The Hirer - Came across it yet?

[Idea15]

I don't need to do forfeits. It's a TV program. It's star-studded entertainment. And that's all it is and will ever be.

I'm spending the day getting a 210 page web site ready for launch for an amazing Scottish charity which does vital medical research amongst many other things. It's been a real labour of love and enjoyment. No, I'm not an "Award Winning Business Woman" (is bizarre random capitalisation a Scottish thing?) "who single handed built up a global empire" (which only matters if you want to build an empire to begin with) based on a product aimed at women whose self esteem is as low as their income. But I'm happy and confident in my life and my business. And I didn't get that way by whoring myself out on a webcast competition. I got that way by working hard.

As for the attempts to wrap the programme in the flag, as if it is the first great step forward in transforming Scotland's business culture, anyone who really believes that has my deepest sympathy.

 

[Tirfuir]

My apologies if I have offended. No vested interest in the project other than I spoke with G Hill Lyons after reading your blog this morning, to garner further information on the project after my return abroad.

Heather, I had hoped that you and others reading would take my last post with humour, but it would seem I have offended others. Please believe that was not my intention.

I genuinely want Scottish Businesses - no matter what platform they use to promote their products succeed. I've been involved with "people development" with people from High School age right through to 3 weeks before retirement, working with companies across all sectors, and love how one sector can suggest a way forward when facing the same problems.

And perhaps it is naive of me, but I'd also love to see other businesses in Scotland do what they can to support each other.... And if as Ms Hill Lyons indicates, the project takes off in such a way that it also goes global, I'll be getting in contact with her if she ever decides to franchise it out to Singapore, Melbourne and Auckland.

 

[Scottish Business Owner]

Tirfuir,

You didn't offend me in the slightest but I think it would be useful for you to introduce yourself and your business to our members. I'm all for Scottish businesses working together, afterall, thats really what SBF is about. Equally though it's a place where many people have differing opinions.

 

[Former Member 1]

Well I’ve avoided commenting on this one quite deliberately. Up to now!
The ‘project’ was brought to my attention not by ’s original post, but by some of my students. As accidentally-viral campaigns go this is a honey. For it’s the absolute laughing stock of many of the colleges and universities in Scotland.

Last Wednesday I happened to be in conversation with a broadcast colleague from Wales. A link to “The Hirer” had been passed to her. Rumour (apparently) has it in certain quarters that “The Hirer” is no more than a viral for a forthcoming comedy-soap opera from BBC Scotland! I’m not sure I’ve managed to convince her otherwise! Even if and it’s a huge if, this isn’t meant to be some rather sad shoddy rip-off of “The Apprentice” that’s EXACTLY how it comes across.

For one if this were the world-class project it’s supposed to be a little more time should have been taken and money spent with regard to the presentation of the characters and making the video....

The judges... two ‘dodgy doorman’ types who could well do with seeing a decent tailor (given the position they’re assuming) or at least working out what size waist they need the next time they’re in Makro shopping for trousers .... And some bright-orange-burd who looks and sounds like she’s stepped straight out of a Billy Connolly sketch... Frankly, they look like a bunch of what we would back in the Red Road have called “plazzy gangstas”. If someone were trying to create a comic image of Scottish Business people; i.e. someone was trying to do Scotland down, they couldn’t have done a better job.

...And those AREN’T personal comments or attacks. Merely observations that, having chosen to use the medium of television (and BTW it DOES say “TV Channel on the link to the video) they simply haven’t done so competently; haven’t understood or engaged with the process. And like a tone-deaf “X-Factor” contestant probably don’t realise that the main value in their performance is comedy!

The video itself is appalling! SHOCKINGLY poor! From the shoddy apprentice-esque graphics and music, the bad timing, the pitifully-poor camerawork (duh! you’re supposed to level the tripod!) through to the clueless incompetent lighting it screams “cheap”, “nasty”” and “unoriginal”...Honestly; if one of my first-year students were to turn in work like this I’d chuck them off the course!

So really what do we have here?

Frankly it smacks of the sort of recruiting process beloved of companies like Kirby, Britannica, various caravan sites and timeshare companies. The aim of the game being to railroad as many gullible losers as possible through the door in the certain knowledge that some of them will be desperate and/or thick-skinned enough to knock out whatever snake oil it is they happen to be selling.... For a while at least.

McClumpha & Co got lucky.... And fair play to them for all that. But international tycoons? They may be attracting a lot of attention with this project but what sort of attention? Eastern Europeans? Students tuning in to take the mick? TV producers convinced that this is the latest fiendish plot from the BBC Scotland comedy unit?

You can fool some of the people all of the time. And the dayglo-orange bottle blond, her two henchmen complete with their naff home video will no-doubt impress some. But frankly if this were representative of the Scottish business scene; if this were what we as a nation were placing on the global stage then I could only suggest we pull the plug on the country and let it sink into the sea....

This is to business TV what a Ratner’s Rose Bowl is to fine silver!

 

[Idea15]

This forum is full of people who started their own businesses because they were bored out of their wits at work, weren't being challenged, weren't allowed to use their skills, weren't allowed to grow. It also has people like me who had uniquely Scottish obstacles placed in their way, like being told a four-year American bachelor of arts degree "doesnae count" in Glasgow, "and for that matter how comes you don't have any qualifications in shorthand, hen?"

Nobody can deny that Scotland has a real problem with denigrating education and achievement. As many Forum members will testify, there is also a dark subculture of actually discouraging and even punishing people who have applied themselves in life.

Now we have this programme coming along encouraging 150,000 people to apply for a position with an "Award Winning Business Woman". No qualifications or experience necessary. Just shortcut right to the top and get free coaching and training along the way. The message that sends out is: it doesn't matter if you left school, did not apply yourself, made daft mistakes or took several years out from real life. You can still be a success, albeit in a fake tan "empire", via a reality show.

This show is not part of the solution. It's part of the problem.

 

[Former Member 1]

This morning, on the back of my last post, I received two threatening phone calls... The idiots on the other end of the line made direct reference to the forum, and my comments....

SO; for the benefit of the two neds who took it upon themselves to phone my office this morning.... And with apologies to and the rest of the forum.

Firstly, it’s awffy easy to be brave at the end of a phone line. If you’ve got some coherent comment to make do it here; in public. Or at least have the balls not to withhold your phone number.

Secondly, threats don’t impress me. So I’m to be “sor’ed oot” am I? Fine. Come within 100 yards of my house and EVERY move you make is on CCTV. I’ll have you lifted within five minutes (I'm well known at Livingston Police station). I make corporate videos, I lecture.... And I'm also a documentary maker; it's not the first time I've hacked off some wee ned or another. I've stood in court as a prosecution witness many dozens of times... It holds no mystery to me.

And before you go throwing threats of violence around you might want to do a bit of legwork and find out what ‘local heroes’ I’m related to. I’ll just pick up the phone and have you lifted. But go after their cousin and his family and you open up a VERY different can of worms.... For they're certainly beyond my control....

Thirdly, “stuck up middle-class twat”? (the main reason I posted what I did apparently)

Born and raised in Springburn. Da’ bailed oot when I was 18 months and my mother and gran raised me and five adopted brothers and sisters on what were then very meagre wages as a nurse and hospital cleaner respectively... Started my first production company from a flat in the Red Road. Never had a penny in grants, every bean that's went into my businesses I earned...

I’ve spoken to the police and asked my telecoms company to BLOCK all calls from unidentified numbers....

Sadly, one of the features of business in Scotland (and I guess most other places) is that there is a tacky, sleazy side to it. An underbelly; the dodgy market stalls, shady car dealers. the post-criminal pubs that couldn't be run by any "normal' law abiding person.

It's a dangerously parochial side to the business scene. At best a delusional one. I've relatives who have spent their working lives in the restaurant and catering trades. And I know only too well the 'types' that have got lucky, made a neat bundle, and reckon they're on a par with the Bransons, Bannantynes and Sugars of this world...

Although I make no allegations of any direct connection to anyone involved with the project in question, nor with anyone directly involved in the forum, I am of the opinion that the measure of just where this project stands in relation to the broader business scene in Scotland rests with those two neds who rose to it's defence...

 

[Former Member 1]

Changing the topic slightly....

Heather touches on some very valid points. Although it has to be said that the main reason an American college degree isn't accepted here is that it cannot easily be verified unless it comes from one of the major universities.

The U.S. system is such that 'degrees' can apparently be legally issued by everyone and his dog. Personally I have two! One in video technology and another in Photography. Both acquired because American broadcasters would not accept my UK qualifications. And both acquired through ludicrously easy correspondence courses (although I did have to travel to Seattle on both occasions to sit the again ludicrously easy final exams)

Even working in a UK college, with access to all the major academic databases around the world there are very few American degrees I could have verified. Same applies to degrees from most Asian institutions, much of Eastern Europe.... As an employer, I'd have NO WAY of knowing whether your US degree was the result of four years of hard slog or forty dollars paid out via your PayPal account. Maybe when the governments in these places (especially the U.S.) act to make it unlawful for 'everybody and his dog' to issue degrees and other qualifications in exchange for a few bucks then those who (like Heather) genuinely HAVE had to work and study hard to gain their qualifications won't be penalised. In this years new HNC/HND intake I have about a 1/2 dozen foreign students who already hold degrees from their home countries. They've come to the UK to study because their qualification simply aren't accepted elsewhere....

However, to get back on topic the point Heather made....

Now we have this programme coming along encouraging 150,000 people to apply for a position with an "Award Winning Business Woman". No qualifications or experience necessary. Just shortcut right to the top and get free coaching and training along the way. The message that sends out is: it doesn't matter if you left school, did not apply yourself, made daft mistakes or took several years out from real life. You can still be a success, albeit in a fake tan "empire", via a reality show.

This show is not part of the solution. It's part of the problem.

Is an excellent one....

The low-rent 'corner shop mentality' exhibited in this project speaks volumes. As much as many of us on the Scottish business scene come from a middle class background many of us are also 'self-made'; having dragged ourselves out of the gutter.

However, the notion that you can do that by short-circuiting the system is a dangerous and repressive one; especially for those growing up in circumstances where choosing the non-educated path is the norm.

 

[stugster]

The message that sends out is: it doesn't matter if you left school, did not apply yourself, made daft mistakes or took several years out from real life. You can still be a success...

Heather, your post touches on things that I totally agree on. However, I am a strong believer in that it actually doesn't always come down to your education within school as to where you're going to be in life.

Education can sometimes (and usually does) play an extremely important role and is usually the only way to achieve in life, but not always.

Many business men and women have made things of themselves with absolutely no education, take Duncan Bannatyne. Fair enough, he might be flouting himself in front of the cameras, but rightly so. There's a reason he's there now, and that's not because of his Diploma (which he doesn't have) or his High School Education (which he also disnae have).

You make very valid points, and I can see exactly why it annoys you so much (it annoys me too!),but the world just isn't a fair place, and those who put very little effort into education will get on better in life. That's just a fact... and its stinky.

I myself completely mucked up my education at High School and left with absolutely no chances of going on to further education (Uni). After talking to the univeristy about my business, they actually let me on the course. So, I suppose in this situation, the table turned, and it was actually business that put me back onto a education life-style!

 

[Former Member 1]

Heather, your post touches on things that I totally agree on. However, I am a strong believer in that it actually doesn't always come down to your education within school as to where you're going to be in life.

Education can sometimes (and usually does) play an extremely important role and is usually the only way to achieve in life, but not always.

Many business men and women have made things of themselves with absolutely no education, take Duncan Bannatyne. Fair enough, he might be flouting himself in front of the cameras, but rightly so. There's a reason he's there now, and that's not because of his Diploma (which he doesn't have) or his High School Education (which he also disnae have).

You make very valid points, and I can see exactly why it annoys you so much (it annoys me too!),but the world just isn't a fair place, and those who put very little effort into education will get on better in life. That's just a fact... and its stinky.

I myself completely mucked up my education at High School and left with absolutely no chances of going on to further education (Uni). After talking to the univeristy about my business, they actually let me on the course. So, I suppose in this situation, the table turned, and it was actually business that put me back onto a education life-style!

Well for a start Stu there is NO reason why, even if you don't have Highers etc, that you wouldn't be admitted onto an F.E. course if you could demonstrate the ability...

For those really cold to the education system there are NQ courses which would bring even those who got ZERO qualifications from school up to a level where they would get into HNC/HND. Older candidates are often admitted to HNC/HND courses WITHOUT qualifications if they can demonstrate ability. And HND often articulates on to the third year of a degree... Indeed that is the target.

As for Bannantyne et al... These people aren't non-educated; they're self-taught which is a different thing altogether. I've met Bannantyne, and whilst I'd identify many flaws in his character he's very obviously a highly intelligent, well-read and well educated man. No short-circuits there!

I believe the point Heather was making is that this programme promotes the notion that you can succeed without any real education or application at all. And I have to agree with her... The get-rich-quick fallacy. The danger being that it promotes the non-educated route that leads to so much disfunction in society.

It's certainly NOT promoting the many many many legitimate pathways that are readily available to 'folk in the schemes' or others for whom the system has (to date) failed. What it's doing is filtering people 'en masse' through this sales system; something that snake-oil salesmen have done for generations...

 

[TomB]

Matt,

That is truly awful that someone would have the nerve to call you and threaten you over a forum post. Its digusting behaviour

I have to say i took one look at it and thought that it was a load of crap. It feels like x-factor for the business, i'm just waiting for the videos of the candidates withe cheesy music and sob stories about why they had a tough life. I mean if they were really serious about hiring someone put an advert in the scotsman for gods sake instead of mounting a publicity stunt like that.

On a separate topic What is the fascination in this country for the "i feel asleep in a bath of orange juice look" at the minute, there is nothing so off putting as the permatanned look.

I have to agree with matt about education. I did two years of a join honours in accounting and finance without higher maths and they let me on the course without any issue even though it was a required higher for the degree.

Don't worry though i can count, but as far as triangles and sin, cos tan go that is way over my heed.

T

 

[Former Member 1]

Matt,

That is truly awful that someone would have the nerve to call you and threaten you over a forum post. Its digusting behaviour

I have to say i took one look at it and thought that it was a load of crap. It feels like x-factor for the business, i'm just waiting for the videos of the candidates withe cheesy music and sob stories about why they had a tough life. I mean if they were really serious about hiring someone put an advert in the scotsman for gods sake instead of mounting a publicity stunt like that.

On a separate topic What is the fascination in this country for the "i feel asleep in a bath of orange juice look" at the minute, there is nothing so off putting as the permatanned look.

I have to agree with matt about education. I did two years of a join honours in accounting and finance without higher maths and they let me on the course without any issue even though it was a required higher for the degree.

Don't worry though i can count, but as far as triangles and sin, cos tan go that is way over my heed.

T

It Is disgusting behaviour; and not something any normal business person would condone or consider. However; that business "underbelly" I spoke of fully embraces and utilises the notion of bullying people into submission. And to be fair the nature of the journalistic work I've done in the past is such that I am aware that some people have a grudge against me.

These aren't the first phone calls I've received from silly wee neds who imagine they're 'playas' and it probably won't be the last.

Why mount a publicity stunt like this?

Well; businesses that shift the unshiftable (double-glazing, encylopaedias, blinds, dodgy houseware etc.. etc...) have a high turnover of sales staff.

SO; they need to attract high volumes of recruits to filter through their 'system'. Over 50% will leave before the training's over. It'll become obvious to them that the product's unsellable in the long term and that there isn't really a future. OR their own scruples and/or inhibitions will get in the way...

The ones that are left will be either daft enough to believe the crap they're being told by the trainers, desperate enough to want to believe or sufficiently lacking in principal to simply not give a damn....

OF THATgroup most will go on to sell. Probably to friends and relatives in the first instance. The daft and the desperate will eventually become disillusioned and give in; but not before they've made a few sales. The unprincipaled will survive a little longer; maybe one in 500 will be able to survive for a relatively long time... one in 5000 will be able to make a 'career' out of it...

But in most cases 'yer maw' will only buy 'so many' dishcloths off ye.....

For this form of sales-recruitment to work it relies upon filtering as many mugs as possible through the system to get to that one in 5000...... the one in 5000 who's prepared to sit in your living room for seven hours trying to sell you an over priced vacuum cleaner. Or will happily apply 'blackmail' techniques to part a pensioner from their savings for some rickety old caravan in Northumberland.....

Back in the late 80's I did some work on a documentary that exposed the practices of several such organisations. In all cases they DEPEND on attracting the attention of the hapless and the hopeless. An 'ad' in "The Scotsman" would probably only attract the attention of legitimate experienced sales professionals. Exactly the sort of people who will be p*ssing themselves laughing at this half-assed amateur home movie....

 

[Attitude Adjuster]

Amazing..... typical doom and gloom Scots, once again, seeing anyone being successful, the first thing they do is try to knock them down. What is it with you guys? Yes we all have our opinions, and I didn't rate the video much but I think they have taken the best from the Apprentice, X-Factor etc and put in some original features. My understanding is that The Hirer will change each year and won't always be fakebake (is that true??) and so next year it could be a different company/role entirely. I'm not even so sure as other readers seem to be that this is a SALESPERSON's job, but I'll bow to your greater knowledge on that one.

Firstly, if someone has been threatening others, I think they should be tracked down and locked up (in a caring way...) , as such alleged behaviour (if it's true) is totally unacceptable online, in nightclubs or on the streets!

However the criticism of The Hirer herself is quite unbevievable. I thought you Scots were supposed to be fair and reasonable people. I'm amazed at the nastiness and viciousness I've read on this forum. I guess you all know this "ORANGE monster" personally before you can make such comments?? Posters come on here criticising "The Hirer" for the way she looks (I hope I look that good at her age),her surname (could she help that?) and someone even said that her amazing success was down to the fact that she "struck lucky"! What the posters on here say is " I got where I am by hard work! As if Sandra didn't?? I don't know her personally but I'd be surprised if she hasn't "worked hard" to build up her business. OK "Global Empire" might be a bit dramatic, but give her some credit for her success (wish I had her £8m or however much it is). I read the press cuttings about The Hirer versus that knicker lady... and to be honest Sandra whatshername didn't look very ORANGE to me! But then again I'm not trying to knock her down. I wish I could learn from her. If I had her foresight combined with my education I might be even more successful and happy!

The one thing I do know is that my friend entered and she says, got picked for the final.
Much to the surprise of many of you who perhaps hadn't contemplated this possibility... but she's bl**dy well educated and very hard-working. Yes, she's from Glasgow, but she's also positive and goes after a good opportunity when she sees one - so I hope she wins. There might be some Sandra "clones" in the final desperate to follow her route to success but I won't be surprised if a few very classy people in good jobs, with a good education, and a hard work ethic make the final. Then what will all the negative glass half empty folks write about on here? Call yourselves fair minded, professional Scottish Business People? Shame, shame on you all!

For those more reasonable Scots out there, I hope you get behind all the candidates and other Scottish Business people and that you support them all.

For the negative-heads with nothing positive to contribute, please try and make more balanced comments with a more objective stance, taking into account both the positives and the negatives. Try to catch someone doing something right ocassionally, it might make you less bitter.

 

[PC]

Right folks, lets all agree to draw a line under this topic and move on.

- can you close it?

 

[TomB]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion attitude adjuster. That doesn't mean people are negative or being nasty or "typical doom and gloom scots" as you so delicately put it

My opinion is that its a load of crap and i am personally entitled to think that.

You must surely understand that not everybody is going to like something, that's just life.

T

 

[Former Member 1]

I think they have taken the best from the Apprentice, X-Factor etc and put in some original features.

Well I think they've simply seen these examples of car-crash TV and made their own low-rent, low quality version of it as a vehicle to indulge in the sort of mass-mug recruitment I mentioned earlier.

Certainly it's not what it's floated as; and that's a world-class recruitment campaign. And, as I said earlier, If this cringeworthy spectacle is the best that Scottish business can present to the world (or is even typical of Scottish business) then we might as well bail out now.

Firstly, if someone has been threatening others, I think they should be tracked down and locked up (in a caring way...) , as such alleged behaviour (if it's true) is totally unacceptable online, in nightclubs or on the streets!

Well firstly there's no "if it's true" about it. This happened, this morning and the snivelling cowards responsible have my response.

However the criticism of The Hirer herself is quite unbevievable. I thought you Scots were supposed to be fair and reasonable people. I'm amazed at the nastiness and viciousness I've read on this forum. I guess you all know this "ORANGE monster" personally before you can make such comments?? Posters come on here criticising "The Hirer" for the way she looks (I hope I look that good at her age),her surname (could she help that?) and someone even said that her amazing success was down to the fact that she "struck lucky"!

Her entire 'empire' is based on looks. Based on a product that has no other function than to satisfy vanity. By going on screen to represent the brand she personifies it and thus opens it and herself up to criticism.

In the photos, in the video, her skintone is nothing short of bizarre. It's completely unnatural looking and is one of the main reasons why people are looking at this and assuming it to be some sort of comedy wind up. And I've criticised not only her but the two henchmen who accompany her. TO quote one of them....

Jim states, "I would love to compare my diary to any other Representative in the country no matter which market they operate in and compare a few things;-

* Coverage in areas
* Visits per day
* Presentation skills
* Success rate

And I tell you what...

...NO ONE WILL BEAT ME IN ANY OF THESE CRITERIA.

Presentation skills?

Like not having the sense to make sure you put a decent shirt on for a publicity photo? NOt grimacing like someone who's dentures are loose. Or ensuring your mate wears a pair of trousers that fit him and doesn't appear in a high profile publicity video looking like Foghorn Leghorn....

With this type of product presentation is ALL appearance is ALL because ultimately this is ALL the business is about. They're running a beauty products business yet don't seem to understand the very basics of commercial presentation....

 

[TomB]

Or ensuring your mate wears a pair of trousers that fit him and doesn't appear in a high profile publicity video looking like Foghorn Leghorn....

With this type of product presentation is ALL appearance is ALL because ultimately this is ALL the business is about. They're running a beauty products business yet don't seem to understand the very basics of commercial presentation....

Pure class matt

Exactly the bad presentation and poor quality don't seem to be helping her out at all.

I mean if she has an £8 million business, you would think she could afford to put a bit more effort in to it?

T

 

[Former Member 1]

Right folks, lets all agree to draw a line under this topic and move on.

- can you close it?

Well I'll be very open in stating what a dim view I'd take of it if he did!

The validity of this campaign is a business topic worthy of debate. And if a couple of wee neds with their threats of 'what would happen' couldn't close that debate it really wouldn't reflect well on this forum as a serious platform if a few uncomfortably frank posts did...

 

[Scottish Business Owner]

Attitude Adjuster,

I cant quite believe you have the audacity to come on here and create the impression you have nothing to do with The Hirer. We have had four sign ups in the past 24 hours, 3 from one IP address and yourself who have put across views and given the impression they have nothing to do with this project.

I was considering closing this thread but to be honest I cant quite believe how such a small Scottish Forum has prompted four seperate people (or then again they could all be the same person) to feel they have to post such absolute drivel. I was a fan of the concept as I said at the outset but to be perfectly honest I hope I never have to work or be associated with the people working on this project. The levels you have all went to to somehow try and talk up this project astounds me.

I guess the facts will speak for themselves so here's one that will be watching over the next few months with baited breath.

 

[Former Member 1]

Attitude Adjuster,

I cant quite believe you have the audacity to come on here and create the impression you have nothing to do with The Hirer. We have had four sign ups in the past 24 hours, 3 from one IP address and yourself who have put across views and given the impression they have nothing to do with this project.

I was considering closing this thread but to be honest I cant quite believe how such a small Scottish Forum has prompted four seperate people (or then again they could all be the same person) to feel they have to post such absolute drivel. I was a fan of the concept as I said at the outset but to be perfectly honest I hope I never have to work or be associated with the people working on this project. The levels you have all went to to somehow try and talk up this project astounds me.

I guess the facts will speak for themselves so here's one that will be watching over the next few months with baited breath.

, would I be right in thinking we've had an unusually high number of sign ups in the past few hours? I've had the "who's online" window up for much of the afternoon and see quite a bit of guest traffic coupled to several apparent sign-ups. Not to mention a lot of profile views (surprised guests can do this!)

I'm wondering if we can expect a crop/flood of 'promotional' postings in the very near future?

 

[Scottish Business Owner]

Matt,

I am closely monitoring this as i'm sure Stu will be as well. There will be no flood I can assure you. We're well on top of it