can jobcentre contact companies you apply to?

jimbob40

Hi there,

I signed on this week and the lady at the office said my account had been 'flagged'. I submitted my work search diary but she sent me away and said I need to bring evidence of the applications.

Obviously I have the applications on my PC that I can submit but my worry is that the Jobcentre will be contacting the companies I applied to in order to check the applications?

I'm sure like most I certainly DON'T put on my applications that I'm currently unemployed and I'm really worried that they'll 'blow my cover' so to speak by contacting them!! I have a couple of great interviews coming up and I'm really worried by providing JSA with the full details of the applications they'll start contacting the employers/agencies and mess it all up for me!

does anyone know the in's and out's of this?

dookar

Yes they can and yes they do

Sam____2

Yes they can contact the employer, usually when your given the job description on the print out it states something about the employer being willing to cooperate with JCP regarding the vacancy etc. Doubtfull they will though unless they suspect you haven't applied.

jimbob40

Thanks for the advice. The jobs I applied for weren't through Jobseekers Direct though they were vacancies I found independently.

My main concern is that because I was made redundant from a relatively good job, the level of jobs that I'm applying to are management positions. For that reason I'm sort of 'omitting' the fact I've been out of work for 6 months on the applications to make me look more desirable to employees, but I'm just terrified they'll start phoning around and jeopardise the opportunities for me.

oh well... fingers crossed I suppose!

I_luv_cats

If the job is advertised via the JC the employer will be contacted for follow up and that's when the reality dawns of how many people actually applied / followed up their application.

Emmzi

what is your plan for when they ask for references and you come up 6 months short on the "employed from and to" dates?

Muttleythefrog

jimbob40 wrote: »

I'm sure like most I certainly DON'T put on my applications that I'm currently unemployed and I'm really worried that they'll 'blow my cover' so to speak by contacting them!!

Advice above answers your question but it's worth saying this.

Your employment status is something that will likely come up at interview if not soon after if successful... turn it to your advantage. Being unemployed means you don't have to give notice and can probably start when they want you to. Being unemployed (unless you left your last job for negative reasons) also means you aren't looking to be disloyal..lol. The question I would always ask candidates is 'why do you want to leave your current job' and to be honest I don't recall ever getting a good answer..lol.. I certainly don't recall ever getting an answer I felt was honest. And honesty can count for a lot... it is worth remembering that.

ChaseMe

Emmzi wrote: »

what is your plan for when they ask for references and you come up 6 months short on the "employed from and to" dates?

I was just thinking the same, you will have to give your former employer as a reference.

Unless the company has gone bust i suppose..?.;)

StormyWeather_2

As mentioned your reference will probably have dates of employment and there will be a 6 month gap. I can understand you not highlighting the gap, but when you get to the interview will you be able to explain what you've been doing for the past 6 months in a positive way.

DCFC79

Your cover will be blown when anyone contacts your last employer for a reference and are given a start and end date so why not just be honest on the application forms. Other people have been made redundant and yes it is hard gong but you just have to pick yourself up and move on.

jimbob40

Yes the company went bust... hence not worrying about a reference!! However, I think most people are correct- honesty is the best policy. I didn't lose my job through any fault of my own and I'm sure potential employers won't mind in the long run.

However, I do have a quick follow on question. I'm just wondering if what the Job Centre did today is actually fair? If I'm honest when the advisor saw me I could tell that she was having a bad day and I think she's just making life difficult for me.

I wouldn't mind so much today but when I came back to the JC this afternoon to submit my 'evidence' she'd already left and nobody else would see me - they just told me to come back on Monday.

So that's going to be 3 round trips to the job centre... at almost £5 per round trip that's almost £15 I'm going to have spent on this bloody signing date, which is a lot when you're living on JSA!

The thing is though I brought my workseeker's diary as requested but nobody gave me any prior warning that I'd need to provide further evidence of my job search at all. So it's really not my fault that I didn't bring 'print outs of my sent items' as requested along with me - I've never been asked for them once since I opened a claim and had no idea that she'd ask for this additional information. Do I have any kind of recourse at all as I'm really don't feel that I'm in the wrong here.

To make matters worse, I spoke to the JSA on the phone this afternoon and it's a complete fabrication that my account has been 'flagged' as the advisor said!! I think I'm being given the run around to be honest!!