... recruitment crisis ...

I've applied for four jobs in the past few months.

I had the interview for one on Monday after applying in mid August. I may hear whether I've been siccessful in the next month or so.

Another one, which was for the local council said on the application form that if I had not heard in four weeks I had not be appointed. I therefore complained five weeks later and within 24 hours had been offered an interview for the manager post.

The interview was for about 2 hours and I was told that to save money the council does not notify people if they are unsuccessful. I have previously asked in the Odtaa Files - can no one in the office use email

I was thinking of complaining about the process - after all I pay the taxes that pay for this outfit. However I am glad I did not - as I have now been offered an interview of the lower post - admitedly 10 weeks after the application.

The local university clearly discriminates on age - they had three research posts of which I was very expereinced, ie 20 years direct expereince of what they were researching which was ironically, 'social exclusion' and in addition I had worked with the specialist computer package they wanted for the project. I was not invited for the first set of interviews. They appointed nobody and then I reapplied for the second round of interviews again but again I was not even interviewed.

At the local hospital I was harangued by a surgeon for being 'over qualified' for what he clearly considered a crap job and told I would walk out of the job witin three months. It was clear that he had already decided before the interview that he was not going to appoint me. I noted that that job was readvertised.

I feel there is a serious problem of recruitment in this country.