Jobseeker Robert finally gets a break at car yard (From The Bolton News)

Jobseeker Robert finally gets a break at car yard

9:00am Thursday 8th November 2012 in Your Town

THE offer of a two-week trial as a receptionist has proved just the job for Robert Thompson.

His desperate plight to find work touched people’s hearts when he was featured in The Bolton News.

After reading how he took to the roadside holding a sign saying “Please give me a job,” bosses at Bolton Breakers telephoned the grateful former student and offered him the post, which could become permanent if all goes well.

After being unemployed for three years, despite applying for 300 positions, Mr Thompson was “over the moon” when he turned up for work for the first time on Monday.

The offer of the job delighted Mr Thompson, who left the University of Bolton with a degree in computing and IT. Last week, the 27-year-old, of Smith Street, Atherton, spent several hours in Four Lane Ends, Over Hulton, holding the sign appealing for work.

He also handed out cards with his mobile number.

After his story appeared in last Wednesday’s The Bolton News, he received a raft of phone calls, most of which were from people expressing sympathy.

But he was delighted when Bolton Breakers, in Jackson Street, Farnworth, offered him a job and asked him to fulfil an initial two-week trial.

He said: “My job entails mainly answering the phone and taking orders. But, hopefully, it will expand from that.

“I received about two dozen phone calls, many of them from people expressing sympathy.

“It’s great that Bolton Breakers should offer me the position which involves an initial work trial.”

Charles Flynn, from Bolton Breakers, said: “We read Robert’s story in The Bolton News and we felt sorry for the chap.

“We decided that because he needed work, we’d give him the two-week trial. Obviously, given his degree, he’s good with computers and that will enable him to track orders as well.”