Another jobcentre rant.

PhilH36 · 22/10/10 - 20:45

Some weeks ago when I went to sign on the advisor looked on the system and pulled out a job which he thought might be suitable. The summary said visit the company website for full details and how to apply. When I did so it turned out they were looking for a qualification and experience in an area that I don't have,so I didn't bother applying for it. On my next visit I explained to the advisor why I hadn't applied and he said it was okay. Now they've sent me a stupid letter saying there's a doubt on my claim because it appears that I failed to take advantage of an opportunity or apply for a job,and a decision will be made on whether my benefit will be affected! For F**KS sake what's wrong with these stupid people??

[Deleted User] · 22/10/10 - 20:49

That happened with me, all I had to do was attend a meeting at a college, Back to work meeting I think it was called.

Luckily now I've found long term employment...:)

Azagoth · 22/10/10 - 20:50

They do it all the time. A mate of mine was told to apply for a job driving HGVs for a local haulage company as the Job Centre thought it would fit in perfectly with his experience as shown to them on their screens.

He said to them that he'd glady apply for and take the job if it was so offered, but the Job Centre had to sign a form stating that they'd pay all fines incurred because he didn't even have a driving licence, let alone a HGV licence.

Go figure.

Pisces Cloud · 22/10/10 - 20:53

You do have to be careful because looking and applying for work is the condition of receiving JSA. You shouldn't have said anything or told him you had applied as I don't think they check up on everyone. That would be impossible.

[Deleted User] · 22/10/10 - 21:43

Same thing happened here a few weeks ago with us. My OH claims JS for us both (long story) and they gave him a print out which he thought great will apply! But the print out said nothing about the company looking for 2 work references and the website clearly stated they needed that.
As he didn't have any at that time (still trying to get in touch with a previous employer) and the application deadline was that day, he didn't apply as he knew he would be wasting the companies time.

Back to JC and he explained to the advisor about the difference on the JC printout and what the company website asked for,,, he got the letter too and they're currently investigating whether or not to kick him off for a fortnight.

Calphurnia · 22/10/10 - 23:08

I never had this particular problem, but years ago when I claimed for a few weeks I started getting the letters that they print out when you go in to sign on. The "this is to introduce Calphurnia who is interested in the role of XYZ" type letters (or words to that effect). But the letters were posted to me by the job centre and not ones they'd suggested when I was being interviewed. A friend who'd worked at the JC told me that sometimes they did that with some claimants without asking/checking first.

Most of them required qualifications or experience I didn't have, so I didn't apply. I never found out if I would have been penalized for that, though, as I started work not long after.

My advice, the way things are at the moment, would be to apply regardless, but make it clear to the people you are applying to that you don't have the relevant experience/qualifications. The company may then go back to the JC and demand to know why they are putting forward unsuitable applicants, and you will have covered your backside by applying as directed. Plus the companies might be more effective in making the JC stop doing it.

[Deleted User] · 22/10/10 - 23:59

I had that too earlier in the year. Had seven jobs printed off from the advisor. Let the advisor know on my next visit that I applied for 6 of the 7. Explaine that I had phoned the 7th company to find further details about the job, the person responsible for hiring said I would need previous experience of telephone sales, I had none, and would therefore not be suitable. I therefore didn't further my application. I explained this to the advisor. And three days later got the letter that my claim was being investigated and that sanctions may follow. Luckily I was able to sign off JSA of my own accord four weeks later, while they were presumably still investigating?

What I found most annoying was that I explained it to the advisor and she at no point said that failing to apply, even after having phoned and spoken with the company, could lead to my benefit being stopped. Especially as the closing date still had not passed at that point. I think they must have quotas to meet in terms of getting people off benefits.

[Deleted User] · 23/10/10 - 00:03

If I ever get given a job I know I can't do, I just send a half arsed application with a crappy version of my CV. I never hear back from them. I had an interview today anyway so hopefully I will be back in work ASAP, but perhaps not until January for this particular job (which I want!).

I have considered voluntary work over Christmas as my "gift" to society but that doesn't satisfy the job centre.

RubusRoo · 23/10/10 - 01:01

Welcome back CQ.

paulsmithfan · 23/10/10 - 01:06

I think people should not be made to apply for jobs they do not want to do. I think if society spent more time trying understand people and what they were interested in and doing then we we would all be better off and happier.

Calphurnia · 23/10/10 - 01:09

paulsmithfan wrote: »

I think people should not be made to apply for jobs they do not want to do. I think if society spent more time trying understand people and what they were interested in and doing then we we would all be better off and happier.

But at the same time....who would be doing the really cr@ppy jobs that still need to be done?

Ginger Geek · 23/10/10 - 01:12

I have never found that the jobs that they THINK I can do have ever had anything vaguely to do with me.

Seems more like they have promised the employer that they will send then 50 applicants and you are just sent it to make up the numbers with no cross checking that it's even vaguely relevant to you.

Plus in the past I have said that I have applied for many jobs that I hadn't and they have never checked up on me. If they arrange an interview with someone then that is a different matter, but if they are just applying for a job, then they have never checked if I have.

paulsmithfan · 23/10/10 - 01:13

Calphurnia wrote: »

But at the same time....who would be doing the really cr@ppy jobs that still need to be done?

Albanians

[Deleted User] · 23/10/10 - 01:18

paulsmithfan wrote: »

I think people should not be made to apply for jobs they do not want to do. I think if society spent more time trying understand people and what they were interested in and doing then we we would all be better off and happier.

I agree somewhat. Although it is important that people are pushed into work if they are clearly not trying, it's not a good idea to force people to apply for a job someone else has found for you (i.e. the job centre staff). If you get a job which you know you can't do and you know you'll end up leaving, you're probably going to end up back on the dole soon anyway. Instead, more effort should be put in at the start.

Do you know, I have never once been asked to show them my CV! Surely this should have been done at the initial interview?! People could be on the dole for months because they have a really bad CV, yet the job centre leave it up to the individuals. Of course, it is up to the individuals at the end of the day but if the job centre at least verified that the CV was up to scratch then that's a positive step.

How about giving people interview tips from day 1? Why leave it until the 3 or 6 month period? That's 6 months of money which could be wasted because the person is crap in interviews.

The job centre have it all wrong. They are not a job centre at all. They are a benefits centre and the only reason they give you the jobs to apply for is so they can be seen as helping you, when in fact most jobs are not advertised in the job centre in the first place. It's freeking annoying saying "I have applied for 10 jobs this week, look, here's the emails to prove it" then for them to go "OK, here is a job for you... it's in sales for kitchens and I think you can do it" :rolleyes: No, I can't.

If you say you want an "admin" job, they will print you out 3, random admin jobs. It could be admin for cancer research and you know absolutely nothing about it, but they want to apply anyway.

RubusRoo wrote: »

Welcome back CQ.

Hehe

It was only for a few days, thank god!

PhilH36 · 23/10/10 - 12:17

Dan Fortesque wrote: »

You do have to be careful because looking and applying for work is the condition of receiving JSA. You shouldn't have said anything or told him you had applied as I don't think they check up on everyone. That would be impossible.

Well I've got to go and sign on again on Monday so I'm going to have a right go at 'em as I explained clearly why I hadn't applied,it would have been a waste of the employers time and mine,and he said it was okay. And they can't argue I haven't been looking as when I had a more in-depth interview I showed them over seventy application and rejection emails I'd sent and received. Plus,the letter I received said 'Please see the enclosed leaflet ESL48. It is important that you read it'. Except there wasn't a copy in the envelope,just the letter! They can't even get enclosures with letters right!

CoolboyA · 23/10/10 - 12:39

Back in August I got offered an "idea" from them - a new shop was opening up and requiring staff. So, we sat down and went through the application, but when it came to "Tick the hours you can work" I mentioned that due to where I lived I wouldn't be able to manage all of them. Bearing in mind this shop is open 8am-8pm everyday, there was a lot of scope for hours I could do. However, that was not good enough and the application got scrunched up and thrown aside as, "There's no use filling this in then."

The very first time I went for my sign on I was told, "Get a driving license and buy a car then." by the woman. Firstly, I already have a driving license, and they know this, and secondly, as I pointed out, how the hell could anyone afford to run a car and feed themselves on £51.85 a week!? I find the people in these places can be very condescending at times.

[Deleted User] · 23/10/10 - 12:56

I told them I was looking for pub/restaurant work as the hours would fit in with my life the best. I was given the details for a job in a chip shop and a chinese restaurant 30 miles away from me!

Bom Diddly Wo · 23/10/10 - 13:20

These stories will only get worse and more common as the government insist people get jobs that do not exist. It is all very well having to aply for jobs as a condition of payment but they should have realistic expectations of peoples sucsess.

Also the long term unemployed and those with no experience will be in competition with people who have had a lot of experience who are comming from the public sector because of the cuts. They will also be up against graduates and such. It is not realistic to expect that those at the bottom of the ladder will be able to sucsesfuly compete and get jobs in this economic climate. In most cases it will not be for the want of trying that people cannot get a job.

JELLIES0 · 23/10/10 - 14:00

PhilH36 wrote: »

Some weeks ago when I went to sign on the advisor looked on the system and pulled out a job which he thought might be suitable. The summary said visit the company website for full details and how to apply. When I did so it turned out they were looking for a qualification and experience in an area that I don't have,so I didn't bother applying for it. On my next visit I explained to the advisor why I hadn't applied and he said it was okay. Now they've sent me a stupid letter saying there's a doubt on my claim because it appears that I failed to take advantage of an opportunity or apply for a job,and a decision will be made on whether my benefit will be affected! For F**KS sake what's wrong with these stupid people??

It's a case of the left hand not knowing what the right is doing.
Don't blame the poor adviser. The manager has obviously had a list of people who did apply for the job from the employer and has given someone else the job of investigating those who didn't apply, without any regard, at that stage to the fact that some might not be suitably qualified for the job. There is no mechanism for the adviser to prevent this happening. The system is rubbish.

PhilH36 · 23/10/10 - 15:31

I'm not blaming the advisor,he didn't send me the letter. I've actually been offered temporary Christmas work starting in December but obviously still signing on and looking for permanent work in the meantime. So at least if nothing else arises I've got three more signings before I can sign off for four weeks and get them off my back.

silver mistress · 23/10/10 - 19:52

Calphurnia wrote: »

But at the same time....who would be doing the really cr@ppy jobs that still need to be done?

Thats why God created scousers.

Constant PMT · 23/10/10 - 19:57

I bought kids up for 10 yrs full time, so had bugga all on my cv, found a job through that place laughingly called a job centre, crap one through, couldn't even earn an achievable min wage, within 5 weeks I had got a better job, but not through them.
Internet, keep applying. If I can get a job, anyone can! Been there nearly 2 yrs now. It pays the bills.
Peple are too choosy imo. Get off your arse & go find a job!

clarribo · 23/10/10 - 20:42

Carmen Queasy wrote: »

I agree somewhat. Although it is important that people are pushed into work if they are clearly not trying, it's not a good idea to force people to apply for a job someone else has found for you (i.e. the job centre staff). If you get a job which you know you can't do and you know you'll end up leaving, you're probably going to end up back on the dole soon anyway. Instead, more effort should be put in at the start.

Do you know, I have never once been asked to show them my CV! Surely this should have been done at the initial interview?! People could be on the dole for months because they have a really bad CV, yet the job centre leave it up to the individuals. Of course, it is up to the individuals at the end of the day but if the job centre at least verified that the CV was up to scratch then that's a positive step.

How about giving people interview tips from day 1? Why leave it until the 3 or 6 month period? That's 6 months of money which could be wasted because the person is crap in interviews.

The job centre have it all wrong. They are not a job centre at all. They are a benefits centre and the only reason they give you the jobs to apply for is so they can be seen as helping you, when in fact most jobs are not advertised in the job centre in the first place. It's freeking annoying saying "I have applied for 10 jobs this week, look, here's the emails to prove it" then for them to go "OK, here is a job for you... it's in sales for kitchens and I think you can do it" :rolleyes: No, I can't.

If you say you want an "admin" job, they will print you out 3, random admin jobs. It could be admin for cancer research and you know absolutely nothing about it, but they want to apply anyway.

I've had to reclaim due to losing my temp job and when I went for my initial interview I was told about a (presumably new) thing they have at my local job centre where you can email your CV then if there's any suitable jobs the JC will with your permission forward it on. I haven't done it yet due to stupid panicking that it will all be jobs I can't do (like in finance) but I shall be sending it will be interesting to see what materialises especially since half my problem is not ahving any confidence in my abilities.

rossi_dr · 25/10/10 - 09:10

Really mad
Daughter has just been on a wild goose chase early this morning
she had to be up early Bus Train Tram to attend a 3 day unpaid course
after being offered a job subject to a CRB Check (she's passed everyone) and attend this course

After being 10 minutes away from the course centre she gets a call from her employer it's being cancelled they cant get anyone to attend the course so it's been cancelled (what a crock)
no one wants the jobs uh theres loads looking for work

it will be a month or more before a new date is fixed they've still cashed our check for £40
(CRB Price) she told the job center so they signed her off as such now all this crap to sort out now not happy

[Deleted User] · 25/10/10 - 09:24

Constant PMT wrote: »

I bought kids up for 10 yrs full time, so had bugga all on my cv, found a job through that place laughingly called a job centre, crap one through, couldn't even earn an achievable min wage, within 5 weeks I had got a better job, but not through them.
Internet, keep applying. If I can get a job, anyone can! Been there nearly 2 yrs now. It pays the bills.
Peple are too choosy imo. Get off your arse & go find a job!

Quite a few people i've known have had the same experience of being in a job and finding work easier, even if it's a shitty one.
Like you say there is more choice to look for jobs rather then the job centre, which in my opinion is probably always the best of places to look as it has a stereotype of putting work shy people into jobs and it can be off putting for companies. Someone who's gone looking around on the net or sending out speculative letters and emails would come across more keen.

dooglemire · 25/10/10 - 17:51

Am I the only one who finds the direct gov job serach useless?

Hey there!

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