Job Centre - doh! You failed.

[Bri w]

Dearest sister gets made redundant, and goes and signs on knowing she isn't entitled to anything other than they need to know she is unemployed.

Being principled she gets off her ar5e and applies for a million and one jobs + signs up for 3 training courses, which she pays for without even asking for help.

Goes to the job centre today to sign on and is told she can only do one training course at a time even though she is paying for them. JC, "if you are on training courses you are not available for work." Response, "if I get a job offer I'll come off the courses." JC, "sorry, you can't do more than one course at a time." Response, "You're not paying me anything. You're not paying for the courses. The courses don't clash. I've said I'll come off the courses if I get a job." JC, "sorry, its againt the rules."

Job Centre, you fail.

[andrewsmith]

Bri that sounds familiar

I've had 3 weeks of arguments to get a piece of paper to prove my status, and to get clarification if I could leave a job I've been laid off from.

JC- Just a double check while you're on the phone; are you still laid off from xxxxxx Mr Smith? As you stated it was a temporary lay off.
Response- Nope, Its now x weeks and has been told there is very little chance of work.
JC- Have you considered leaving the post?
Response- Yes, but won't that then affect my claim as I have made myself unemployed?
JC- I could see no issue with that, as its been such a long time.
Response- Right thank you for that clarity.

6 Days Later

Q- I'm wanting to double check if I could leave the employment that I am laid off from? As I've been told there would be no issue.

JC- Whoever told you that is talking utter S***e (actual words!)

Response- That was one of your claim handlers

JC- I apologise for that duff info Mr Smith, the only way you can leave is if your formally finished.

Response- Snort of Laughter, ne chance of that!


Job Centre You Fail AGAIN!!!
Glad I double checked before I did go to quit!

Rant over!

[Lou M]

When I was made redundant 5 years ago, I went to the JC with the same principal as your sister, not to claim anything but just to make sure that I was doing everything correct. I had another job starting but there was a 6 week gap, so when they asked if I was actively seeking work I truthfully said no, as I had a job just not yet. Well, you'd have thought I'd told them I had stolen a few k in money. I actually came out of there in tears. Went and got advice from Citizens advice in the end, they were brilliant, told me not to go back to the JC.
Horrible people.

[-Ralph-]

Are the courses arranged via the job centre, or direct? If direct tell her to tell them to **** off. What are they going to do, stop her jobseekers allowance? ;-)

[Biker Biggles]

Bl00dy Gordon Brown.
Cant wait till hee's gone.

[andrewsmith]

Are the courses arranged via the job centre, or direct? If direct tell her to tell them to **** off. What are they going to do, stop her jobseekers allowance? ;-)

If she's got them direct, the JC aint got a leg to stand on.

I'm all but expecting to be pushed on a training course on the 13th of Jan (back to work group session- In English I'll sit there for an hour ask the most annoying Q's then be asked if I've got a CV; Yes which one?).

I've got a direct course that I've paid for out of my own pocket, so i'm digging in if they push

[MisterTommyH]

TBF they are that used to dealing with the rubbish that is doing everything that they can to avoid any kind of work the staff don't have much experiance with those who want to do the right thing.

And a lot of the knowledge only comes with experiance - which staff don't tend to get as they have a very high turn over rate.

I used to work for another part of the DWP (same department as the JC) and the pay was rubbish, the support was rubbish and I lasted about 18 months before deciding I had to do something with my life.

[Bri w]

Are the courses arranged via the job centre, or direct? If direct tell her to tell them to **** off. What are they going to do, stop her jobseekers allowance? ;-)

They're training courses she's sourced herself, and they coincide with the voluntary work she's been doing. Voluntary work that supports the Social Services, and saves the Local Authority a fortune.

[-Ralph-]

They're training courses she's sourced herself, and they coincide with the voluntary work she's been doing. Voluntary work that supports the Social Services, and saves the Local Authority a fortune.

JC have got bugger all to do with it then. She isn't in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance so they have no powers to tell her how she spends her money or what she does with her time. The person dealing at the JC is confusing her with someone who is on Jobseekers Allowance.

[yorkie_chris]

Why does she need to tell them she's unemployed? Can you still buy the minimum NI stamp and avoid dealing with idiots?

[Lozzo]

I've encountered two rude and frankly abusive staff at the JC+ when I was unemployed. I asked to see the floor supervisor and told them in front of that particular staff member what had just happened, then I got up and told them I'd be coming back tomorrow at midday for an apology and walked out. Both times the staff member has been waiting to aplogise to me the next day.

With my ability to walk in and out of as many jobs as I like when I like, I detest it when I'm talked down to by some idiot hiding behind their position as a civil servant.

[Jayneflakes]

When I got made redundant in March I had no choice but to seek the help of the job centre, I signed on and was told that I had to apply for three jobs per week and that I had to record all of the jobs that I applied for.

Two weeks later I went and told them that I had applied for twenty five jobs and presented them with a memory stick that had listings of every job, to which they said that they did not have time to look at my memory stick and that I had failed to provide evidence of job searching!

After that they gave me an A5 booklet each two weeks to fill in my job search, which I filled easily. However, when asked what jobs I was looking for they once again told me that I was looking for too much variation! I applied for everything that I could because I was desperate for income.

a few months went past and I asked them for advice on my CV. To which they told me not to put my qualifications on it and to have two CV's, one that made me look thick and my normal one. Yes, they told me to dumb down my CV!

They then sent me on a training course which when I go there was a course that helped adults with literacy difficulties and using basic computer programs, such as IE! When I printed out my CV there for them to assess, they told me that I was qualified enough to work for them and had more knowledge in the area than their manager, who then took a copy of my CV and filed it... in recycling!

Every time I phoned them to ask why I had not been paid, they claimed not to be able to access my account due to the sensitive nature of it. My medical history and having been very ill gave it a sensitive case marker, I requested that this be removed, which took six months and then I was flooded with scary letters from various Government Departments telling me that my case was sensitive for my protection! They never said what from though...

I signed off when I started my new job and they asked me if I was sure that I wanted to do this? Was this the right job for me? Support worker with adults with learning difficulties... I am a qualified teacher of adults!

The Job centres are designed by their own admission to work with people who do not want to work. People like us who want to work and need an income throw the system out, they are not set up to help us. They exist to trap the lazy, the idle and the pathetic into getting off of their lazy back sides and attending a course for five days before retiring to Jeremy Kyle and eating toast while still in their pants!

Being unemployed is demoralising, degrading and depressing. I swear that being unemployed for a long time would shorten my life span because it is so hopeless and they do not help at all. Yes, the Job Centre fails, but in all honesty, what do you expect of them?

[andrewsmith]

that sounds like the dole!
The excuse i got was were still waiting for info. Then pushed them for why they were still waiting; oh we've lost all your claim evidence.

[SoulKiss]

What I dont get is that Agencies seem to be able to make good profits out of finding people jobs.

So what do THEY do that the Job Center doesn't.

Lets be real here tho - an Agent is only interested in you as long as their client is interested in you - theres often no feedback, or even contact after a very enthusiastic chat on the phone about how you are perfect for the role and can they put your CV forwards.

In other words, they are a bunch of self-serving ****ers (with one exception in over a decade of dealing with them) but they get results.

Working backwards of how I have found jobs..

Agency
CV spotted on a Website
Agency (the really good agent)
Referred by a friend
Referred by a friend
Agency
Speculative letter with CV

The little contact I had with the Job Center doesnt even register, except as a greasy stain on my soul...

[seedy100]

Being unemployed is demoralising, degrading and depressing. I swear that being unemployed for a long time would shorten my life span because it is so hopeless and they do not help at all. Yes, the Job Centre fails, but in all honesty, what do you expect of them?

So true!

[-Ralph-]

So what do THEY do that the Job Center doesn't.

In other words, they are a bunch of self-serving ****ers (with one exception in over a decade of dealing with them) but they get results

They do proactive matching of candidates to roles, albeit because it's in their interests to do so. As said in this thread the JC only exists to police the unemployed and ensure they are being pro-active, not to actually be proactive themselves.

[Fizzy Fish]

Working backwards of how I have found jobs..

Agency
CV spotted on a Website
Agency (the really good agent)
Referred by a friend
Referred by a friend
Agency
Speculative letter with CV

The little contact I had with the Job Center doesnt even register, except as a greasy stain on my soul...

You've hit the nail on the head there SK! Not only are they bugger all use in doing what they are supposed to do (after all they are called a 'Job Centre'), but they seem to go out of their way to obstruct anyone who proactive and fully committed to finding a job off their own initiative.

My OH was made redundant in June, and in the first week or two contacted every relevant agent, sought out jobs on various websites, and called various contacts built up over the years in different companies to see if they knew of any suitable roles.

When he went back to the 'Job Centre' a couple of weeks on, he was again asked what he'd done. Well he'd been carrying on with the above, had meetings with some of the agents that he'd called previously, recontacted others to make sure he was top-of-mind, etc.

But no. Apparently you have to be doing NEW things, like finding totally new agents to call (difficult when you have already contacted them all).

So basically to follow the system you should pace yourself, making minimal effort and just doing 2-3 things each week, so that you have new stuff to report each time you go in.

What a load of bull****!!! :smt071

[andrewsmith]

FF

that where I'm at, applied for everything in 3 weeks.
Applied for every graduate scheme
Spoke to every relevant agencies

and got that response when I said I've applied for everything out there

[Fizzy Fish]

FF

that where I'm at, applied for everything in 3 weeks.
Applied for every graduate scheme
Spoke to every relevant agencies

and got that response when I said I've applied for everything out there

So much of government is useless crap. And what frustrates me the most is that we don't seem to be able to do anything about the ineffective nonsense (and yes, I have tried on a number of issues in the past)

Years ago I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad the Tories got in cos at least they are downsizing the useless crap. It won't make much difference to the end outcomes, government has just become a big baggy monster sucking up the resources of the economy.

Oh and I say this as someone who works in government. I spend my days trying to promote common sense and cost consciousness, but sadly it doesn't always work out that way. Too many idiots at the top (mind you that also goes for a lot of the private sector too, though at least it isn't taxpayers money going to fund it)

Rant over...

[Bluefish]

When I got made redundant in March I had no choice but to seek the help of the job centre, I signed on and was told that I had to apply for three jobs per week and that I had to record all of the jobs that I applied for.

Two weeks later I went and told them that I had applied for twenty five jobs and presented them with a memory stick that had listings of every job, to which they said that they did not have time to look at my memory stick and that I had failed to provide evidence of job searching!

After that they gave me an A5 booklet each two weeks to fill in my job search, which I filled easily. However, when asked what jobs I was looking for they once again told me that I was looking for too much variation! I applied for everything that I could because I was desperate for income.

a few months went past and I asked them for advice on my CV. To which they told me not to put my qualifications on it and to have two CV's, one that made me look thick and my normal one. Yes, they told me to dumb down my CV!

They then sent me on a training course which when I go there was a course that helped adults with literacy difficulties and using basic computer programs, such as IE! When I printed out my CV there for them to assess, they told me that I was qualified enough to work for them and had more knowledge in the area than their manager, who then took a copy of my CV and filed it... in recycling!

Every time I phoned them to ask why I had not been paid, they claimed not to be able to access my account due to the sensitive nature of it. My medical history and having been very ill gave it a sensitive case marker, I requested that this be removed, which took six months and then I was flooded with scary letters from various Government Departments telling me that my case was sensitive for my protection! They never said what from though...

I signed off when I started my new job and they asked me if I was sure that I wanted to do this? Was this the right job for me? Support worker with adults with learning difficulties... I am a qualified teacher of adults!

The Job centres are designed by their own admission to work with people who do not want to work. People like us who want to work and need an income throw the system out, they are not set up to help us. They exist to trap the lazy, the idle and the pathetic into getting off of their lazy back sides and attending a course for five days before retiring to Jeremy Kyle and eating toast while still in their pants!

Being unemployed is demoralising, degrading and depressing. I swear that being unemployed for a long time would shorten my life span because it is so hopeless and they do not help at all. Yes, the Job Centre fails, but in all honesty, what do you expect of them?


yup, job centers exist for those that don't want a job, if you do, you will find your own job.