Unemployed Need Not Apply

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This is funny, in a way that is simultaneously morbid and ironic. Most are probably aware of the axiom/cliche "you need a job to get a job". But some companies are taking this to the extreme, actually stating in their application process, things like "Unemployed candidates will not be considered."

Now, I understand the rationale these employers are using. In today's job market, it makes sense that companies who downsize are going to keep their best workers, and let go their worst workers, so if you don't have a job, you must be one of those bad workers. (Overlooking the possibility that the reason you're out of work is because the company you worked for went out of business and all of their employees - the good and the bad - are out of work.)

Anyway, here's the story.

 

I can't think of a single good reason to overlook the possibility that someone lost their job due to a company shutting its doors or being bought out (where job functions are often migrated to other parts of country/world). More, many company have had to go waaaay beyond laying off their low performers and have had to cut into the bone (i.e. the solid performers) of their organizations in order to drop their expenses.

There are tons of highly qualified, highly talented folks out of work right now. Only looking at the gainfully employed to fill an open position is, in a word, absurd. It's a new form of discrimination.

 

Yup, we've just had a year and a bit where Kev was going through jobs but not keeping them on for various reasons (One company refusing to pay his wages, another where the assistant manager and supervisory staff were trying to get him fired as they wanted the assistant manager to get a promotion instead.)

Several jobs he was turned down for were for "history of unemployment" and the past year (still with six months working full time and a few odd jobs through a temp agency) has been the first time he's been unemployed since the age of 16.

Another job he has had a lot of hassle over is as a call rep for a local bank - our previous flat contract ended on the 2nd of July and our current flat started on the 4th. The bank is saying this is "unacceptable" as we were technically homeless for two days.