JSA - separate rules per job centre?

Speedwriter

Hi guys. I graduated from Warwick in May and finding a job has, sadly, proven a lot more difficult than I imagined. I eventually swallowed my pride at the beginning of July and signed on at my job centre in Barking. I'm confused, however, because I have to sign on every week?

I know a lot of people in my current situation at different job centres in Dagenham and Romford and they all have to sign on fortnightly. When I asked my advisor, she tried to tell me that they must have been claiming for longer, because she told me you sign on every week for the first thirteen weeks and then you get reviewed. When I told her that they actually signed on a week or two after me, she made out that they were the strange ones and that Barking are following protocol. She then casually remarked that while she appreciated my curiosity, she did have the authority to make me sign on daily. I felt this was kind of a threat, and being pathologically non-confrontational, went on a big speech about how great it was to sign on every week. It's not great, however. I'm given no constructive advice or being sent for jobs I'm qualified for. On my very first meeting with my advisor, I was told to make a CV where I didn't mention my degree, because "Nobody will employ me if I'm overqualified."

Even though I thought I was trying hard for employment, the whole job centre experience is in it's own weird way motivating me to look harder. Every week people are escorted out by police, I see staff threatening other non-confrontational job seekers and it's just a generally miserable place. I'm just wondering if their treatment of me is normal, or fair?

emerald_starcat

Not totally relevant to the OP but have you tried registering with employment agencies? Not sure about your area but in my area there are lots of factories where there is work. Not necessarily permanent work but it will be better than nothing and it will look good for future employers.

pickpocketlocket

You have been identified as needing additional support - this is the reason for having to sign on weekly.

xylophone

needing additional support

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The OP doesn't appear to be getting much or indeed any?

Speedwriter

pickpocketlocket wrote: »

You have been identified as needing additional support - this is the reason for having to sign on weekly.

While I appreciate that this may be the case, it's not what I've been told. According to my advisor, Barking job centre makes everyone sign on weekly for the first thirteen weeks. I don't know anyone else who signs on here, which is in itself confusing. A friend my age lives literally opposite me and has to go to a a job centre in Dagenham. Regardless, even though I'm not sure why I would be flagged for needing additional support, I definitely haven't been told this is the case.

pickpocketlocket

xylophone wrote: »

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The OP doesn't appear to be getting much or indeed any?

Yes, that does appear to be the case!

princessdon

I wonder if they have a 13 week target or something similar?

Not that it *should* affect OP (seems unfair) but I was wondering if they were some kind of pilot to see if weekly new sign ons got more results than fortnightly or if they had some kind of targets.

rogerblack

Way more stuff should be randomly trialed, to see what works.

Do weekly, biweekly appointments help?
Are they beneficial to specific groups?
Does the work program actually help people?

There is extremely limited evidence on this, as any initiatives tend to be done the wrong way.
It's rolled out in an area, for example, with extra training to advisers, and people who are thought to be likely to benefit are selected.

This doesn't really let you tell if there is actually a benefit, unless it's truly massive, as it can just be effects of advisers being more energised at their jobs.

It's all policy driven.
'I think people on benefit are X, therefore Y should help them into work.
Y is implemented, with often minimal research into if X is even true.

xylophone

On my very first meeting with my advisor, I was told to make a CV where I didn't mention my degree, because "Nobody will employ me if I'm overqualified."

So how would you explain what you have been doing for the last three years?
I am assuming that your degree is not in a subject that is directly relevant to the field in which you would be seeking employment, otherwise the above advice would clearly be nonsensical.
http://www.milkround.com/my-milkround/register.aspx?code=1&gclid=CO2287flhbICFUELfAodfy4AwA
Have you tried the above?

BigAunty

When I signed on after graduating approximately 25 years ago, the job centre was a dismal place where some of the staff appeared indifferent, though I never received what I considered veiled threats....

The Job centre generally has a poor reputation for finding meaningful work for its clients (perhaps because there are few opportunities and some of their clients have unrealistic demands) and the vacancies they advertise are rarely suited towards new graduates. Your experiences are nothing new.

The last time I visited one recently, most of the 'jobs' were micky mouse self employment sales commission based work, with most of the vacancies were for minimum wage junior non-skilled retail, security, cleaning and care work (but many still wanted qualifications and experience).

I would stop taking it all personally if you can despite the dismal customer service, just play the game to get your JSA and view it as the place least likely to find you suitable employment - you would do better to spend your time/energy on things like work experience/internships, speculative enquiries (selling yourself directly to companies that aren't advertising jobs currently), pounding the pavements to pick up casual employment if you want an interim job, looking at self-employment opportunities, signing up to graduate job websites and using your university careers service.

There is a job seeking/employment forum on MSE where you can pick up hints/tips and share your frustration with the Job Centre who will never provide a personalised service and will always just do the minimum to get the bodies through the door in the shortest time possible.

So I'm not disputing your experiences, I'm just saying that you need to rise above them - the Job Centre is highly unlikely to provide you with a meaningful graduate job or constructive advice, it's nothing more than an impersonal body shop.

You should have the research/written skills to find out how to produce a superb CV and cover letters, find out what employers are seeking rather than the unqualified advice of an undertrained and tired DWP employee who probably only has a couple of minutes to spend per client.

Rise above them - hopefully you are at the start of a journey of a high paying, satisfying career whereas they are unlikely to get any further than wearing a name badge and have to spend time arguing with hostile clients. I don't envy their work because I've seen equally how rude their clients are to them.

dibdabable

As regards signing on weekly my daughter was told that as she is under 24 she should be signing on weekly, but as they are short staffed and busy she's signing on every fortnight, this could therefore be the case here.