Job centre hinders work search.

Well I am hearing a lot about all of this work programme stuff. Also I have been looking more into others looking for jobs with out any luck.
 follow links
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/feb/23/jobcentre-hinders-search-for-work

http://www.theweek.co.uk/politics/45549/emma-harrison-quits-raising-more-questions-about-dave
A4E 's Emma Harrison Has resigned.


From what?? her position as families Tsar.. I might have known she had some connection to someone on the government.  It does remind me though as 4 staff members at her company have been looked into for asking Job seekers to sign blank time sheets.

I was sent to one of these companies, another one which had a contract. And after every session I would be asked to sign a sheet which on it said, I had been given jobs to follow up, had one to one session, made plans for next week, none of which happened. It must be common.     All of these with big fat contracts and big fat bank balances. They are poverty pimps.     Blooming  chum ism, who know nothing about struggling in life.   They all pee in the same trough. No, they all eat out of it.

Me, being me, questioned it. As I felt this company were saying every week they were doing something that they wasn't.
Now if I did not keep to my my side of the contract I would have lost my money.

Anyway I looked in to it and got a response from the jobcentre saying how brilliant the staff and company was and it helped everyone who went there. It would say that if what was down on paper was incorrect.

It all boils down to this. I have always known about the large divide between those with, and those without.
But when it is daily put in front of you! I've summed it up as a group of people all who have plenty of money and so have the time to sit and think up these ideas of how they make even more money for themselves and their friends, avoiding paying tax, or even knowing what it is like to have to make difficult decisions about basic things like existing. That you get so consumed with these thoughts you have very little time or energy for anything else.

Interview

Well I went for the interview this morning and it went ok
There were 3 people asking me a range of questions, ranging from, what would I do if someone collapsed in a doorway.????
Also, some  scenarios, and questions about why I want to work there?? you know that sort of thing.

Yet again they were going to let me know today.

Well I've had no call - so it's a no then :(

I am a bit gutted-no I am a lot gutted.

It was temporary while the lady was on maternity leave.

I had gone thinking this job has my name on it. It is the only way to think. As if I go thinking here I go again along with how ever many others.  Then well whats the point??

It is really tiring though, as out of loads of jobs I have applied for , I have only got close to a few, ie interview.

What's wrong with me I am thinking?? why ?? I just want a job, a job that is mine one I can get up in the morning and feel I am getting paid for this.

I am due to do yet another course starting next week, a PC one.  The amount of hours I have put in trying to improve my skills.  In just over 3 years I have done no less than 16 training and courses. From one day ones, to one I did lasting nearly 8 months.

I am not finding all this easier, I am finding it blooming harder. Harder to keep thinking, oh it will happen for me - it has to. It is just a matter of time. Well how much time?  What do I have to do?  I am tired of it all now, I am all over the place doing one thing or another, spreading my self really thinly. For what???

The speaker in the house of commons wife, said in one of her articles in the paper yesterday about the work programme. " People are misguided if they think there are no jobs out there"  It made me angry. Would that be a none job then?? like many of her gang  do??  or appear on reality tv shows.
 follow link
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/posts/view/236154/-Slave-jobs-stacking-up/

Oh, it must be all of them jobs in the job centre, the ones that you do not get paid for, because you would get taken on for one of those.
I haven't had much luck with any of the few others in there.
Going to bed.   :(

Job advertised 25 hours pw. Job Seekers plus travel expenses.

http://jobcentreplus.jobhits.co.uk/RETAIL-ASSISTANT-id-EAN-29944

This was a job advertised on the direct.gov site. Take a look.

WHAT A JOKE!!!
RETAIL ASSISTANT in FISHPONDS ROAD BS16 - Directgov jobs and skills search - Job details jobcentreplus.jobhits.co.ukThis is a Work Experience Opportunity for 18-24 year olds. Retail placement available with Superdrug on Fishponds Road. Duties as required by the Store Manager

Why would they take on anyone properly when they can do this??
There was another one similar advertised by Tesco recently. There are quite a few large companies signed up to these unpaid job scemes, and it is them, and them alone who benefit from this. However some companies  have pulled out as it becomes public knowledge, people are choosing not to shop there.
The people who work there and get paid are sometimes having their hours cut, as the work can be done for free.
After all why would a company pay someone when they do not have to?? and this is allowed and set up by our government.
The work is not a few hours. It is up to 30 a week for 8 week. And then you can be sent to another one.
There are thousands doing this. You do not even get the NMW.

THIS HAS TO STOP

Another Interview

I received a call yesterday, it was a call to ask me if I would like to go for an interview?
Well I do not want to say too much about it, as the job is really local, in fact just up my street in more ways than one. I dare not get my hopes up too high, yet need to also feel that this job has my name on it.

Any way I will update with any news.

I got my feed back from the other interview I had. It was all good constructive advice. Maybe it will help me in this next interview.

Not much else to say really. I am seeing my JC advisor on Friday. I have asked about a course, so will find out more about it.

New advisor

Well, after I had been an official Job Seeker for one year, it was decided I would be sent to a private company for a further year, to "help me find a job" That is now also over.  They did not do a deal of anything really, only they have so many people in there at one time it was difficult to even get a few minutes. Anyway, my year came to an end. I was then refered back to the job centre for a one to one with an advisor for 6 months, so they could help me.

I have had 3 appoinments with her and on my last visit (Friday) was told she is moving to a different position so will have a new advisor from now on.

The advisor gives me print outs of jobs to take home and apply for. On 3 occasions now the jobs have already met their deadlines. I have mentioned this a few times, as it seems on the print outs there is very little information, and no end date.

I was also told many of these are advertised through a third party as the employers do not want people contacting them directly. I can understand that but it is so blooming frustrating at times. It takes a lot of thought and time to fill in the application forms as you can not just send cv's. They want to know, what they want to know, and you have to fit yourself into the person spec and job spec.

The advisor did admit that there is alot of outdated stuff and told me about the employers wishing to remain anonymous. Yet we send our lifes out daily to who knows where???

I have just realised also that I have been writing this Blog for almost a year. I don't like to think about that though, as I really can not believe it. It has gone so slow, yet so quick at the same time.

Update of my interview

Well I received a call re a job I'd applied for. It was my dream job, advising, helping and supporting people.

I was so excited, as although I had applied, didn't really expect to hear as it's quite normal not to even get any response. Anyway I went for the interview and it seemed to go ok ish. There was loads of questions, such as fact and situation based. ( Explain things in volume and complexity of certain situations and of your experience).

At the end I was told I would hear one way or the other today, Ideally.

I didn't hear that day or the next, so assumed it to be a no..

It did make me start wondering though, what had they thought?? how had I come across??
I need some feed back for next time.

I decide to find out if possible. Anyway this morning I got a letter, " Although we really enjoyed meeting you, unfortunately on this ocassion we were unable to offer the posiition for which you applied. Thank you for your interest in working for us and all the best for the future. If you decide you would like some feedback then please contact us on ...."

I am in the process of doing this.

I have applied for a few new local jobs, due to an expansion of a company in town, and another not far from me. It is a while since any have come up locally.
So fingers crossed.
I am due to see my advisor again soon to see how things are going. I don't know about anything else, but this month has bloomin flown.

2.4 million kids in poverty.

I was watching something on the TV tonight, 4 thought TV,  2.4 million kids in poverty. One was talking about how his mum's benefit was going to be cut and how he worried she would be unable to pay the bills. He was also worried he may be taken away from her.  It's a sad thing to hear, but it is so real and needs to be put out there for people to know. When you talk about poverty to some people, they think it is far away countries with kids and pot bellies with empty bowls in their hands. They do not understand the people in this country where every day is a stuggle to put food on the table, or gas in the meter.
 copy and paste ( link)
http://www.4thought.tv/themes/what-does-child-poverty-mean-to-you/tommy?autoplay=true

Well Christmas came and went. It was ok.  I didn't get paid and they were shut which in not surprising.
It was due to an administation error on the 16th Dec, yet took them almost two weeks to become aware of it.

Anyway it's been a while since I was last on here and it reminds me just how rubbish my search for a job has been so far. I do not feel closer to paid employment, I feel a million miles away from it.

I honestly thought I would have something by now, ok maybe I have took off my rosey glasses now, and I would be made up if I got a dream job, but  facing the cold truth is horrible.

My kids both leave education this year and the urgency to get paid work is greater now than ever, as when they leave education my child tax credit and child benefit will stop.

My kids will not all of a sudden not eat or need heat etc. It will be a massive cut to my income, and nothing realistic to replace it yet, so I really do not know.

I have been waiting on a few replies from vacancies which I filled in  applications for. I sent off my cv and then they sent me the forms - one is quite local so fingers crossed.

I will update if I hear anything.

29 jobs in 21 days

I read a comment from someone who posted on my Blog.
They applied for a wide range of jobs, just like I do, they applied for 29 in 21 days.

Although it is good to share experiences, it is almost impossible to find anything anymore.

Yes there are thousands advertised on line but do they really exist??? They are all advertised on behalf of some other employer.  

Where I live there is very little and I have applied to every supermarket, pub, almost every shop in my area.
Then there are Charities, offices and the like. It is getting harder as more people are loosing their jobs.

So then I do a wider search.  A few more Jobs come up but if you get any response you have to then get there.  I did get a call from one this week it was 2pm and they wanted to see me at 4pm 16 miles away.  I was happy that they rang me. It sounded great, a charity fundraiser. It is comission only and you walk round peoples houses knocking on doors at night trying to get people to give you money for charities.  Well, I couldn't get there at 4pm it was a group interview so asked if there was any othere time I could be seen.  I have heard nothing.  Also there is no help toward travel from the DWP they stopped that. They think you should be able to pay for it with your £67.50, as well as gas, electric water rates and food.  Don't even get me talking about The Gas- it is criminal and should be stopped. How can it be right for them to charge what they do for heat for goodness sake???
Pensioners get a winter fuel payment of £200 to help towards the fuel, and every time it drops to a certain temperature get  another  payment, they get free travel, and a single pensioner gets more than double a week than what a couple under 60 year old  gets.  Now do the government not think that we to feel cold as we have the same costs, and we have to pay for travel or walk. And do not forget they want us to be pounding the streets and travelling looking for work. They should be fair and it should make sense but it never will.

Justine x