Universal Job Match at http://jobseekers.direct.gov.uk

Lip_Stick

I spoke to someone earlier last week about this new site. She didn't say if it was compulsory. She did say that you can log other activities you've done for job searching, outside of the site, as well as it noting everything you've done on there.

She also stated that they could look at what you've done, with permission, but they wouldn't need your password. Not sure how that would work.

MagWag wrote: »

I have been trying to get into the new site all morning but every time I click the 'start' button I get a page with this message: HTTP Error 400. A request header field is too long.

Anyone else having this problem?

I registered then went to do a search and came up with this error using Chrome. It seems to be working ok on IE but I haven't tried logging in with that browser.

old-muggins-here

Hi all,

I was informed of this UJ a month or so ago along with the new sanction regime.

I'm not completely aware of the DPA but if someone could explain "how" asking someone to register could be a breach of the DPA?

about a month ago when I went to sign on I was handed a piece of paper which nowhere did it say "I am required to sign up".

However the question I have is.. "if the website now replaces the paper booklets. how do they check what you've done towards seeking employment?"

If they are monitoring things, what are they monitoring? users? the website?.

Having spoken to a friend who has also quite recently become unemployed. Speaking to her now she has been told differently, despite living in the same town and going to the same JCP office.
She's been told that she has to sign up to the website, where as I haven't?

Another thing that is a concern is, do you have to create/register a government gateway account? if so.. why do they say the server is providing an SSL encryption for users? as far as I can tell it's not as secure as they are claiming. "padlock on the left of the URL address bar" - standard HTTP (not HTTPS) and no sign of any padlock when you visit the government gateway website.

I don't know enough about the new website, I'm not convinced that it's secure enough to contain my sensitive data, such as CV's etc
seeing how Monster built up the website, knowing they've been hacked numerous times in the last couple of years.. I aren't keen on the idea of participating.

I do however have a start date with a local company and start next monday :j

I explained this last wednesday to my personal adviser and she said quite clearly "oh right, well done! hasn't taken you long at all." she then took the booklet off me and when I asked "do I still need that?" her reply was "no it would be pointless now and a waste of time" I am going in on my last sign day (this week) where I will be signed off with my adviser.
what am I now supposed to do? she stopped me mid week for documenting any searches in the official booklet and explain "it would be a waste of time"

denideth

I asked the lady about applying/searching for jobs elsewhere and she said we have to record those searches in our books like we've been doing, but the job centre searches are logged on their system. So we still have to take our books to our sign on meetings.

old-muggins-here

^ so really it seems it's a little bit rushed. In the sense that not all JCP offices have been given the same information and documentation that can be passed on to "customers".

I don't have a booklet anymore. I've had a look at the new UJ but prefer the old website. much easier to navigate to start off with.

john539

denideth wrote: »

She said it was mandatory (however I may enquire with someone further up the line if this bares any truth) and gave me a small card where i am to write my user ID on once i have signed up which i must then return to the jobcentre on my next signing date. "it allows us to log in and see if you are applying for jobs that are available".

I'm an honest job seeker, yet there's something very Big brother about this new move.

If it was mandatory they'd give you something saying it was mandatory, that you have to do this or get you to sign something.

They want people to sign up & give DWP/Jobcentre staff access, they'll push them & tell them whatever.

old-muggins-here

I've just searched all around (within a 20 mile radius) (not signed up, so not signed in). Strangely even searching "all jobs" in over 5 towns and one big City of West Yorkshire not a single vacancy could be displayed? however opening the radius to 30 miles shows vacancies further down south? can't quite understand this.

Daedalus

I have heard that they want 1.2 million jobseekers to be registered and using the site by August 2013. They are not going to be able to get those figures without making it mandatory.

My understand is they can not use the site as they seem to be wanting to, to check up on claimants, without a change in the law.

ajdj wrote: »

Did the old site display salary info for the jobs? I'm yet to find anything advertised that even hints at the salary on offer.

I am seeing a lot of apprenticeships for 16-24 year olds (therefore not applicable to me), self employed opportunities or worse still commission only sales roles.

Everything else would appear to be minimum wage type roles.

I'm more than happy to acknowledge that I will have to take a pay cut to get back into work, however a minimum wage job would reflect a 65% pay cut and would be unlikely to utilise the skills that I have worked hard to acquire over the years. Am I within my rights to refuse to apply for a job based on salary or would the job centre force me to?

No you can't refuse a job based on wage. You can refuse a job if it would result in you being worst off than being on JSA, which should be rare, but if you put travel costs in etc then possibly.

weeta_bix

john539 wrote: »

Ask JC advisor to confirm in writing something is mandatory.

That way they put themselves on the line.

One thing they are good at is covering their backs & jobs.

Asking them to put it in writing sounds like a very sensible idea to me, I wish I had thought of that at the time. I will try that next time.

Does everyone else here still have signing books? I few months ago now the Jobcentre asked me not to sign any more and to instead submit an A4 photocopied form to them the day before I sign instead with my job search on . They said this was because I was attending the Work Programme, so I wasn't needed to sign.

I refused and said I would like to keep on signing, because I didn't really trust that the paperwork wouldn't go missing. So I still sign but, instead of a book with my job search, I now have to fill out a new A4 sheet each fortnight, which states what I did to look for work on each day of the fortnight. Is this the same for everyone? I am wondering if some Jobcentres are further through the process of changing over than others?

red_eye

MissSarah1972 wrote: »

Job seekers have you seen this

http://jobseekers.direct.gov.uk/homepage.aspx?sessionid=cc555fef-a493-4f43-a8fb-cf29842f1e01&pid=2

It says:

Universal Jobmatch is coming on 19 November 2012.
Universal Jobmatch will replace the Jobs and Skills service and will make looking for jobs easier and quicker. You will be able to build or upload a CV online and Universal Jobmatch will automatically match your CV to jobs posted on the service.
Watch out for this new service launching and use it to find the job you want.


A few weeks ago someone said that the job centre was going to keep a check of all your applications (or something like that) online and I guess this is what they meant but not totally true. It seems it's just going to be just like any other job board. Maybe like Indeed where the job links take you to another site but I guess we will know for sure when the 19th November comes.


Edit

More here http://www.dwp.gov.uk/adviser/updates/universal-jobmatch/

Ah ha on page 2 here

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/universal-jobmatch-faqs.pdf

It says:
Allows the JCP adviser access to all your job activity record

I am right to assume then that EVERY single job advertised on the net will be on this site? Probably not eh. Then it's going to be rubbish as it will out do sites like Monster, Reed, Jobsite etc and I can't see those sites allowing that to happen.

So nice to know that the JC have told everyone about this new site.

i like the missing contact details and wrong phone numbers

Firetastic

Can I ask a thick question? Say someone is already in a job but they hate it. They want to look for another job. Now in the old days anybody could go in and look at all the jobs available and apply. Now does that mean they are excluded from doing this?