How many "steps" each week - JSA

gettingready

I keep on seeing everyone mentioning "3 steps per week" in their jobseeker agreement. Is this the norm?

The reason I am asking is because my agreement states "6 steps per week".

It does not bother me as I do much more than that anyway - just wondering what is the norm?

I have been signing on since August last year - if that matters.

Thanks a lot.

im-lost

its whatever yo have agreed with your adviser.

I believe its a minimum of 3 at first, but then goes up to 6
after 6 months or so, well it was with mine, but that was
during last year.

Although everybody really sould be doing a lot more...

LadyMissA

I have 10 items on mine.
Write to at least 2 employers each week
Phone at least 1 employer/agency
Visit at least 1 employer (I have never done this as you tell me how many employers can you get to see?)
Use job seekers direct 2 times a week
Ask, family friends & people I have worked with on a weekly basis
Look in 3 newspapers

I do all of this but do not write it down unless I have applied for an actual job or I would be writing 100's of things down

I list all my actual job applications (about 50 a week) on the Looking for Work booklet and I have an A4 piece of paper that I carry with me that details all the sites I look at, all the automated emails I have set up, all the sites where my CV is stored, all the agencies I am registered with & the newspapers I look at etc

As I am now on the work programme I have to list seperate all the actual direct with employer jobs I apply for with full details (link for advert online, job titles, how I applied etc with contact email addresses) and all the job applications I have chased up and the outcome. Also a list of retail companies I have contacted on a weekly basis and all the agencies I have contacted (the ones I am regsitered with) and the ones who have contacted me.

The really odd thing is that time and time again I have been told 'oh you don't need to list all this' by the Job Centre but I say I do as thats the proof to them (hard copies) that I have been applying for jobs but they barely even look at it as there is far too much and they have no room on their system nor I guess an hour to key it all in everytime I sign on.

scooby088

I think it's all subjective really I do more than enough to apply for work and looking for work. There are only so many hours in the days but i can say i do atleast 30 things per week. I have been told by my advisor that i have an excellent looking for work record.

loadbang

LadyMissA wrote: »

I have 10 items on mine.
Write to at least 2 employers each week
Phone at least 1 employer/agency
Visit at least 1 employer (I have never done this as you tell me how many employers can you get to see?)
Use job seekers direct 2 times a week
Ask, family friends & people I have worked with on a weekly basis
Look in 3 newspapers

Same as mine, but two newspapers and one is "look at JCP twitter feed".

My Job Centre have been saying to people "it is not three steps, but three applications", then trying to sanction people.

LadyMissA wrote: »

I list all my actual job applications (about 50 a week) ....

50? Are you hitting submit on random jobs? I struggle to complete one application in a day, many take 2-3 days.

Find the job, research the company can take several hours. Make a phone call, possibly ask to visit company. Mind map the job spec. Draft cover letter, amend CV to suit job, sleep on it, submit next day.

I'm currently on the Work Programme, have been for three months. All I get is a 2 minute phone call from the provider every two weeks "have you had more than 16 hours work?", I say no and they hang up. I'm getting around 10-14 hours a week when I do get work. As soon as I get 16 hours, I'm going to retract from the Work Programme so they do not get their money, unless my provider actually does something helpful.

bluenoseam

loadbang wrote: »

Same as mine, but two newspapers and one is "look at JCP twitter feed".

My Job Centre have been saying to people "it is not three steps, but three applications", then trying to sanction people.

50? Are you hitting submit on random jobs? I struggle to complete one application in a day, many take 2-3 days.

Find the job, research the company can take several hours. Make a phone call, possibly ask to visit company. Mind map the job spec. Draft cover letter, amend CV to suit job, sleep on it, submit next day.

I'm currently on the Work Programme, have been for three months. All I get is a 2 minute phone call from the provider every two weeks "have you had more than 16 hours work?", I say no and they hang up. I'm getting around 10-14 hours a week when I do get work. As soon as I get 16 hours, I'm going to retract from the Work Programme so they do not get their money, unless my provider actually does something helpful.

That's all well and good, but you could find that jobs often times will receive more applicants than they can cope with and will close the process, meaning all that hard work you've put in (which in it's own right is pretty admirable) goes to nothing. In a lot of cases people can fill in up to 50 application forms weekly as that's the required process which doesn't generally take all that long, especially if you're used to filling them in.

DCFC79

Im not sure if the steps to look for work varies on your age but always go by the agreement.

LadyMissA

loadbang wrote: »

50? Are you hitting submit on random jobs? I struggle to complete one application in a day, many take 2-3 days.

I apply via Reed, Gaapweb, TotalJobs, Jobsite, CV Library, CityJobs, The Caterer, AccountancyAge, The Metro, Evening Standard, RetailChoice, Job Seekers Direct, etc so they only need a version of mt CV and a cover letter which I have 3 or 4 options saved on my PC. I do also apply for the ones that need an application filled out and I saved them till the end of the day when I can spend an hour or two on each etc.

I do also every 2 weeks send speculative CV's/letter/references to companies I find (even if they are not advertising).

I am applying for everything however even jobs that are junior that I know I wont even get an interview for as the Job Centre have told me I have to so I apply for minimum wage jobs in accounts where I have 20 years experience. I am looking up to 30 miles away from home too so it covers a lot.

TeaCake

Theres a fab post here: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=47704285&postcount=4

I hit most of those sites 4-7 times a week and apply to everything I think I am able to do.

Horace

LadyMissA wrote: »

I apply via Reed, Gaapweb, TotalJobs, Jobsite, CV Library, CityJobs, The Caterer, AccountancyAge, The Metro, Evening Standard, RetailChoice, Job Seekers Direct, etc so they only need a version of mt CV and a cover letter which I have 3 or 4 options saved on my PC. I do also apply for the ones that need an application filled out and I saved them till the end of the day when I can spend an hour or two on each etc.

I do also every 2 weeks send speculative CV's/letter/references to companies I find (even if they are not advertising).

I am applying for everything however even jobs that are junior that I know I wont even get an interview for as the Job Centre have told me I have to so I apply for minimum wage jobs in accounts where I have 20 years experience. I am looking up to 30 miles away from home too so it covers a lot.

Same for me except Accountancy Age, Evening Standard & RetailChoice as I am registered with Events Industry and others. I look for jobs every day including Sundays - I was even job hunting on Christmas Day (only because I went online to look up something). This afternoon, I received a call from an agency who had seen my details on Caterer.com as they wanted to put me forward for a job in Event Sales - I have an interview with them on Wednesday morning.

I use all my business contacts (spent 2 years as self employed) and LinkedIn to find work. Things are tough out there but I shall keep persevering. I look for minimum wage jobs - sometimes when you have been self employed you work 100 hr weeks for less than the minimum wage anyway, as well as jobs that are more suited to my experience. Looking for a job is a full time job in itself but I hate being on benefits so I will do whatever I can to get a job.

gettingready

bluenoseam wrote: »

That's all well and good, but you could find that jobs often times will receive more applicants than they can cope with and will close the process, meaning all that hard work you've put in (which in it's own right is pretty admirable) goes to nothing.

Job was only advertised advertised yesterday afternoon (yes, on Sunday) , closing date 2nd Feb but with a note it will be closed when they receive 50 applications. Applied straight away. An hour later the job was off the website.