MONEY MORAL DILEMMA. Should Lofty hold out for his dream job?

victorian_lady

of course he should take the job - I worked in a supermarket checkout until the position I really wanted came along - it's better than sitting round not contributing to society!

MrsBartolozzi

I'd say that he would be lucky to get the job in the supermarket. I'm finding that putting your degree on the CV/ application form doesn't even get you an interview for this type of job.

catenorfolk

I would just love to know where all these dream jobs are!!! there a millions of people in the world, and i am sure they would all like to have a dream job. Unfortunately they are VERY few and far between. In this day and age we need to be working if at all possible. Its tough really if we cant get a 'dream job' Paying for a roof over our heads and feeding the kids is the most important. Someone has to stack the shelves, nurse the sick, empty the bins, sweep the streets. I would be grateful for any job that pays and supports me and my family. No-one has the right to EXPECT other people to support them unless they they have some disability, then as a society we should help the helpless. Perhaps we are bringing our kids up the wrong way now, to expect something for nothing.

lottie-girl

barnaby-bear wrote: »

There are only 6 levels of management at Tescos from the lowest rank to the top (As opposed to 42 in the NHS :rolleyes:). Major supermarket chains are huge, slick, professional organisations with a wealth of opportunities and training programmes. OK it's starting at a level lower than he wanted but surely that's higher than the dole. Supermarkets aren't noddy organisations and would we be debating an entry position at a blue chip firm like IBM/Nortel in the same way? If it was a junior IT post rather than a grad. entry programme would there be the snobbery? Tescos just posted record profits in a difficult economic climate - you can have a fancy title in plenty of tin-pot soon-to-the-wall companies. Working on the shop floor can give great insight and besides NMW is better than the dole and if you don't like it apply for other jobs - it really isn't that hard to fit in around a job - millions of others manage to move from one job to another.

My sister started at Sainsburys shelf stacking at 16 - 5 hours a weekend. She continued while training for her chosen career which she ultimately abandoned, worked her way through Sains training opportunities and now 10 years later is HR manager.

briz_hatchings

The question is the usual Radio 5 dubbing down simply designed to disgust and enrage as many listeners as possible thus flooding the phone lines with as many ignorant left wing Daily Mail readers as possible.

There’s really no debate here about him signing on, benefits were never intended for postgraduates to soak up more state resources while they searched for their dream job. In my view benefits are for people who are unlucky enough to be in a down and out situation and unable to get back on their feet without state help. I don’t think this reflects Lofty’s situation. Assuming he’s literate, fit and healthy he’s quite employable for most unskilled labour and should seek any work he can get.

The idea that you can just walk straight into your ‘dream job’ with just a degree is very far fetched as well. As many graduates who have graduated without a job lined up have attested to here it’s very difficult to get a job just because you have a degree. Many graduates have little work-experience and for a few this might mean they’re not even able to hack it as a shelf stacker.

I worked as a bus driver whilst at University and continued doing it for 2 years either side of a postgraduate Diploma until I took my first job at an IT company. The work was mostly fun, money good and the job offered me some good customer facing and cash handling exposure but I risked failing into the trap of doing it for the rest of my working life. In the end I had to take the advice of my supervisor and take the attitude that ‘the first job doesn’t matter’. So long as it gets you that first step of the way towards the dream job you need to take it to even have a hope that your dream employer is going to take you seriously. You don’t see many first time house buyers saving up for their dream home do you? Most of them get on the ladder at a lower level first.

On these grounds Lofty shouldn’t take the shelf stacking job but I still don’t think he can sign on and to get on that first rung of the career ladder he’s going to need to be prepared to work for peanuts. The ‘first job’ that I took paid around 10k less a year than I was earning as a bus driver but I packed it in 3 months later for a slightly better paid position that offered better prospects. Three jobs on from that I now get regular offers of work when I’m not even looking and I have trouble fathoming the attitude of some employers. On one hand they won’t employ a promising young graduate who might return the favour with a bit of loyalty, yet on the other hand they are quite happy to poach rival firms staff who already have the experience required.

This graduate job trap is however fairly common knowledge these days. You have to ask yourself why Lofty didn’t anticipate this situation and get himself some work experience, sort himself out with a graduate scheme or do some form of vocational course? The only defence he might have is that he was unsure what he wanted to do but in that case I see no clear case for not taking the shelf stacking job or some form of work that will help him make up his mind.

Vickiti

The answer is in the question!
The benefit is called Jobseeker's Allowance, not "Find me the perfect job seekers allowance!"
The benefit system is designed to support those in society who CANNOT support themselves - not to allow someone to do no work when they are capable of it. He should take the job.
Employers prefer somebody that gets up, gets on with it and makes things happen.
Currently after 6 moinths on JSA you can by law be compelled to take on any work that is available that you are physically capable of. That is now - and the rules will soon be tighter. However, those rules are rarely enforced as advisers are actually human and will not enforce you taking the job if it wont make you better off - BUT even if only £1 a week better off the job should be taken.

I would rather clean toilets than claim dole when I am capable of work. There should be more self respect and pride in oneself - at least with a job you know you earn every penny.

JayD

I think it pays to stay in a job, no matter what it is, rather than become established on the dole while waiting for your 'ideal' employment.

You can still keep looking for your dream jobe while you are workikng and prospective employers are likely to have a lot more respect for you when you apply for it.

They don't just look at your qualifications - they consider your character and work ethic too.

It will also stop him from becoming isolated, bored and lazy and from slipping into a rut - no matter how mind numbing the shelf stacking job may seem.

brucie24

I cannot believe some of the comments here.

How grand to be so self important that a TEMPORARY job is beneath them.

Whilst it is good to know Lofty put the work in to acheive his degree, just because he can't obtain his dream job means he should do nothing until he gets one????

Does that mean that anyone not in their "dream job" should just sign on to benefits until they manage to get one? NO!

Lofty should take the job and look for that dream job at the same time. As for working 'unsocial hours' welcome to the real world.....

helpme88

why doesnt he sign on and work up to 16 hours!

Mar.cresham

Take it and keep looking. Least that way he has a job and is making his own money.

Plus they do say its easyer to get a job when you have one to start with

Are something like that