Anxiety and Depression and Claiming Jobseekers for the first time

yvonne13_2

Bogalot wrote: »

iwillsurs come here for support and encouragement, not to be given a worst case scenario that only applies to a small minority, and is very unlikely to affect a young graduate.

iwillsurvive, you sound well prepared for your job search, and with such efficient record keeping you'll be well organised for your signing appointment each fortnight (this may be weekly for a short period).

For help with interviews etc contact your university careers service, they usually support graduates for a period after leaving. There are also lots of resources online, Prospects and The Student Room for example.

Best of luck, and if you have any more specific questions come back to us and we'll try to help, or point you to someone that can.

Are you for real.....It's hardly a small amount of people as lot's of people turn up late to appointments and get treated the same way the lady did. I'm not going to make people judge what they don't know from only one angle so telling me not to say anything about all situations is something you need to deal with.

iwillsurvive

Bogalot, thanks. I can't figure out how to make the reply quote the right posts, sorry.

I'm not a young graduate at all, unfortunately. In my 30s having royally ballsed up my life with mental illness, but I managed to get good(ish) degrees eventually, at least and hope having some maturity on younger grads might help me somewhere along the way.

I think I can do phone interviews with my uni career people, but I had to move home and I can't afford to travel out there for in-person interviews. I asked the main uni in my hometown and they said I'm only entitled to one 15min appointment to look over my CV. I already showed a CV to my uni's careers service, so I dunno if it's worth using it just yet or wait to see if something changes and I need more CV advice quick.

I got assessed by psychiatric services last summer and there wasn't much they could do apart from meds. I've been through CBT years ago and there's nothing else they offer that they thought would help me. But I was still studying back then so I didn't ask about jobseeking support. I'll ask at the interview and maybe my GP.

I'm gonna check out those sites this weekend, thanks.

elsien

You will be asked to agree to a job seekers agreement which sets out the expectations around what you will apply for.
Be realistic about this. If you say you can work any day any time then that leaves you open to being told to apply for long shifts at unsocial hours which may then impact on your mental health.
What are your personal circumstances? I have an elderly mother so I said I couldn't do 12 hour shifts due to caring responsibilities. Mother doesn't actually need any help, I didn't want 12 hour shifts for other reasons, but it was reasons that were less likely to be accepted.
Before anyone jumps on me, I had always worked shifts at unsociable hours, but I wanted a degree of control over that.
OP, in your eagerness to show willing, don't agree to anything and everything right at the start. Consider what you can practically manage right now.
And whatever they say, you do not have to give them access to your universal jobmatch account. You have to set one up but it's a terrible system so I declined to let them see it. It wasn't a popular decisively n but as I showed plenty of evidence from other job searches they couldn't do anything about it. Indeed, Reed etc are far better.
I found my initial interviewer quite brusque and very uninformative.. This wasn't personal - she just had a long line of people to get through as quickly as possible. It was the signing on interviews after that that were more helpful in terms of sending me off on computer courses. And after we'd established wha I'd show them etc.
You'll be fine.

iwillsurvive

elsien wrote: »

And whatever they say, you do not have to give them access to your universal jobmatch account. You have to set one up but it's a terrible system so I declined to let them see it. It wasn't a popular decisively n but as I showed plenty of evidence from other job searches they couldn't do anything about it.

This is all great info, thank you so much. The bit I quoted, I've heard about before and it was worrying me cause I can't find anywhere that says you officially don't have to give them the info and my interview invitation lists your login details as one of the things you have to bring or they won't process your claim.

iammumtoone

iwillsurvive wrote: »

This is all great info, thank you so much. The bit I quoted, I've heard about before and it was worrying me cause I can't find anywhere that says you officially don't have to give them the info and my interview invitation lists your login details as one of the things you have to bring or they won't process your claim.

You can look at the site without logging in to get a feel of what is it like. Personally I let them have access to my records via it. I knew I didn't have to but didn't want the hassle of 'arguing' this point with them. I did the minimum I had to on it to satisfy their requirements and spent the rest of my time using the better sites out there.

I believe you can change your mind about giving them access at any time.

[Deleted User]

For interview help - I'd check out channel 4's The Job Interview (was a series shown for 6 weeks last year and I hope it's back this year) on search engine clicks or trying for on demand whatever it's called.

Big Marhouseive companies love grads.

Library's and Council websites should also give details of Job Clubs - I know if I had my time again and was less confident I'd attempt to attend one.

Just think of the job centre as a short term step - if they don't seem bothered don't take it personal - you aren't going to be a life long doler -

Public servants seldom say sorry or thank you it's just officialdom and red tape - don't take it personal my advice is treat them how you would any future manager and you won't go far wrong. Don't get smart (which was a real work rule one time for me!) like insisting you refuse to allow access to their Universal Jobseatch as if you have done what you agree to then you have nothing to fear.

if you look at the 600+ reviews on indeed as if you were going to work for dwp you'll see their side.

Always think of the Job Centre as temporary and you will not go far wrong. I'm convinced it's just some JCP locations have an effect for getting folk in a frenzy. I went to a job centre last month, there was no security guard whatsoever and the place just honestly reminded me of the comedy programme that used to be on ITV The Jobcentre.

elsien

If you google, there is an FOI request on a site called Whatdotheyknow which clarifies re UJM. My phone won't let me post a link.

@Tina White
Universal Jobmatch Toolkit (disclosed 9/4/15) https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/u...
http://refuted.org.uk/jobmatch/

To quote:

Access

56. "....if the claimant does not wish to allow DWP access to their account (and this is their decision not ours)"

"Actively Seeking Employment
76. We cannot specify to a JSA claimant how they provide us with records of their jobsearch activity and Universal Jobmatch will not change this – it is not therefore possible to require JSA claimants to give DWP access to their Universal Jobmatch account"

Consent

"Benefits for DWP staff
8. Universal Jobmatch (UJ) provides staff with:
- A view of the jobseeker’s UJ account, enabling Work Coaches with the jobseeker’s consent, to check their account history, view actions"
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/2...

Options

"9. The jobseeker also has the option to:
- Authorise DWP to view their account; and
- Receive messages from DWP."
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/2...

Key rights

(based on FOI disclosures on https://www.whatdotheyknow.com)

Universal Jobmatch: Your key rights – http://refuted.org.uk/2013/10/13/jobmatch/



The reasons I chose not to allow access were a) because I'm an arsey beggar who prefers not to do things without good reason just because someone is telling me I should and
because it was throwing up all sorts of ridiculous jobs (cloud architect for an IT numpty) that I didn't want to get a sanction for not applying for jobs that were clearly beyond me.
Other people use it without issue. It's a personal preference and I preferred not.

elsien

You might also want to ask about a grace period where you apply for jobs related to your degree.
I don't know if it's possible or not, but I had 3 months after being made redundant to just apply for similar roles in terms of field and pay and if you don't ask you don't get - they can only say no.

Flyonthewall

elsien wrote: »

You will be asked to agree to a job seekers agreement which sets out the expectations around what you will apply for.
Be realistic about this. If you say you can work any day any time then that leaves you open to being told to apply for long shifts at unsocial hours which may then impact on your mental health.
What are your personal circumstances? I have an elderly mother so I said I couldn't do 12 hour shifts due to caring responsibilities. Mother doesn't actually need any help, I didn't want 12 hour shifts for other reasons, but it was reasons that were less likely to be accepted.
---
And whatever they say, you do not have to give them access to your universal jobmatch account. You have to set one up but it's a terrible system so I declined to let them see it. It wasn't a popular decisively n but as I showed plenty of evidence from other job searches they couldn't do anything about it. Indeed, Reed etc are far better.
---
You'll be fine.

^This.

You'll go through what jobs you're looking for, times you can work and travel times.

Access to the Universal Jobmatch account may save an advisor being a bit funny about how you should give access or they need to see what you've done, but it also gives them an easy way to sanction you if they wish to. If you say you don't wish to give access some advisors will accept it, others may ask why, others will lie and say you need to. You don't need to give any reason other than you just don't want to give access. If they keep pushing it you can state that the Data Protection Act means you do not need to give permission.

So long as you keep showing them proof of you applying for jobs and write down other actions you have taken (e.g. walking around shops handing out your CV) you should be fine.

iwillsurvive wrote: »

I have a couple of CVs for different types of jobs and all the stuff they say to bring to the interview. I already made a spreadsheet of jobs I'm applying for. It would be great if they'd help me practice technical interviews, presentations, and phone interviews but I dunno if they do things like that.

Sounds like you're very prepared. The Job Centre are not there to help. They are there simply to make sure you are job searching, nothing else.

They do some "courses", but they're rubbish. If you need any information you're best off looking online. For interviews, practice with friends/family.

iammumtoone wrote: »

Make sure you go away with a clear understanding of what they require of you, Follow those rules (to the letter) and you will be fine. For example if they say you need to apply for X job do it, it is no defense that you have applied for 100 other jobs that they didn't mention you have to follow what they say. Of course its a good idea to apply for the other 100 jobs as well just make sure you also include what they ask (even if you don't think its a good idea)

^This. Make sure you're clear about what they expect, question anything you're not clear on even if you think it's stupid. The advisor won't think anything of it and they'd rather you understand.

Do what they say and you'll be fine. However, I would add that there may be exceptions. For example, if you're told to apply for a job which is clearly a scam don't apply for it. Inform the advisor, get proof or highlight parts of the job advert that are obviously a scam and show them what you've done instead (e.g. found a similar job that's legit and applied for it).

If they don't believe it's a scam and tell you to apply or be sanctioned, you could send a very basic CV with no personal details and ideally from an email address you don't use for anything else and take it no further even if you get a reply. If the Job Centre questions it just say it didn't go any further after the application (which it didn't). If they don't ask, don't bring it up. It's not ideal, but some advisors will be undertanding and others will follow the system and in the case of following the system you just have to do the same and protect yourself.

If ever you get sanctioned do be sure to appeal with all proof you have and keep to the point. Keep all proof even after just in case.

Overall, if you're applying for enough jobs and applying for any they tell you to apply for you'll be fine. A lot of your appointments will probably be quick, they have a lot of appointments to get through and only have a set amount of time maximum per person. You'll show what you've done, give proof, they sign that you've done what you should and you'll be out. Nothing to worry about.

What I would suggest is to do some volunteer work. It looks good on your CV and it'll help with the anxiety and depression. It could also lead to a paid job.

Flyonthewall

elsien wrote: »

You might also want to ask about a grace period where you apply for jobs related to your degree.
I don't know if it's possible or not, but I had 3 months after being made redundant to just apply for similar roles in terms of field and pay and if you don't ask you don't get - they can only say no.

To start with they'll ask about jobs you want to do. If you don't get anything after a while then they'll expect you to look at other options. No need to ask.