The Hirer - Came across it yet?

[Former Member 1]

Well of course the shock and entertainment value is really of no interest to them. The 'TV' angle was just the right bait for the sort of wannabees who would be taken in by this sort of campaign....

Further evidence (as if it were really needed) of the shambolic nature of this project exists here...

Central FM - The Hirer

The whole central 'pivot' of the campaign as advertised was that the drama was to be played out on 'TV' cameras via their own online channel during September... Well, we're now pretty much half-way through September and that just hasn't happened. In fact the 'channel' hasn't moved on from the dodgy trailer......

Strikes me that their scheduling and project management skills are right up there with their presentation skills!

No doubt they'll trot out some old pony about this being some sort of 'test' page; but I'm sure the web designers on the forum could comment on the necessity of that (at least in this form). What's interesting about the above is that the photo ( and possibly the template for the whole page) is 'borrowed' from here...

Minster FM - Coalters Apprentice

A more blatant apprentice rip-off is hard to envisage.....

And one is left wondering what the connection is between "Coalter's Apprentice" and "The Hirer" and just why Mark Burnett, who IIRC developed the format for "The Apprentice" hasn't yet dropped the proverbial 'ton of bricks' on them from a great height....

The core formats for TV shows are intellectual property; something any legitimate programme producer would understand. and it matters not what the platform is. Although I'm not a lawyer I do teach media law to TV students, so have a reasonable grasp of the law. And my own personal opinion is that this would probably be a breach of Mark Burnett's IP rights.

Possibly Mark is, as we speak, having the said ton-of-bricks winched to a great height above a certain industrial unit in the west of Scotland?

 

[Loo-cee]

Hello,
Just came across the site and posting and thought I could share some of the insights into The Hirer process
I was one of those thousands of people who applied
I have no connection with those who created this nor running this
I already am in a managerial position withing a global company and saw this as an opportunity to apply for something that would potentially better myself using Frasers coaching skills and learning from the experience of those who have created a multi million pound business!
I hope you would agree that this seems as if it was no easy task!
The recruiting process for "The Hirer" was this
Aply online, then upload a CV and 60 second video
If you had what it took to get to the next stage you then were invited to "The Assesment Centre"
This again was no easy task , you were being reviewed at every part of the process, you were marked upon your presentation skills, your attitude towards the tasks, your approach to working with others , your debating skills/ discussions ....it was a long day!
I was at the Glasgow assesment day and I knew myself those who had something they were looking for and those looking for a month of fame!
I also know that the final part to the day was the final panel interview with the creator, 2 of the project team and one of "Rock the boat" consultants asking some final questions
We then went home and had to wait and get our call to understand if we were threw or not!
Well I made it to the last 8 , which were going to be coached on a one to one basis, develop at each of the tasks set , it sounded very exciting
Can I just confirm also that I have 8 years of senior management experience, ran my own business ( Small !) at the age of 16 and have worked for the same company now for 5 years so feel that some of the comments are unfair
I am married, own my own home and have great credits from school studies Highers, Credit standard grades etc
I am neither blonde, nor seeking TV fame, nor topless shots, nor to be fair have a size 8 figure, this really was an opportunity for learning in a new arena I have never worked in before
Unfortunately I was in no position to leave my job and had to decline this opporunity but I will definitely be watching this all the way and see what they did and how they developed over the next few weeks
Everyone is entitled to an opinion I just think some of the ones commented on here are slightly unfair and not a true refelction of the project and what it is about
Thanks
L

 

[Idea15]

Thanks for coming on, Lucy. Fair play to you for explaining the process.

However, the issue stopped being the show itself a long time ago. The main issue on this discussion has become the appalling and unacceptable public behavior of the show's creator, and by contractual association the show's "star", which has been demonstrated on this thread. I am sure you read about the even more unacceptable public behavior (pages 3 and 4) committed offline by parties still unidentified. The people who have put their names to this show have been invited to explain and defend these actions and they have not taken up that opportunity. Either they do not see their brand as worth defending, or their solicitors have told them to keep their mouths shut before they cause any more damage.

I am glad you had the confidence to apply but I am more happy that you were not accepted onto the show. You seem to have what it takes to succeed in business and with "role models" like the ones associated with the show, who seems to believe that lying, manipulation, and wrapping one's self in the Saltire are all it takes to succeed in business, you are so much better off without.

 

[Loo-cee]

Hi Sorry just wanted to confirm I was accecpted to be one of the final 8 but personal circumstances stopped this going any further
The opportunity to work and be developed by Fraser and the team was took good to miss out on and Im gutted I cant get involved
AGain, not sure of the other comments and circumstances just wanted to give you the view of someone who has went through the application process and why I wanted to be involved
THanks
L

 

[Power Lunch Club]

Hi Sorry just wanted to confirm I was accecpted to be one of the final 8 but personal circumstances stopped this going any further
The opportunity to work and be developed by Fraser and the team was took good to miss out on and Im gutted I cant get involved
AGain, not sure of the other comments and circumstances just wanted to give you the view of someone who has went through the application process and why I wanted to be involved
THanks
L

That's great, thanks for the posting Loo Cee....did they tell you what the job was?

 

[Loo-cee]

The job was to be part of their senior management team depending on where your strengths are depends on what your job would entail obviously they want to use you for what you are best at but like any job you could decline it but you would have still had the time spent on you with the team and coach and hace been developed.....great opportunity for any budding Scots who want some time spent on their own personal development
Thanks
L

 

[Former Member 1]

The job was to be part of their senior management team depending on where your strengths are depends on what your job would entail obviously they want to use you for what you are best at but like any job you could decline it but you would have still had the time spent on you with the team and coach and hace been developed.....great opportunity for any budding Scots who want some time spent on their own personal development
Thanks
L

Yes, well it's funny how (for instance) the vacuum cleaner company I alluded to earlier, the encyclopaedia company, double glazing companies etc etc etc all advertise these "senior management" positions.... During my research for the documentary I mentioned earlier I was told, by three different organisations that I was being "singled out" as senior management material. I was also (on each occasion) 'put forward' for "special training".... Mind you so were each of the twelve other researchers working on the programme. All part of the filtering process and not remotely unusual or special.

Indeed there is absolutely nothing unusual in the process you have described; it's precisely what I'd expect to hear of the 'mass mug' recruitment process I described earlier.

It's now the 15th of September. This whole process was supposed to take place on TV; i.e. it was supposed to take place in the public eye; to 'unravel' as it happened.... Except is hasn't has it? I've already posted the link to the 'finalists' page. A page at the moment which tells us...

"We now have our 10 finalists"

TEN? When all the time we've been told eight? And the ten in the picture seem to be the same ten as were finalists in "Coalters Apprentice"; another sad, cheesy, rip of off a programme format belonging to someone else....

So the bottom line is that to date; and bear in mind we're supposed to be part-way through the process, there's NO evidence in the public arena to suggest that any finalists have actually been selected. I wonder and speculate if that perhaps could be because there are in fact currently dozens of so-called 'finalists' mid-process and to have published details of any of them at this stage would expose the whole project as exactly that process I have raised suspicions about?

At the risk of appearing to indulge in a personal attack(categorically NOT my intent) and with apologies for the hurt my comments may cause, it's clear from the way you write that you are neither well qualified academically nor of the sort of standard, in terms of communication skills, one might expect from a senior manager in any sort of credible organisation....

Can I just confirm also that I have 8 years of senior management experience, ran my own business ( Small !) at the age of 16 and have worked for the same company now for 5 years so feel that some of the comments are unfair
I am married, own my own home and have great credits from school studies Highers, Credit standard grades etc

No actually. You can't confirm those things because they have neither been put to you for confirmation or previously stated by you and them questioned. If you had Highers you would not have "great credits" from them, but a number of specific awards at certain grades. Any you would be sufficiently acquainted with both the academic value and rigour of the Highers system to habitually state your qualifications on those terms.

Were you a potential student looking for a place on a course I would now be cross-checking your claimed qualifications with the SQA as you do not appear to understand what you are claiming! A fact which, at best, calls into question your abilities as a professional communicator.

As to what relevance either your marital or residential status has in relation to your potential as a manager, business person or commentator; frankly these things are beyond me....

Of course I normally wouldn't 'round' on an individual like this nor be so pedantic. And (once again) I do very much regret the hurtful nature of my comments. But you have appeared attempting to present yourself as a credible senior manager involved in a credible executive recruitment process. And I have to suggest that you have simply added weight to the argument that the process is not credible.

The comments made about the project thus far are perfectly fair... (cont...)

 

[Former Member 1]

(...cont)

In technical terms the video is shamefully shoddy and amateurish. The people in it display a spectacular lack of understanding in terms of business communication and presentation. Thus far the project has even failed to deliver in that the process itself has not been open to live public scrutiny as promised.

What's more, it emerges that, far from being original or even an original-fake; it's actually a cheap copy of a cheap copy that was previously delivered by the York based Estate Agents Coalters.

Then there is the disgraceful and disreputable behaviour of those who sought to defend the project. It is fact that I received threatening phone calls as the direct result of my original comments. It is also fact that I am not the only person to have received disturbing phone calls as a result of what is written in this thread.

It is also reported fact that certain individuals registered with this forum under multiple identities in order to post comments in support of the project. And frankly that pathetically childish and utterly unprofessional behaviour is what really defines this whole project.

FAR from being a great opportunity for "any budding Scot" (And I'd have to agree that becoming a Scot is a great ambition to have ) this project is a laughing stock and reflects BADLY on Scotland and the Scottish business scene.

 

[PC]

Oh FFS, TFGtv. give it a rest now.

You been harping on about this for bloody well days now and now you are rounding on Loo-Cee who, for all you know, could be genuine.

We all understand that you think the show and concept it is a sham.

Move on.

 

[Loo-cee]

If it is not your intent to indulge in a personal attack on my credentials then not sure why you felt the need to carry one out!

My intent was to give you an insight into the process of applying to this project , not sure as I said about the phone calls I havent had any or any experience of threatening phone calls but then im not really an aggresive person looking for arguments when slating others projects

Its up to those wanting to apply for this to research as to what they are applying to.

I am not getting into any response to your comments on my ability to be part of a senior management team.
Credit standard grades ( 8 of ) 5 Highers all A's and B's , 2 SYS studies are just some of the many qualifications I already have.
It was my choice to not take part in this project and I will remain in the job I have worked hard for and I am great at!

Good luck to you TFG, but maybe a glass of wine and a bath may relieve some tension and aggresion issues you clearly have with people you dont even know but feel strongly enough to comment on them!

 

[Former Member 1]

Oh FFS, TFGtv. give it a rest now.

You been harping on about this for bloody well days now and now you are rounding on Loo-Cee who, for all you know, could be genuine.

We all understand that you think the show and concept it is a sham.

Move on.

If you don't want to read the thread don't click on it.

NO! I WON'T F-ing leave it alone! I won't be bullied by half assed little thugs and I'll damn well give them no quarter.

It wasn't YOUR family who got threatened.

 

[Former Member 1]

If it is not your intent to indulge in a personal attack on my credentials then not sure why you felt the need to carry one out!

My intent was to give you an insight into the process of applying to this project , not sure as I said about the phone calls I havent had any or any experience of threatening phone calls but then im not really an aggresive person looking for arguments when slating others projects

Its up to those wanting to apply for this to research as to what they are applying to.

I am not getting into any response to your comments on my ability to be part of a senior management team.
Credit standard grades ( 8 of ) 5 Highers all A's and B's , 2 SYS studies are just some of the many qualifications I already have.
It was my choice to not take part in this project and I will remain in the job I have worked hard for and I am great at!

Good luck to you TFG, but maybe a glass of wine and a bath may relieve some tension and aggresion issues you clearly have with people you dont even know but feel strongly enough to comment on them!

Frankly, your post read very like all the rest in support of this project. And what you wrote, the way you wrote it, just weren't credible; which is why I posted what I did. Thank you for clarifying your qualifications; which , given the level at which you're writing I'd STILL be running past the SQA!

The phone calls you're not sure about? Fair enough. But I AM sure about them. I posted perfectly legitimate criticism of the project. I did so in a considered way. The response from proponents of what you defend was to phone my office and threaten me with physical violence; and that's just NOT acceptable.

I didn't pick a fight; THEY did! And I'm not the only person who received 'nasty' phone calls. Then there remains the matter of the multiple log-ons.

You're right; it IS up to those who would become involved with this project to make up their own minds about it. And in that respect it's essential the full depth to which these people and/or those who would support them will sink is exposed.

You may well be genuine. In which case you just made the best career decision of your life by backing away from these people.

However, your writing style has a painfully familiar look to it. You'll appreciate that as a lecturer part of my skills group is to be able to identify work submitted by students that has in fact been generated by others. And I'll be quite blunt in saying that the awkward punctuation and phrasing you have displayed are typical of someone trying to disguise their own 'narrative voice'.

I'm perfectly happy to admit I may be wrong in this respect. But frankly; I smell fish!

 

[Scottish Business Owner]

I'm worried about this thread. Rather than communicate all of this via PM lets put it all out in the open as this is what forums are all about.

Yet again I find myself asking the question why a supposed new forum member just simply wades into a thread. How long is this going to continue for? I was one of the only people who liked the general idea and concept and was the other person who received phone calls and was subject to what I can only describe as abuse.

My intent was to give you an insight into the process of applying to this project , not sure as I said about the phone calls I havent had any or any experience of threatening phone calls but then im not really an aggresive person looking for arguments when slating others projects

You seem to be suggesting that these phone calls are justified in some way, so did I deserve calls as well?

This forum has had some twists and turns and I refuse to censor people for having opinions. People dont agree all the time but it would be boring if we all did.

 

[Former Member 1]

From a previous supporter of the project....

Certainly the need to threaten people is out of order, however surely if individuals decide to spout rubbish and riddicule others then stupid things happen.

Purposely flawed spelling look familiar? Central tenet of what they're saying?

In among the banter and slightly hot-under-the-collar rhetoric are specific, legitimate criticisms of the project.

Cogent counters to those points would be welcomed. But so far there are none.

, I know it took a lot for you to come out as one of the other injured parties here. Hold hard mate, hold hard.

 

[specialk]

I am absolutely stunned at the reaction by Heather to this thread.

I understand you are American and gather that you hate Scots and our attitude.

Why not go home then doll? Save us all having to listen to your crap.

K

 

[Former Member 1]

I am absolutely stunned at the reaction by Heather to this thread.

I understand you are American and gather that you hate Scots and our attitude.

Why not go home then doll? Save us all having to listen to your crap.

K

Why pick on Heather? :blink: Or is this just another attempt by the dodgy phone call brigade to try and kid us all they've got a shred of credibility left?

She's hardly likely live here or marry a Scot if she hated us? However your "why don't you go home" attitude is a particular piece of bigoted racist crap that many of us have lived with for generations. Heather's reaction to the Hirer was perfectly reasonable. And whilst she's perfectly entitled to have her issues with aspect of life in Scotland. She's also just as entitled to have it challenged...

A challenge which she generally meets with some considerable degree of aplomb.

Now; if you've something worthwhile to add to this long-dead thread about some spray tanned chavs who only succeeded in making a laughing stock of themselves bring it on....

 

[specialk]

Matt, with regards to your allegation of racism, I am married to an Englishman who lives in Scotland and if he had such a problem with Scotland as Heather does, he would leave.

I also totally refute your claims that I have had any dealings with threatening telephone calls - that is a totally unacceptable and defamatory comment to make. I have no dealings with The Hirer but am a proud Scots and took offence to Heather coming to this country and slagging us off - I repeat if she doesnt like it - leave...........................

Oh Matt, what was your turn-over last week? bet it wasnt as much as the spray tanned chavs!!!

K

K

 

[Former Member 1]

I didn't. I'm simply questioning why you appear, out of the blue, to resurrect a three month old thread solely to make a personal attack on someone.... A racist one at that!

 

[stugster]

specialk,

Please keep derogatory comments and crude remarks to yourself in future.

Thank you.

 

[specialk]

unless they fit in with yours of course Stugster??!!!