What Is Your Opinion of the Unemployed

dickydonkin

onlyforboards wrote: »

It depends on the area. It is very easy to be long term employed in the UK. For example men aged 50+ fresh from long term employment in positions of responsibility searching for any job get hit very badly in the current climate for lots of reasons that you must be aware of given your experience with the unemployed.

Absolutely Spot on!

Mr_Falling_Star

As a ex member of staff from a Jobcentre I can tell you know that even now 55%-60% of people sign off before they reach the 13 week point, 70% before the six month point and 90% by the year mark. That is today, 2010, so I know that a lot of people do sign off quite quickly. I think it is down to attitude, and infact there is a adage that job seeking is half attitude and half circumstances. When working with the long term unemployed (12 months) they always seem to have a load of problems and not much get up and go to get out of them. For instance a lot of training courses were held in a neighbouring city, only 30 mins away by free bus but a lot of people said they wouldn't go there? why? Have they got something better to do.

As for the attitude of Jobseekers I was fine with most people but the two that really used to annoy me were the people who thought they were to good or to clever for the jobcentre and the terminally feeble. Not those who had special needs or other issues, they were fine but more the whole "poor me" attitude.

You also have to bear in mind that a lot of Jobcentre staff are on less pay than the customers, how wearing is that?

missdee85

Absolutely missdee85.

The conflicting 'information' I received from JCP had my head spinning - one agent telling you something one week and another telling you something completely different the next. Whether it was a morale issue I don't know but It was difficult to ascertain who was more depressed - the staff or the 'customers'.[/QUOTE]

Thanks you so much dpassmore it is such a relief to know that i amn't the only one who feels like i am banging my head against a brick wall when trying to get anywhere with the jobcentre!!!

xx

snowqueen555

I do think a lot of people can choose not to work and be picky, as some of my friends who are out of work can still live comfortably in their family home.

A relative of mine I think falls into this category. In and out of temp jobs, never in a job for more than two months at a time. When she is out of work she simply gets bailed out by her parents.

I was unemployed for five months last year so I know its extremely hard looking for work.

I am in a job I really dislike, I'm beginning to see that this is starting to become the norm nowadays, and its quite sad really.

dickydonkin

You also have to bear in mind that a lot of Jobcentre staff are on less pay than the customers, how wearing is that?

So a lot of jobcentre staff earn less that 60 quid a week?

shikoku

CannotFindHelp wrote: »

The hardest thing was that everywhere I went I heard the same thing - that unemployed people are useless, lazy, dole sucking scum, benefit fraudsters and just generally robbing !!!!!!!s who want to do as little as possible for as much as possible.

You want to stop reading the Daily Mail... problem solved.

tsimehC

dpassmore wrote: »

So a lot of jobcentre staff earn less that 60 quid a week?

Not quite so simple as 60pw when you have to take into consideration other pass-ported benefits like Housing Benefit and free dental treatment. I don't agree that it's more than working in as a lowly paid JCP staff but maybe the OP is just another one of many disillusioned people that worked/used to work in a jobcentre.

dickydonkin

tsimehC wrote: »

Not quite so simple as 60pw when you have to take into consideration other pass-ported benefits like Housing Benefit and free dental treatment. I don't agree that it's more than working in as a lowly paid JCP staff but maybe the OP is just another one of many disillusioned people that worked/used to work in a jobcentre.

You will likely find the most disgruntled 'customers' in a jobcentre are those who genuinely want to work but SOME JCP staff (not all I hasten to add) just seem to tar everyone with the same brush and talk to 'customers' (many who are far more intelligent than themselves) like a piece of crap.

I have had some truly awful experiences ranging from being given very poor information that could have jeopordised my future finances to not being allowed to use a toilet after waiting over an hour beyond my alotted timeslot. I was told I cannot use staff toilets (there was none for 'customers') as it would require a 'risk assessment' - Priceless!

dickydonkin

Mr_Falling_Star wrote: »

As a ex member of staff from a Jobcentre I can tell you know that even now 55%-60% of people sign off before they reach the 13 week point, 70% before the six month point and 90% by the year mark. That is today, 2010, so I know that a lot of people do sign off quite quickly. I think it is down to attitude, and infact there is a adage that job seeking is half attitude and half circumstances. When working with the long term unemployed (12 months) they always seem to have a load of problems and not much get up and go to get out of them. For instance a lot of training courses were held in a neighbouring city, only 30 mins away by free bus but a lot of people said they wouldn't go there? why? Have they got something better to do.

As for the attitude of Jobseekers I was fine with most people but the two that really used to annoy me were the people who thought they were to good or to clever for the jobcentre and the terminally feeble. Not those who had special needs or other issues, they were fine but more the whole "poor me" attitude.

You also have to bear in mind that a lot of Jobcentre staff are on less pay than the customers, how wearing is that?

Just because someone has 'signed off' does not mean they have found employment.

It would be interesting to know if they are government figures or an individual JCP office. I supect if it is the former, these figures will be doctored - if it the latter, the jobcentre must be in a relatively affluent area.

When working with the long term unemployed (12 months) they always seem to have a load of problems and not much get up and go to get out of them. For instance a lot of training courses were held in a neighbouring city,

Training couses? At my local JCP, when I asked for training, I was informed there was no money available for training.

When I was long term unemployed, I don't think I had a load of problems and I would like to think I had sufficient get up and go even being on the wrong side of 50.

You also have to bear in mind that a lot of Jobcentre staff are on less pay than the customers, how wearing is that?

Not as wearing as being unemployed after 36 years of continuous employment - at least they have a wage and their dignity.

Vader123

junkmayle wrote: »

Offer me the benefit of your wisdom and point out what I am doing wrong.

Ok, some questions then

1) Are you restricting yourself to certain hours (ie will you work nights, weekends)
2) Are you restricting who you will work for (ie Mcdonalds? Supermarkets, bar work)
3) Are you restricting your job searching to a geographical area? (ie willing to move).

Assuming you are all "yes"....

What else have YOU done to improve your credentials?

Vader