Don't blame it on the B&Qie

Job-hunting Rodney Southern hit the nail on the head when he described how he felt after a job interview with DIY giant B&Q - humiliated.

The 35-year-old from Martham applied for a van driver's job at its new Norwich store - and was asked to sing and dance in front of a panel of nine managers.

Mr Southern of Hamilton Walk said: “I thought I was going to be tested on maths and English. Obviously that is not important at B&Q, dancing is.”

He told the Mercury how managers photographed him and six others in the group pulling funning faces. They were then asked to dance around to Michael Jackson's Don't Blame it on the Boogie.

“If I had not needed a job so badly I would not have done it. I felt embarrassed and I am sure everyone else did. We did not talk about it among ourselves. I don't mind a laugh and a joke but I did not expect that at a job interview.

“I was humiliated and felt like and idiot. I was there for two and a half hours for that,” he said.

He added that B&Q had told other media that participation was voluntary but at no time had people been told they could leave.

B&Q rang Mr Southern, a married father of two, that evening and said he had not been successful. He has since mended the dent in his pride and found another job with a sandwich delivery company - which did not ask him to do an X-factor style audition.

A spokesman for B&Q said: “As part of our recruitment programme we run a few light hearted exercises before the formal interview process begins. We make it clear to all our candidates that you do not have to take part if you do not feel comfortable and this does not influence the recruitment process at all.”

The new store in Hall Road is due to open mid-March. Part-time positions are still available and the firm is particularly keen to hear from people with customer service skills.