Jobseekers allowance question

bjjr

Hi guys,

Feeling rubbish at the moment, never thought it would be so hard to find a job after getting a degree, starting to feel it was a waste of time!

Anyway, i ve been off jobseekers allowance for around 6 months now and planning to go back on, just wondering would they accept me back on? I've been out of work for around a year now (since i finished uni) Would they say my job expectations are too high and reject me? I've actually accepted i may have to lower my standards now.

Also do they check up on what you do inbetween what you did since you last signed on? Or if i was to say i had a job, would they just accept it and take my word for it? or would they want evidence?

Lollypop75

It's hard finding work for everyone at the moment. But I don't think you should start thinking just yet that your degree was a waste - even if you never use it directly, it will have given you skills and experiences that you can draw on.

Regarding signing on again. I don't really understand why you would tell them that you've had a job over the last 6 months - what would be the point of that? Also, I really don't think you want to lie when applying for benefits. On the form they will ask when you last worked, and they will also ask how you managed for money between then and now.

I would be pretty surprised to find out that you were refused JSA. However, you will be expected to apply for jobs that you have a reasonable chance of getting. For the first 13 weeks (I think) you can be a bit picky about it, in terms of salary and role, but they'll expect you to branch out sooner than that. If I was you, I would branch out sooner rather than later. When you get something you can always leave if you subsequently find something more in line with what you want.

I've had a look at your previous posts and it looks like you studied journalism, and I guess that's what you want to go into? Do you have any work experience in the field? If not I expect you'll struggle (even more) to find work.

Good luck!

bjjr

Lollypop75 wrote: »

It's hard finding work for everyone at the moment. But I don't think you should start thinking just yet that your degree was a waste - even if you never use it directly, it will have given you skills and experiences that you can draw on.

Regarding signing on again. I don't really understand why you would tell them that you've had a job over the last 6 months - what would be the point of that? Also, I really don't think you want to lie when applying for benefits. On the form they will ask when you last worked, and they will also ask how you managed for money between then and now.

I would be pretty surprised to find out that you were refused JSA. However, you will be expected to apply for jobs that you have a reasonable chance of getting. For the first 13 weeks (I think) you can be a bit picky about it, in terms of salary and role, but they'll expect you to branch out sooner than that. If I was you, I would branch out sooner rather than later. When you get something you can always leave if you subsequently find something more in line with what you want.

I've had a look at your previous posts and it looks like you studied journalism, and I guess that's what you want to go into? Do you have any work experience in the field? If not I expect you'll struggle (even more) to find work.

Good luck!

Hi thx for your reply, i will reply fully later as im off to pick up my 4 year old cousin from drama school in a minute! But just to answer one of your query's. The reason i would like to tell them i had a job is because i wouldn't want them to think i wasn't serious about finding a job, i was thinking if they saw how long ive been out of work for they may reject me the jobseekers allowance.

Again, thx for your reply and your help

bjjr

Lollypop75 wrote: »

I've had a look at your previous posts and it looks like you studied journalism, and I guess that's what you want to go into? Do you have any work experience in the field? If not I expect you'll struggle (even more) to find work.

Good luck!

Hi back,

Yep i would love to get into journalism, the only problem is, yep you guessed it zilch experience and that's pretty much what i have been hearing for the past year and a bit. Though i am determined not to give up, i know what i have what it takes and i will continue to pursue a job in journalism for the foreseeable future. Whilst off work i have created a huge portfolio of my work and have even begun to create a website to get my work out there and get some feedback. I understand that it wont be easy and i am prepared to look for other work in the meantime now, i have even begun to consider a apprenticeship in graphic design just in case it does not all go to plan. I just do not feel the jobcentre will see it my way and i feel they may reject me the jobseekers allowance.

tanith

They won't reject you there is no need to make up a story just tell it like it is , you've been looking but not lucky, they may ask how you have managed for money in the meantime but I really can't see them having a problem because you have decided to claim... good luck with your jobhunting, have you tried volunteering while you look its good for gaining some 'experience' for your CV?

Lollypop75

I'm pretty sure they won't reject you outright. What they could do is conclude that you're not applying for the right jobs which you have a reasonable chance of getting, and then stop your benefits.

Once you phone up you'll give them the details on the phone. Then have an appointment. The way it's worked for me here is this appointment they go through the information I gave on the phone, check my passport and clarify anything - I've had a couple of extra forms to fill out. Then I had a work focussed interview (on the same day). That's where the jobseekers agreement is decided. They will help you identify types of jobs you should apply for, where to look, and things like that. This is the first point at which they'll discuss how realistic your job goals are. They may decide that they are unrealistic, in which case they will expect you to put in another category. Then (as you know) you will need to go an sign on every two weeks, and they will check that you are making a reasonable effort to apply for realistic jobs. After 13 weeks (I think) you'll have another appointment. Here they will review your job goals and probably expect you to branch out further.

At this point you really don't need to worry about getting rejected for it. Just after you've got your jobseekers agreement you will need to make some effort to fulfill that. (Not totally, though. I've got that I will look in the free papers every day, which I don't do, as I just can't get hold of them without travelling 40 minutes each way, twice a day.)

bjjr

Lollypop75 wrote: »

I'm pretty sure they won't reject you outright. What they could do is conclude that you're not applying for the right jobs which you have a reasonable chance of getting, and then stop your benefits.

Once you phone up you'll give them the details on the phone. Then have an appointment. The way it's worked for me here is this appointment they go through the information I gave on the phone, check my passport and clarify anything - I've had a couple of extra forms to fill out. Then I had a work focussed interview (on the same day). That's where the jobseekers agreement is decided. They will help you identify types of jobs you should apply for, where to look, and things like that. This is the first point at which they'll discuss how realistic your job goals are. They may decide that they are unrealistic, in which case they will expect you to put in another category. Then (as you know) you will need to go an sign on every two weeks, and they will check that you are making a reasonable effort to apply for realistic jobs. After 13 weeks (I think) you'll have another appointment. Here they will review your job goals and probably expect you to branch out further.

At this point you really don't need to worry about getting rejected for it. Just after you've got your jobseekers agreement you will need to make some effort to fulfill that. (Not totally, though. I've got that I will look in the free papers every day, which I don't do, as I just can't get hold of them without travelling 40 minutes each way, twice a day.)

Hi thx again, lol you really have eased my mind

Just out of interest, you say you don't totally put the effort into fulfilling your jobseekers agreement (which i guess 99.9% of people on jobseekers do not either), i was just wondering if you could give me an example of what you put down in your hand-in booklet? The last time i was on jobseekers they gave me the task of applying for 16 jobs in 2 weeks, which i found way too many. I applied truthfully for a good 4-6 jobs every two weeks whilst on jobseekers and made up the rest, only to be told right at the end when i eventually signed off that i was filling out the booklet in the wrong way. Is it not acceptable to put as one of your job searches that you browsed various websites or papers?

bjjr

tanith wrote: »

They won't reject you there is no need to make up a story just tell it like it is , you've been looking but not lucky, they may ask how you have managed for money in the meantime but I really can't see them having a problem because you have decided to claim... good luck with your jobhunting, have you tried volunteering while you look its good for gaining some 'experience' for your CV?

Hi thanks for your response.

Regarding the volunteer work, are there any sites you could recommend me? Sounds a good idea and one that i should have considered a long while ago.

patmcmoneysaver

bjjr wrote: »

Hi thx again, lol you really have eased my mind

Just out of interest, you say you don't totally put the effort into fulfilling your jobseekers agreement (which i guess 99.9% of people on jobseekers do not either), i was just wondering if you could give me an example of what you put down in your hand-in booklet? The last time i was on jobseekers they gave me the task of applying for 16 jobs in 2 weeks, which i found way too many. I applied truthfully for a good 4-6 jobs every two weeks whilst on jobseekers and made up the rest, only to be told right at the end when i eventually signed off that i was filling out the booklet in the wrong way. Is it not acceptable to put as one of your job searches that you browsed various websites or papers?

I put down that I get emails daily, browse various jobsites daily, look in local papers & online. If I apply for jobs, these go in separately. Haven't had any quibbles from anyone so far (and beed doing this since Feb). Why tell you when you sign off that you were doing it wrong??? seems daft to me.

bjjr

patmcmoneysaver wrote: »

I put down that I get emails daily, browse various jobsites daily, look in local papers & online. If I apply for jobs, these go in separately. Haven't had any quibbles from anyone so far (and beed doing this since Feb). Why tell you when you sign off that you were doing it wrong??? seems daft to me.

Cheers.

They only told me so at the end because for some reason my regular sign on person was away that day and the replacement told me that it was all wrong., she showed another employee and she said it was all wrong also.

An example of what i use to write:

"Browsed [website] for a job in...etc."
or
"Browsed [newspaper] for a job in...etc"

patmcmoneysaver

bjjr wrote: »

Cheers.
They only told me so at the end because for some reason my regular sign on person was away that day and the replacement told me that it was all wrong., she showed another employee and she said it was all wrong also.
An example of what i use to write:
"Browsed [website] for a job in...etc."
or
"Browsed [newspaper] for a job in...etc"

Hmm, even more interesting! I don't have such a thing as a regular sign on person - have had several and none of them have commented on my scribblings I usually put 'checked daily job emails' 'checked online jobsites daily' or 'checked local paper weekly'. If I apply for specific jobs these go in separately. Wish jobcentres were consistent (although it is more compilcated and detailed now than last time I was unemployed in 2000).
Best of luck for your future anyway.