Taken advantage of

Ammsy500

I have been unemployed for over a year now and have been applying for jobs with no luck until last week when I was called for an interview for bar staff in a local hotel. Delighted I went to the interview and thought it went well and was told that I would be starting this week but I would be doing a 'trial shift' first. Had never done one of these before but thought nothing of it and guessed it would be basically them seeing how I got on and how I interacted with customers as she kept saying to me in the interview that they wanted local staff who could have a bit of a chat with the customers and show that 'Irish charm'.

So off I went to do my trial shift of 4 hours last Thursday. I was told to ask for the lady who interviewed me at reception but was told she was in a meeting and lady at reception would get somebody else for me. So a guy from the bar comes along and shows me where to put my bag etc before I start and hands me a tie and waist coat that was two times to small for me (as it was far too small i was told not to wear it). Anyway he tells me another girl is starting in a few mins and she will show me around. In she arrives and no lie i could not understand a word she was saying I had to politely ask her a few times to repeat what she was saying well thats when she said anything at all. She just pointed at things and told me to carry plates from one kitchen to another (grand no bother) but no explanation to where things went so guy washing dishes got quite angry as i wasnt placing cutlerly in right places. Than she went off and did her own thing so I was standing there looking a little bit lost and when she did come back i asked her what else she needed help with and all i got was "no i do it by myself thank you". I felt like I was just a nuisance to them.

Sorry im waffling but I was just really annoyed everyone seemed to be quite rude and made out as if I should know where things went even though NOBODY showed me grr. Nobody introduced themselves to me not even managers so didnt know who anybody was. I had to ask the girl who didnt speak much English what bar I was working in as they have three in the hotel (I think). I seen the lady who interviewed me for a split second when she said hi while rushing by me thats it. Three hours into my shift a man appears from no where and tells me "thank you your done bye" lol sounds like faulty towers.

Havent heard from them since and Im kind of glad it was bloody awful. Ive worked in many kinds of places with people of all different nationalities but have never had such a bad experience. It saddens me as this is a local hotel only a five minute walk from my house, it has alot of of potential and is in a beautiful area looking over the sea. To see what goes on behind the scenes just shows me now why they have been suffering the past few years (Ive heard lots of complaints about it)

Its a disgrace that they are taking on people to do 'trial shifts' and not paying them it actually felt like slave labour!

Mrs OBumble

If you want to follow it up, you could try ringing the woman who interviewed you and telling her (politely) how you found things.

Or you could visit Citizens Information and see if they can get you paid for the shift.

Ammsy500

Thanks, Ill be writing a letter of complaint to the general manager of the hotel