JOB hunters in Southampton are among the most snobbish in the country when it comes to choosing where they work, new research shows.

Only Londoners ranked higher in the snobbiness stakes. One in four southerners says the views of friends and family influence them when choosing where they work - compared to one in six in the north.

This figure rose to nearly half among southerners under 30 years of age.

Around a third of people in Southampton said they would reject an offer to work in a fast food organisation with good career prospects, whereas in the north of England half said they would accept it.

The findings come as a new report from The Work Foundation says that scorn for service sector jobs threatens the UK economy.

It reveals that jobs at the supermarket checkout or at a quick-service restaurant provide the communication and teamwork skills that the country is crying out for.