JSA and work committments

monkeychops

Due to unforeseen circumstances I have just had to start claiming JSA. I've never had to claim any sort of benefit before and I am finding it quite confusing.

I've had a text today saying they have received my claim in the office where the decisions are made. I filled in the form online and last week went to the Job Centre and saw and adviser. What is the likely timescale as to when I will hear if my claim is accepted and also, if it is, when I am likely to receive any money.

Also the work "commitments" are giving me some problems. How many different commitments are possible? Can you keep putting the same ones week after week? I have things such as:-

Check online sites (i.e. the Job Centre one, Reed, Monster etc) and if anything suitable apply. This I spend a couple of hours a day doing.

Sending out my CV. I know from experience that lots of employers won't take a CV if you try and hand it in so better to send in post but I can't afford to pay out a fortune in stamps every week so only sending about 6 a week.

Looking in local newspapers.

Looking in local shops. I don't live close to shops and can't keep affording bus fare into town to see if any shops have vacancies in their windows.

I have applied for some Christmas vacancies but obviously can't keep putting that.

I am also spending quite a lot of time trying to make my CV look more professional whilst trying to remove any information which would make it easy for an employer to realise my age.

What other things do people do? I genuinely want to find work and while I am looking I need JSA as I have no income whatsoever. I don't want the Job Centre to think I am not trying and also if other people have ideas I would be grateful

AP007

monkeychops wrote: »

Due to unforeseen circumstances I have just had to start claiming JSA. I've never had to claim any sort of benefit before and I am finding it quite confusing.

I've had a text today saying they have received my claim in the office where the decisions are made. I filled in the form online and last week went to the Job Centre and saw and adviser. What is the likely timescale as to when I will hear if my claim is accepted and also, if it is, when I am likely to receive any money.

Also the work "commitments" are giving me some problems. How many different commitments are possible? Can you keep putting the same ones week after week? I have things such as:-

Check online sites (i.e. the Job Centre one, Reed, Monster etc) and if anything suitable apply. This I spend a couple of hours a day doing.

Sending out my CV. I know from experience that lots of employers won't take a CV if you try and hand it in so better to send in post but I can't afford to pay out a fortune in stamps every week so only sending about 6 a week.

Looking in local newspapers.

Looking in local shops. I don't live close to shops and can't keep affording bus fare into town to see if any shops have vacancies in their windows.

I have applied for some Christmas vacancies but obviously can't keep putting that.

I am also spending quite a lot of time trying to make my CV look more professional whilst trying to remove any information which would make it easy for an employer to realise my age.

What other things do people do? I genuinely want to find work and while I am looking I need JSA as I have no income whatsoever. I don't want the Job Centre to think I am not trying and also if other people have ideas I would be grateful

work "commitments" ?

You mean the steps to get a job?

You need to list what they have told you and apply for as many if not more jobs than the JS agreement states

You can look and use the same sites each week and no you do not have to post CV's on spec as you can email them to the company.

I use about 30 or so sites every day (all day long)
Try to send 5-10 spec letters a week
I apply for about 30+ jobs per week

monkeychops

AP007 wrote: »

work "commitments" ?

You mean the steps to get a job?

You need to list what they have told you and apply for as many if not more jobs than the JS agreement states

You can look and use the same sites each week and no you do not have to post CV's on spec as you can email them to the company.

I use about 30 or so sites every day (all day long)
Try to send 5-10 spec letters a week
I apply for about 30+ jobs per week

Well the booklet I have been given has 4 sections for each two week period headed "Commitment" and then underneath that "Outcome".

I have no JS agreement so no idea how many jobs I meant to apply for although it seems pointless to apply for jobs which I know I would not get.

They did not tell me what I should be doing. Obviously I have been looking in papers, online etc but I just wonder what they expect people to do. I don't want then to think I am not seriously looking.

I never thought about emailing my CV so thank you for that idea although I've no idea if all places show their email or even have one. I will mainly be looking for retail work.

How on earth do you manage to apply for 30 jobs or more every week? I am looking at retail, cleaning and possibly some office work but there is very little going where I live even though I live close to a fairly busy city. I am slightly restricted as I don't drive and the bus service is terrible. I applied for a cleaning job which didn't state the hours. They phoned me to go for an interview but it turned out it was to start at 6am and the buses don't even start until 7. Too far to walk especially in the dark winter mornings

AP007

monkeychops wrote: »

Well the booklet I have been given has 4 sections for each two week period headed "Commitment" and then underneath that "Outcome".

I have no JS agreement so no idea how many jobs I meant to apply for although it seems pointless to apply for jobs which I know I would not get.

They did not tell me what I should be doing. Obviously I have been looking in papers, online etc but I just wonder what they expect people to do. I don't want then to think I am not seriously looking.

I never thought about emailing my CV so thank you for that idea although I've no idea if all places show their email or even have one. I will mainly be looking for retail work.

How on earth do you manage to apply for 30 jobs or more every week? I am looking at retail, cleaning and possibly some office work but there is very little going where I live even though I live close to a fairly busy city. I am slightly restricted as I don't drive and the bus service is terrible. I applied for a cleaning job which didn't state the hours. They phoned me to go for an interview but it turned out it was to start at 6am and the buses don't even start until 7. Too far to walk especially in the dark winter mornings

So you have had an appointment in person and they never asked you to sign anything at all to agree what you would do to meet the criteria of a job seeker? How many jobs to apply for in a week and what else you have to do? Are you really sure???

Everyone has a job seekers agreement.

I have applied for 3 jobs today and 30 over a week is only 4 and a bit per day so not many. All depends what jobs you are applying for etc.

Two jobs I applied to today are 3 mth contract and 6 mths. Not all are full time permanent work.

You have never thought about emailing CVs? Really? Since most if not all retail companies do not take CV's in person you will have to use the net to search for jobs on their sites such as http://www.asda.jobs/ but then places like ASDA don't allow CV's to be emailed either so its all about what kinds of work you are after.

You can get hold of some agencies that advertise for retail staff and email them all a copy of a CV and a cover letter seeing if they can help you or any other company that's not retail you can find online.

You may want to use sites like Job and Talent or LinkedIn too

monkeychops

AP007 wrote: »

So you have had an appointment in person and they never asked you to sign anything at all to agree what you would do to meet the criteria of a job seeker? How many jobs to apply for in a week and what else you have to do? Are you really sure???

Everyone has a job seekers agreement.

I have applied for 3 jobs today and 30 over a week is only 4 and a bit per day so not many. All depends what jobs you are applying for etc.

Two jobs I applied to today are 3 mth contract and 6 mths. Not all are full time permanent work.

You have never thought about emailing CVs? Really? Since most if not all retail companies do not take CV's in person you will have to use the net to search for jobs on their sites such as http://www.asda.jobs/ but then places like ASDA don't allow CV's to be emailed either so its all about what kinds of work you are after.

You can get hold of some agencies that advertise for retail staff and email them all a copy of a CV and a cover letter seeing if they can help you or any other company that's not retail you can find online.

You may want to use sites like Job and Talent or LinkedIn too

Definitely was not told how many jobs to apply for. The adviser talked about how I am looking for work but that was all. I only saw him last Thursday so I definitely have not forgotten what he said.

I never thought about emailing CV's because I am mainly looking for retail and I am pretty sure most shops either don't have an email address or else they don't make it public. I know most don't take accept CV's being handed in (when I worked in a shop we were told not to accept CV's but loads of people used to come in and ask us to take one). I know sometimes if they were sent in the post they were looked at and in fact I got one of my previous jobs by sending in a CV (they weren't advertising for staff).

I would never be able to apply for anywhere near 30 jobs a week unless I applied for ones I knew I didn't have a hope in hell for. There are very few retail vacancies (shops are closing down all the time where I live) although with Christmas approaching some will be looking for temporary staff.

DCFC79

monkeychops wrote: »

I never thought about emailing CV's because I am mainly looking for retail and I am pretty sure most shops either don't have an email address or else they don't make it public. I know most don't take accept CV's being handed in (when I worked in a shop we were told not to accept CV's but loads of people used to come in and ask us to take one). I know sometimes if they were sent in the post they were looked at and in fact I got one of my previous jobs by sending in a CV (they weren't advertising for staff).

The top 4 supermarkets only advertise online and you apply online.

monkeychops wrote: »

I would never be able to apply for anywhere near 30 jobs a week unless I applied for ones I knew I didn't have a hope in hell for. There are very few retail vacancies (shops are closing down all the time where I live) although with Christmas approaching some will be looking for temporary staff.

You can visit the website for other firms (a sthey might not be advertised on job sites). For xmas jobs theres Boots, Argos, Asda, Tesco etc.

AP007

monkeychops wrote: »

Definitely was not told how many jobs to apply for. The adviser talked about how I am looking for work but that was all. I only saw him last Thursday so I definitely have not forgotten what he said.

I never thought about emailing CV's because I am mainly looking for retail and I am pretty sure most shops either don't have an email address or else they don't make it public. I know most don't take accept CV's being handed in (when I worked in a shop we were told not to accept CV's but loads of people used to come in and ask us to take one). I know sometimes if they were sent in the post they were looked at and in fact I got one of my previous jobs by sending in a CV (they weren't advertising for staff).

I would never be able to apply for anywhere near 30 jobs a week unless I applied for ones I knew I didn't have a hope in hell for. There are very few retail vacancies (shops are closing down all the time where I live) although with Christmas approaching some will be looking for temporary staff.

I never said you had to apply for 30 jobs a week the Job Centre would have told you this and I am amazed you never signed anything at all?

Where you given a signing on booklet?

Voyager2002

Work out for yourself the most effective way to look for work, and a realistic target for the number of applications you can make each week.

When the Job Centre calls you in for interview, they will discuss these plans with you. So long as you have thought through the reasons for doing what you intend to do, they are likely to approve them. They may make useful suggestions, or perhaps tell you to increase the numbers of approaches and applications each week. You will agree what you will do each week, and that will be written up as your Jobseeker's agreement.

AP007

The op has already been to the job centre and seen an advisor after filling the form in online.

DCFC79

Im amazed he wasn't asked to sign an agreement.

AP007

DCFC79 wrote: »

Im amazed he wasnt asked to sign an agreement.

You and me both so not sure what's going on there