Do young adults in the UK not want to work?

I'll come for an interview!

Not just UK all over the place...and not just young people.
I interview/hire/schedule for a living.

Say We set 20 interviews for a day= maybe 5 will show. Maybe 5 will call to say not showing up.
I'll hire 1 a week MAYBE. I'll offer them shifts, they will deny them for many reasons, (to far, to hard, hours) but they HAVE TO WORK. If they take it, they work one shift one time then quit or find another job.

It's just the work ethic and money talks... it's that simple.

You might want to brush up on your literature about generational changes in the workplace. Gen Y is such a funny little generation - we get a kick out of them.

Elderrs have been complaining about youth since at least ancient Greece.

Unfortunately a lot of people are like that now. It makes me sad because while you can sure live off benefits (don't get me started on my views on benefits - I'm not against them, I just don't think it's being done in the right way) where's your sense of pride, like you've worked for what you have??

I feel like a lot is down to a sense of entitlement . . . "I'm ENTITLED to this, so I shall have it" Entitled to a cushy life, luxuries, nice car, as many kids as you want without ever paying anything towards them. Also, about wanting a job that we love. I'm sure we all want this, and by all means I'm all for being ambitious, but please work and support yourself in the process. These things (good job, lots of money) don't come fast, you usually have to work your *kitten* off for a while first!

Don't give up on everyone though, there are plenty of hard working young people out there. When you find them, I'm sure you'll have a great employee.

Firstly, that is a really rude and sweeping statement. Sure there are people who don't want to work, but they range from the age of entiltement to benefits through to state pension age - it is not purely a 'young person' problem.

Do you know why those 5 people didn't turn up? Personal problems, finding other work etc. It isn't always as clear cut as "they can't be bothered".

A simple call to cancel or let the interview know would show responsibility. Yes?

Did you ask why those 3 were late?

If people show up to an interview to get a job late, chances are this will be the same behavior if they were hired. Being in the retail management business for umpteen years before I left, this was a commonality.

Did you just automatically assume that person's mother was making an excuse?

Better yet, why did mom have to make the call? Why not the interviewee?

Did you wonder why those people couldn't afford to get proper interview clothes, or why they never had help in interview prepping?

This one I can probably understand. But one should still try to look their best for an interview.

Maybe the problem isn't those people, but yourself in not asking, or for outside factors not preparing them for such environments.

I don't buy this. If someone is truly interested in a job, they would take the steps necessary to try to do everything they could to win it.

Plus, most unemployed 'young' people I know aren't looking for training - most of them already have qualifications from college or univerisity and want to do something in that field, something they will enjoy and will make them happy. Yes, it is easier to find work while in employment, but not a lot of people want to join a company and do something they won't enjoy in the hopes of finding something better.

I'm all for working in the job you want, but if someone NEEDS a job, you take the opportunity you have. Unemployment happens because people wait around for a job to land in their lap.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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, I just don't think it's being done in the right way

What would that look like then?

I think many unemployed persons want to find a job that they "like" and that is "fun". They are kind of missing the point that this isn't the primary purpose of working.
My sister is 45 and had this attitude. She's still looking. I get very cross about it you have such a circular argument with people with this sense of entitlement.

I would take it from the OP comments, if people didn't bother to show up, they also didn't bother to have the manners to contact her to reschedule. If they had a decent excuse they would have done that. So not bothering is, well , not bothering. There are not many things (well maybe a death in the family) that are good enough excuses to not go to a job interview.

So your opinion is that people just need to do something they hate for majority of there time, just to struggle to have a place to sleep, and eat so they can wake up the next day and do the same thing they hate? Meanwhile the persons they work for have risen above that struggle by having others do the hated work for them?

Yes. It's called working your way up.

Unfortunatlly it is near impossible to work your way up for the average human. Evidence in how many "poor" people there are to those in "middle class" and "rich". When humans make a decision they weight the risk vs reward of the situation. If the job you are looking at acomplishing provides to much risk and little reward then you will choose not to take that job, if you do you are unhappy about doing it. If you spend 32hours + working and can only afford part of the security needed (food, water, airable land, shelter, entertainment, health, retirment) then the risk is already to high and you will be unhappy. I know what your thinking, it is better to work and afford food and shelter at least to stay alive... and be miserable, and build frustrations that you take out on your family, loved ones.

incorrect talking points based on no data. you can not make any inference to job mobility or working the way up by looking at statistics that only show percentage of population in each income group. that says nothing about the individuals therein and mobility. people do not stay in the same income groups...even if average income never changes or even decreases


job mobility in the US at least is very high. Google the mobility statistics. looking at at statistics for income as data without a time element is meaningless. the majority of people defined as poor are no longer in that classification 8 years later. and alarge part of the top 10% moves to the median 8 years later. the middle class is even more fluid

Plus, most unemployed 'young' people I know aren't looking for training - most of them already have qualifications from college or univerisity and want to do something in that field, something they will enjoy and will make them happy. Yes, it is easier to find work while in employment, but not a lot of people want to join a company and do something they won't enjoy in the hopes of finding something better.

it's called "paying your dues." just because someone has a degree they're supposed to start at the top? or the middle? no. you start at the bottom.

As for degrees...I laugh a lot of the time when people are going to college, whether they are 18 or 48, if they're like I was and majoring in a liberal arts field. They all think the bachelor's degree will guarantee them $50k and higher for the rest of their life. Wrong! I've held a BA since 2000 and it has very rarely played ANY role in the jobs I've held.

I want my $60k back.. my degree has gotten me nothing, aside from a VERY expensive piece of paper and almost divorced over the stress and hardship getting it took (3 kids, working full time and going to school - then opening a business).

Ugh!

Now that we have a business... employees - oh my!

Some days I just don't want to bother. And sorry, but we don't hire "young" people anymore because they just frankly don't want to work. Like it or not.

Mhm, in my experience it's the older people who wander around moaning like cynics, while the apprentices do the work.

There's always going to be some people that don't want to work, but it's generally a minority. Me, for example. I'm desperate to find a job, but can't get an interview to save myself! The fact that the only people you found were so useless, at least helps me realise the kind of people who are getting interviews for the jobs I'm going for :laugh:

So your opinion is that people just need to do something they hate for majority of there time, just to struggle to have a place to sleep, and eat so they can wake up the next day and do the same thing they hate? Meanwhile the persons they work for have risen above that struggle by having others do the hated work for them?

Yes, that is what the reality of life for people with little or no formal education usually looks like. Even for those with a college educations the first couple of jobs are often not exactly dream jobs, but entry job at a low level of salary ( not necessarily minimum wage, but still low ) to get a more rewarding career going.
I graduated in Germany in 1972 with a MSW ( Masters of Social Work ) and not only had very bad work circumstances, but as a professional earned so little that I qualified for food stamps ( which I did not apply for ) and heating help in winter ( coupons for heating oil, which I did apply for ).
This obviously was a long time ago and I only mention it to show that things have not changed all that much. Over time I went back to school and specialized in Nutrition and Humanitarian Aid and for the last 27 years have had only " dream jobs " with good pay.......but it did take 15 years to get to such a job with previous employment for lower pay, bad hours, dangerous circumstances.......and yes, there were always those who already had " paid their dues " and were better off than I was at the time......such is life's reality. We are not born into fun & dream jobs, they usually have to be worked for.

I am very fortunate in that I have a business that is relatively successful in the UK

This last few weeks I have been holding interviews to fill a position..the wage is only slightly above minimum wage, but, it is a little above.

I am looking to train this person up into a better skill.

I have not been looking for a rocket scientist or brain surgeon, just someone that would seem to have reliability and some work ethic.

5 people never bothered to turn up for the interviews...3 were late... 1 had the mother phone up to make an excuse.. a few people turned up wearing jeans....2 people actually told me they had to come for the interviews or they would lose their entitlement to social security benefits...

I was hoping to try to help someone from benefits into the workplace. Is it that young adults do not want to work?

It must just be the type of job you're offering that attracts that particular type of person. Or the area it's based.

And I think it's a horrible generalisation you just used there and you should therefore be ashamed of yourself. Theres plenty of us people who want to work, and indeed are working.

Really so, it is an employer that is offering a wage, ongoing training that is at fault?

I should be at fault for the area of work or the area that someone lives? I should be ashamed for trying to offer some one work??

I wish some one could explain this to me?

No, I said you should be ashamed if yourself for stereotyping all youngsters. Please don't twist the words I've typed.

Signing on 3 times a week? Well, I suppose it might create more jobs in the Job Centre but that's the only benefit I can see!

Until the NMW represents a living wage, young people are of course going to be reluctant to work for it. Sure, it means they'll be earning something, but not enough to rent their own place or support themselves. So I guess the Bank of Mum and Dad / JSA is enough for the unemployed/ NEETS when they'll be stuck in the same room they were in at 10 years of age anyway and just want some beer money. Graduates who have spent 3 years studying (more if they've done post grad qualifications) aren't going to be enthusiastic about working for £6-ish an hour, whatever training is used as a handy little carrot to dangle in front of them. I agree that everyone has to start somewhere, but expecting people to be chomping at the but for a low paid job is a little naive. Not everyone has the wherewithal to want to support themselves, so they'll never show up for interviews or the first day of work, and those that have more ambition will find something better until a relevant job comes along (i.e. something they've studied and qualified for).

It's a shame that it is difficult to find reliable people to fill jobs - but the old saying pops to mind... If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. NMW has long been used as a poor excuse for employers to keep wages down to maximise profits, knowing that a lot of employees with families will get Tax Credits as top ups so neither side has any incentive to change things.

Edited to add: If you're serious about training someone young and unemployed, there's always the Apprenticeship scheme? (I think this has been extended to 24 years of age now so doesn't mean getting a very young school leaver if that wouldn't be appropriate).