To Be Annoyed With The Job Centre Plus Site

[xstitchsparkler]

Doing some job hunting. When I do a search on the site you can enter a location so I did this. It keeps bringing up jobs in London. Nothing against London but it's over 400miles away, not very practical is it?

did you put how many miles in the box?
fish 4 jobs always does that, suggests 50 miles away, rather far on a push bike:o

Yes I put in a few miles from home planning to slowly widen my search. but don't think I will be if narrowest search gives me jobs 400miles away.

Their location thing has never worked. Maybe they should advertise for a web designer on there.

I actually contacted them to complain. They told me I should stop being so lazy and develop a bit of flexibility to help me find work. Bastards.

Did they really day that to you xstitch

Yes they did. They were not very nice. I told them there was commuting and commuting. Told him if he couldn't see the problem with commuting time+working time>24 then he should perhaps be sent on a training course starting with basic arithmetic.

That's really appalling. Was it your local job centre you rang or the main site.

How is it acceptable that when someone calls to point out that their search engine isn't working, they are simply accused of being lazy? Bonkers. What a horrible person.

It was the main site ISNT. Job hunting really is the most depressing and demoralising thing. I have recorded every single search, job application and reasons for not applying for the jobs I haven't applied for.

I initially started recording this to fight back against XH accusations in court(a whole other story). May come in useful to show the job centre though.

It's crap isn't it. I complained 2 years ago & was told it was getting fixed soon

I complained again a month ago and was told it's because the head office for that company is in my area. In a small town in Cumbria we must be full of head offices

Other problem I have is there is a town 13 m in one direction & one 20 m in the other but the search set at 15 m can't find them so I have to search 4 different places to cover our travel area.

Have you changed the last (I think its the last anyway) question to location? It asks you something like 'What is the most important criteria to search by?' and there's a drop down to choose from.

I search the last few days of jobs and order them by date posted as that seems to bring up jobs that don't show up otherwise. Lately, there are a lot of jobs coming up that are way out of my travel zone.

I also have to do about four different searches in different locations, different hours etc to see all the jobs that are on there. It's also not much use searching for the current day's jobs until towards the end of the afternoon or even the next day as they aren't all put on at once.

Out of around 80-100 jobs that are posted most days there's always something that means I can't apply whether it's lack of experience, no driving licence, not qualified, wrong hours. I'm trying to be flexible but nothing seems to come up that has the right combination.

But yeah, the site is crap. Have you complained about the way you were spoken to, xstitch?

No I haven't tuna, I haven't the nerve. I feel they have made it clear that they view me as the lowest of the low. Don't have much fight left in me at the moment.

I find that anything less than the 5 miles option just doesn't work..

The 15 miles is the best option, then sort by location.

The 5 miles option does work but often misses jobs out that the 15 mile option picks up that is only 5 miles away and less..

Good luck with the job hunt...

xstitch - I know this isn't very relevant but I have had similar treatment from a locum agency - I told them I could only work 3 days a week as I was at college the other 2 days (and needed weekends for revision/studying etc). One agency, based in Scotland, told me that I should be looking to work 5 days a week and be willing to travel up to 200miles. I explained that it wasn't possible, I needed 3 only (and local to me but I lived quite close to London so plenty of opportunities there) - she told me that I wouldn't get very far with that attitude, and if I really wanted to work I would be more flexible and agree to 5 days and a wider area.

Needless to say, I decided not to register with that agency - went with another one who happily found me a 3 day placement within 20 miles of my home.

I recently advertised a job on JC+ and although I got lots of replies for various reasons I didn't employ any of them. Though some people I spoke to found it hard to find the job adverts. Our company has an office (my house) in one town and our workshop is about 20mins drive away.

I did however employ someone who wrote me a letter, called me up the following week and came in for a chat.

We have come to a very flexible arrangement that suits us all.

My point is, please don't be put off by what is in the advert. Apply anyway, explain exactly what your situation is and how willing you are to make it fit in with them and what your skills are.

Small companies particularly are not trying to fit an exact mould. The fit of the person is very important too. Good luck.

Keep fighting.
Keep fighting...