By NICO SCAVELLA
Tribune Staff Reporter
nscavella@tribunemedia.net
OVER 500 people seeking job opportunities with the new Margaritaville Bahamas restaurant yesterday expressed frustration that they needed at least a year’s experience just to qualify for a job.
The jobseekers thronged the parking lot of Epworth Hall on Shirley Street and claimed that they were made to wait in the “hot sun” for hours before being informed by officials that they had to have experience to qualify, something they said was not outlined in the advertisement for the job fair.
However, a spokesperson for Margaritaville Bahamas told The Tribune that even if people do not have the necessary experience, if they have the right personality the company is “willing to let them go through the interview process and hopefully we can train them up”.
The company is seeking to hire “approximately 200 employees” for the new casual dining restaurant at the ferry terminal on Paradise Island which will open at the end of October.
Nonetheless, those interviewed by The Tribune on condition of anonymity, expressed their disappointment in yesterday’s job fair, claiming that the event was poorly organised. They lamented the sheer number of people that turned out, with one saying that the country’s economic future is “very bleak if everybody have to be vying for a little restaurant job”.
A large number of jobseekers – some armed with umbrellas as protection from the sun – were clustered around one of the entrances to Epworth Hall. Some sat on the northern side of the complex facing Shirley Street to escape the heat while others just sat on the eastern side and anywhere else where shade was available. Some had been there from as early as 6am for the 9am opening. The large number of people caused traffic to back up on Shirley Street during the morning rush hour.
The positions advertised for hiring included servers, bartenders, food runners, line cooks and dishwashers.
One 24-year-old woman told The Tribune that from the moment she arrived at 9am the event seemed to be disorganised. She said it got worse when her name was called.
“When I got inside the lady just told me to leave my things and go because she didn’t want to give me an interview because I didn’t have any experience in the job I was applying for,” she said. “And I didn’t think that was right because I was standing out in the hot sun all day. So I just left and that was it. It makes me feel very sad because it looks like the future of this country is very bleak if everybody have to be vying for a little restaurant job.”
Another young man questioned the logic behind requiring jobseekers to have experience just to qualify as a candidate for an opportunity.
“As a young man, I just come out of school for two months they tell me I need a year in training,” he said. “But I just come out of school. That supposed to be the chance they supposed to help me on. Give me a chance to get some experience. How you could tell me I need a year, but I ain’t even been out of school a year yet?”
Margaritaville Bahamas spokesperson Lauren Eldon said that while officials are considering experience they are searching primarily for persons who “fit in with the whole Margaritaville lifestyle”.
“We’re still meeting with people so we’re really hoping we’re going to find some great candidates,” she said. “Even if people don’t have that much experience, if they have the right personality we are willing to let them go through the interview process and hopefully we can train them up.
“I’ve had some great people come through and I’ve actually met with one or two that did not have the experience but definitely had a fun, quirky personality that have actually gone through to the last interview process that we have here. And then there are some qualified people that have come through that I’m not too sure where they’ve gone in the process.”
Margaritaville Bahamas is one of over 25 restaurants in the Margaritaville Cafe restaurant chain, owned by American singer/songwriter, author, actor and businessman Jimmy Buffett.
The majority of people with whom The Tribune spoke were between 20 and 35 but there were older candidates.
In August, a Labour Force and Household Income Survey compiled by the Department of Statistics, pegged the country’s unemployment rate in the Bahamas at 12 per cent, 3.7 per cent less than the 15.7 recorded in the November 2014 survey.
The survey, which provided information on the labour force as it existed during the period April 27 to May 3, 2015, also noted that there was also a decline in youth unemployment (15-24 years) in the country, from the 31 per cent recorded last November to 25.3 per cent in May. However, the survey noted that that sector continues to face a considerably higher rate of unemployment than any other group. The job fair will continue today from 9am to 4pm at Epworth Hall.
Comments
asiseeit 8 years, 6 months ago
How any politician can say with a straight face that the economy is doing well with this surge of people looking for a job is beyond anyone with an ounce of honesty in their body. Big Bad Brad should take note as this makes him out to be a bald faced fibber, but thinking and astute Bahamians know this already. The road is blocked again today with hundreds down there looking for a job, any job. Meanwhile the GG sips her Champange and the P.M. shuffles, while the people are "dead" and the "good" can not be found.
MonkeeDoo 8 years, 6 months ago
Christie should be there making a provisional application for sometime in May 2017.
ktayl693 8 years, 6 months ago
I AM A YOUNG UNEMPLOYED BAHAMIAN WHO HAD GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL IN 2013 AND ATTENDED THE COLLEGE OF THE BAHAMAS BUT DUE TO FINANCIAL SITUATIONS I CANNOT FINISH UP MY COURSES AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN I WILL BE ABLE TO FINISH BECAUSE NO JOB. I HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, BGCSE S', BJC S' AND 12 CERTIFICATES. TODAY MADE ME 22 JOBS THAT TURN ME DOWN SINCE I CAME OUT SCHOOL. WHEN I ATTENDED THE JOB FAIR TODAY AT 6:00 AM THEY WAITED THE LAST MINUTE TO TELL PEOPLE THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE EXPERIENCE IN CULINARY YOU CAN JUST DROP YOUR RESUME OFF. I WAS NUMBER 42 IN LINE.THEY STARTED TO CALL YOU ACCORDING IN THE ASCENDING ORDER THAT YOU ARRIVED. WHEN THEY CALLED MY NAME, I WENT INSIDE AND THE WHITE LADY ASKED ME IF I HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE IN CULINARY AND I SAID NO, I JUST WANTED TO GET AN EXPERIENCE IN CULINARY. SHE TOLD ME TO LEAVE MY RESUME AND THAT I COULD LEAVE. I DONT SEE THE SENSE OF THEM SAYING THAT YOU NEED A YEAR EXPERIENCE AND THEY STILL HAVE TO TRAIN YOU. WHEN YOUR HIRED. I JUST WANT A JOB TO HELP GET AN EXPERIENCE AND TO HELP GO BACK TO SCHOOL TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL.
whybahamas 8 years, 6 months ago
Anyone who has a high school diploma and attended college should be able to at least write a coherent paragraph. If your resume looked anything like what you just posted here, I wouldn't expect a call from the company. Also, extra points for bringing race into it when clearly most of the applicants were not white. "I WENT INSIDE AND THE WHITE LADY ASKED ME"
Cobalt 8 years, 6 months ago
Oooooo! That was a bit harsh. No?
Stapedius 8 years, 6 months ago
Hmmm, was a bit harsh. Perhaps harshness is what is needed for people to wake up and smell the roses. The challenge with most of these recent graduates is reading, basic writing and arithmetic skills. Why hire a waitress/waiter who can't add or subtract? Many of them just don't have the basics and we are graduating them just so. In the end, the business owner suffers because customer service ends up being poor which in turn leads to fewer customers and significant financial losses. They are their own worst enemy. So when you see these businesses shutting down you have to consider there are a number of factors, but the main factor is a poorly trained workforce.
DillyTree 8 years, 6 months ago
I was thinking the same thing. This young lady surely cannot expect to gain a job writing that badly and having a bad attitude on top of it. Why does it have to be "the white lady"? Is the implication that somehow you were cheated out of a job because of "the white lady"? This is the problem -- way too many people feeling entitled and not taking responsibility for themselves. It's always someone else's fault.
BahamaPundit 8 years, 6 months ago
You try getting turned down by 22 jobs and speaking coherently. This post was written in desperation. It is a cry for help. Sometimes, rage cannot and should not be expressed coherently. Notice the capital letters. This youth is outraged and on the verge of tears.
DillyTree 8 years, 6 months ago
Enraged or frustrated, this young lady needs to learn that there is a proper way to comport yourself when applying for a job. Employers are free to hire whom they wish and to make whatever job requirements they need to best operate their business. They are not a charity, and do not HAVE to give out jobs, as this young lady seems to feel entitled to.
I think we can agree that the Bahamas public education system has failed our young people for years. This is what we are getting fresh out of high school -- young people who cannot read or write properly and have no idea how to behave professionally.
hurricane 8 years, 6 months ago
Stop writing in upper caps! And it's you're...not your!
CatIslandBoy 8 years, 6 months ago
This article is a sad indictment against the government of the day, the educational standard in the country, and the false hopes and aspirations of our young people. It seems as though many of our young people believe that the business community owes them something, and is responsible for their experience. Businesses exist to make a profit from day one. They are looking for the brightest, and the best to fit into their brand. The applicant above does not seem to meet that standard.
Cobalt 8 years, 6 months ago
You're absolutely right.
Why so many of these young Bahamians think that life owes them something, I don't know. Private entities are at liberity to hire or decline any potential applicant. Companies are indeed in the business of turning a profit and many of them don't have the financial flexibility to train new employees. For this reason, many of them require experience as a part of the hiring process. Young Bahamians need to understand this.
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 6 months ago
All of these unemployed Bahamians living a dreadful demeaning existence should be camped out on Perry Christie's door step, both at his home and at his office. Never has a PM promised so much and delivered so little. And never has a PM taken so much from the down trodden Bahamian people for his own personal self-gain and the gain of his political friends and business cronies!
BahamaPundit 8 years, 6 months ago
Stronger Bahamas!
DEDDIE 8 years, 6 months ago
Instant employment is available for teachers, nurses, plumbers,farmers and fisherman.
Reality_Check 8 years, 6 months ago
Sure Deddie...the unemployed must know that the Christie-led PLP government is more than willing to hire D- educated teachers to teach our children and D- educated nurses to treat our ailments! The unemployed were first betrayed by Christie (and Ingraham) in the public education system, which denied them the most basic of skills, and then betrayed by Christie (and Ingraham) a second time by being denied available jobs. Just unbelievable that a black government could inflict so much misery on the Bahamian people who do not enjoy the ill-gotten gains of the select few that Christie (and Ingraham) decided to favour for their own selfish greedy benefit. Yup, hope for the poor unemployed souls in our country has been replaced by outright despair thanks to Christie (and Ingraham) and their corrupt greedy political friends and business cronies.
MonkeeDoo 8 years, 6 months ago
well_mudda: Right on with that comment. I just wish these polititians could pay for this while still on this earth. Crooked Bastards !
iamatruebahamian 8 years, 6 months ago
ATTENTION YOUNG PEOPLE! Hope this helps
I have been hire for every job I had was interviewed for, no it's the truth! These are just a few steps that got me whey beyond the interview desk. It's easy just relax, keep your mind clear, you have to remember that these people that you go in the front off are just that "people", no more no less. The truth is that many employers are looking for qualified people whom they personally like and get along with. Don't underestimate the power of emotional connections alongside qualifications. People hire people, not resumes! Prepare for the interview. Being prepared is more important than job knowledge, skills and experience. Tailor your resume. Think creatively about how the experience you have relates to the job you want. Bullet aspects of your previous jobs relevant to the position you seek. Get an interview. The hardest part of getting a job for which you may not be the most technically qualified applicant is getting an interview. Conduct yourself professionally. Be confident. Focus on why you honestly believe you would be good at this particular job. Make a list of reasons beforehand. If you have confidence in yourself, you are more likely to convince the employer of your ability. Be up-beat. A positive attitude will show the interviewer you are a can-do person.Be likable. We all want to hire and work with people we like.Be informed. Know about the company and the business before you go to the interview. Know what they expect you to do for the company. Ask intelligent questions. There is always more to the job than what can be said in an ad. As you find out more about the job, you may discover job functions for which you are more qualified and you can direct your focus on them.Be open to training. If the employer is willing to train you for the job, demonstrate enthusiasm about learning new things and a willingness to put extra time and effort into training. If you are a quick study, now is the time to mention it. Make the interview a starting point. If the job is not something you are qualified to do, ask to leave your resume with the company or ask if there are similar opportunities at a lower level. If you appear enthusiastic, intelligent and committed, your interviewer(s) is more likely to offer suggestions to help you break into the field. Make the interview a starting point. If the job is not something you are qualified to do, ask to leave your resume with the company or ask if there are similar opportunities at a lower level. If you appear enthusiastic, intelligent and committed, your interviewer(s) is more likely to offer suggestions to help you break into the field.
Reality_Check 8 years, 6 months ago
But above all else, don't let 'em know you got a D- education and have great difficulty reading, writing and doing basic arithmetic!
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 6 months ago
This would presuppose that you were qualified for every job you applied for? I'm assuming if they asked for 5 years experience and you had none, chances would go down....
iamatruebahamian 8 years, 6 months ago
So to my comment I posted earlier this not about politicians, not the economics, it about being educated on performance, an opening which can led to an opportunity and landing that job! period....... if you believe that corporations in the USA do have hundreds for people in the hot sun trying to get a job at a company, then you to get and see how people live in other countries.
Bahamianpride 8 years, 6 months ago
This is sad. Clearly these people are in desperate need of employment but I want to encourage the young person above who wrote the response in frustration to reexamine their approach. Attitude, appearance, presentation are all factors as u are selling to a company why u are an asset to them if hired. We must be careful not to further aggitate persons that are trying as we don't want them to give up and add to our social problems. To this young person please sit down and have a conversation with some professional and work on improving your presentation. What it sounds like is that you were dismissed as soon as you started talking..
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 6 months ago
Actually I'm surprised the person said the interviewers "waited to tell them...". The basic requirements were restated on the evening news the previous day. But maybe they don't have cable. I'd like to see what was actually in the advertisement, I can't see the company omitting the criteria from the add. It's extra work for them if a bunch of unqualified people show up
The restaurant rep said clearly "we need people with experience and high energy because this is going to be a very fast paced restaurant". Even with that being said, just because you have high energy and experience doesn't mean you get hired, maybe they needed 30 people and you were 31. I fear our lousy 40 years of leadership, fridge, stove, BTC, BEC and WSC job handouts have ill prepared the populace for the real job market
TruePeople 8 years, 6 months ago
vel mudda sic
hurricane 8 years, 6 months ago
I'm surprised that no one has criticized this company for an extremely shoddy interviewing experience! Here is how to prevent a hoard of desperate people showing up for a few jobs:
This is nothing short of an embarrassment and an insult to those seeking work!
sheeprunner12 8 years, 6 months ago
Is this the new trend in job creation for the Bahamian youth??????? God help us!!!!!!!!!!
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