No jobs applied for - will they moan?

bleenoth

My last job finished a month ago due to owner retirement ( I was the only employee).

Now really only looking for part-time jobs as wife, who earns loads more than me, has gone full-time.

One came up three weeks ago which was so similar to my last job it was a no brainer to go for it, especially as it was part-time.

Now, I had quite an unusual job. Lets say for example I hand-made titanium knee-joints (I don't, its just an example for ease).

A job come up, looking for a hand-made titanium knee joint maker.

I applied, then there has been a three week wait before the application time closed. Then probably more time waiting for an interview and so on.

I am not stupid enough to imagine they will be running up my garden path saying thank goodness I applied, and when can I start, but there is at least, hopefullly, a really good chance I will at least get an interview.

I am not in a rush (yet) to look for anything else, although obviously I will if this doesn't come through.

Now, last time I went to the job centre, the guy seemed to be really keen on me applying for other jobs - they pointed me towards a delivery driving job on the basis I can drive! He also seemed quite concerned that I hadn't applied for anything in over a week.

Even though, I have spent time reading interview technique articles and finding out as much as poss about the company, as well as job searching each day, and so on.

Should I have been applying for other jobs to keep on the right side of my adviser guy at the Job Centre, or do they realise that some of us are not able to apply for as many vacancies as others.

(If I wanted to work in a shop, I could have applied for at least two or three a week, which seems fair to me)

Just really wondering if he has a right to 'moan' about my inaction, or is it fair enough for me to want to continue in a similar career to my last job, even though it means waiting a few weeks to see, as the impression I get is that they seem to want you to get 'any' job.

Sorry for going on a bit. Thanks.

SHIRAZ

in a word...YES

LisaB85

Most are realistic about the fact their aren't many jobs about and will expect there to be the odd week where you've not applied for anything.

3 weeks ago I applied for 12 jobs in 5 days, last week I applied for 2 and I'm looking at almost anything as long as I can get there etc.

If your adviser notices a pattern they will start matching you to jobs and issue directions, you can limit yourself to your previous occupation for 13 weeks after that you need to be looking at and applying for anything you could do.

Why not try something different? you might like it and if not you can use it as a stop gap until you find something in your usual profession.

falko89

It all depends on where you live and the amount of jobs going, Mine rarely reads my book and doesn't seem to give a rats as there are no local jobs about.

Notmyrealname

In the first 6 months of signing on you are allowed to restrict your job search to the field you're in and/or a comparable salary. Once you get to 6 months you have to apply for anything and everything regardless of field or wage.

Elvisia

I had a long chat with my advisor at the JC (while a queue mounted up behind me, but he was giving such good information) and he said when you sign on they are just checking to see if you are keeping to your agreement, ie you are applying for the jobs in the areas you said you could work. It made perfect sense, as when I has applied for jobs in other areas not on my agreement they started to huff and puff when they read it, and asked me why I was only applying for those sorts of jobs - the answer being because it was a slow fortnight for jobs in my sector and I was desperate to apply for anything.

Since I found this out I make sure I write down clearly the jobs I apply for that are on my agreement, and signing on is very quick as they're literally ticking boxes. As a job seeker it doesn't help me much, I end up applying for jobs in my sector that I know I am not qualified for, and I spend less time being able to apply for the other jobs (which would only be a few hours a week but enough to get me off benefits) but it keeps them happy.

nimbo

bleenoth wrote: »

I am not in a rush (yet) to look for anything else, although obviously I will if this doesn't come through.

Now, last time I went to the job centre, the guy seemed to be really keen on me applying for other jobs - they pointed me towards a delivery driving job on the basis I can drive! He also seemed quite concerned that I hadn't applied for anything in over a week.

Even though, I have spent time reading interview technique articles and finding out as much as poss about the company, as well as job searching each day, and so on.

Should I have been applying for other jobs to keep on the right side of my adviser guy at the Job Centre, or do they realise that some of us are not able to apply for as many vacancies as others.

(If I wanted to work in a shop, I could have applied for at least two or three a week, which seems fair to me)

Just really wondering if he has a right to 'moan' about my inaction, or is it fair enough for me to want to continue in a similar career to my last job, even though it means waiting a few weeks to see, as the impression I get is that they seem to want you to get 'any' job.

Sorry for going on a bit. Thanks.

now just imagine that you were in fact a titanium knee designer....

it might be a bit of a niche job, and the fact that you had been laid off knee designing in knee city or where ever you're based might imply they no longer needed as many people to wok in the industry....

or imagine there was a snitty teen who just didn't want to apply for X, Y or Z.... (or take a friend of mine who will only work as a photographer, or a photographers assistant.... she's been signing on for around 4 years)

what is the technical difference between you the knee designer, and the snitty teen who wants to be a a singer, work in the music industry, or whatever they want to do???? it might suck - but you said it was a niche job, there probably isn't much call for it, and jobs like that may be few and far between....

right now Jeremy Kyle may be entertainment but soon it will make you want to gouge your eyes out with a spoon. (or you'll secretly root to hear that all 15 DNA tests were negative just to hear the girl admit that she must 'have forgotten' sleeping with lucky guy number 16 in the 2 week period)...

people on these boards have been looking for months (like 18 or 24 in some cases, are you really prepared to stay at home that long? my BIL has been out of work for nearly 3.5 years now, and he and my sister have very little to talk about, and it COULD become a bone of contention with your other half.

oooh and My Mum always said it was easier getting a job when you already had one....

hcb42

Don't you have to be available for full time work to claim JSA?

LadyMissA

If you haven't found anything at all online and I find that a bit hard to believe you should at least send 5 speculative emails/CV's to employers. You have to be shown as being active.

Sambucus_Nigra

LadyMissA wrote: »

If you haven't found anything at all online and I find that a bit hard to believe you should at least send 5 speculative emails/CV's to employers. You have to be shown as being active...

...if you want to claim the benefit of Job Seeker's Allowance that is.

If you don't - then don't! You don't have to if you don't want to. But you might well get sanctioned and hence - no more weekly JSA.

kazzah60

I may be incorrect in my assumption - but as the OP states his wife is earning " loads" more than him - if her income is high, he won't be eligible for any payment of JSA and will onlt be signing on to cover his NI contribution - so as he isn't "costing" the tax payer anything in benefits does it matter if he restricts his applications?