Job Fears: I am about to become part of the working poor?

Martynb_

Taadaa wrote: »

^^ really, Ska lover? You really didn't know that there are people on benefits that want to stay on benefits instead of going to work? What country have you been living in?

OP you need to think about this carefully. This isn't just about the money, you will have more social contact and the opportunity to broaden your skills base, which may lead to progression. We all have to start somewhere.

It may well do. It may well not do. I don't think that this 50/50 argument gives much consolation. We do have to start somewhere but in my experience it does not always lead to better things. I think there is less chance now that it will lead to better things, unless the government can increase the benefits of work. I do not think that this is their agenda.

Martynb_

Taadaa wrote: »

Sorry to be harsh but you clearly don't have the necessary skills, otherwise you would be at least getting interviews for your so called dream job. Interesting though that your dream job gives you the lifestyle you want, but you aren't sure exactly what that job is.

I know what the job is. I know what my skills are. There are people with mathematics degrees stacking shelves in Tesco. There are people with skills in business and entrepeneureal studies driving trains. There are personal trainers with degrees in physionogmy and sport science who only clean the gym toilets and fix a few machines when they break down. I am qualified for this job. But that is not my issue. My issue is about money.

marybelle01

Martynb_ wrote: »

It is a dream-ish job. But I have to think about my finances as well. I'm hardly going to last very long at the job if it becomes a burden. I would, and I think I can speak for almost everyone, like the benefits that come with having a job. There must be benefits to having a job. I mean having a car, holidays, new clothes, etc, etc. I'm hardly going to last very long at the job if the benefits are zero.

Besides, my definition of a dream job has to come with those benefits I mentioned, or else it is not a dream job. It is just another job...a low-paid one at that.

And unemployment comes with all those benefits does it? I am obviously an idiot working for a living if it does. You have been out of work for two years, and your "dream-ish" job suddenly become a "burden" within seconds of people telling you to go for it? The way to a car, holidays and new clothes is to get into work and then work your way up!

Martynb_ wrote: »

I would shove your advice where the sun does not shine. You obviously have not read what I wrote. I do not chose not to work.

If you're going to post something at least get it right.

You are choosing not to work now - you haven't even got the job and you have come up with an argument against every supportive and helpful piece of advice you have been given. By God, it is not the job that is a "burden" - it's you.

I'm out.

bankhater_1965

Martynb_ wrote: »

Hi, this week I was given the opportunity by A4E to get an interview with a woman who owns a gymnasium. I have always wanted to work in a gym, and I am qualified to do basic fitness stuff. The pre-interview stage (an informal interview) starts on Tuesday with another interview later on in the week. I suspect I am not the only candidate given this opportunity.

But this job is minimum wage and is not local; a bus ride and a train ride there and back. It looks like an early start which means I will probably have to walk (not good if you have to conserve energy to work in fitness) instead of catching the bus.

So, I am worried about finances mostly. I want to work, but I'm worried about becoming the working poor. I don't have a job at present but I do have stability. I have been out of work for 2 years now owing to a medical condition and owing to the fact that the company I worked for went bust. I pay no rent which is £100 per week. I pay no council tax either.

After an inwork calculation on 35 hours per week I am told I would be better of £30 per week, which doesn't give me much insentive. The working tax credit, which would bump it up, would only last a couple of months, I am told.

When I was working in 1992 doing around 30 hours per week I was able to afford driving lessons and ready to buy my first car (I did not get it in the end), a nice flat, and a holiday every year. I think now that seems less likely.

I am about to join the working poor, I think.

Unless I can think of ways to make this job pay. Just seems all so pointless. I wouldn't mind doing this job voluntarily and A4E could pay my transport costs. They won't do that, because they want me in full time work.

My option would be to move to where the job is but I do not think I could afford to move because I have debts with a housing association. I could go private but I am already in a private tenancy and there's a chance it would be expensive as it is where I am now. I would save on transport costs but not much.

I just wish they would make the minimum wage to £9 per hour or something. Make things worthwhile.

Any advice on this difficult issue? :money:

afraid this is a common thing and a failure of goverment as to any insentive to get work , personaly i would not bother until something alot better comes up , going out to work for this amount is just silly

Martynb_

marybelle01 wrote: »

And unemployment comes with all those benefits does it? I am obviously an idiot working for a living if it does. You have been out of work for two years, and your "dream-ish" job suddenly become a "burden" within seconds of people telling you to go for it? The way to a car, holidays and new clothes is to get into work and then work your way up!



You are choosing not to work now - you haven't even got the job and you have come up with an argument against every supportive and helpful piece of advice you have been given. By God, it is not the job that is a "burden" - it's you.

I'm out.

Absolutely. Progression. Yes, in theory, but in practice the reality is very different. Where there is an opportunity to progress, it must benefit the business ultimately. If progression means paying your staff a higher wage there must be the money to do that. Is there money to do that? Not always. I think it depends upon many factors.

As for me choosing not to work. Well, I am choosing not do a particular job in order to safeguard the stability I have at the moment. I do not want to find that a month into the job I can no longer afford to the pay the rent and find myself without a home. Worse still: not being able to afford food. I dread going to a food bank, especially if I am working.

I believe that work should work to get you out of poverty not stay in it. Call me old fashioned if you will, but I'm no slave. I either stay as I am or make work pay. You want me to work? - I do - then help me make it pay instead of throwing me cliches.

Martynb_

bankhater_1965 wrote: »

afraid this is a common thing and a failure of goverment as to any insentive to get work , personaly i would not bother until something alot better comes up , going out to work for this amount is just silly

You see, I would do this job voluntarily. Yes! Voluntarily. But if it meant working to keep me in poverty then I'd rather not take the job. There's a difference between not taking a job and not wanting to work. I want to work. But I want to make it work, or else just what is the point? If the point is that I must work even if it means that I will be financially worse off, then they should enshrine that in law and not let these Marie Antoinettes on the internet (and elsewhere) throw insults at us.

McKneff

Martynb_ wrote: »

I live in a town which has a bad record of unemployment and is steadily getting worse. In my two years of job hunting I have not seen many part time jobs going in a local restaurant/bar and even less on weekend work, but quite a few restaurants/bars have closed down. Besides, I don't feel particularly happy working on my days off. Would you like to work on your days off? I know I wouldn't. Of course, that is a purely personal choice. But I would like days off so I can spend time doing things away from work.

I have worked on my days off, because I needed to feed my kids. Ive just retired and spent the last 47 years working my !!!! off, except for 2 years when I had my children, and yes, sometimes on my day off,

I dint mean work all day on your day off, I meant a couple of hours on an evening or something like that.

No offence intended but you say this is your dream job but your not prepared to fight for it, your posts are coming over as very negative. What more motivation do you want. This could be the chance youve been waiting for.

Up and at 'em is what I say
Annie

bankhater_1965

Martynb_ wrote: »

You see, I would do this job voluntarily. Yes! Voluntarily. But if it meant working to keep me in poverty then I'd rather not take the job. There's a difference between not taking a job and not wanting to work. I want to work. But I want to make it work, or else just what is the point? If the point is that I must work even if it means that I will be financially worse off, then they should enshrine that in law and not let these Marie Antoinettes on the internet (and elsewhere) throw insults at us.

i 100 % agree with you, i have contributed for 30 years tax & ni , its completly out of order going to work when its financaily not worth it , regardless if others like it or not , its a personal choice

bankhater_1965

McKneff wrote: »

I have worked on my days off, because I needed to feed my kids. Ive just retired and spent the last 47 years working my !!!! off, except for 2 years when I had my children, and yes, sometimes on my day off,

I dint mean work all day on your day off, I meant a couple of hours on an evening or something like that.

No offence intended but you say this is your dream job but your not prepared to fight for it, your posts are coming over as very negative. What more motivation do you want. This could be the chance youve been waiting for.

Up and at 'em is what I say
Annie

its very negative purley down to working for £40 a week ! do you expect this person to work for £40 a week over a 38 hour week (1.05 per hour)??
you say what more motivation do you want ,and fight for it,with the average time of 3-5 years between each job down to redundancy, please tell us ?

Martynb_

ska_lover wrote: »

I wasn't offering advice. I have no advice for the likes of yourself....What I was giving was an opinion - which I am more than entitled to give, seeing as my tax pays for you to sit at home.

Hahaha! You are so contradictory - Your actual first post is saying that you are thinking of not taking a job, so you can stay on benefits - that IS choosing not to work. Whether you would like to dress it up in a different way is entirely up to you.

.

You're rigidly focusing on one thing to the exclusion of other things in order to vent a prejudice. I shall be reasonable. Firstly, I was thinking of whether to take the job or not in order to ensure that I don't mess things up; I would actually like to take the job. If not taking the job to avoid disaster means staying on benefits then so be it. Is this choosing not to work? Yes, but for good reason. If there is a good reason for not accepting the job, then I will not take the job. There is no debate then.