Job Centre Rant

Cloudydaze

Yes, I fully take responsibility for being late. But for me a genuine job interview will take precedence over everything else.

I guess the whole experience has been a real eye-opener for me. I turn up in a suit, having arranged 4 job interviews for this week and get told this isn't good enough. I was probably the only one there that looked like I was genuinely looking for a job. There was a women in pyjama bottoms, a guy chewing gum, a women with 2 toddlers who were running amok but I'm sure they ticked the right boxes.

Ironically, if I adopted The "computer says no" mentality in the type of job I've done/want to do, I wouldn't last 5mins!!!

MrsBunny

I am totally with you OP. The first time I ever went to the job centre I worn my 'interview' clothes because for some reason I thought there would be employers / agencies there offering advice etc (no one in my family had been to the job centre and none of my friends either, I was unfortunate to have been made redundant.) I walked through the door and felt everyone staring at me - people sat there in jogging pants, smoking, kids running riot etc I was shocked! I was then rudely asked if I had an appointment - I said no as I did not know and if I could make an appointment. Was then told to phone the number of then the appointment would be made....so off I went home and never went back (I was lucky as was living with parents at time and manage to get a job two days later).

5 years later, I was better prepared, no interview clothes, researched online first and phone the number to make the appointment. I remember my first appointment....sitting there with half drunked dosed up people, kids running round, thinking to myself - where am I? Being told how to search for a job as if I was a 5 year old, I was there to claim a little bit of money to help with the rent and bills as when I told the advisor what line of work I wanted I got a blank face looking back at me as she didn't have a clue. Never made it to my 2nd appointment as I secured a job.

I truly hope I do not have to go back for a third time, but if I do, I will play the game yet again. OP good luck in your job interviews and keep at those agencies, my employer will only advertise through specialist agencies and any direct cvs are sent to the bin - company policy that an agency is used (no agency staff thou, employed directly by company). You keep doing what you know will work and I hope you get an offer very soon.

:beer:

john539

I wonder where all the JC+ advisors are to comment on the OP's situation and their jobsworth shocking incompetence.

missapril75

Cloudydaze wrote: »

Yes, I fully take responsibility for being late. But for me a genuine job interview will take precedence over everything else.

Not unreasonable. But calling ahead will mean they can fit someone else in; see someone early and have more time; or attempt to do something else.

And if that's just not possible, well these things happen.

willber wrote: »

Whether your way will get you the job is totally immaterial, they believe that what they say you must do is the only and best way of seeing success.

Remember, this is the way they are told they have to work. I don't know why it is that some groups of workers get the blame for doing what their bosses say while others don't.

heaven forbid that a job could turn up for you through the grapevine or through a friend.

More lost points towards their targets. Blame management/government.

Cloudydaze wrote: »

I was probably the only one there that looked like I was genuinely looking for a job. There was a women in pyjama bottoms, a guy chewing gum, a women with 2 toddlers who were running amok

willber wrote: »

two ugly looking brutes each wearing a suit two sizes two small trying to look like Rambo and Rocky, the rest were a mixed bunch of winos, druggies, single mums with kids in tow, dealers and an odd assortment of late teens who though that it was kool to smoke a spliff outside the doorway.

MrsBunny wrote: »

people sat there in jogging pants, smoking, kids running riot etc I was shocked! ..sitting there with half drunked dosed up people, kids running round,

Not very pleasant places a lot of the time are they.

Just imagine what it must be like to be working there, all day, day-in-day-out, week after week, treated with contempt by so many people (including managers and government)........I wonder what might make them a little bit, you know, not as pleasant as some folk. :rotfl:

missapril75

john539 wrote: »

I wonder where all the JC+ advisors are to comment on the OP's situation and their jobsworth shocking incompetence.

Probably in bed looking forward to another day of women in pyjama bottoms, a guy chewing gum, toddlers running amok,ugly looking brutes, a mixed bunch of winos, druggies, dealers, an odd assortment of late teens smoking spliffs, people in jogging pants, smoking, kids running riot, half drunk dosed up people, kids running round....

:rotfl:

Troutwrestler

willber wrote: »

I know what I would have done in that particular situation - I would have made sure I had her name, then popped along to my GP and told him/her that the 'Advisor' at the Jobcentre told me to stop taking the epilepsy meds as they seemingly aren't working and that before I do, I should advise you of my actions.

No doubt the GP would have a few things to say, and I would suggest to hm/her that maybe he/she should write to the Jobcentre Manager giving his/her opinion - mentioning of course the name of the 'Advisor' that gave this medical advice.

Then the next time you go to the Jobcentre and hopefully see this 'Advisor' ask her if she is in correspondence with your GP over the rights and wrongs of the particular drugs that you are being prescribed - asking her if her advice is more valid than the advice of your GP.

You could then lodge an official complaint with the Jobcentre manager asking if the particular member of staff is a medically qualified indivdual as well as a civil servant and able to give advice on drugs being taken that have been prescribed by the GP.

If you want to go the whole hog - write to your local paper and mention that the jobcentre are advising JSA claimants to stop talking life saving drugs 'as they will not help when you are looking for a job'.

I made sure to mention it o my epilepsy nurse specialist. He did write to them and I received an apology ( although according to them it was offering me options not medical advice) my advisor was changed not long after.

Thank god :rotfl:

john539

missapril75 wrote: »

Probably in bed looking forward to another day of women in pyjama bottoms, a guy chewing gum, toddlers running amok,ugly looking brutes, a mixed bunch of winos, druggies, dealers, an odd assortment of late teens smoking spliffs, people in jogging pants, smoking, kids running riot, half drunk dosed up people, kids running round....

:rotfl:

No, they're not really that bad.

They're full of civil servants looking after themselves & their jobs.

And that's one of the biggest problems.

missapril75

john539 wrote: »

...looking after themselves & their jobs.....

Unlike all other groups of workers who deliberately go against what their managers say they should be doing and are quite happy to risk their livelihoods.

john539

missapril75 wrote: »

Unlike all other groups of workers who deliberately go against what their managers say they should be doing and are quite happy to risk their livelihoods.

For other groups of workers, that isn't offloaded onto the unemployed, poor, sick & vulnerable.

Hudson1984

does seem like you think you're better than other people in the JC...

anyway, end of the day you were late! you can't then expect someone to sit there with you and discuss the ins and outs of your career profile. Yeah you have to jump through a few extra hoops so be it fail to see the issue if you think you're going to get a job pretty soon why are you so worked up about it??

this is why I made my initial point - it seems very much like because you were dressed in a suit and are above the other JC crowd you should be treated differently? sorry but that's how it comes across in your post. Just do what they want you to do, and if you happen to be late then expect to be pulled up about it.

If you are this confident could I ask how come it has gotten to this point? i'm not really in the know with redundancies, can they tell you on the day? if not then presumably you were given notice that it was going to happen surely you had time to prepare beforehand