'I seriously think our future is f*****': Employer flamed for 'going nuclear' on prospective intern over a question

[Beregond]

Interns or normal worker. If any 1 come asking me can do virtual meeting for interview or not?
Regardless how it turn out, that guy/girl already get a big fat X from me. 

 

[Jman888]

2 hours ago, Vratenza said:

I am in my early 40s and by the normal convention, I am not considered "old man".

Understanding the youths are not difficult and not hard to see where they got their entitled behaviours from.

Where will the line be drawn? Interns coming into the office in flop flops/shorts? Interns don't turn up and don't submit MC just because they are feeling moody? Boss have to ask if the interns if they are available for a team meeting? 

The question should be how are we to maintain a minimum standard of behaviour and etiquette for the future generation if we as their forebear are letting their wish/behaviour dictate the future standard?

 

those scenarios you mentioned are not new and quite common among these intern. 

then you have to see why the company taking in intern, and what are the company rules and policies?

many company hire intern for show whether they exist or contribute or not, the students do minimum work yet get assessment as 'Satisfactory' school will give minimum B+. I hardly see student fail their internship.

Cannot tolerate their behavior or they not following company rules, just tell the school and let them go lor, but the boss will say no lah, give chance. The students go back tell the senior junior this is how they work as an intern and the rest is history 

*edit.

[Jellandross]

4 hours ago, Victor68 said:

It is over reacting to turn to social media over such an incident in my opinion. It speaks volumes of the employer. If one prefers face to face interview, just say so. Intern asks if she can do a virtual, tell her you require face-to-face and if she is uncomfortable, then no choice, no interview. 

Whatever reasons she has and you are not considering, it has nothing to do with her abilities. It just didn't fit into your working culture. I am sure this employer has employed many staff and they all attended his in person interview. Does that mean all his staff are good? 

If this case it was Sarah complaining, then it is another story but I don't find any justifications for this employer to rant about this interview.

On one hand, Jeffrey was touting his old school "boomer" virtues of being respectful and hungry for the job. On the other hand, Jeffrey suffers from the same strawberry symptom of emo meltdown and social media kpkb hoping to gain sympathy. 

So is Jeffrey a boomer or a strawberry? 😂

[macrosszero]

I have been putting up vacancies for interns from my alma mater for a number of years, typically with little interest.

Then a chance meeting with one of the lecturers and this topic came up that she confided that the current student mentality in selecting an internship based on the job description has to go beyond what they will be doing while in your company, to actually attract them if what they can gain, fancy words like exposure, first-hand experience, create, etc. 

Mind you, the intern’s job scope hasn’t changed, because our business hasn’t changed. It’s just words…

[Wt_know]

57 minutes ago, Beregond said:

Interns or normal worker. If any 1 come asking me can do virtual meeting for interview or not?
Regardless how it turn out, that guy/girl already get a big fat X from me. 

actually, i am "pro" virtual meeting or not every time must face to face just to discuss a matter ...

most of the time big matter > small matter > no matter ... i say Yes ... go do it

i like fast talk ... fast decision ... fast fast do work and not TCSS ... 

however, the issue i am facing is the new "generation" ... they really take "remote working" up to the notch that 

don't ask / question / check on me ... so what if i 70% WFH or 100% WFH

full autonomy ... own time own target ... no need to everyday report or update

ya'll old style liao ... now it's not about how much / how long i work ... is what value of my work ... end result

the problem is they always ownself OVERVALUE ownself

finish something only like big deal ... well ... you are paid ... it's EXPECTED to deliver

like the chef keep cooking cooking cooking at the hot stove and every dish come out must taste good *maintain standard is EXPECTED

Edited September 19, 2022 by Wt_know

[Beregond]

5 minutes ago, Wt_know said:

actually, i am "pro" virtual meeting or not every time must face to face just to discuss a matter ...

most of the time big matter > small matter > no matter ... i say Yes ... go do it

i like fast talk ... fast decision ... fast fast do work and not TCSS ... 

however, the issue i am facing is the new "generation" ... they really take "remote working" up to the notch that 

don't ask / question / check on me ... so what if i 70% WFH or 100% WFH

full autonomy ... own time own target ... no need to everyday report or update

ya'll old style liao ... now it's not about how much / how long i work ... is what value of my work ... end result

the problem is they always ownself OVERVALUE ownself

finish something only like big deal ... well ... you are paid ... it's EXPECTED to deliver

like the chef keep cooking cooking cooking at the hot stove and every dish come out must taste good *maintain standard is EXPECTED

Ya , meeting and small stuff i totally ok with virtual meeting.
Interview for a Job, I cannot accept.

Its just a personal preference and view in choosing Employer.
Put it in another way. Will u encourage your kids to ask for virtual meeting when they go for interview next time? 

[Windwaver]

3 hours ago, Mahjong74 said:

@Tianmo 

hahahaha no need to lose his cool over such staff with attitude problem. Simply not worth it. 

Encountered the similar scernario with a female staff not willing to meet for a team meeting in office citing the same reason: She don't feel like going into office. 

Anyway since this staff not able to meet her KPI all along, gave her a poor rating for her mid year appraisal.

She asked for a face to face discussion immediately after she saw her appraisal in the system.

I also asked her why cannot do it online via Team or Zoom meeting, as I also don't feel like going into the office for a face to face meeting😁

Basically, I just gave her back all the crap excuses / nonsense she gave me before...............I think she is the one who jumped 3 meters in the air 🤣

No lah, she probably jumped straight onto the roof top .

I have to agree young people these days are too comfy but I've seen good ones too. Having said that, FT doesn't mean good leh, try going into a meeting with a team of South Asian colleagues and you'll know why.

[Throttle2]

3 hours ago, Vratenza said:

I am in my early 40s and by the normal convention, I am not considered "old man".

Understanding the youths are not difficult and not hard to see where they got their entitled behaviours from.

Where will the line be drawn? Interns coming into the office in flop flops/shorts? Interns don't turn up and don't submit MC just because they are feeling moody? Boss have to ask if the interns if they are available for a team meeting? 

The question should be how are we to maintain a minimum standard of behaviour and etiquette for the future generation if we as their forebear are letting their wish/behaviour dictate the future standard?

 

Wah so young ah!

[Windwaver]

See how much XMM spends 

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/ways-millennials-can-budget-to-figh-inflation-072852242.html

Similarly, 23-year old Lilian Tan, an intern at a local marketing firm, has had money woes regarding food. That’s because meals in her office area don’t come cheap. For instance, a plate of cai fan can already cost S$8 while a normal meal at a restaurant can cost S$15. Tan would also have to spend even more if she decides to have dinner with her friends after work.

“I found myself spending a lot of unnecessary money on food. Sometimes when I decide to get a drink too, I can easily spend nearly S$40 a day just on food,” said Tan.

 

[Vratenza]

3 minutes ago, Windwaver said:

See how much XMM spends 

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/ways-millennials-can-budget-to-figh-inflation-072852242.html

Similarly, 23-year old Lilian Tan, an intern at a local marketing firm, has had money woes regarding food. That’s because meals in her office area don’t come cheap. For instance, a plate of cai fan can already cost S$8 while a normal meal at a restaurant can cost S$15. Tan would also have to spend even more if she decides to have dinner with her friends after work.

“I found myself spending a lot of unnecessary money on food. Sometimes when I decide to get a drink too, I can easily spend nearly S$40 a day just on food,” said Tan.

 

My friend says someone should go tell Lilian that she can totally bring her packed lunch and water bottle for her internship. You are welcomed.

[Tianmo]

3 hours ago, Jellandross said:

On one hand, Jeffrey was touting his old school "boomer" virtues of being respectful and hungry for the job. On the other hand, Jeffrey suffers from the same strawberry symptom of emo meltdown and social media kpkb hoping to gain sympathy. 

So is Jeffrey a boomer or a strawberry? 😂

He is a bloody strawberry boomer.

 

Edited September 19, 2022 by Tianmo

[Jman888]

4 hours ago, Davidklt said:

This is his reasoning:

"Now that I’ve gotten everyone’s attention, it’s time for some clarifications.

I’ve been running my own little agency for the past 21 years. Over the past decades, I’ve hired Singaporeans whenever I can.

I’ve taken in interns from local institutions. Not because they’re cheap labour but more to give them a taste of what the real world is like and hopefully allow them to make an informed decision when they graduate on whether this is the right career for them. Most have been lovely people to work with.

This year, I’ve taken in 2 interns, from different institutions. Again both Singaporeans btw. Something is seriously wrong when Year 3 design students come in for internships and barely know how to use Photoshop or Illustrator. These interns go for 1.5-hour lunches, oversleep when they work from home and don’t give a damn about deadlines. It’s maddening and frustrating when you see the lack of hunger vs the can-do attitude of the foreign students I came across when I was teaching part-time.

Back to Sarah. She actually emailed me sometime late June about her official internship starting 12 Sep. Think I replied 1 or 2 weeks later but received no reply. So thought she’s either not keen or may have found another company. Move on.

Suddenly received an email from her on Thursday morning asking if we’re still taking in interns. Found it puzzling and called her in the evening. She said the internship company is having some legal issues and she finds the culture toxic and is not for her. I was like huh, after one day? Nonetheless, asked if she wanted to come in on Friday for a chat. She said yes and told her I’ll text her my address. 19 mins later, she asked for a virtual interview. I admit I got angry and frustrated that no reason was given whatsoever and decided that I shouldn’t bother anymore.

I certainly wasn’t expecting the uproar over this, and being infamous is not on my to-do list. I’ll apologise for wasting everyone’s time if this thing has been taken out of context. Life is short. There are many other more important things to worry about. Like how to make sure the other interns coming in learn what is right.

And for those who’re worried that I’ll do something stupid, don’t worry. There are still a couple of toys I need to sell and orders to send. Thanks for coming to my TedTalk and enjoy whatever that’s left of the previous weekend."

If the student barely know how to use photoshop or illustrator, he should question the school and their lecturer why they never teach  or maybe the school send those C grade to him or was he expecting an A student? if the intern very good then everything can throw at him to bao sua bao hai.

maybe he should consider a foreign intern and focus on selling toys.

[Dp26]

I’m with the same mentality of the boomer la. Probably wouldn’t rant over social media though. 
 

can’t take some of these reasons all these people have. 
 

they can’t make time for the interview then maybe they also don’t value their job as much. Also nvr explain why wanna change. Bochap. 

[Tianmo]

11 minutes ago, Jman888 said:

If the student barely know how to use photoshop or illustrator, he should question the school and their lecturer why they never teach  or maybe the school send those C grade to him or was he expecting an A student? if the intern very good then everything can throw at him to bao sua bao hai.

maybe he should consider a foreign intern and focus on selling toys.

The way he put it forward, give me an impression that he is one of those low self esteem individual who cannot control his emotion, and one who needs the feeling of  authority  but cannot afford to pay.  Need to make others feel inferior to him to feel good that kind. Hopeless. 

 

[Ender]

8 minutes ago, Tianmo said:

The way he put it forward, give me an impression that he is one of those low self esteem individual who cannot control his emotion, and one who needs the feeling of  authority  but cannot afford to pay.  Need to make others feel inferior to him to feel good that kind. Hopeless. 

 

His 2nd post also niam niam the other interns he 'trained'  😅  Really boomer..

[Windwaver]

34 minutes ago, Dp26 said:

I’m with the same mentality of the boomer la. Probably wouldn’t rant over social media though. 
 

can’t take some of these reasons all these people have. 
 

they can’t make time for the interview then maybe they also don’t value their job as much. Also nvr explain why wanna change. Bochap. 

Check this out 

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/From-Singapore-to-Japan-workers-get-restless-as-offices-call

From Singapore to Japan, workers get restless as offices call

Surveys signal clash between employer and employee priorities after COVID

SINGAPORE -- Restlessness is creeping through Asia's workforces as much of the region attempts to shake off COVID-19 precautions and restore a semblance of business as usual.

Recent research shows that Asian companies are more eager than their Western counterparts to open up offices and bring employees back full time, after more than two years of widespread remote work. But many employers are being met with reluctance or resistance, with some studies showing that large proportions of workers lack a feeling of "connectedness" to their organizations and are likely to quit.

Experts suggest that as employees rethink their priorities, employers may need to do the same.

"As flexibility has now become the new standard requirement, it is critical that employers reevaluate their employee value proposition to address the key workforce concerns of today, particularly around competitive compensation and career growth opportunities," said Samir Bedi, workforce advisory leader for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region at professional services firm EY.

A survey EY published in July found that 45% of respondents in Southeast Asia indicated they were likely to leave their jobs in the next 12 months. This was the result mostly of a desire for higher pay, better career opportunities and more flexibility amid rising inflation, a shrinking labor market and an increase in jobs offering flexible work, EY said. The survey covered more than 1,500 business leaders and over 17,000 employees across 22 countries.

Yet many Asian companies seem intent on forcing workers back into the office. Earlier this year, when U.S. real estate services firm CBRE surveyed 150 Asia-Pacific companies, nearly 40% of respondents were expecting staff members to work fully on site, up from 26% in 2021. This contrasted sharply with results from the U.S., Europe, Middle East and Africa, where just 5% or fewer expected workers to be in the office all the time.

Michelle Leung, a human resources officer at health services company Cigna International Markets, highlighted sweeping changes in the labor market amid the pandemic.

"One of the biggest trends that we saw in 2021 was 'The Great Resignation,' which saw resignations around the world reaching an all-time high," Leung said. "However, another phenomenon has been 'The Great Reshuffle,' which refers to a large swath of workers reconfiguring their careers and focusing on jobs that best fit their personal needs."

Leung said that it is "clear that a number of factors are driving general dissatisfaction and restlessness." Companies, she continued, will need "to keep pace with new employee expectations and adopt a more holistic approach to the types of benefits they provide."

Cigna's own research has found that expatriates are not immune to the dissatisfaction and unease spreading through the Asian workforce.

Its well-being survey of nearly 12,000 people across China, Japan, Singapore, India and Australia found that expat stress had reached an all-time high, with almost all respondents feeling symptoms of burnout and reevaluating life and work priorities for more flexibility, or to be closer to family and friends.

The study, published in June, showed that the significant majority of expats working in Europe and Australia were confident that they would remain overseas. The same could not be said for Asia, with only 5% of those in India and 16% of those in mainland China confident that they would stay put.

Another set of troubling numbers for employers was released in May by the consultancy Accenture. Its survey of about 5,000 workers and 1,000 top executives in a range of countries found that in places such as Singapore, India, China and Japan, fewer than 40% of respondents felt highly connected to their colleagues and companies.

One might assume that this was the result of pandemic disruptions and months or years of remote work. But a closer look at the data shows that those who worked on-site felt the least connected, versus their remote- or hybrid-working peers.

"The commonly held assumption is that on-site location equals connectedness. It is not necessarily true," Anoop Sagoo, Accenture's chief operating officer for growth markets, told Nikkei Asia.

He went on to say that "while organizations might look at an office environment as one that boosts creativity and innovation because of face-to-face interactions," the survey indicated that many employees do not feel it meets their needs. "Part of the reason why so many workers, especially those in the office full time, are disconnected is due to feeling ignored by leadership and senior management," he added.

The study also found that among employees who are able to work remotely, over 90% said they can be productive anywhere.

[Windwaver]

Interesting 

One might assume that this was the result of pandemic disruptions and months or years of remote work. But a closer look at the data shows that those who worked on-site felt the least connected, versus their remote- or hybrid-working peers.

[macrosszero]

1 hour ago, Vratenza said:

My friend says someone should go tell Lilian that she can totally bring her packed lunch and water bottle for her internship. You are welcomed.

Isn't that what XMM was quoted saying in the next paragraph?

"As such, Tan has decided to bring in home-cooked food on most days and encourages other millennials to do the same. This way, she not only saves time on jostling with the lunch crowd to queue for food, but also saves money to spend on other things.

“Bringing home-cooked food to the office to eat for lunch has definitely allowed me to save so much cash. In fact, I will probably continue doing this when I go back to school for my final year after my internship has ended,” Tan added."