Job Centre advice a waste of time..

[mumstonic]

DP had his 2nd job seekers meeting today to officially sign on after being made redundant. First time he's ever claimed anything in his life. I being unreasonable to think this meeting was rather unproductive and slightly unfair?

This is what he was told to do?..

1. He should disregard his previous work experience and apply for all jobs within a 90 minute journey, his qualifications and experience.
   
   
2. Re-write his CV to include the words, trustworthy, hardworking and reliable.
   
   
   
3. Spend 20m minutes listening to an advisor use phrases such as any work is better than no work and with all due respect sir.
   
   
4. He must make alternative arrangements for DDs dental brace fitting appointment in favour of attending an interview skills course this afternoon. (DD has been waiting to have her braces for 2 years and I have 2 babies to look after!)
   
   
5. He should ebay the family holiday (weekend mini-break to Centrparcs , booked and paid for 6 months ago) as it clashes with his next sign on day. He must then declare the income from said sale as earnings. OR complete a holiday form with the caveat to say he MUST be contactable at all times. If mobile phone service is restricted, he must drive to the nearest signal hotspot and check voicemails at regular intervals. If an interview comes up he must shorten or cancel his holiday.
   
   Failure to co-operate with the above will result in his pittance being withdrawn. AIBU to think this draconian approach is taking the piss? Surely its better all round (for the employer and individual) to focus his efforts in getting a job suited to his qualifications and skills, I know its hard at the moment but really? 20 years paying tax and this is the safety net?

[drmummmsy]

Doingakatereddy - i think op may also pay tax...

[drmummmsy]

as did her husband at some stage

[mrslaughan]

DH is going through the same - made redundant in april, and only now has agreed to go and sign on, however it is so demeaning. He had organised a lunch with an ex-collegue on thursday, the point is to stay up to date with what is happening in his industry and essentially brain storm any opportunities, he rang the job center to re-schedule his appointment, but they won't as it is not an interview FFS. Fortunately ex-colleague can re-schedule, but WTF

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

Well done Doing!! You have a job. You pay tax!

Should I bow at your feet or kiss your arse?



I bet this gets deleted. Ah well.

[LineRunnerWithBellsOn]

Most recruitment processes I know of in academia involve about two days' worth of 'informal' stuff before the final actual 'formal' interview.

Would the JC not count the informal stuff - looking round, hearing a talk, giving a talk, the meet and greet buffet, the tour with the students, as being 'an interview' then? You wouldn't get the job without taking part in it.

[diaimchlo]

You honestly think that Iain Duncan Smith and David Cameron would listen????? not a cat in hells chance!!!!!!

They both have the Title "Right Honourable" and imo use this fraudulently nothing either have done is Right or honourable in fact both are hypocrites as they have both in the past claimed benefits.........

[Emmielu]

My JS advisor told me newspapers dont count anymore. But shop windows do. :S She also told me that eventhough i have epilepsy it doesnt count towards anything aside from i cant do nights. I was also told i can only use my epilepsy as an excuse to not have a car. Nothing more. Nothing less because and i quote "it's not classed as a disability. It does not stop you from doing the day to day things, work included"

[mumstonic]

Doing - Yes, I pay tax. Quite a lot in fact. As did DP until 2 weeks ago.

Unless your personal contribution to the coffers has been specifically allocated for my DP's JSA, cant see what your problem is.

[MadBusLady]

WkdSM The whole process was so useless that he came away saying he would not sign on and we paid his NI ourselves.

Worth repeating that in case anyone else is in the same boat. It's what I did when I was told I couldn't get JSA (was living with DP who was earning, and had been self-employed before and apparently those contributions don't count ) but I should still come in for the appointments because I'd get my NI stamp. I'd worked in tax and said no thanks. They don't advertise the fact that you can pay it yourself.

[Doingakatereddy]

My problem is your entitled assumption that your DH should be paid to wait until your centre parcs holiday is over, your Dd has her brace & the magical job with the right skills & experience arrives.

I think that we are over taxed in UK, I believe the welfare state has become an entitlement state & I think that despite seniority / skills / years paid into the system if your out of work you should get a job if one is available

[mumstonic]

FFS he only finished working 2 weeks ago!

A 3 night mini break to centreparcs hardly renders him unemployable.

Your posts sum up just how narrow minded people can be. This time last month we were a working couple paying tax, now suddenly we're a drain on the tax payer...Nice. Let hope you're never made redundant, as you quite rightly say, we're entering a triple dip recession.

[Pixel]

They suggested I applied for a job at an Asian-language radio station. 'But I don't speak Urdu. At all.' 'It only says it's preferable!'

They seem to love sending people for jobs they aren't going to get and wasting everybody's time and money. We gave up trying to recruit staff for our pub through the local job centre as we weren't even allowed to say in the ad that applicants needed a reasonable standard of english as we couldn't 'discriminate'. Still not sure how that was discrimination. We didn't care what colour or creed the staff were as long as they were able to do the job, but being able to understand customers (especially in packed bar with live band playing) was quite a basic requirement we thought.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

It could all fall down around you tomorrow Doing! Do you think you are somehow exempt from the recession or unemployment?

[ParsingFancy]

The 13 weeks to find employment commensurate with skills is not for the benefit of the claimant but for the benefit of the economy.

Underemployment means an individual is being less productive for the country than they could be.

[Doingakatereddy]

Mumstonic - If JSA is such a 'pittance' & causing your family so many logistical issues then just don't claim.

Paying tax doesn't give you a right to claim whatever the circumstances.

I'm narrow minded to want my tax to go to those who can't work rather than those who just want their middle class existence to be subsidised.

[GhostShip]

I don't see a problem with any of that, except the brace appointment.

[mumstonic]

middle class? was it the Centerparcs reference?

Ooh never really considered myself middle class, not sure if I should feel flattered or offended? Always considered myself working class, but hey suppose its better than unemployed benefit scrounger as you initially insinuated.

[diaimchlo]

Doingakatereddy - "I think that we are over taxed in UK, I believe the welfare state has become an entitlement state & I think that despite seniority / skills / years paid into the system if your out of work you should get a job if one is available."

Not many jobs available... what planet are you on? have you not read the papers lately.... the unemployed have to do work programs 30 hours per week for £71 per week. Many high street companies such as Superdrug, Argos, Shoe, Poundlandland etc use these people as free labour, taking up permanent minimum wage jobs from job seekers. If the unemployed refuse to do this slave labour then they get their benefits taken away..... So in essence your taxes are going to subsidize these private companies not the unemployed.........