The Jobseeker's Allowance / looking for work thread

[Scott03]

I have noticed that both jobseeking and issues surrounding the claiming of Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) are topics that frequently come up on this forum, so I felt that it would be good to create a thread specifically for these topics.

As I have mentioned before on here, I am currently looking for work and claiming JSA.

[pinkwafer]

Six week review this Wednesday. I'm going to ask them for help. I want to do something, a course... something... but I think they won't help me because I have not been claiming for a long time, so I am going to stress that I have been in this situation since like last September.

[Spectrelight]

I'm self employed atm but want to get another job so I can get back on PAYE. There are some jobs out the but one of the problems I'm having is referances. Work referances are easy but I was just filling out an application form online and they wanted two non-work referances. I can get one from my old college but I left there nearly 10 years ago. Not sure about the second one though Faking one looks like a good option lol

[wd40mk17.4]

I'm wondering what happens now on ESA.

Theyve said they are gonna help me get back into work and I have to attend meetings, and they are gonna help me with job interview skills, confidence, and to find a job suitable for me.

was wondering if anyone else had been put on the ESA work related activity group, and if the 'helps' any good?

I didnt bother appealing against them saying I was fit for work, cos I thought well if they are gonna help me I may as well take that help! I mean I want to work...

[Scott03]

I am on Stage 4 of Flexible New Deal. I came off Jobseeker's Allowance back in November when I had a work trial (I didn't get offered a permanent position), and have since signed back on and been referred back to Working Links, a third party provider. I haven't heard back from them for a while though.

A couple of weeks ago I had an interview at a company for an office role. Unfortunately, even though I thought that I was getting better at doing interviews, during this one I didn't do as well again, and didn't speak very much. I don't think I came across very well. Even basic things like shaking hands and eye contact are still difficult things for me too.

But I'll try to learn from that experience and do better in my next interview.

[Defiance]

got jobcentre on tuesday. vivic is making me come in at 8:40


he also wants to punish me for being on JSA by making me do time in the place they send everyone who hasn't found a job quick enough. 6 weeks i'll be inside for.

i'm not looking forward to seeing him.
and yes, attending those places is like a prison sentence

[Toxic]

despite working through future job funds...my hours are sorted now so i only actually have to do wed-thurs-fridays 9-5.

which leaves me with 4 days to get something else part time i guess

i cant understand this future job funds crap at all and i suspect not many if any are even on it here? since its being stopped in march and if u didnt get a placement in 2010 apparently that was your last chance (strange i must have got 1 of the last places then?) I tried reading up about it and saw that they spend £6500 per job...its a 6 month job..at £600 a month...so £3600..now wheres the other 3 grand? The other guy at work did his ECDL i think and now hes trying to get funding for a training qualification..but it doesnt sound like future job funds people will pay for that...whereas my boss said he would pay me to do a course...i suspect what he means is he will pay me with the money CVS (the people who pay me and do future job funds) pay him..to ..hire me?

Problem is...ive got x numbers of gcse's...x number of a-levels and a degree..i dont see any point in going to college to get a qualification thats equal to a-level or less? Is there anywhere else to find a course....how much can i claim to take one im in no position to spend any money myself so if its too expensive i just cant do it...boss doesnt seem to have much clue either.

ahh i also could really do with something useful thats gonna help me get a job, ive still not really got any work experience all im doing here is arsing about with computers (which ive done in my room since i was about 13) and get stuck *babysitting* almost the kids while they use the pc's..i certainly aint learning anything here and as its my only/first job ive only had 1 interview so im not exactly gonna be employable on that front either especially if i look for something part time when i can only do sat-tuesday..ugh i dont have a clue, i can see me back on JSA in june wasting more of my shitty life

[kastra]

I am still on incapacity (no idk why they haven't tried to switch me over yet, it's been nearly 3 years total) but I've been looking for a job for a couple of months now.
I really want to be able to start part time because I've been off for so long but there's hardly any vacancies around I'm over-qualified and not experienced enough for the basic office jobs that do turn up it seems.
I've started applying for some full time stuff that's a bit more fitted to my skills (data analysis & vba) but it's scary.
I wish I could get a staggered return to work, like if you had been off sick but stayed employed by the company, but I don't think anyone would do that for a new starter.

[pinkwafer]

My CV looks crap.


I don't really mind. I aren't going to lie about myself, so what it is is exactly how it is and how it has been.


I don't have any references except for my personal tutor that I had.


The people at the job centre are pushing me to apply for office work.


All of it scares me.


I know I aren't stupid, but my nerves make me make mistakes especially when being watched by people. I basically can't really talk to people... so phones or any job that involves face-to-face interaction is out of the question.


I don't really know where this leaves me.

[Defiance]

Originally Posted by abc2

I've never been on one of those courses myself, but I know somebody who has. The one where I live is apparantly full of the sort of people who have no interest in finding work, and they have to hire security guards as fights were constantly breaking out, people were throwing computers at each other and all sorts. I'm not sure if they're all like that or if I just live in a shit area.

I don't actually claim any sorts of benefits (very complicated situation involving me formally being a student), but I hope that I manage to find some sort of work because the thought of being sent to that terrifies me. Not because I will be made to find work, but because I would be surrounded by the sort of people who would stab you with an ice pick if you gave them a funny look.

I've been told that they're pretty pointless as well, and they're basically just a way of making unemployment statistics look better, as if you're attending one of those courses, then you're technically not unemployed. And all you do is sit around tweaking your cv whilst everone else in the room sets fire to a chair, and they don't do anything to enhance your job prospects.

before i was made redundant from my last job i was on one of those courses. you are right about there being dodgy folk on them. one day the place got closed down for a day by the police because some guys in a car with guns came looking for someone who was on the course. i'm not sure if they came into the building but i spoke to the receptionist and he said he saw people with guns so he called the police.

yep fights breaking out is kinda common too. the security definitely are needed.
alot of people there are not people i would choose to associate myself with if given the choice. you've got your petty gangsters ..and also a few gangster girls. oh, and chavvy boys and girls too.

oh and there was one dude there, he was white, kinda chavvy looking. but had a thick west Indian accent. At first i thought he must be taking the piss, i doubt he had ever been to the caribbean in his life but that was really the way he spoke. you get some very odd people there.


not looking forward to going back..

[Defiance]

Originally Posted by bobblehat

Gotta sign on tomorrow as my temporary job has finished. Hopefully they'll treat my claim as a new one rather than a continuation which I expect they will otherwise I might have to go on a "course" which will comprise of me looking at old newspapers with no jobs and wanting to bash my head into an aged unresponsive computer for weeks on end.

unless you have not been signing on for 26weeks they will rapid reclaim your ass back to the same point in your claim you were at before you signed yourself off.

so yes, if you had courses looming then you'll likely still have them looming when you sign back on

[Defiance]

vivic is probably going to try and put me on 6 week cource tommorow. but something doesn't seem right. i've only been claiming for 6 mths and sending me on a 6 week cource seems a bit steep. could it be that he's trying to put me on a course that is not yet actually mandatory..

i wouldn't put it past him...


anyone here who is in the 25+ age bracket or older, can you tell me please what happened to you at the 6mth stage and any cources you went on??????

[Terence]

Originally Posted by wd40mk17.4

I'm wondering what happens now on ESA.

Theyve said they are gonna help me get back into work and I have to attend meetings, and they are gonna help me with job interview skills, confidence, and to find a job suitable for me.

was wondering if anyone else had been put on the ESA work related activity group, and if the 'helps' any good?

I didnt bother appealing against them saying I was fit for work, cos I thought well if they are gonna help me I may as well take that help! I mean I want to work...

How does this work they found me fit for work by telling a few untruths about me and manipulating the evidence then put me on JSA I thought that was what they did if they found you fit for work ?

How do people get to stay on ESA which would be preferrable ?

[Terence]

Originally Posted by becky1789

My CV looks crap.


I don't really mind. I aren't going to lie about myself, so what it is is exactly how it is and how it has been.


I don't have any references except for my personal tutor that I had.


The people at the job centre are pushing me to apply for office work.


All of it scares me.


I know I aren't stupid, but my nerves make me make mistakes especially when being watched by people. I basically can't really talk to people... so phones or any job that involves face-to-face interaction is out of the question.


I don't really know where this leaves me.

I've been doing this since 2008 Becky. Basically you can tell the adviser your not capable of working with lot's of people and that a job that involves a lot of interaction like working on a till would be unsuitable for you.

You are protected by the law just as much as they can use it you can use it to safeguard yourself from bastard advisers who would mess you about otherwise. You get bad ones.

You have a jobseekers agreement. On that agreement it says what you have to do to look for work. As long as you do what it says every week they can't touch you. It's an agreement and they must respect it and respect you.

Tell them and keep reminding them you can't do certain types of work most advisers will accept this after all it's going to make them look bad if you go to a job and an employer complains because they have been unprofessional and sent them someone who cannot do the job they want doing. They can even put health restrictions on your file even on JSA if they want to. My adviser asked me if I wanted him to do that but I said no.

Right now it's all a big game and you just have to face the bastards out. It's hard at first but you get used to it. I nearly had a showdown with my adviser a couple of moths ago and he backed way down because he tried to make me apply for jobs too far away and one's I would have to do customer service in etc.

See he didn't have a leg to stand on he was just pushing his luck but you can't let them away with it. Lot's of times they will try and get wide but they can only get you if you have not done your agreement and you refuse a job "a reasonable offer."

A reasonable offer should come within your agreement. Asking you to travel on five or six buses and spending too much money to get to a job for example is something they can't make you do.

Even if they do make you apply for a wholly unsuitable job there are ways and means of screwing up their overbearing and devious plans like thus:

Terence: Er hello Mr employer yes I have not worked for like ten years pal, aye I want the job when do I start. Oh aye I say aye to everything now when do I start. I'm brilliant mate I can do anything (complete arrogance.)

Employer: Piss off pal !

Terence: Your speaking my language Lol

DWP:I think we are not getting what we want and not getting him in a job he can't do, bastard back to the drawing board.

Terence: Hello is that the DWP. Two's UP !

Take no shit Becky !

[Terence]

I was in working links today. I can't stand these people they are worse than the DWP. In the DWP at least I get the feeling I'm seeing people who are suited intelligence wise to working in administration. In working links however I get the strong feeling I am working with people who want to work in an office but the DWP would tell them to piss off if they applied for a job with them. I feel a lot of them aren't fit to do office work and it shows.

Look here's the cover letter my adviser gave me it's pretty shit if you don't mind me saying ?

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing in regards to the ***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230; vacancy posted on the***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;..

As you will see from the enclosed CV, I have experience in various roles, where my responsibilities and skills gained have varied according to the requirements of each company.

These responsibilities and skills include:

***8226; ***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;..
***8226; ***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;..
***8226; ***8230;***8230;.***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;***8230;..

Obviously the CV cannot cover the full range of these responsibilities or involvements; therefore I would welcome the opportunity to meet you and to discuss any of these specifics, particularly those that may be of relevance or of interest to your organisation.

I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest opportunity.


Yours sincerely

Name

I mean what a ****ing dufus he thinks that is a great letter and he told me he'd be surprised if I didn't get an interview for any job I applied to based on the above pile of shite above.


Bold area 1. With regard - not in regards you bloody amateur.

Bold area 2. Just what is the reason for these two commas.

Bold area 3. Responsibilities or Involvements - make your bloody mind up ?

Bold Area 4. Relevance or of interest - what is that "of" doing there and can't relevance just do I think he will know what you mean.

Bold area 5. You at your - "the" m8 "the" it's a very simple but undervalued word.

See what I have to put up with I've got a ****ing idiot who needs literacy classes trying to find me a job when I was doing better myself.

This is the new way however the govt is hell bent on treating jobseekers as naughty children who can't be trusted to look for work on their own initiative so we have to put up with the sort of half wits working links like to employ.

As I left some asshole in a pink shirt was blocking the sign out book, some bossy looking asswipe guy. He wouldn't move until I practically pushed my way in behind him and made him move away from the counter he was lounging all over getting in the way. He was staring at me too which I though was rude and make me dislike him right away.

But he's an asshole who knows how to push people about whereas I'm just some asswipe who could do admin better than all them ****ing morons they employ. Unfortunately though I'll never work in an office like that as I would be out of place and they would hate me as I'd show the ****ers up with good english and show them how to actually do organisational stuff and I'd tell them how it is not how they want it to be.

That's not a good attitude though. It's a rigorously honest attitude that deals with how it really is ie no ****ing jobs out there hardly at all so don't ****ing bother me. But it's not a good one so I'll never be employed Lol

Ach well **** them if you can't beat them don't ****ing join them !

Working links I so, so, so, so soooooooooooooooooooooooo ****ing hate the gut's of you and everyone who works for you !!!

[pinkwafer]

Originally Posted by Terence

I've been doing this since 2008 Becky. Basically you can tell the adviser your not capable of working with lot's of people and that a job that involves a lot of interaction like working on a till would be unsuitable for you.

You are protected by the law just as much as they can use it you can use it to safeguard yourself from bastard advisers who would mess you about otherwise. You get bad ones.

You have a jobseekers agreement. On that agreement it says what you have to do to look for work. As long as you do what it says every week they can't touch you. It's an agreement and they must respect it and respect you.

Tell them and keep reminding them you can't do certain types of work most advisers will accept this after all it's going to make them look bad if you go to a job and an employer complains because they have been unprofessional and sent them someone who cannot do the job they want doing. They can even put health restrictions on your file even on JSA if they want to. My adviser asked me if I wanted him to do that but I said no.

Right now it's all a big game and you just have to face the bastards out. It's hard at first but you get used to it. I nearly had a showdown with my adviser a couple of moths ago and he backed way down because he tried to make me apply for jobs too far away and one's I would have to do customer service in etc.

See he didn't have a leg to stand on he was just pushing his luck but you can't let them away with it. Lot's of times they will try and get wide but they can only get you if you have not done your agreement and you refuse a job "a reasonable offer."

A reasonable offer should come within your agreement. Asking you to travel on five or six buses and spending too much money to get to a job for example is something they can't make you do.

Even if they do make you apply for a wholly unsuitable job there are ways and means of screwing up their overbearing and devious plans like thus:

Terence: Er hello Mr employer yes I have not worked for like ten years pal, aye I want the job when do I start. Oh aye I say aye to everything now when do I start. I'm brilliant mate I can do anything (complete arrogance.)

Employer: Piss off pal !

Terence: Your speaking my language Lol

DWP:I think we are not getting what we want and not getting him in a job he can't do, bastard back to the drawing board.

Terence: Hello is that the DWP. Two's UP !

Take no shit Becky !

Lol thanks for your response


I am very shy and don't usually speak up for myself. An example is the last time I was there, the bloke was blabbing on about this job somewhere, printing it off, telling me to apply for it. So I nodded my head and smiled. But I didn't want to apply for this job - it was a trainee administrator job and sounded out of my social abilities.


In hindsight, I probably should of applied, because there was probably little chance of even getting an interview, but at the time I thought 'why apply if don't want?', which made sense at the time.


I'd like to tell them 'look, I struggle with phones and with people so a lot of jobs I couldn't do', but I physically can't... that's how my shyness affects me, it makes me so I sometimes physically can't speak...


I don't know what the workers down at the job centre think. I have an idea - lazy. This ones a lazy one.


It doesn't bother me than 32 year old Jane living with her boyfriend Garry in a two bedroomed flat sees me for two minutes and makes this judgement. Why would it? they don't know me.


For a long time I have been waiting for divine intervention or magic. I thought, 'it's ok, before you have to face this, something will happen so you won't have to'.


I know that's a crazy way to think, but I wholeheartedly believed it. When I had moments where I didn't believe it I felt so, so, so low and panicy.


Then there I was, at the job centre signing on. It happened alright.


So anyway, that's me.


It's hard for me to imagine myself even doing most jobs. I know the kind of jobs I can quite easily get are well below what my intelligence levels match... and would drive me quite mad.


So really, I could find a job within a couple of weeks, if I wanted that kind of job. But I don't. I am trying to wait for something that sounds somewhat appealing, and not socially demanding...


and so far, that seems really hard, and most days I feel no motivation and that's something I really need to work on because hardly looking for work will make it even harder for me in the long run.

[Toxic]

when you sign on you have the normal people who just sign your book and toss you out the building in 2minutes..then you have your personal advisor who sits with you for a while

i liked mine

we got talking and i was saying how i really dont get on with people...and phones terrify me. How we had to do presentations and uni and hes like oh yeah thats probably why..i couldnt do that..im only working here because id been signing on too long!

then we had a little chat about retro games and he understood me..nah you wont want to do that job..it involves telephones, we can skip that...etc

only problem was once he skipped all the jobs i was "qualified for" "wanted to do" and "could do"...we was left with nothing

then when i got put on stage 3 i had a new advisor..some big money shot who thought he was the bollocks, cant do phones...guess you'll get used to it heres some jobs....you can apply or next time your back were gonna get you doing some basic maths

..ugh

[pinkwafer]

Do I have a personal advisor? I don't know who it is if I do.

[Toxic]

have you ever had a 20-30min interview with someone who does a bit more of a proper search with you..reviews your claim and stuff

thats your advisor, everyone should have one, cept mine was ill so in 7 months i only saw him twice...

[pinkwafer]

Originally Posted by Venom

have you ever had a 20-30min interview with someone who does a bit more of a proper search with you..reviews your claim and stuff

thats your advisor, everyone should have one, cept mine was ill so in 7 months i only saw him twice...

I did once yeah, but that was before I signed back on so it must be a new one I'm getting.


I hope s/he is alright

[VeryQuietGuy]

I was meant to sign on today at 11:25am but the centre was mobbed and someone was shouting abuse at the staff so I wasn't out until 12:05pm.

The staff really don't seem to care much it's just a case of signing your sheet and goodbye and the woman who is meant to be assigned to me is very rude.

I have been claiming since September last year and have not recieved one interview since then, I have decent qualifications, past work experience and access to a car so I'm flexible but nothing.

[pinkwafer]

^

That's how I feel, they're just sign this and off with you. I know it isn't their fault - they're just doing what they were instructed to do.

[Emski]

My personal adviser for stage 3 today... well lol.
( i can only sign you on today we'll talk about the voluntary work in 2 weeks, because where short staffed, and there'll be loads of people waiting to que up, hardly anyone was signing on, it was practically empty, i got seen to straight away, so dont know how on earth they wer busy with it being short staffed, i could see she just wanted her Lunch the lazy good for nothing beast of a woman!! )

Venom!!! you no the guy we was speaking to about JSA last night, he done the same thing as you be put in a room all day!!!, my adviser said i'd have half price travel and be placed to do voluntary work somehwere.. but i did mention it so i dont know whether she just decided to put me on it or not.

I hope i dont have to do what you guys did, because that just sucks!!

[Emski]

Originally Posted by VeryQuietGuy

I was meant to sign on today at 11:25am but the centre was mobbed and someone was shouting abuse at the staff so I wasn't out until 12:05pm.

The staff really don't seem to care much it's just a case of signing your sheet and goodbye and the woman who is meant to be assigned to me is very rude.

I have been claiming since September last year and have not recieved one interview since then, I have decent qualifications, past work experience and access to a car so I'm flexible but nothing.

That is an absolute joke!!!!!

[Detox]

I've got a "1-2-1" meeting tomorrow.
Not sure what I'm doing with that, and typically its right inbetween my signing date and its also at 9am. -__-

[Toxic]

Originally Posted by Emmazing

Venom!!! you no the guy we was speaking to about JSA last night, he done the same thing as you be put in a room all day!!!, my adviser said i'd have half price travel and be placed to do voluntary work somehwere.. but i did mention it so i dont know whether she just decided to put me on it or not.

I hope i dont have to do what you guys did, because that just sucks!!

the voluntary placement might be ok..the room blahhh i really dont get what the hell they think it will achieve..im thankful our town flooded when i went and they had to close the place earlier because the people who needed trains wouldnt be able to get home if they left it much longer..so i skived half a week
if they did put you on it! im afraid its a complete waste of time

[Defiance]

just been to see vivic,

he got on the phone to some fellow and signed me up for a 6 week jobsearching course this FRIDAY.
he then told me that it was in sutton!

I was not pleased at all. Sutton is kinda far and akward to get to from where i live by bus.

i started throwing my toys out the pram and kicking up a fuss..

after a few exchanges he backed down and told me that i could just attend one day a week then. after this i calmed down and stopped complaining at him.

1 day a week isn't too bad.
actually i am quite looking forward to friday now. i have found jobcentre courses are good way to meet new people. if i like the people there i might attend it often. if i don't like anyone there i'm only going for the minimum 1 day a week!


just goes to show that kicking up a fuss once in a while can have it's merrits. if i had not of kicked up a fuss i would not have been given the option to attend the course 1 day a week instead of 5 days a week. I suggest to anyone here who gets sent on a six week course do the same!

[pinkwafer]

Am actually feeling a bit negative about what 'help' they might offer tomorrow, if any.

I can read and write and use a computer - I think it's these very basic skills they help people with most.

I don't want to be put on a how to find a job course, but if they offer, I'll accept for the sake of it.

[Mr_Bean]

i think jobcentres should have Self-esteem courses because thats the biggest barrier getting back into work. People lacking the belief they can do a job.

[Emski]

Originally Posted by AoS

i think jobcentres should have Self-esteem courses because thats the biggest barrier getting back into work. People lacking the belief they can do a job.

That is such a great idea, you really should try and get that across to the government