Support Each Other in Looking For Work - Pt 2

saxonrosecliff

I had my first experience of the work programme yesterday and what an experience it was.

I turned up for my appointment at 9.30am and was told that my advisor was off sick which is fair enough. I sat down with someone who didn't seem to be quite awake (I suppose it was first thing on Monday morning) and kept calling me by the wrong name and he registered me.

When I signed on last Monday the advisor at the job centre told me that the work programme advisor would be signing my diary from now on and to make sure he signed it as I might not get paid otherwise (job centre is only processing the payment from now on). WP Advisor looked at me with a blank expression and said he'd never heard of this. He went off to check with the supervisor who also didn't know anything about it and refused to sign it, suggesting that I call in at the job centre (on the other side of town!) and enquire there. Got to the job centre and the woman there didn't know anything about it either but went off to check. She came back and said there had been a mix up and it would be sorted by my next visit (probably should have got that bit in writing).

I finally got home at 12.30pm having spent all that time achieving nothing apart from two massive blisters on the bottom of my feet as I'd gone wearing flip flops not thinking I would have to trek across town and back again in intense heat (bus stop is near work programme place and nowhere near the job centre)!

At least I got my £4 bus fare back though - got to be grateful for small mercies.

Give me strength!

EndlessStruggle

I read the Work Programme thread every so often and the experiences don't seem to match mine as mine have been very good and helpful. Off to get eyes tested soon as can't see anything and to tell the job centre about my holiday.

Not much going on job wise here, found a few bits to apply for but it's mostly jobs that require a car or very few hours or 0 hour contracts or specific job roles.

Laconic

Hi, I thought I'd join you as I could use the support! Were I joining the forum today I'd have named myself BetweenTwoStools because that's my situation right now.

I'm hunting for a temp job to cover the months between the end of my course and the beginning of the next and it's gone from hopeful to frightful over the last three months! I'm still a 'student' so benefits are out and I'm not really a 'student' so the school doesn't want to know. Great fun... last time I was job hunting (11 years ago), I was unemployed for all of 2 days, so the new economic reality is quite a... shock, shall we say?

Back to applications, applications...

Horace

I did all my assessments for MnS and now I need to wait and see what happens next.

Got my head bitten off on Tuesday as it seems that I was outside without permission:eek: The jobcentre had been trying to ring me about an actual interview for their part time job - they tried my home phone several times and tried my mobile but because I was taking tests I switched it off. I eventually got hold of them and got earache about being out and about to which I had to remind them that I was looking for a permanent job and was undergoing training so I could get such a thing:mad: I was invited for interview this Friday but I cannot attend because at the exact same time I have an interview elsewhere so that basically I am stuffed where that part time temporary job is concerned. I do hope that I am not penalised for it.

The job hunt continues and maybe I will apply for that super dooper job that I saw that means travelling the world and spending weekends away from home:D

DCFC79

Hope you all find something as it can be quite daunting on JSA as i know myself.

EndlessStruggle

I'm in a big dilemma. I have a holiday booked and paid for for next week, going with OH My old work have called and offered some work, they were offering it to everyone they have laid off recently, they said I couldn't have the time off or start after holiday as there might not/probably not be work after the 18th so just a few days work. I said yes at first as thought I could cancel holiday, turns out I can't. So I would be going back for 8 days by the looks of things. Having to sign off and loads of hassle. OH is seriously p***** at me as was very looking forward to holiday, Mother is p***** at the way they are treating me, both are p***** at them for obviously using me so they can avoid having to interview people and the costs etc. They are well known for hiring and firing and VERY high turnover, people start and get laid off not soon after. They laid off some people when I was there after an hour! So I have no idea what to do now. I don't really want to go back at all, would be very soul destroying etc, was just thinking of the money but now it seems like I am going to lose out more by going back. Last time I worked there I had a holiday booked at the beginning and they let me have the 5 days off no problem. I think I am going to have to tell them no.. I really don't know what to do at all. I should be grateful for being offered work I know but seems like I am going to be worse off doing it.

Pupnik

Well I'm back to job hunting now, having been forced to go 'freelance' with my previous employer a few months ago I now find myself with £1,500 in unpaid invoices and not even sure whether to go in next week or not, so much confusion with staff coming and going. Shame, because I do love this job. Just looking through the job sites fills me with no hope since what little jobs there are seem to be badly paid for the job description or completely misleading, such as one which I saw advertised as full time perm that then in the description said 'you will be required to work in a freelance capacity' - what is it with companies trying to save a bit of cash by making people work freelance? It takes the mickey.

EndlessStruggle

This employment larky does my head in.

I have to weigh up losing a £700 holiday, having a p***** off partner vs gaining £150 in cash for a weeks work which I will hate and resent doing etc

looby75

EndlessStruggle wrote: »

This employment larky does my head in.

I have to weigh up losing a £700 holiday, having a p***** off partner vs gaining £150 in cash for a weeks work which I will hate and resent doing etc

when you put it like that its a no brainer. You have already said that they are just using people they have made redundant in order to avoid agency fees/interviewing costs.

Unless you think that it could eventually lead to you being taken back on full time then don't let them mess you around like that. Go on holiday, enjoy the break and come back refreshed and ready to throw all your efforts back into searching for a perment job

Laconic

Been an interesting day: went to my university Careers office to get some advice rewriting my CV to emphasise my skills and allow me to apply for jobs not directly related to my degree and they very nicely tore it apart. Upshot is, I've not been selling myself very well: most of the jobs I've had have been from people who already know and understand what I can do and consequently I've not been selling myself that hard. It's been worthwhile.