The Work Programme New Thread

Gaz1971

MissSarah1972 wrote: »

Sorry? What are you on about?

I have not stormed off anywhere.

Sorry, got you mixed up with someone else.

MissSarah1972

Gaz1971 wrote: »

Sorry, got you mixed up with someone else.

Hmmm interesting...................Obviously not a good memory if I am not who you were thinking of.

dontone

Been to my first Work programme interview today. TBH I was quite insulted by some of the questions I was asked.
"Are you in debt?" "Are you in a stable relationship?" "Do you have your own teeth & hair?" not really :rotfl:but you get the idea.
She was rather put out because she asked me if I could start work tomorrow should the opportunity come up, and I replied that I am due to start physio tomorrow (which is the truth) and course, that opened a whole can of worms...."What's wrong with you?". Then she wanted to know why I wouldn't be willing to do p/t hours if I had to travel more than 40 miles each way to get to work.
Then, because I only get NI, she suggested that I "sign off" Which I'm not doing because I don't see why I should have gaps in my pension.
It just seemed that my personal life was more under scrutiny that my actual job status. She did ask about any courses/skills I would like to learn, because "they offer things like that" and when I asked what was actually on offer she said "we don't just offer courses" EH?????
Oh and the clincher was that the Work programme place had "more jobs advertised that what they have available in the Job Centre" although I didn't see any evidence of it. If that's the case why isn't that the actual J/C??
Got my own back, when asked my religion, I said "Time Lord" and she didn't know where to type it, it ended up, after a while as "other" :rotfl: Jedi is soooooooo last year :rotfl:
I came out of there feeling rather narked by it.

donnajunkie

dontone wrote: »

Been to my first Work programme interview today. TBH I was quite insulted by some of the questions I was asked.

i remember i got asked are you gay or are you normal. i pointed out they may want to rethink how they word it as someone could be offended.

Gaz1971

If they ever give you a hard time just remind them that when you get a job they will require you to be co operative and tell them all about your new employer so they can claim payment from the government, and if they give you grief, you wont be telling them jack. That usually changes their attitude towards you.

donnajunkie

Gaz1971 wrote: »

If they ever give you a hard time just remind them that when you get a job they will require you to be co operative and tell them all about your new employer so they can claim payment from the government, and if they give you grief, you wont be telling them jack. That usually changes their attitude towards you.

if mine ever threatens to get me sanctioned i am going to make a point of saying this.

KevInChester

donnajunkie wrote: »

i remember i got asked are you gay or are you normal. i pointed out they may want to rethink how they word it as someone could be offended.

Wow, that is an awful question!

donnajunkie

KevInChester wrote: »

Wow, that is an awful question!

yes, totally clueless i thought. one annoying aspect is it immediately hits you that an idiot like that is being paid to be there and you arent.

Elvisia

Just a quickie about your area of research, and please feel free to slap me here, have you written to lots of universities *now* asking for research positions, because that's how I got my job as a prof, I wrote just before the beginning of term and they desperately needed someone. Also it's worth writing to several different people in one university as they rarely get their !!!!!! in gear enough to forward stuff on. Could you do private tuition in your area of research, or part time teaching on any sort of uni course?

wantsajob

PhDbum wrote: »

I'm on it, I'll tell you what has been happening for the last 4 appointments. The first appointment, the guy explained the government introducing this crap programme. He got everyone to sign papers.

I can sympathise with your position, but I get the impression you'd pass up a minimum wage job?