After the Work Programme

iammumtoone

donnajunkie wrote: »

its a long time since i went to college but unless things have changed you dont need the jobcentres permission so long as the course is less than 16 hours and you agree to miss it for a job interview and give it up for a job offer. you approach the college and enrol. it should be free but not sure about that. you can only ask. then inform the jobcentre you are doing a part time course.

Thats kind of what I did. I approached the college found out about the course (you get a grant what has to be paid back when you work) then asked at the job centre if I was allowed to attend (I didn't know the rules) and was told no. The reason I was given as what if I found a job, I did explain I would then give up the course (I had previously checked with the college that there was no plenty in doing this). I tried to explain that if I found work I would no longer need the course as then reason I wanted to do it was to try to help me obtain work but the adviser wouldn't have it - it was a no When I informed the college they were surprised at the decision. I think it depends on the adviser you see.

AP007

donnajunkie wrote: »

i think it goes without saying that once you widen your jobsearch that that jobsearch is done using all the usual sources which includes ujm. of course if you are applying for a wide variety of jobs elsewhere i guess you dont have to do that on ujm also but why wouldnt you.

Why wouldn't I?

Maybe its because the majority of jobs I see there are all on 3rd party sites so have already applied for them and I'd mark the job 'already applied for' and to back it up I paste the link of the job from the other site to my activity history that stays there 90 day.

The UJM is mandatory to have an account on as the DWP believe this is the only way to look for a job and this sites has all if not all the best jobs in the UK.

Denning.

red_devil wrote: »

The staff are called advisors and they should be advising and helping. What is the point of them otherwise.

To administer benefits. You need to get it out of your head that JC staff are anything other than form fillers. This seems to be the common theme amongst the long term unemployed on here.

BillJones

Chris357 wrote: »

Sanctioning you and your hero, IDS, what be absolutely brilliant.

That is not a sentence that means anything in English.

There doesn't even seem any way to rearrange it to make it make sense.

Do you have to write for your job?

sensibleadvice

BillJones wrote: »

I'm genuinely curious to know what it is about some on here that makes them so unattractive to employers. Obviously a few simply do not want to work (they've even posted about deliberately failing interviews), but there also seem to be plenty who simply don't understand how the world of employment works.

Judging by the degree of some people's negative mindset on here it's inconceivable to think that their applications are anything but negative. Without doubt Employers will pick up on negativity and move on to the next applicant so many with their mindset on here are doomed before they start.

sensibleadvice

iammumtoone wrote: »

I realise that I don't just look at the JC jobs I look at a lot of sites and write/email spec letters. I am not getting anywhere this tells me that there is something wrong with the approach I am taking or something wrong with my CV. I have been on courses and had my CV looked over and told it is all fine, it is obviously not otherwise I would have got a job or at least more interviews.

I have to say if I was an employer I wouldn't want my vacancy advertised on UJM. I spoke to one employer and told them I had seen their role advertised on UJM, they could not hide their shock at this :rotfl: they had advertised on a specialist site but UJM must have picked it up and put it on their site. I don't think that employer will be using that particular specialist site anymore :rotfl:

Many will say the CV is fine because there's only so much that can be done if content is limited. In this instance they tend to use cliches that, IMO highlight lack of content, experience, current skills or significant gap in employment.

Contact agencies directly, go see employers in person, try to speak to the person who makes the decision, follow up on all these, almost cheekily pushing. You might not get to the right person all the time but there's a reasonable chance that sooner or later someone will spot a truer and give them a chance.

BillJones

sensibleadvice wrote: »

Judging by the degree of some people's negative mindset on here it's inconceivable to think that their applications are anything but negative. Without doubt Employers will pick up on negativity and move on to the next applicant so many with their mindset on here are doomed before they start.

Yes, I am coming across attitudes on here that I think virtually exclude some people from ever holding down a decent job.

The amount of "why should I", "they can't make me" and "it's too difficult" comments is really shocking. Some people seem to look at any situation and immediately look for a reason that it is no good for them. They genuinely don't seem to realize how this comes across.

Instead of "how can I get the best from the advisers", we get "they are rubbish". Instead of "how can I make myself employable" we get "the government should create a job for me".

Who would ever want these sort of people in their workplace?

sensibleadvice

AP007 wrote: »

As stated I have a log a fully comprehensive one.

I spend over 50 hours week looking for work actually and I know what the trends are.

I wonder how I got an interview next week if I am not seriously job hunting.............

Over a 2 month period, 70 applications, 31 positive responses, 15 interviews, 3 second interviews, 4 job offers. That was for a wide range of jobs in construction, distribution, administration, from senior management to more junior positions. All tailored applications highlighting transferable skills against JD's and PS's. Some I thought had really good chance, no reply, others I thought outsiders turned into interviews and offers.

If you're getting similar stats and you're getting up to interview stage perhaps it's interview technique, nerves, preparation that's not right? Or perhaps your stats don't have the same results and the problem lies elsewhere?

donnajunkie

AP007 wrote: »

Why wouldn't I?

Maybe its because the majority of jobs I see there are all on 3rd party sites so have already applied for them and I'd mark the job 'already applied for' and to back it up I paste the link of the job from the other site to my activity history that stays there 90 day.

The UJM is mandatory to have an account on as the DWP believe this is the only way to look for a job and this sites has all if not all the best jobs in the UK.

but you said you dont find many with an apply button because you havent widened your search on there. so maybe if you did you would find some with an apply button and they wouldnt all be on third party sites.

donnajunkie

Denning. wrote: »

To administer benefits. You need to get it out of your head that JC staff are anything other than form fillers. This seems to be the common theme amongst the long term unemployed on here.

i think most people are aware of what they are and what they should be.