CarewsEyebrowDesigner Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 Suddenly feels like the end of a dinner party... I've got no ciggarettes, no shops are open...no sleep tonight unless I can get some wine in me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claret75 Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 Don't you have to do it over the 'phone now? Speak to some muppet somewhere outside Shrewsbury or Telford; answer all of the questions that you used to fill out for yourself in a form only to find out that the pillock on the other end of the 'phone hasn't filled out half of the form, so you have to go in to the job centre for a 30 minute appointment to 'go through and fill in the highlighted questions'. Actually, it appears you can do it online nowadays. Here. The bitter, bitter voice of experience there Darren? I'll look into doing it online actually, cheers, I'm not good with filling in forms with a pen, I'm terrified I'll do something wrong and have to start again so takes me forever to fill them out. Also saves me going down the Job Centre just to be given a form and pen and nowhere to write. The less time I have to spend in the place, the better. Do they actually help you look for work (which I'm sure they used to... or at leas the film Control has persuaded me is the case) by the way, or is it a case of just making sure your not taking the piss? The last time I was on Jobseekers was a few years ago and they helped me find work then. It was just a case of making an appointment and sitting in front of the PC screen with one of their advisors. Took about half an hour to search and check various jobs. I **** hated every second of it, but it had to be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted September 7, 2010 VT Supporter Share Posted September 7, 2010 Indeed, mate. That same scenario happened to me twice in the space of two or three years. Second time round the person with whom I ended up having the appointment to correct the omissions said that's what they'd spent most of the last couple of months doing (going back through people's incomplete forms). It was something to do with the call centres employing a load of people on temporary contracts who either couldn't be arsed to do it properly or weren't given the correct training (not that there's much training required to a)read out a question and b)fill in the corresponding answer given). I tried to suggest having spent a lot of time temping that it wasn't my experience that temps were normally so slapdash. Anyway, that was a few years back. Hmm... not a good impression to give. I have heard they are staffed by idiots and people who simply cannot be arsed though so I'm not surprised. My dad had to sign on for a brief period recently after about 30 years of working and wasn't all that impressed. I don't think they actually hand you out a form, though, now. Like I said the last time I did it a few years back, the only way to make a new claim was over the 'phone. I think they even did something like give you a vague time for a telephone appointment (and if you didn't answer your 'phone they only tried once more). Hmm... guess what I dislike even more than forms? A lot of important stuff over the phone, hell. Particularly if the person on the end isn't the sharpist or if the scenario arrives where the answers for me don't fit the questions terribly well, nightmare. In my experience, not a sausage. I remember having some sort of 'jobseeker interview' thing where they go through what you are going to do to look for work and what work you are looking for and one of the things they ask you is what work you normally do (okay you won't have to field that one). When the woman asked me, I replied saying that my last three contracts had been as a finance analyst. She looked it up on her computer and the menu of job categories and when she couldn't find it, she said she was going to put in 'financial advisor'. She got quite irate when I told her not to as that was something completely different and said that as she didn't have it down on her list, I couldn't be one (a finance analyst). I found myself in some sort of existential nightmare. It was at that point that I realized that perhaps most of the people working in job centres aren't the best people to help those out of work to get in to work apart from perhaps becoming out of work themselves and giving their job to someone unemployed. The people who seem to be quite good at the job centre are few and far between. In some job centres, it seems like all they are doing is firefighting, though, so it can be understandable to a degree. Main advice: prepare to be spoken to as though you are an idiot. That doesn't fill me with confidence either. I could do with the help... Still, we'll see what happens. I also don't take being spoken to like an idiot well... It seems the job centre was designed to make me uncomfortable and mad. Argh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted September 7, 2010 VT Supporter Share Posted September 7, 2010 The last time I was on Jobseekers was a few years ago and they helped me find work then. It was just a case of making an appointment and sitting in front of the PC screen with one of their advisors. Took about half an hour to search and check various jobs. I **** hated every second of it, but it had to be done. That fills me with a bit more hope. Although, when I was job searching last summer, I popped into the job centre a couple of times to check their little computer things, and it was all the same results I could have got looking at the job search on their website. I'm not sure what having someone sat next to you would help there. But aye, gotta be done. I need work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulieB Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 Off for a walk & have decided Sam Worthington of Terminator Salvation, Avatar is really quite tasty for an Oz! Apparently Clash of the Titans is well worth watching! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 The last time I was on Jobseekers was a few years ago and they helped me find work then. It was just a case of making an appointment and sitting in front of the PC screen with one of their advisors. Took about half an hour to search and check various jobs. I **** hated every second of it, but it had to be done. That fills me with a bit more hope. Although, when I was job searching last summer, I popped into the job centre a couple of times to check their little computer things, and it was all the same results I could have got looking at the job search on their website. I'm not sure what having someone sat next to you would help there. But aye, gotta be done. I need work. I was out of work for about 6 months last year, luckily I saw it coming a mile off so managed to get plenty of cash put aside. After a couple of months I signed up for JSA. Horrible, horrible experience signing on with the dregs of society (of course not all were). It was like a club where the chavs and losers would meet up once a fortnight. IIRC I filled in the forms initially online, then somebody called me back with some more questions then I had to go to the job centre to finalise it all. As you have to go to the job centre anyway you may aswell make an appointment and do it all there in 1 go. My advice is sign up as soon as you're out of work, they won't back date your payment. I thought they would as I was actively looking for a job but no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 The last time I was on Jobseekers was a few years ago and they helped me find work then. It was just a case of making an appointment and sitting in front of the PC screen with one of their advisors. Took about half an hour to search and check various jobs. I **** hated every second of it, but it had to be done. That fills me with a bit more hope. Although, when I was job searching last summer, I popped into the job centre a couple of times to check their little computer things, and it was all the same results I could have got looking at the job search on their website. I'm not sure what having someone sat next to you would help there. But aye, gotta be done. I need work. I was out of work for about 6 months last year, luckily I saw it coming a mile off so managed to get plenty of cash put aside. After a couple of months I signed up for JSA. Horrible, horrible experience signing on with the dregs of society (of course not all were). It was like a club where the chavs and losers would meet up once a fortnight. IIRC I filled in the forms initially online, then somebody called me back with some more questions then I had to go to the job centre to finalise it all. As you have to go to the job centre anyway you may aswell make an appointment and do it all there in 1 go. My advice is sign up as soon as you're out of work, they won't back date your payment. I thought they would as I was actively looking for a job but no. Also, this just came to me... I met an Irish guy last year and he said all of these things work. 1) When he went to his fortnightly appointment he told them he had an interview but he didn't have any nice clothes to wear, they gave him money to buy some. He also needed nice shoes, he got money for that. He also said he didn't have transport so they gave him money for a return taxi. Now it could be BS but just bear it in mind. 2) They will have some money put aside for training and won't volunteer it up. If you're interested for example in plastering try and get them to fund a course. You may need to convince them that you'll get work with friends/ family off the back of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meath_Villan Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 The way it is over here I would sign on straight away even if I had a bit of cash just to keep the stamps going.....Or else your dental bills etc will F you in the A for a few years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meath_Villan Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 Also, this just came to me... I met an Irish guy last year and he said all of these things work. 1) When he went to his fortnightly appointment he told them he had an interview but he didn't have any nice clothes to wear, they gave him money to buy some. He also needed nice shoes, he got money for that. He also said he didn't have transport so they gave him money for a return taxi. Now it could be BS but just bear it in mind. 2) They will have some money put aside for training and won't volunteer it up. If you're interested for example in plastering try and get them to fund a course. You may need to convince them that you'll get work with friends/ family off the back of it. Number one is bs but number two they will pay for you to go an a fas course to get a basic city and guilds in what you want to do in the hope that you will get work out of it....All entry level shizzle but its better than scratching yer arse for the next two years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheltenham_villa Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 One of my friends was given money for shirts and ties for interviews. Another has been signed on for the summer, he has a teaching job which starts tomorrow but they allowed him to sign on and claim on the premise that he was looking for teaching jobs that could be completed during the summer months while he was out of work. Have never really used the job centre but a few friends have told me that you get out what you put in. If your keen and seeking a job they have good people who will try to help. If you a dosser intent on playing the system then generally you'll be treated as such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 That doesn't fill me with confidence either. I could do with the help... Still, we'll see what happens. I also don't take being spoken to like an idiot well... It seems the job centre was designed to make me uncomfortable and mad. Argh. Well, as claret's post suggests, there are different experiences to be had. I was just recounting mine and they weren't good but like I said they were a few years ago so it may have improved. I certainly hope their job search facility has and that looking for local jobs in the local area doesn't return results from 100 miles away any more. If your keen and seeking a job they have good people who will try to help. If you a dosser intent on playing the system then generally you'll be treated as such. It isn't their job to decide on the type of person that someone is when they walk through the door. It is their job to provide help and advice to all those who are seeking work. I'm sorry but half of the problem with people working in job centres is that their 'efforts' vary in line with their judgement of people. If they were that good a judge, I'd suggest they'd be doing something slightly better with their working lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLax Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 Also, this just came to me... I met an Irish guy last year and he said all of these things work. 1) When he went to his fortnightly appointment he told them he had an interview but he didn't have any nice clothes to wear, they gave him money to buy some. He also needed nice shoes, he got money for that. He also said he didn't have transport so they gave him money for a return taxi. Now it could be BS but just bear it in mind. 2) They will have some money put aside for training and won't volunteer it up. If you're interested for example in plastering try and get them to fund a course. You may need to convince them that you'll get work with friends/ family off the back of it. Number one is bs but number two they will pay for you to go an a fas course to get a basic city and guilds in what you want to do in the hope that you will get work out of it....All entry level shizzle but its better than scratching yer arse for the next two years No number 1 is not BS. A friend of mine got £110 worth of top shop vouchers to buy new clothes for an interview. The jobcentre is not going to be a help if you are looking for white collar work, you really need to sign up with recruitment agents for a real chance at getting a white collar job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phumfeinz Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 Chindie I'm currently signing on (have to go in today in fact), it's not too bad. Of course the worst part is having to wait for your turn whilst all the chavs high-five each other and talk about drugs. The actual process (for me at least) is going in, giving your slip to one of the staff then waiting 5-20 minutes for someone to call you over. Then you sit down, they ask you if there's been any change in your circumstances, what you have been doing to look for work ('Well I've applied for 4 jobs') etc. Then they'll look through a few jobs on their computer with you and print off any you're interested in. They'll confirm that the funds have been paid into your account and that's it for 2 weeks. If you're under 24 then after a couple of months of signing on you have to go every week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheltenham_villa Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 That doesn't fill me with confidence either. I could do with the help... Still, we'll see what happens. I also don't take being spoken to like an idiot well... It seems the job centre was designed to make me uncomfortable and mad. Argh. Well, as claret's post suggests, there are different experiences to be had. I was just recounting mine and they weren't good but like I said they were a few years ago so it may have improved. I certainly hope their job search facility has and that looking for local jobs in the local area doesn't return results from 100 miles away any more. If your keen and seeking a job they have good people who will try to help. If you a dosser intent on playing the system then generally you'll be treated as such. It isn't their job to decide on the type of person that someone is when they walk through the door. It is their job to provide help and advice to all those who are seeking work. I'm sorry but half of the problem with people working in job centres is that their 'efforts' vary in line with their judgement of people. If they were that good a judge, I'd suggest they'd be doing something slightly better with their working lives. just passing on what i was told. I tend to agree that in an ideal world they shouldnt be making judgements about who is trying and who isnt but if im honest, in that position i would do the same. If a had a large number of people seeking employment and half of which were just going through the motions then i would concentrate my efforts of the half that were interested. Dont agree with your point about passing judgements, in a large number of cases i dont think it would be difficult to determine who is/isnt making a genuine attempt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soprano Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 I don't think you have to go to the office to register anymore. It's done over the phone then you have to go in every two weeks with your job seekers history for them to review. You'll be sent to a back to work presentation after about 6 weeks and if your still out of work after 3 months you'll have to go for a return to work interview. All pretty pointless if you are actually looking for work. It's more for those that aren't. You may be eligable for costs for a suit to attend an interview but have to prove that you have an interview first. You can also claim travel expenses but again need to inform the DWP first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claret75 Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 The last time I was on Jobseekers was a few years ago and they helped me find work then. It was just a case of making an appointment and sitting in front of the PC screen with one of their advisors. Took about half an hour to search and check various jobs. I **** hated every second of it, but it had to be done. That fills me with a bit more hope. Although, when I was job searching last summer, I popped into the job centre a couple of times to check their little computer things, and it was all the same results I could have got looking at the job search on their website. I'm not sure what having someone sat next to you would help there. But aye, gotta be done. I need work. It was years ago when they helped me find work, I forgot they've got those computers that print off the job descriptions for you. Same thing really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claret75 Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 Indeed, mate. That same scenario happened to me twice in the space of two or three years. Second time round the person with whom I ended up having the appointment to correct the omissions said that's what they'd spent most of the last couple of months doing (going back through people's incomplete forms). It was something to do with the call centres employing a load of people on temporary contracts who either couldn't be arsed to do it properly or weren't given the correct training (not that there's much training required to a)read out a question and b)fill in the corresponding answer given). I tried to suggest having spent a lot of time temping that it wasn't my experience that temps were normally so slapdash. Anyway, that was a few years back. Hmm... not a good impression to give. I have heard they are staffed by idiots and people who simply cannot be arsed though so I'm not surprised. My dad had to sign on for a brief period recently after about 30 years of working and wasn't all that impressed. I don't think they actually hand you out a form, though, now. Like I said the last time I did it a few years back, the only way to make a new claim was over the 'phone. I think they even did something like give you a vague time for a telephone appointment (and if you didn't answer your 'phone they only tried once more). Hmm... guess what I dislike even more than forms? A lot of important stuff over the phone, hell. Particularly if the person on the end isn't the sharpist or if the scenario arrives where the answers for me don't fit the questions terribly well, nightmare. In my experience, not a sausage. I remember having some sort of 'jobseeker interview' thing where they go through what you are going to do to look for work and what work you are looking for and one of the things they ask you is what work you normally do (okay you won't have to field that one). When the woman asked me, I replied saying that my last three contracts had been as a finance analyst. She looked it up on her computer and the menu of job categories and when she couldn't find it, she said she was going to put in 'financial advisor'. She got quite irate when I told her not to as that was something completely different and said that as she didn't have it down on her list, I couldn't be one (a finance analyst). I found myself in some sort of existential nightmare. It was at that point that I realized that perhaps most of the people working in job centres aren't the best people to help those out of work to get in to work apart from perhaps becoming out of work themselves and giving their job to someone unemployed. The people who seem to be quite good at the job centre are few and far between. In some job centres, it seems like all they are doing is firefighting, though, so it can be understandable to a degree. Main advice: prepare to be spoken to as though you are an idiot. That doesn't fill me with confidence either. I could do with the help... Still, we'll see what happens. I also don't take being spoken to like an idiot well... It seems the job centre was designed to make me uncomfortable and mad. Argh. Some of them can be quite patronising, it used to really piss me off. I felt really uncomfortable pretty much every time i signed on, but did get used to it. At the end of the day, a lot of people have to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phumfeinz Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 Some of them can be quite patronising, it used to really piss me off. I felt really uncomfortable pretty much every time i signed on, but did get used to it. At the end of the day, a lot of people have to do it. Some can be yeah, but I've found that by talking to them politely and eloquently they realise that you aren't one of the typical braindead dossers and they put a bit more effort into helping you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted September 7, 2010 VT Supporter Share Posted September 7, 2010 Cheers for the advice everyone Chindie I'm currently signing on (have to go in today in fact), it's not too bad. Of course the worst part is having to wait for your turn whilst all the chavs high-five each other and talk about drugs. The actual process (for me at least) is going in, giving your slip to one of the staff then waiting 5-20 minutes for someone to call you over. Then you sit down, they ask you if there's been any change in your circumstances, what you have been doing to look for work ('Well I've applied for 4 jobs') etc. Then they'll look through a few jobs on their computer with you and print off any you're interested in. They'll confirm that the funds have been paid into your account and that's it for 2 weeks. If you're under 24 then after a couple of months of signing on you have to go every week. This is particularly what I was interested in as well, cheers. Seems simple enough, though waiting around is something I really hate. Filling in the online form was as fun as I'd hoped. It asks questions quite awkwardly, particularly with reference to education subsidies. It asks if ou been in an education course that has finished in the last 3 months (for me, yes) and then if you received assistance in paying for that, again yes. A few pages later it asks for how many sources of assistance you are receiving. In my case I reckon thats 1, but I'm not actually receiving it anymore, I simply haven't paid them back yet... so is that still being received or not? On the safe side, I say I'm still receiving it... next page starts asking for the next date of academic year and all that jazz which clearly doesn't apply to me, so skip back I go and change it no I'm not receiving it any more... Thats the problem with forms, if you don't exactly match the criteria, it doesn't ever quite work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phumfeinz Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 It's best not to get too worried about it, if anything is wrong it can be sorted when you go for your first interview. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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