What’s the connection between three dead dogs, Bruce Springsteen and a Coconut?

Peter Foy explores the difficult concepts of truth and reality

By Peter Foy

Bruce Springsteen is a titan of the rock and roll world. He is “The Boss”, devoid of flim-flam and self-importance. He’s the prophet of blue-collar America, renowned for his ability to speak – or, more often, sing – truth to power.

    "...Standing before you is a man who has become wildly and absurdly successful writing about something of which he had absolutely no experience..."  

Only he’s not.

Listen to the recording, “Springsteen on Broadway” and you’ll hear these words:

“… I’ve never held an honest job in my entire life … never worked nine-to-five … I’ve never seen the inside of a factory and yet it’s all I’ve ever written about. Standing before you is a man who has become wildly and absurdly successful writing about something of which he had absolutely no experience. I made it all up.”

He made it all up.

In my home I have a painting. It was a gift to my wife, given long before I met her. The picture depicts three dogs: two Dalmatians and a black Labrador. They are painted, beautifully, with one of the Dalmatians lounging on a George Nelson Coconut chair and his two friends reposed in front. All three are long since dead so we, affectionately, call it the “Dead Dogs Picture”.

I never knew any of those dogs, but I do know that while Mrs Foy loves her animals she never allows them on furniture – certainly not a George Nelson chair! The artist didn’t know those dogs either. She painted the portrait from photos sent to her by a third party.

She made it all up.

The question is: do we believe that Springsteen’s canon or the Dead Dogs Picture picture are deliberately misleading? Of course not. Truth and reality are different things. Closely related, but different.

A story is true if it has ethical integrity.

Ethical integrity comes from a deep-rooted set of values that define right and wrong. A set of values that are accepted by everyone involved in that truth.

I go to my office each day (currently in my own home), knowing that Just Recruitment Group Ltd has a deep-rooted set of values, truths. I know that we might occasionally violate those rules, which is why we have a policy to encourage folk to “Speak Out”. The important thing is that we have the rules. And we believe in them.

    In every conversation I have with a client, candidate or colleague I know that I will be held to account to an ethical standard, a Truth.  

In every conversation I have with a client, candidate or colleague I know that I will be held to account to an ethical standard, a Truth.

So much is happening in the world today, be it in the business or political sphere, where Truth is important. Our understanding of truth is being tested to the limit. As business leaders and citizens we need to hold true to our values, those deep-rooted beliefs about right and wrong that define us. It might make us unpopular, but it will keep us honest.

Truths are not facts. The dead dogs were never in that pose, but they were loved. Bruce Springsteen never worked in a factory but “Promised Land” is still a brilliant anthem for the working class.

By the by, if you do dip into “Springsteen on Broadway”, his tribute to the Big Man, Clarence, is heartfelt and moving. Clearly truthful but maybe not factual.

Published: 8 April 2020

© 2020 Just Recruitment Group Ltd

If you enjoyed this article, you may like: Why AI personality testing gives me the creeps

You may also enjoy: Inspirational people: Billie Jean King, tennis player, equal rights campaigner

Jobs currently available

Customer Services Executive
Sector: Customer Service
Salary: Discussed on application
Location: Sudbury, Suffolk
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: TB14
About the role

Just Recruitment is recruiting for a Customer Services Executive for a manufacturer based in Sudbury, Suffolk.

As a Customer Services Executive, you will play a key role within the sales and marketing team — delivering exceptional service to both new and existing customers while managing ongoing accounts.

You will answer customer questions, solve problems, and provide information about the company’s products and services — all while building strong relationships and ensuring long-term customer satisfaction.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Assess incoming enquiries from direct communication or the sales team
  • Create quotations and tender documentation
  • Follow up on quotations at appropriate points in the process
  • Manage the CRM system
  • Manage the lead generation tools
  • Processing incoming sales orders
  • Liaise with the order fulfilment team for the smooth supply of products to customers
  • Manage any after-sales requirements
  • Help project manage key projects and clients

Role requirements include:

  • Must possess excellent communication skills, both oral and written
  • Previous experience in a similar role is preferable
  • Experience within the engineering/manufacturing sector is preferred
  • Good knowledge of and proficiency in Microsoft Office and basic database skills
  • Must be able to understand business calculations and be competent to correspond via email in a professional manner
  • Must be an excellent face-to-face communicator
  • Telephone communication skills are of a high standard
  • One of the keys to success is to develop professional relationships with decision makers, and so the ability to ‘connect’ with people and build networks should come naturally
  • You will be based at the Sudbury office, with occasional requirements for site and customer visits

Skills and qualifications to include:

  • A highly capable person with strong planning and scheduling skills
  • Self–driven, results-oriented, and with a positive outlook and a clear focus on high-quality standards
  • An independent person with good organisation and planning skills, who is capable of objectively assessing and improving their own and the department’s performance
  • Must be reliable, tolerant, and be able to work under pressure. The ability to be professional at all times and represent the company in a professional manner is a prerequisite
  • Tenacity and the ability to see things through to the end goal are desired traits
  • Must be able to work alone as well as work within a team
  • When required, able to work extra hours to accommodate the business needs, which may include occasional travel


Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
Technical Sales / Applications Engineer
Sector: Engineering and Manufacturing
Salary: £26,000 - £34,000 per annum
Location: Tiverton, Devon
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: TB13
About the role

Just Recruitment is seeking a Technical Sales / Applications Engineer for a leading client in Tiverton, Devon — an excellent opportunity for a graduate, higher apprentice, or experienced engineer to develop their career within a technical engineering environment.

Reporting to the Technical Sales Manager, this role will focus on the promotion and sales of company products to prospective, new and existing customers.

Scope:

  • Providing a Technical Sales Service to Customers
  • Dealing first-hand with customer enquiries, by telephone and digital meetings where required
  • Solving Design Problems and providing new design solutions
  • Checking and validating applications, preparing costings and quotations
  • Preparation of drawings
  • Assisting the manufacturing team with design builds

Required qualifications/experience include:

  • Ideally qualified to HNC minimum in mechanical engineering
  • Consideration given to applicants with a Mechanical Design background and good CAD skills
  • Knowledge of Machine and Production processes is advantageous
  • Working knowledge of 3D design tools such as SolidWorks or AutoCAD

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
Procurement Manager
Sector: Purchasing and Merchandising
Salary: Discussed on application
Location: Sudbury, Suffolk
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: TB11
About the role

Just Recruitment is working with a growing manufacturing business based on the outskirts of Sudbury, in the search for a talented Procurement Manager to join their expanding team.

Required skills and qualifications:

  • CIPS Qualified - min level 5.
  • Substantial experience in a procurement leadership role within the food, ingredients, manufacturing, or FMCG sectors.
  • Experience in leading and developing high-performance teams.
  • Strong Negotiation and Supplier Management skills.

The key purpose of this role is to lead the delivery of greater strategic and operational value of the procurement function and help to deliver business-critical goals.

This is a hands-on, strategic, and operational role that requires a confident leader with deep procurement expertise and the ability to inspire and develop a team.

You will work closely with the Supply Chain Manager to shape and implement a fit-for-purpose procurement strategy, ensuring alignment with business goals across quality, cost, sustainability, and risk management. This role is pivotal in maintaining robust and value-driven supplier relationships while enabling continuous improvement in all procurement activities.

You will also oversee raw material planning and call-offs, ensuring that the business maintains the right balance between availability and inventory control — essential for production continuity and working capital efficiency.

This role includes direct line management of a Procurement Specialist, supporting their development and day-to-day activity management.

Key duties include:

  • Develop and implement a comprehensive procurement strategy aligned with business objectives, operational needs, and sustainability goals.
  • Identify, evaluate, and manage suppliers across raw materials, packaging, and indirect categories to ensure quality, continuity and cost-effectiveness.
  • Collaborate with the Supply Chain Manager and other departments to align procurement with broader supply chain goals and business plans.
  • Contribute to the company’s sustainability, traceability and ethical sourcing commitments through strategic supplier partnerships.
  • Oversee the procurement of raw materials, packaging, indirect goods and services, and CAPEX items, ensuring optimal quality, cost and delivery performance.
  • Manage tendering processes, contract negotiation and supplier onboarding activities.
  • Ensure the ERP system is updated and used effectively for procurement activities and reporting.
  • Monitor and report on procurement KPIs, savings and supplier performance metrics.
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers and service providers, driving continuous improvement and innovation.
  • Lead supplier performance reviews, audits and corrective action processes.
  • Identify and assess risks within the supply base and implement mitigation strategies to ensure business continuity.
  • Lead, mentor and develop the procurement team to achieve high levels of engagement, performance and professional growth.
  • Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous learning within the team.
  • Support the wider Supply Chain team by contributing to cross-functional initiatives and projects.
  • Ensure adherence to company procurement policies, financial controls and ethical standards.
  • Support internal and external audits with relevant documentation and compliance reporting.
  • Drive process improvement initiatives and embed best practices across the procurement function.

Build and nurture key working relationships with Production, Quality Assurance, Finance, Warehousing, Sales and Commercial Teams, Suppliers, Logistics Providers and Regulatory Bodies.

This is an excellent opportunity to drive change within a business — offering a great working environment.

Working hours for this role are Monday to Friday, 8am - 5pm, although some flexibility is required.

Please note that due to the location of the business, you must have access to your own transport.

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
Purchasing Supervisor
Sector: Purchasing and Merchandising
Location: Ipswich
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: JC24
About the role

Just Recruitment is partnering with a growing, industry-leading organisation in Ipswich to recruit a Purchasing Supervisor.

Working collaboratively within a fast-paced, team-oriented purchasing function, you will take responsibility for taking the highly successful Purchasing Team to the next level of procurement. Reporting to the Purchasing Manager, the emphasis of the role is to work with existing team members to build key skills and to improve current processes. It will involve resolving daily issues, building and maintaining supplier relationships and helping to build the future purchasing team.

Duties include:

  • Primary responsibility for the daily management of specific team members.
  • Provide structured training and guidance to proactively encourage individual and team development, ensuring team succession planning.
  • Empower the team to take ownership of their roles/responsibilities.
  • Responsible for managing up and organising updates/meetings with the Team Manager.
  • Actively work with other supervisors and management to ensure a consistent approach within the department.
  • Resolution of daily issues—including data collation of issues.
  • Manage supplier relationships and performance.
  • Lead on supplier lead time reviews and relevant internal updates.
  • Present data on monthly spend and KPIs, and non-conformance tracking.
  • Lead on-demand planning, working with the external Sales Team and suppliers to provide forecasting.
  • Participate in pricing reviews.
  • Deliver guidance and training daily to the team.
  • Proactively work on team engagement through coaching, mentoring and regular 1-2-1s.

Key skills/qualifications required include:

  • CIPS level 4 achieved or prepared to undertake.
  • Leadership skills.
  • Ability to develop and maintain commercial awareness, internally and industry-wide.
  • A proactive approach with a “can-do” attitude and the ability to motivate others.
  • Analytical skills with strong problem-solving ability.
  • Proven negotiation skills.
  • Good understanding of supply chain procedures.
  • Proven advanced level of Computer literacy - Microsoft Excel/Word/Access.
  • Sound Administrative experience. Knowledge of ERP.

Hybrid working will be available after successful completion of the probationary period (min. of 3 days in the office, up to 2 days at home).

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more