Job Seekers Allowance - how do you spend 35 hours a week job searching?

[Hmlp]

Left my previous job last month due to stress and bullying from manager. Able to claim JSA but one of the things they want is to spend 35, yes thirty five hours job searching.

I'm lucky to spend 9-10 hours a week checking e-mails, applying for jobs, uploading CV and filling in any online forms. Problem is that the same jobs come up on various e-mail alerts I get. Plus if the alert contains company's name and location, look on Streetview and see if the place has reasonable parking as public transport where I live is limited to city centre. Don't want to go on 2 buses each way. Plus a couple of the jobs I have applied for are remote jobs, been looking at chairs and desks as my current set up at home is for causal use, no space - I do have the space, just to rejig layout of room. For example, one job I had an interview (didn't get job) they mentioned they would supply two monitors. Current desk has a partition separating the area where printer sits, no room for two monitors.

Heard that some groups want that 35 hours to be scrapped due to the ease of getting job alerts

Can you negotiate the number of hours with your work coach (if you think it's too much?) it's a case of stretching the truth I'm afraid. This is what makes me the most anxious about claiming jsa/uc

You sound a bit fussy. What’s wrong with two buses? That sounds quite normal. And no need to think about a WFH setup until you have the job. Just apply for things to keep the job centre happy.

From past jobs where did take two buses - been late for work as the second bus didn’t turn up so had to get a taxi. This happened about at least once a fortnight. I rather drive.

When you had experienced being late due to PT issues, you don’t want to go through that again

When I was job hunting it was easy to get 35 hours. It's only 5 a day. I would be online from 8am till about 6pm Monday to Friday with checks on jobsites, updating my CV and cover letters, linkedin, online networking in person networking. At the weekend I did a bit less but it was way over 35 a week.

What are you struggling with, perhaps I can help ?

You're being too fussy. The wfh jobs would be fine but you've made some kind of excuse

It sounds like you don't really want a job! There is no ideal job, we all make compromises.

I think the idea is that if you spend a decent amount of time looking for a job, you’ll actually get one…

Getting 2 buses is a non issue, millions of people have to rely on public transport to get to work, imagine if they all decided one bus was their limit 😂

Stop making excuses and get a job.

I wouldn't want to take two busses either, most of the time one will be late or cancelled anyway.

You're being an absolute melt about not going for hybrid/wfh jobs because your desk isn't big enough for two monitors though. Give yourself a shake.

Are you really not applying for wfh jobs because your desk can't fit two monitors?

You could easily spend one full day per week looking for vacancies, so assuming you're doing a decent job of applying - maybe spending three hours per application, that's 8 jobs a week. Are you applying for that amount?

People often adapt their CVs for each job so that takes some time.
Not sure what reasonable parking is and the horror of 2 buses and or working from home.
Hope you find the perfect job but if not I think you really need to look at how you can change your mindset to the above.

I think she said she is applying for wfh jobs but is also looking at buying a different desk, chair etc so that she could comfortably do it if she was offered one...
She wasn't offered the job where she needed 2 monitors but wants to be ready to go if she is offered one.

Nobody is monitoring you, they'll have no idea if you spent 10 hours or 50 hours looking at jobs.

Of course not. But the more you apply yourself the quicker it's likely to be.

I read that as she spent part of her 'looking for work' time thinking about how she would rejig her home if she did get that job. She did specifically say "the jobs I have applied for are remote jobs" and " one job I had an interview (didn't get job) they mentioned they would supply two monitors." So she clearly is applying for them.

OP - as others have said, just stretch it. The JS adviser isn't going to know exactly how long everything took, they just want it to look like you've put a decent effort in. e.g instead of just 'alert came up - applied for job' stretch it into 1 hr read job description, 1 hour researched company and values, 3 hrs filled in application form. If you only spend 5 mins looking at jobs because you have all the alerts set up just pretend you don't and put 30 mins looking through indeed, 30 mins looking at council website, etc. If you go for an interview put that as your hours for that day, including travelling time, plus several hours researching the company/practicing interview questions beforehand.

Bear in mind though that usually they give you a few months to get a job in your desired field/career but after that they expect you to apply for literally anything.

Same as in most jobs you might be contracted for 35-40hrs per work but very few people spend all that time actually working flat out.

I do want a job! But there is very few jobs available now