| Operations manager Gary Johnston said the response was “overwhelming”. The post was advertised on July 17 and so many applicants came forward that the interviewing process has had to be delayed.
Gary said he had been working as hard as he could to sort through the applications, “but they kept coming in”.
“We’re obviously very pleased that we got the response that we did,” he said.
“We’ve had a good cross-section of people. We’ve had people with higher national diplomas and even a BA degree.
“I think we advertised at the right time when a lot of youngsters have just left school. It’s another sign people are struggling for jobs in the current economic climate.”
The last time the Strathmore Avenue shop advertised a similar job, albeit during term time, around 40 people applied. This time the figure is around three times that.
So what is it about being a locksmith that is proving so attractive?
“It’s a skilled trade and there aren’t many locksmiths about,” said Gary.
“There are plenty of people who think they are locksmiths, but there’s a lot more to it than just fitting a lock to a door.
“There’s also the intrigue of having to pick locks, which happens from time to time. Most of the calls we get are from people who have locked themselves out and we need to let them back in.” |
