Worried getting sanctioned, questions about UC

[kckdkc]

I have been unemployed for 7.5 months now and getting nowhere fast with job interviews. I have applied for many jobs - attended about 21 interviews/assessments for call centre, customer service, admin roles and get rejected. Have been told by UC coach that I need to find out why I was rejected. That's all well and good but some of the e-mails that are used by companies to attend interviews and get rejected are non-replyable addresses. Then on the couple of times I have actually spoke to someone at the place where I was interviewed to ask for feedback, they refuse to. All it needs is to say "your answer of the X question was weak". It's not my fault that I am unable to get feedback when companies refuse to do so. I have rang up, e-mailed, filled in online forms for temp agencies and get zero response. I should not get sanctioned if the agencies are not bothering to reply or answer my questions.

The problem is now, many jobs advertised are 12 month contracts. I am scared to apply for them, even though it may be a 'foot in the door' to get that job or similar on a perm basis. If these jobs just last 12 months, I be back at square one and probably unable to apply for JSA, then UC.

I am getting so bored, depressed and fed up that I am unable to get a job. I tell one thing. Without my car, I wouldn't been able to apply for about 85% of the jobs so far as they are not on bus routes, require 2 buses each way or hours don't match the buses.

If you get a job on a 12 month contract you can still look for other jobs and leave early if you get something. And if you can’t find something after atleast you’ve not been unemployed for as long. You need to just keep going and apply for everything and keep doing your best. Make sure you are researching the companies and job roles before the interviews so you can think about what type of questions you will get

I do. Without a car, the jobs I can apply for would be very very limited.

I feel sorry for those job seeking and don't have a car. As some job adverts are very misleading. They say the city on the listing. On Googling the company name, it turns out they are in the middle of nowhere with no buses. Yet other companies that are in a similar location, do specify that you require a car due to no public transport in the area.

But this isn’t a barrier for you because you have a car

I’d suck up a short term contract. Loads of places recruit from the short term contracts to permanent. They aren’t going to go easier on you it just escalates over time.

you need to find any job and then if it’s a 12 month contract start looking for a permanent role once you are earning.
in terms of why you are not getting jobs you could ask for interview coaching through js.

some things to consider-

do you arrive on time?
are you dressed appropriately ?
have you read up on the company and learnt abit about what they do?
do you prepare some standard interview answers in advance? - so have a prepared answer for questions like-
What makes you a good team member?
what are your strengths/weaknesses?
what would you do if a customer complained?
where do you see yourself in 5 years?

obviously they may ask other questions more relevant to the role but if you have some general answers ready it may help. You may spot a pattern to the questions you are asked at interview and could prepare answers.

You need to consider any job. 12 month contracts are fine.

I do feel for you. Sometimes it's nothing you have done. It could just be that they already had somebody earmarked for the role and hired before you. Or that they said one word differently which the company liked.

Surely your job coaches should realise that it's not the candidates fault if they don't get the job, and it can go down to one sentence to why someone didn't get the job.

I hope you get somewhere. I've been in the same boat.

@whynotmereally I do dress smartly for interviews, turn up on time and research the company/job role etc. Have been to an assessment day where a girl turned up in ripped jeans and a crop top. Turned up 10 mins later. Drove past the place about 2 months later and saw the girl outside having the company ID badge and lanyard. That pissed me off big time.

One thing I am not good at is answering the question where do you see yourself in five years time. Never been career focused into the distant future. I just say something like to be successful in the company and with a job promotion.

Still no one has answered the question about would I get JSA if a 12 month contract job finishes without any prospect of staying there?

I have been in this OP situation before. It can be down to anything why she didn't get the job. Years of experience behind me yet was told that 'someone more experienced' has been offered the role.
The company could already have someone who they have in mind but need to interview anyway.

I am sure the OP is as fully prepared as she can be.

It's tough out there at the moment. All you can do is tell UC you tried to get feedback as you explained above and ask them what else they suggest. In terms of a 12 month contract at least it's somewhere to start and anything can happen in the next year.

Not disputing this but how do long term claimants get away with it? Are assessors instructed to turn a blind eye?

Sorry to hear OP is having a tough time.

I was bullied, my boss scoffed my learning disability (dyslexia) and saying that I should have grown out of it as its only a children's disability. Raised a grievance which his boss rejected it as he's done nothing wrong. He bullied 9 staff out of the workplace in 6 months. He bullied them for various things, I was the only one for dyslexia. He did the same when he worked at a different dept.

I was crying so much that I vomited. That should not happen.

To answer your question Op JSA depends on your national insurance contributions for the last few years it’s a bit tricky to work out. If you are single without savings there’s no difference between jsa and uc and if you have children or pay rent you would need to claim uc as well anyway. If you mean would you get sanctioned if the job stopped after a year no you shouldn’t as you didn’t make yourself voluntarily unemployed. If you do get sanctioned then there is an appeal process. Hope that helps and good luck with the job hunting.

I was the same in 3 years I attended so many interviews and didn’t get one offer. I was told I had to apply for jobs I’m unable to do due to sensory issues (eg care work). I was told my situational mutism was a concerning barrier and I had to get feedback from interviews. I was unsuccessful getting PIP for my ASD but then my ds got a long dla award and I was able to claim carers and they left me alone but I was at the point where they were threatening sanctions .

Hi. You will still get UC if you take a contract. I did when I was temping/contracting.
A contract ending means you are eligible for UC. I think that it only makes a difference if you leave voluntarily.
I took 1 month contracts, 3 and even a 7 month contract.
My current 12 month contract just became a permanent role, so pleased with that.

Are you registered for temp contacts? I found UC to be really flexible.

Resigned. Couldn’t take anymore crying with vomiting

Single
no Kids
don’t pay rent but service charges on flat

Have you looked for agency work. A lot of the time they do the leg work for you.