Job Seekers Support Thread
 

Don't know if this will go down well or not but over the last couple of months I have seen so many threads on here in regards to job seeking, interview techniques, what to wear, the new Universal Job Match problems and all that.

I thought it would be nice if everyone could perhaps add their contributions into here, as to what is helping them find work (which sites are best etc/CV tips), or your struggles if you want to talk to other people without being judged and looked down upon on as there are a tonne of people in the same boat at the moment, or just to rant about how you are feeling.
Even the most positive of people can't help but feel rejected and/or even worthless during times on unemployment.

What I'm getting at is, YOU'RE NOT ALONE!

Good idea :)

Good idea
Especially the not looked down on or judged part : )

The biggest difference I experienced in regards to responses to applications was when I've sent a personalised letter or email - instead of a generic one. So not "I'd like to apply for the position of team-leader, please accept my CV"

but

"I'm really interested in the position of team-leader you advertised in the Gazette last week as it's exactly the sort of work I enjoy and your company seems very progressive" etc. Actually make it sound like you wrote a personal, just for them letter.

The difference was immediate in the responses I got - even when they turned me down, at least they actually bothered to let me know they turned me down.

I use the 'jobs today ' site & their generic cover letter is awful, I always put in my own words

Hey i have some questions about jobseekers.

If you are sent a letter saying a "doubt has arisen" and a rapid re-claim form. Well when you take the rapid re-claim form to the jobcentre how long is it until your JSA money supposed to be given? I recently got a letter saying there was a doubt despite over the Christmas period having two forms to fill in and the first of the two being accepted. I got a text from the jobcentre saying my claim was accepted and i would be getting a written confirmation however i have not yet gotten any letter. Also there was no actual reason for the "doubt" as i was doing what they told me to do. I'd just like to know if anyone else has had this happen to them and what happened?

The jobcentre put me on this course at Pinnacle People on work programme (i think it is that) and others there have had the same thing happening and quite a lot too. These people are doing everything the jobcentre has told them as well but yet getting money stopped. Why?

100% agree with that.

It makes it look like you actually bothered to research the company first instead of as you say, just sending off the same generic letter to everything you apply for.

The cover letter is the first impression they get of you.



I don't know for certain but what I would do in the first instance is call the Job Centre 0845 number and explain your situation to them.

Sounds a bit ominous them saying 'doubt has arisen' without telling you what it is.

Good advice.

Yeah i got a text Tuesday saying my claim had been accepted, referring to the rapid re-claim form and i'd get written confirmation. I got a letter just now saying they can no longer pay jobseekers allowance. There is no reason for it though. It is very irritating when you are told you are doing everything right by jobcentre staff and then this happens.

And what is odd is i go to Pinnacle people (where the jobcentre is off-loading many people as they cannot be bothered) and i found out more people have had thier money stopped. And they were told the same thing by staff in the jobcentre that what they were doing was correct but yet this happens. It seems to me that they keep changing the rules and none of the staff know what is going on.

One person there said it is probably going to happen to everyone and they are slowly and randomly picking on people with no reason.

A support thread just for me? How nice :D

Hello everyone.

Ok can anyone list what the jobcentre is counting as actively seeking work?

At Pinnacle people i spoke to others who had thier money stopped and with no reasons given by the jobcentre it is looking like they are changing what they are accepting as actively seeking work.

I thought applying for jobs counted. As well as asking staff in shops, offices etc So if these do not count then what does?

If your money is stopped you will get a decision letter stating that and saying why - and you have a month to appeal. If you don't get a letter, ring them - just in case it's gone astray.

I got a letter today. It said i will be paid again next time i go to jobcentre.

I just want to make sure i am doing everything correctly.

I was going to ask this is in a new thread but seems like this one is a good idea.

I am about 4 months into my contribution based JSA claim. There is a chance of a job but only for 4 to 8 weeks. If I take it, does my full 6 months entitlement to JSA start again when the job comes to an end or will I just get the remaning 2 months of my current allowance?

Not certain but I think it would just run on as it would be a rapid reclaim. Fingers crossed you won't need it though.

Should be on your agreement and a mix of different things. I think you just have to make sure you makea note of everything you do be it asking friends, family, in shops, in the pub, in the paper whatever. Just to be on the safe side I reckon it would be a good idea to write down the date you did something, what you did, what papers or shops you looked in and what they told you. You never know it may be useful for you to look back on. You could ask somewhere that doesn't have any jobs at the moment but someone may be due to leave for some reason and if they mention it it would be handy to have a note so you can go back again nearer the time.

I have nearly finished with my degree (YAY!) and so am off into the real world to find a job and I'm really looking forward to it! For my degree I spent my third year working full time, and I much preferred it to the rest of the degree, so I can't wait to get out there and find a job :D

So far I've applied for three graduate jobs in my field, had one outright no, one interview then no, and one didn't respond, so I still have a lot to learn, but hopefully I will get there!

As I said, I'm just about to graduate from university, and ideally I'd like a job in the field I've trained in, but I will apply for anything and everything going (well, that I can apply for, no point applying for job as a Doctor/plumber/lawyer etc. when I'm not one, but within reason :) ) to tide me over until I get a job in the field I want.

I was wondering if there was any general advice for jobseekers just leaving uni when applying to places like shops and coffee shops? For example, if I want to apply for a job at Starbucks, should I print out an application and take it in dressed up really smartly, or really casually, or smart casual, or...? I was wondering if anyone could advice me please :)
Also, are potential employed put off by ear piercings? Once I finish my fourth year placement (my job involves people looking at my ears :P ) I am thinking of getting a couple of the slightly 'funkier' ear piercings- would this be a big turn off for employers? By the time I start work, they should have healed enough to take them out, but would this turn an employer off if I went in and said "can I apply for a job?" and I had a few earrings in?
Thank you very much in advance for any help you can give x

Well, the 6 months entitlement is based on your NI contributions so logically you'd just get the remaining 2 months. I can't imagine you'd start again & get another 6 months.

I just thought I'd share this for laughs. It's a comedy blog about job hunting, lets have a laugh at ourselves :) www.jobhuntingisshit.tumblr.com

im losing the will to live, every job i apply for i get the same sodding generic reply 'if you dont hear from us within ** weeks you have been unsuccessful this time, we will keep your CV' bla bla bla. do they actually ever 'keep your cv on record' ?

So many give that reply, then u have to fill out your JS record with awaiting reply, which u never get

Good idea for a thread OP! I have been in the same situation in the past (but not now) so I do know what it is like. My advice is keep going.

One thing I would say is keep a record on the computer on your job search. By that be specific as you can.

So don't just say "looked in newspaper!"

For ALL companies you apply to you SHOULD have as many details from this list as you know:



Company Name
Job Title
Job Centre or Company Job Reference Number
Name of a person who you have applied to in the company
Postal Address of the Company
Website Address of the Company
Email Address of the Company
Telephone Number of the Company
The date you applied
How you applied (i.e. did you phone, or did you visit the company yourself, or was it by post etc.)
What the company response was
What you will do next



This makes it easier for you to follow up your job search.

"Hi my names David, I emailed your company on the 3rd February 2013 in response to the Job Centre advert. Its been a couple of weeks now and I haven't heard anything, so I thought I would phone up, just to check you recieived the application."

One thing I would also say is apply 3 times to a company. The first follow up should be after 2 weeks, and then after 6 months.

And good luck everyone. I know what it is like the advice I give is something I had to do myself once.

I can only base this on one experience but I'm inclined to say no. After an unsuccessful interview, I was told that my CV would be kept on file should similar positions arise. A few months later, I saw the same job come up again with them but they never contacted me about it. I suppose they could've decided after my interview that I just wasn't suited for the role, instead of it being about the strength of other candidates.