I am reallly gutted.

Well I was hoping that this would have been the time I could post on here with some good news that I have at long last got the job.

I found out this morning that I had not.

Now although you somehow get used to this, this one seemed to go really well, and then the second interview, I even had my hair done. HA.

Well I guess it  was  just not meant to be.  I have to think like that other wise I will just get so down with the whole thing.  This is not an option.  As I have to keep searching and improving my skills and knowledge and hope that it will happen.  It is not through not looking hard enough or putting the effort in to each application, so then I think well what then??? That leaves me.  But deep down I know I will give my soul to get paid work as that is my goal, I know I have loads of skills and am really good with people. I go out of my way to solve problems but can not sort this for now.  Who knows I may start my own "looking for jobs company" ha. My Daughter said to me today "Mum it seems to be your job to look for jobs"  she is not wrong. 

Everyone around me has been really aware of my efforts to find work, and each time it gets to a stage of reply, interview or what ever, they see what affect this has.  I am not mardy or unrealistic but did think that I would be in work by now.

So I am at the job centre on Thursday to be put on the work programme. That will be nice, not.
 Oh I found this today for looking at unemployment.
http://chieelliott.wordpress.com/2011/11/07/there-is-more-to-life-than-unemployment-misery-says-a-letter-from-the-thatcher-era/#comment-390

Justine x

Letter from DWP

I have had a strange letter. It is from an independent company on behalf of the DWP saying someone will contact me soon to ask me some questions on the HELP I HAVE RECEIVED whilst looking for a job.
What???  It says it is confidential and that other than themselves and the DWP research team, will have access to it. It also says it is up to me if I tell them anything.

Well I will tell them that all these things they dream up just do not work.
Including people who send out such letters, unless they can make a difference, so will ask them what will the outcome be after hearing peoples experiences.
The money should be put into trying to create jobs, not pay people to tell me to look at a screen for hours and send me to large private companies for them to get free labour.

If you experience work then experience payment for it. As these companies have jobs that need doing and they are being done for no payment, as the very people doing them are sent here there and everywhere.

Oh I had another interview last Thursday. It went really well. They rang me back on Monday and asked me to go back for a second interview. I went yesterday.  So we will see.  It is a job I would like to do, and I would working with people who are facing redundancy or been made redundant. Helping them to access services and help.

Justine x

I am gutted

Well I had managed to secure two interviews on Tuesday, one was an advisor role and the other was customer service in a bookies.

I felt I had prepared myself well for any questions or possible scenarios.

The first one was for about an hour and a half in total.  It was really intense and I did not have a good feeling. There were two people interviewing me and that was a range of real life situations questions and scenarios.

The next was ok. In fact it felt to go well, and they said they would let me know either way by the following day,  I had a good feeling  (Nothing.)

The first was going to take a week or so. I am not holding my breath.

On a more possitive note I had a call about another one I had applied for via  a 3rd party, so did not know who the employers were,  (this is common you get vetted before they pass your details over)

So I am to go next weeek.  I am going to prepare well for it and I always think of what they may ask considering the role and how I will reply.

It is good that I am being asked for interviews based on my skills and experience,  I would not apply if I did not think I could do the job so what can I do to make sure I get it?

I am thinking about possibly saying give me a trial. pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease, but do not want to sound to pushy.

Any advice would be gladly received.

Oh there is a by election around here soon, I have never had so many visitors in one week   HA

Interviews are like buses.

Well I had a phone interview tonight ( customer service in a bookies ) and it felt to be going well, and afterwards I was invited to a face to face next week.

So now it seems I have two interviews, both on Tuesday, the other is the adviser role.

One is 15 miles north of my house and the other is 8 miles south.

So as I said they are like buses, there is none and then two come at the same time.

I am going to do some research in to both this weekend, as interviews can be really difficult, you never know what they are going to ask you, so have always taken any opportunity to ask others about any advice they can give me on how to best be prepared.

WISH ME LUCK  X

I have got an interview ! :)

Well I have been applying for a lot of jobs recently, and mostly it's a case of no reply or just "no"

But I applied for an advisor role ( just my thing ) and they have actually invited me to an interview. I am quite optimistic, I fit all of the spec and so-fingers and toes crossed.

Also I have applied for a job in a betting shop, and they are going to ring me tomorrow for a telephone interview. This one is a customer service role. That too would be fine. Both are full time. Although it would take a bit of getting used to full time hours, I need it and want it too. The first one would involve some travelling but I am prepared to do just about anything now.

Well I am due at the job centre tomorrow and am not at all looking forward to it.
I am going to challenge the 26 things a week, to look for work. It is unrealistic, as every job for example you apply for takes some doing. It is what counts as a step to find work that is unclear, as I asked if I spent 6 hours looking at job sites on lots of sites and applied for jobs does that only count as one thing?? Yes it does.

So I need to be clear. As 52 things in two weeks is not realistic. Not from 6 anyway.

The courses I completed some two or 3 months ago- the PC and Maths etc, I was supposed to get certificates for. They were recognised equivalent to GCSE A-C and the PC was advanced.
Well I was keen to add these to my CV and do not feel right in doing so without them. So when I saw someone who I was on these courses with, and he said-he too had not received his certificates, I decided to try and find out. I contacted learn direct as that is who sends them out when they have checked everything, they was no help, so I emailed the learning provider by email, they contacted me and said "oh we have them here"  well when was they gonna tell me??

They do not care as they would have been paid for me attending, that is another story.  Anyway I will fetch the certificates tomorrow and I worked really hard for them.

I am going to update my jobseeking sheet with the things I have done today to look for work and see what they say at the job centre tomorrow. x

I ought to sanction them for not sticking to their agreement.

I am in shock, I went to the Job Centre yesterday to sign on as well as see my adviser about the Debenhams work experience and talk about my Job Search.

WELL where shall I start? The Debenhams thing has changed, the goal post have moved. I was told yesterday that I now have to apply online directly to Debenhams, then if that goes ok, I may be selected out of 20 people on Job Seekers, (Chosen by staff at the Job Centre) to possibly have a telephone interview, if that goes ok then a face to face interview and if that goes ok then 2 week work experience,  The adviser was informed at first, that he and his colleagues was to refer 30 people to Debenhams for 2 weeks work experience and they would be given an interview for any jobs. I was originaly  told if I did 2 week work experience I would guaranteed an interview. What a lot of old rubbish.  I ought to sanction them for not sticking to the agreement.

I was told yesterday that I am now to start the work programme in July. This is for two years with a private company, either A4E or Ingeus, to be selected at random. It's like the Lottery.

My biggest shock yesterday, was last time I saw that adviser I was given a new Job seeking agreement, you know the thing where on it-it says you will do this many things to look for work such as contacting so many employers, look at this site or another, be willing to travel these many hours to and from work each day, and be available between these hours.

Well the adviser told me It has changed from where you take at least 3 positive steps each week to find and gain employment, it is down on my agreement that I have to take 26 steps each week. Yes 26. This is not too hard to do if you consider looking on web sites and things but I am to challenge this as I feel they have just plucked a figure from thin air.  I have looked in depth about any change in the law and can not yet find anything.. I will let you know.  For someone like me who has access to the Internet and gets about quite a bit, talking to people and putting myself in a position to ask people about jobs and stuff its not too bad, but this is now ridiculous.. What counts towards the 26??

I have been told to go to my local volunteer centre and get myself another volunteer job, in retail or the like.  That as well as my already volunteer role, as well as all these steps to find work, as well as work experience and courses. Bloody hell.

Jubilee, misery for the unemployed

Well amongst all of the celebrations in the city, there was the story of unemployed people being taken to London to do unpaid work.

This is nothing new, it goes on a lot, but people are only just being made aware of it.

I found an article in the Guardian, these people went unpaid, without even the privacy to get changed or shelter at night, all on the promise that this unpaid work, MAY lead to some paid work.  What makes me angry is that this is allowed to go on.  Private companies get paid alot of money to organise these events, such as security and crowd control and the like, and then they get the unemployed who will do anything in the hope it may lead to some paid work.

Most of the time it does not lead to anything, as these companies just say things like they were not suitable and then take on a load more people with the same hopes. All of the time getting free
labour and treating people badly some of the time.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jun/06/unpaid-jubilee-jobseekers-downing-street?intcmp=239

and a follow up

.http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jun/06/unpaid-jubilee-stewards-downing-street

I am due at the Job centre tomorrow to find out when I am due to do my work experience.. in the new Debenhams. I am to be flexible from any time between 9am and 7pm for two weeks.

I do not need experience, I need a job.  I am hoping this may lead to something as I am told I will get an interview.  But I feel it may be that I can work my butt off for them for free - and then they will just get someone else to take my place.  I will update you.

Sorry you have been unsuccessful.

I went to the job centre today to sign, and it was very quick.
It seems sometimes they wish to just get rid of you.

When I got home I had received a letter from a job I had applied for. It was a call handler job for a new non emergency telephone service 111, I had really liked the sound of it.
Well I did not get the job, which was a shame as there was approx 20 vacancies. It is a new service to take pressure off 999 calls and you then have to direct the people or refer them else where, at least they let me know.

I also requested  some feedback from another job recently. It had taken me along time to fill in the application form, it was as a support worker for an housing association.  When I did not receive confirmation they had my application I contacted them to find out if I had been considered, as I felt I met all of the person specifications and I took my time to give examples of how I did. Anyway, I did not hear back so contacted the HR department and it was someone from there who found out for me and could not really give me much feedback, but did say that there were some more roles coming up and would I like to apply???

If I was unsuccessful and they could not be bothered to tell me they had my application, then it makes me feel do they even look at them all??  Well I will apply again as you just never know.  One of these days I will be told YES.