Support Each Other In Looking For Work?

AngelX_2

top_drawer wrote: »

hello everyone,

I'm feeling really down in the dumps this week; I have become "eligible" for madatory New Deal and had an interview introducing me to the scheme on Monday. I have a degree is psychology and am doing everything I possibly can to get employment; doing volunteer work for the CAB, taking various courses, working on a part-time basis in a related area of employment (which I lose my benefit pound for pound) and speaking to people who are involved in my area.

I really dont want to go on the New Deal thing; from what the person I spoke too at my introduction interview there is nothing they can do for that I am not already doing. They say they "may be able to incorporate what I am already doing into my New Deal" but he didnt look too hopeful - with the majority of the course seemed to be focused on basic skills, it seems that I will have to justify everything I do and ask to be excused to be elsewhere. I am knackered as it is with the stress, completing what feels like endless applications and trying to fit work in and I'm not sure why Im doing it when I still get grilled every fortnight and now this New Deal ;(((

One of the barriers to me finding work has been my lack of a driving licence - I am stuck in a cycle of not being able to afford lessons so needing to get a job but not being able to find work because I dont drive..........

I guess Im just here to moan really ;(

I was told about this work programme at the job centre yesterday. I'm not sure if its the same as New Deal but it sounds similar. My advisor told me I will have to find a job by the end of june or if not they will put me onto the work programme which is a 2-year contract

lexilex

top_drawer wrote: »

hello everyone,

I'm feeling really down in the dumps this week; I have become "eligible" for madatory New Deal and had an interview introducing me to the scheme on Monday. I have a degree is psychology and am doing everything I possibly can to get employment; doing volunteer work for the CAB, taking various courses, working on a part-time basis in a related area of employment (which I lose my benefit pound for pound) and speaking to people who are involved in my area.

I really dont want to go on the New Deal thing; from what the person I spoke too at my introduction interview there is nothing they can do for that I am not already doing. They say they "may be able to incorporate what I am already doing into my New Deal" but he didnt look too hopeful - with the majority of the course seemed to be focused on basic skills, it seems that I will have to justify everything I do and ask to be excused to be elsewhere. I am knackered as it is with the stress, completing what feels like endless applications and trying to fit work in and I'm not sure why Im doing it when I still get grilled every fortnight and now this New Deal ;(((

One of the barriers to me finding work has been my lack of a driving licence - I am stuck in a cycle of not being able to afford lessons so needing to get a job but not being able to find work because I dont drive..........

I guess Im just here to moan really ;(

Nothing to add but HELLO fellow psychology graduate! Are you finding your degree as useless as I am?

EndlessStruggle

Hello fellow graduates, mine is useless too. Although I just say transferable skills bla bla when people ask about it.

persa

Congratulations, November!:) I start my new job on Wednesday, so it's the first week for both of us.:)

Generally, I would put "Dear John" for an email, but "Dear Mr Smith" for a letter. If it was a woman and I didn't know her marital status, "Dear Ms Smith" for a letter.

I would always try to get a named contact, but as a last resort, "Dear Sir/Madam." Never assume gender.

plzhelpmesave!

WOOO HOO well done November - wish you all the best in your fabulous new job and hope you knock their socks off!

TopDrawer - dont give up, just keep plodding along with all that you are doing and one day it will be your turn. You will have a recent and relevant work history and you will be so much more confident when you get that new job!

top_drawer_2

lexilex wrote: »

Nothing to add but HELLO fellow psychology graduate! Are you finding your degree as useless as I am?

My degree means I can apply for a wide range of positions and I can state I have research and statisitics experience but other than that I think I would have been better [STRIKE]wasting time[/STRIKE] studying Media Studies or similar ;( where I wouldnt have had to work hard/meet deadlines etc and still be in the same position.

I have "current and relevant" work experience. Thank you. A job in Oxfam marking tat for sale is not what I need at the moment, in fact I think it would push me over the edge.

Jen

925dancer

I am utterly fed up, this year has been a total nightmare for me when everything was looking up this time last year.

Now I'm facing my landlady possibly serving me notice because she's panicking about my rent arrears (which are now stable and not escalating but that's not easing her mind at all). I am having to top up £50 to my rent due to paying back an overpayment and LHA not quite covering my rent. And now the power company want to install prepayment meters because I've neglected my utility bills.

I am three months into full-time job hunting and have only had 2 interviews with a 3rd on Tuesday which I really really hope to get as the money is reasonable and it means I can get some bills paid!

It is so disheartening to apply for 10-20 jobs every week that I could do standing on my head and never even getting a reply. Add the stress of potential homelessness and it just makes it all a whole lot worse. I am in a very miserable place at the moment.

williacg

925dancer wrote: »

I am utterly fed up, this year has been a total nightmare for me when everything was looking up this time last year.

Now I'm facing my landlady possibly serving me notice because she's panicking about my rent arrears (which are now stable and not escalating but that's not easing her mind at all). I am having to top up £50 to my rent due to paying back an overpayment and LHA not quite covering my rent. And now the power company want to install prepayment meters because I've neglected my utility bills.

I am three months into full-time job hunting and have only had 2 interviews with a 3rd on Tuesday which I really really hope to get as the money is reasonable and it means I can get some bills paid!

It is so disheartening to apply for 10-20 jobs every week that I could do standing on my head and never even getting a reply. Add the stress of potential homelessness and it just makes it all a whole lot worse. I am in a very miserable place at the moment.

It sounds like you're having a real nightmare of a time of it, being out of work and job hunting is enough to bring the most positive of people down, but facing possible eviction, in addition to your other financial problems can be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

It might seem like easier said than done, but you need to tackle the potential eviction situation head on, have you aproached your landlady with a reasonable (but doable) offer to pay the rent, but including an additional amount to cover the arrears? Some people might find it easier to sit down and write her a letter, rather than face-to-face, present her with an offer, and then stick to it religiously, you need to put her mind at rest that although you are currently unemployed, you can still work within a limited budget, and the rent being on the priority list of course.

With regards to your prepayment meter, if things have progressed so far, there's not a great deal you can do about it, unless that is, you have the finance to repay all overdue monies, it might take a while to become adjusted to a meter, but it will help you to budget, as you become immediately aware just how much gas and electricity you are using, and you will watch every penny.

I hope things pick up for you, but at least you do know that you have a great forum to pop into when you're feeling a little down or desperate, and just need a little positive support.

Best wishes

morizot

finally put at risk of redundancy and left my company's premises yesterday with head held high. came home, picked up the free paper and found an article looking for my secondary skills, rang them and passed the initial interview. It was a confidence booster but back to reality would be a tiny amount of income and i would be better off trying to get a job using my primary skills.

Really get cheesed off by everyone trying to give advice. Whilst I appreciate anything constructive, I need to do this my way based on my experiences. I have started to strongly assert myself (always my weak point) and interrogate them on their reasoning. So far i have amazing won all my battles without falling out with anyone. Just wish they would think and analyse before they speak.

To summarise
dad thinks I should take redundancy rather than work away from home (whatever I do in the future will involve long hours, if i work away from home at least I won't have the daily commute and keeping a job if possible is better than searching for a new job)
o/h thinks I should really job hunt and find another well paying job (I have seen my friends do this and it has taken them over 18 months, and consistent torment from their familes, why haven't you found a job) I also have found out that I am unproductive if i job hunt all day. I spend many productive hours daily including weekends (and like the rest of you have evidence). Also other job seekers only eventually found a job through connections and o/h spends a lot of time playing games when he should be working or doing housework (so he is not even abiding his own advice):mad:. It took him 9 months to get his job and I am not convince he worked harder than me to get it
Sister has laboured on about pointed all the steps that I have already taken and can demonstrate that I have taken and yes she found her job through networking and has not shown evidence of actually doing the steps herself

I have noticed that most of my friends/family gained a job through networking and boy have I been doing this during the last weeks:o

rant over, thank goodness for the constructive advice from everyone. I feel as if this is the one place where I can really get the reality and the best tips. Being at risk of redundancy is rather like having a baby, everyone thinks it as an opportunity to give their opinion informed or not

925dancer

williacg wrote: »

It sounds like you're having a real nightmare of a time of it, being out of work and job hunting is enough to bring the most positive of people down, but facing possible eviction, in addition to your other financial problems can be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

It might seem like easier said than done, but you need to tackle the potential eviction situation head on, have you aproached your landlady with a reasonable (but doable) offer to pay the rent, but including an additional amount to cover the arrears? Some people might find it easier to sit down and write her a letter, rather than face-to-face, present her with an offer, and then stick to it religiously, you need to put her mind at rest that although you are currently unemployed, you can still work within a limited budget, and the rent being on the priority list of course.

With regards to your prepayment meter, if things have progressed so far, there's not a great deal you can do about it, unless that is, you have the finance to repay all overdue monies, it might take a while to become adjusted to a meter, but it will help you to budget, as you become immediately aware just how much gas and electricity you are using, and you will watch every penny.

I hope things pick up for you, but at least you do know that you have a great forum to pop into when you're feeling a little down or desperate, and just need a little positive support.

Best wishes

I have been in constant contact with my landlady but she's only got this one property and had a three year tenancy before me so has never faced this sort of thing before. Neither have I as a tenant, I have as a property manager (my previous profession making this all the harder).

I would happily pay something towards arrears but it's just not possible, I'm single, live alone and have no family to turn to. I already have to use £50 per month from my Jobseekers to pay the shortfall between LHA and my actual rent, finding anything else is impossible. She's just getting very nervous, as I understand but as I said to her yesterday (we communicate via email) I don't know what else I can do.

I'm going to apply for a discretionary housing payment, we'll see if anything comes of that, I really hope so as I want to keep my landlady on side and with every email I receive I'm getting more and more nervous.

Just got to keep on keeping on and hope a job comes up sooner rather than later!