How Many Job Applications for JSA?

pennypincher3562

Hi

I've recently applied for Job Seekers Allowance. How many job applications should I make every 2 weeks to keep the benefits people happy?

Should it be 10,20, 30 or even more?

Thanks
PennyPincher3562

Indie_Kid

Surely, it should be as many as you can do?

paragon909

pennypincher3562 wrote: »

Hi

I've recently applied for Job Seekers Allowance. How many job applications should I make every 2 weeks to keep the benefits people happy?

Should it be 10,20, 30 or even more?

Thanks
PennyPincher3562

It's not about keeping "benefits people happy" it's about fulfilling the JSA rules that you agreed to. It's been suggested that claimants do up to 30 hours of job searches a week, From on-line, newspapers, friends and family or word of mouth. Go around employers and companies handing out CV's. It's not about applying for a few jobs by clicking submit

And you write it all in you're book, The dates you applied or handed out CV's, What you did, What the outcome is. Have you heard back.

The days of applying for 5 jobs every fortnight are long gone. Didn't you "work coach" advisor not explain what you need to do. Did you not read you're claimant commitment.

pennypincher3562

Indie_Kid wrote: »

Surely, it should be as many as you can do?

Thanks Indie Kid, but to be fair if focused on it, I could possibly apply for 100 jobs in 14 days. I think that would be counter productive.

I'm trying to find the 'happy medium' here.

Cheers
PennyPincher3562

pennypincher3562

Hi Paragon

I read over the agreement, and noted the '30 hours' of solid job seeking thing. However after working in offices for years, I know for a fact some people will have achieved very little work in 30 hours, while other will have achieved a heck of a lot. So I'm not convinced the number of hours clocked is the best way of measuring things.

You could have someone who sits for 30 hours, hitting 'application submit' and yet they have no intention of working?

I'll be honest the 'work coach' said very little after our first meeting - he said he was 'really busy' and didn't seem to interested in my case. I'm not sure if that's good or bad!

I actually want to/need to work, and when I click 'submit application' it's because I have a genuine interest in that job.

My wording 'keeping the benefits people happy' was probably a poor choice - I really don't want to sign on for very long.

Cheers
PennyPincher3562

paragon909

pennypincher3562 wrote: »

Hi Paragon

I read over the agreement, and noted the '30 hours' of solid job seeking thing. However after working in offices for years, I know for a fact some people will have achieved very little work in 30 hours, while other will have achieved a heck of a lot. So I'm not convinced the number of hours clocked is the best way of measuring things.

You could have someone who sits for 30 hours, hitting 'application submit' and yet they have no intention of working?

I'll be honest the 'work coach' said very little after our first meeting - he said he was 'really busy' and didn't seem to interested in my case. I'm not sure if that's good or bad!

I actually want to/need to work, and when I click 'submit application' it's because I have a genuine interest in that job.

My wording 'keeping the benefits people happy' was probably a poor choice - I really don't want to sign on for very long.

Cheers
PennyPincher3562

Wasn't being cheeky, But some people think they can just press submit on an application i.e. send a CV in an instant and thats them doing what is required.

pennypincher3562

Hi Paragon909

Yes, I am sure there must be many who think hitting 'submit' 30 times is enough.

I am trying 'find my way' here, as I am not used to this sort of situation.

I was aware of the '30 hours of solid job seeking' commitment, though I wasn't sure how serious to take it.

When I was in the benefits office, there were people there who were illiterate, had no cv's, and/or could barely speak English. Surely they are not all grinding away doing 30 hours of job seeking every week?

Anyway, I'm going to try and make 20-30 genuine applications for my first fortnight, and hopefully I won't end up being 'reprimanded.'

Even back in my student days when I applied for hundreds of jobs over the years, I would have struggled to do 30 solid hours of job hunting, as there simply weren't enough suitable jobs. I was lucky to find 2-5 suitable jobs per week back then. This time however I am applying for low level jobs, so things should be different.

Cheers
PennyPincher3656

[Deleted User]

the way i understand it you make an agreement with your advisor and stick to it,if you don't you risk your isa being suspended

pennypincher3562

Hi Woodbine

I can't dispute that. I'll soon get a clearer picture of what is expected from me, after my 2nd meeting with my 'job coach.' I was pretty disappointed with the first meeting, as he really didn't say very much (it was a bit odd.)

Off on a tangent, I struggle to believe that the guy sitting beside me in the benefits office who could not write, and another guy who could barely speak English were doing 30 hours a week of solid job seeking. Maybe I am wrong.

Cheers
PennyPincher3562

tomtontom

I know a chap who is what you would call illiterate, he has severe learning difficulties. Nonetheless he is constantly seeking work, and from time to time does find it. Please don't make assumptions on people based on the difficulties they face - that might make them more determined than "normal" jobseekers like yourself.

elsien

Going on the basis that you are genuinely job seeking, rather than going for any old job just for the sake of it:
A couple of hours a day checking your emails and all the job sites. Tailoring each CV to the job in hand might be another couple of hours. 3 or 4 hours to do an application forms from scratch - networking, contacting ex colleagues etc, researching companies prior to applying, contacting recruitment agencies - log it all, it all adds up. Take down and resubmit your CV on the online job sites each week - you do need to genuinely do this even if you don't change it as the software screens out older CVS.

It won't take you that long, but the 30 hours is based on people who may take a bit longer, so stretch it a bit. I got another job within the 3 months I was given to apply for similar level roles, and these tactics worked for me with the job centre. I was applying for less than 7 a week, purely because the equivalent roles I was looking for weren't out there in the first place. Play the game, show you're making the effort and the 30 hours don't really come into it. You just need to show lots of effort - a list of emails and phone calls helps as it looks quite impressive.