Job Centre Rant

princessdon

Linked in is a popular job seeking option

Hudson1984

willber wrote: »

It makes me want to sign on just to see how useless they are. I would of course just follow the directives given - nothing more, nothing less. I do wonder how long it would be before they actually found me a position.
Knowing my employment market quite well, most of the offers would first of all come from recommendations, secondly they would come from specialist agencies and thirdly they would be advertised in specialist monthly periodicals. No way would they find a job for me using the DWP methods!!!
Actually one of the ways now is through 'Linkedin'. Over the past year or so I have had offers via contacts to ask if I am interested in going back to work - 'There is a job here if you want it'
I did have one from an agency a while back asking if I would be interested in tutoring the JSA/ESA claimants who are in the Work Programme.

I guess I just have a lower expectation of what the Job centre provides. I am in much the same position as you, and my career follows the same recruitment structure as you've mentioned but then with this in mind would you really rely on them? no you'd do what you knew as I would but i'd still follow their rules to get the money they provide that's my point.

osdset

JCP staff will issue reprimands for lateness, which could lead to sanctions.
It's a shame then that they don't abide by their own rules, job seekers, or should I say 'customers' can be and often are kept waiting for protracted lengths of time.

Like traffic wardens, JCP front-line staff are bloated with an inflated sense of their own self importance, pettifogging little Hitlers gleefully implementing sanctions over absolutely trivial misdemeanours.

One wonders if the enthusiasm will still be there if as the PCS union fears, up to 40% of DWP staff may well be liable to sanction (by their own colleges) under Universal Credit for not toeing the line.

missapril75

osdset wrote: »

Like traffic wardens, JCP front-line staff are bloated with an inflated sense of their own self importance, pettifogging little Hitlers

Got any nasty little stereotypes for other occupations?

john539

Hudson1984 wrote: »

no you'd do what you knew as I would but i'd still follow their rules to get the money they provide that's my point.

You can't know all the rules and how they will be implemented until you face the various situations and troubles you may face, and then it may be too late.

It's a pity that the OP like many others learn the hard way and realise they have to play the game to deal with a flawed incompetent bankrupt jobsworth system.

Confuseddot

osdset wrote: »

JCP staff will issue reprimands for lateness, which could lead to sanctions.
It's a shame then that they don't abide by their own rules, job seekers, or should I say 'customers' can be and often are kept waiting for protracted lengths of time.

Like traffic wardens, JCP front-line staff are bloated with an inflated sense of their own self importance, pettifogging little Hitlers gleefully implementing sanctions over absolutely trivial misdemeanours.

One wonders if the enthusiasm will still be there if as the PCS union fears, up to 40% of DWP staff may well be liable to sanction (by their own colleges) under Universal Credit for not toeing the line.

The job centre I attended was hell on earth really between the drunks. druggies, wannabes etc Not a single visit went past where a worker wasn't threated/shouted at and on one lovely occasion a "nice" woman tried to hit the male member of staff. To be honest I don't think you could pay me enough to do that job, there were at least 5 security guards walking around with others at the door and at the front desk how many other office jobs do you need a security guard at your shoulder ....

All but one of the advisors I seen were helpful and understanding, gave tips on what to put on my work diary to ensure I was filling in enough information. By signing the JSA you are signing a contract of what you are going to do, if it says you need to stand on your head each day for 5 mins then take a picture with a date of you doing that each day or something similar. Yes its about ticking boxes in some cases but its also about ensuring that people are actually doing something about finding work that they can document.

lukieboy96

I personally, feel it is wrong to sanction a person for being 10 minutes late. If you are stuck on a bus in a jam what do you do? Phone? Is it a non 0845 number? Some people are so heartless about the unemployed and treat them like 2nd class citizens. My personal opinion.

Also, a job centre used to helped you get a job, now they seem to have 'targets' to meet and do not care one bit. Again my opinion.

Cloudydaze

Confuseddot wrote: »

By signing the JSA you are signing a contract of what you are going to do, if it says you need to stand on your head each day for 5 mins then take a picture with a date of you doing that each day or something similar.

I suspect there is a strong correlation between the IQ/level of career progression of those who blindly do as they are told and those who question the rules when they make little sense.....

Hudson1984 wrote: »

If I had a JC interview booked so close to an interview I would have phoned to rearrange, as I would have done if it were an interview for a normal job - how would the OP expect a prospective employer to react to the same excuse??

There was only a generic 0845 number in the correspondence I was given. The space for my advisor's phone number has been left blank.

Actually, I was late for an employer interview once. They were very understanding and went on to offer me the job. In the circles i move in, people generally accept that sometimes things happen. The right words, attitude & body language can usually resolve the matter.

I'm actually a she. Not that it matters!

lukieboy96

All I hear they do is sanction. They do nothing to help people and the government should intervene. But they do not care either.
Think it is wrong they should phone 0845 numbers. How do people afford it. Where are the 01 numbers. It is a complete shambles.

pinkypoopydoo

Cloudydaze wrote: »

There was only a generic 0845 number in the correspondence I was given. The space for my advisor's phone number has been left blank.

For future reference, should it happen again, you can phone the generic 0845 number, and ask to be put through to your specific job centre. I had to do it the other week when my car broke down on my way to a meeting with my adviser.