and in six hours had 193 applicants call.

There's a feeling I get that most people - especially those that have been generally insulated from this credit crunch because their jobs are still secure - don't realise that the days of being able to get any job that's going are gone. Order packers, site labourers - you could advertise a job shovelling ****- there will be people queuing round the block for that job.

Orb, Rochdale
24/01/2010 at 11:13

The Point is-What are Aldi and McDonalds Paying?If the jobs are soo good.Why are they looking for staff?

canonball, inside the helmet
24/01/2010 at 08:29

B&Q AND MACDONALDS are always looking for staff? or is he being picky on what job he wants.... Ace Riley, outsidethebox 23/01/2010 at 16:51 HE WORKED FOR WOOLIES FOR 21 YEARS!!! YOU CAN HARDLY ACCUSE HIM OF BEING PICKY. Sorry for shouting everyone but it's time for Ace to stop thinking " outsidethebox" and keep his little thoughts in his little head.

Leon Weastie, Stuck in a Bockle Over the Mode
24/01/2010 at 02:19

Is the government paying for the re-training? this is stupid we are in a recession, driving instructor, theres no cash out there for lessons - rediculous, if he is paying hiumself then save your cash.

Melandra ,
23/01/2010 at 18:35

I agree with the comments that have been made about job agencies.They do advertise jobs that are made up.I smelt a rat after my husband applied for these so called jobs.When you phone up and ask if the job is vacant they tell you it is,but you have to come down and register first.My husband went down same day,when he got to there offices to register,they tell him that job has gone now This has happened at least 5 times.Do these agencies get paid of the govenment.It is sick what is going on out there.I would love to see the morons in government go through what we have to go through.As for the job centres they are a waste of time,they do not know what there are doing.Why as well if there is a job on the web page and it states you have to phone them for details,it is cloack and dagger they will not tell you who it is or give you a phone number.Don,t ask them questions they will not answer.Welcome to Britain.£65 JSA how can a man support his family on that,it is about time we had somethng done about this.

chesney, manchester
23/01/2010 at 18:04

Ive just looked on the aldi website and they are looking for staff as well....lots of supermarkets are always looking for staff.

Ace Riley, outsidethebox
23/01/2010 at 16:52

B&Q AND MACDONALDS are always looking for staff? or is he being picky on what job he wants....

Ace Riley, outsidethebox
23/01/2010 at 16:51

I think there are a few aggravating factors to Chris's plight. His age is against him, despite legislation companies do discriminate on all sorts of fronts, and age is just one of them. Secondly Ashton is not exactly a thriving town and there probably aren't a lot of vacancies there, maybe looking for a job further afield might help, although at minimum wage plus travel costs it probably isn't worth it.

Still look on the bright side, at least you haven't needed to go into Tameside hospital! You'll never need to look for a job again!

thoughtful, East of Manchester
23/01/2010 at 15:42

J Peasmond - I speak from professional experience - there are a very good number who have got work, but there are quite a few, sadly, that still haven't. You also have to remember the knock-on effect upon other companies hereabout.

Orb, Rochdale
23/01/2010 at 15:22

The majority of the UK population have voted for a free-market society since Thatcher was first elected in 1978. What counts is return on capital; not individual or family tragedies or the outcome for communities or society. As Thatcher and the Toffs in their posh home-county estates keep telling us: There is no such thing as society! Unless you join the army and get your legs blown off fighting for it.

James Yates, Hyde, Cheshire
23/01/2010 at 14:25

I dont just think its the unskilled workers,its also the skilled workers finding it hard to get a job,even agencies seem to be overwhelmed with candidates at the minute,and jobs that are advertised on alot of the websites do not exist.

engine1, manc
23/01/2010 at 13:59

Even with a first class Hons degree, you're not guaranteed a job. So what hope do others who are less educated have? You just have to keep ploughing ahead, even by doing volunteering work for your local charity. At least that looks good on your CV. You can't be choosy. I've often applied for jobs where there have been over 400 applicants for one role....and I felt lucky just getting to interview stage!

Mancunian Minxycat
23/01/2010 at 13:45

Is this story being portrayed as an exceptional case, or are all ex-Woolworths employees in the same situation? Well, at least this guy has got his CV in the public domain. Maybe an MEN reader will take pity and give him a job. Has he thought of registering with some agencies and letting the jobs come to him, or don't things work that way any more?

J. Peasmold Gruntfuttock, Peasmouldia
23/01/2010 at 13:40

1 | 2 | Next Page Show 25 | 50 per page

Add Your Comments

Loading poll, please wait...

Tameside's definitive entertainment guide.

Search and rate restaurants in Tameside

Search and rate bars and pubs in Tameside

Tameside Advertiser

Site navigation