How many jobs do you have to apply for on Job Seekers Allowance?
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Original post by punani
Brutal! Sounds like you manged to get the office Nazi. Lucky you. If I were you I'd go to my local Citizens Advice Bureau. They'll be able to tell you what the real deal is.
Tell me about it! I know people who have had her before and no one has said anything positive about her!
I have to do 27 job related activities a week.
If I check the newspaper and there aren't any, that counts as a thing. Checking supermarket websites gets me 4 things a week (ASDA, Tesco, Morrisons and Aldi), bookshops (Waterstones, WHSmiths, Blackwells and The Works), The Arcadia Group website. I usually search for anything within 10 miles of my location on Jobmatch and then apply for everything I might even possibly be qualified for and let the employer decide if they think I'm not qualified. There's always at least one a day, last Thursday I think it was I applied for about 6 jobs in an hour or so just on Jobmatch, just ones that had been posted that day.
My advisor is always impressed with it.
If I check the newspaper and there aren't any, that counts as a thing. Checking supermarket websites gets me 4 things a week (ASDA, Tesco, Morrisons and Aldi), bookshops (Waterstones, WHSmiths, Blackwells and The Works), The Arcadia Group website. I usually search for anything within 10 miles of my location on Jobmatch and then apply for everything I might even possibly be qualified for and let the employer decide if they think I'm not qualified. There's always at least one a day, last Thursday I think it was I applied for about 6 jobs in an hour or so just on Jobmatch, just ones that had been posted that day.
My advisor is always impressed with it.
Original post by Patched
So you just pretend you've applied to any job you see? I'm literally going to have to do this otherwise I'll get chucked off at this rate, as most jobs I'm not even qualified for, but if I just put it down atleast I won't get thrown off.
I'm going to ring them tomorrow and try to sort this out.
I'm going to ring them tomorrow and try to sort this out.
Half-and-half. I do apply to some jobs because I want to find some work, but it has all been in the city of Lincoln, where I'm going to study. But I still have my hometown as my address, so employers will be thinking "Why is this person applying all the way from Bradford?" and just reject me.
So I lie half the time. I go through Indeed.com and just find all my jobs there, since it's a search engine for jobs. Even if they claim that "You don't use our jobsearch enough", you can make the argument that you apply through indeed.com and it links you to many different websites where the job is hosted.
Besides, the resources that JSA has for the unemployed is shockingly poor. And to make matters worse, we have the work program. Oh, one of the most useless schemes the government has invented to help the youth be employed. It hasn't helped me one bit. The jobs I did get were through stroke of luck, an agency or because I knew someone.
You might as well lie. The best way to get a job is to work hard on your CV and gain some work experience. Because the JSA's way of doing things certainly isn't any better.
Original post by ForgetMe
Did they tell you that reed doesn't count? Jobcentre's Universal Match itself is a joke and rubbish website, half of the jobs I've seen either have only contact details with no "Apply" button or redirects to an external website 
No, it's just i don't understand how it's difficult to apply for 3 jobs per day if REED is allowed, since it takes <5 min to complete an app there.
However, as Patched explained, REED doesn't have too many jobs + update regularly for his area, unlike London - where I live.
Original post by Sigma44
No, it's just i don't understand how it's difficult to apply for 3 jobs per day if REED is allowed, since it takes <5 min to complete an app there.
However, as Patched explained, REED doesn't have too many jobs + update regularly for his area, unlike London - where I live.
However, as Patched explained, REED doesn't have too many jobs + update regularly for his area, unlike London - where I live.
Well, in his case he should just sit with his adviser and show them that there aren't many jobs
I've been checking reed and other sites for months, they very very very rarely update. In addition, anything on there I'm unqualified to do as they're normally managerial or caring jobs, but I suppose I could still apply for them but it's not really going to help me get a job. My advisor seems completely unaware of the scarcity of jobs in my area which is quite ironic seeing as she works for the job centre. I'm pretty sure she does it on purpose from what I've heard about her. It's not like asking or dropping my CV into random places even counts - if it did then there wouldn't be a problem.
I'm worried she will chuck me off jsa if I confront her about it. From what I've heard from people who have had her as their advisor, she's extremely condescending on top of the fact that she doesn't care if she takes their benefits from them, no matter how much they need them . I might just go to another local job centre which I know has a better reputation and discuss the problem with them instead as I don't think I'll get very far with her. I'm not going to risk it.
I'm worried she will chuck me off jsa if I confront her about it. From what I've heard from people who have had her as their advisor, she's extremely condescending on top of the fact that she doesn't care if she takes their benefits from them, no matter how much they need them . I might just go to another local job centre which I know has a better reputation and discuss the problem with them instead as I don't think I'll get very far with her. I'm not going to risk it.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by punani
This may seem dishonest and drastic but they do not give a s*** about you or try to find you a job. They are solely there to try and catch you out in some slight way so they can sanction you or worse take away your benefits. Never volunteer information unless asked for and don't tick the box that allows them to check up on your applications on the jobsearch website. I think they were trying to make this compulsory but when my friend was doing this it was still voluntary.
This may seem dishonest and drastic but they do not give a s*** about you or try to find you a job. They are solely there to try and catch you out in some slight way so they can sanction you or worse take away your benefits. Never volunteer information unless asked for and don't tick the box that allows them to check up on your applications on the jobsearch website. I think they were trying to make this compulsory but when my friend was doing this it was still voluntary.
I agree so much with this.
If the Job Centre genuinely cared, with the extensive resources they have, they'd find people a job in no time. Instead, my advisor spent most of her time picking at my 'lateness' (I was late by a couple of minutes, when I was waiting for her about 25 mins once) and sitting on the computer sullenly trying to find jobs she knew darn well I wasn't qualified or experienced for.
They don't care at all.
The only good thing I can say is that she seemed so miserable and distracted that she didn't even pick up on the fact that I'd told a few white lies on my job log
(edited 10 years ago)
Hey I think I had to apply for around 6 a week. I struggled even doing that, sometimes they would force me into applying for jobs I wasnt suited for, so I just ensured my application was terrible to make sure I wasnt called for an interview. I was on JSA about 4 months, I work as an nursing assistant right now, id hate to go back on JSA, you get treated like a criminal for not having a job which is no fault of your own.
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When I was on the dole in 2010 it was 3 jobs a week. I suspect that's still the basic rate. I don't understand why they're giving these little Hitlers in the dole office discretion to change the rules (deserving/undeserving poor).
The dole should be given out with no conditionality: it should be a birthright, the price the country pays to hedge against crime and misery. It should be a citizen's income.
Any conditionality is ideological bullying. I can't see what the government hopes to achieve with it. People will steal before they starve.
The dole should be given out with no conditionality: it should be a birthright, the price the country pays to hedge against crime and misery. It should be a citizen's income.
Any conditionality is ideological bullying. I can't see what the government hopes to achieve with it. People will steal before they starve.
Original post by scrotgrot
When I was on the dole in 2010 it was 3 jobs a week. I suspect that's still the basic rate. I don't understand why they're giving these little Hitlers in the dole office discretion to change the rules (deserving/undeserving poor).
The dole should be given out with no conditionality: it should be a birthright, the price the country pays to hedge against crime and misery. It should be a citizen's income.
Any conditionality is ideological bullying. I can't see what the government hopes to achieve with it. People will steal before they starve.
The dole should be given out with no conditionality: it should be a birthright, the price the country pays to hedge against crime and misery. It should be a citizen's income.
Any conditionality is ideological bullying. I can't see what the government hopes to achieve with it. People will steal before they starve.
Alot of people do take the mick though, I know people with 4-8 kids who want more and have no intention of ever working. IMO thats wrong and unfair.
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Original post by Trisha<3
Alot of people do take the mick though, I know people with 4-8 kids who want more and have no intention of ever working. IMO thats wrong and unfair.
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They will never get a job - they have no work history. They are simply making the best of a bad lot. What would you do in their situation - traipse the streets handing out CV's day after day, year after long year, all the while knowing you will never get a job?
Some people are disabled physically or mentally but not recognised in the system, so they may have children to get the benefits to survive. Others simply live in an area where there are no jobs and never will be. What would you do in their situation?
There is no pride in working a job compared to a "career" claiming benefits. A job is either you being exploited, making profits for the employer, or you doing the exploiting, ruining someone's life. It is nothing to be proud of.
I'm surprised how much things have changed, I was on jsa 10 years ago and there was absolutely no requirement for me to apply for a minimum number of jobs per week. It seems there is a problem with low morale among jobcentre staff, i've read about widespread bullying by management.
Original post by Jabberwox
I agree so much with this.
If the Job Centre genuinely cared, with the extensive resources they have, they'd find people a job in no time. Instead, my advisor spent most of her time picking at my 'lateness' (I was late by a couple of minutes, when I was waiting for her about 25 mins once) and sitting on the computer sullenly trying to find jobs she knew darn well I wasn't qualified or experienced for.
They don't care at all.
The only good thing I can say is that she seemed so miserable and distracted that she didn't even pick up on the fact that I'd told a few white lies on my job log
If the Job Centre genuinely cared, with the extensive resources they have, they'd find people a job in no time. Instead, my advisor spent most of her time picking at my 'lateness' (I was late by a couple of minutes, when I was waiting for her about 25 mins once) and sitting on the computer sullenly trying to find jobs she knew darn well I wasn't qualified or experienced for.
They don't care at all.
The only good thing I can say is that she seemed so miserable and distracted that she didn't even pick up on the fact that I'd told a few white lies on my job log
It's disgusting really. It all stems from a mistaken belief from the monetarists that have infected all areas of economic decision making in this country that unemployment, sometime mass unemployment is just a cost of doing business.
If you compare us to somewhere like Denmark where they realise that unemployment has massive problems not just for the person out of work, but for the whole of society the differences are enormous. In Denmark you receive up to 90% of your wage in unemployment benefits, in the UK you get £71 per week, if you're old enough. They have training opportunities and chances to update your skills, we have people sent to poundland. They believe in a society based around lifelong learning, we throw people on the scrapheap once their skills are outdated.
I've had to apply for 3 jobs per day.
It hasn't been too hard to do given the region I live in, but as I'm actually trying to get specific roles, applying for all these other non-related roles seem a bit of a hassle.
Having said that, it's not a terrible idea looking through the job websites every day even if nothing really stands out.
It hasn't been too hard to do given the region I live in, but as I'm actually trying to get specific roles, applying for all these other non-related roles seem a bit of a hassle.
Having said that, it's not a terrible idea looking through the job websites every day even if nothing really stands out.
If I was head of Job Centre Plus, I would make it a requirement that all claimaints MUST apply for EVERY job currently advertised .
Just checking http://www.totaljobs.com/ there is currently 104,288 jobs available with 5,562 companies so there's no excuses apart laziness and selfishness.
Just checking http://www.totaljobs.com/ there is currently 104,288 jobs available with 5,562 companies so there's no excuses apart laziness and selfishness.
Original post by TruthseekerFtw
If I was head of Job Centre Plus, I would make it a requirement that all claimaints MUST apply for EVERY job currently advertised .
Just checking http://www.totaljobs.com/ there is currently 104,288 jobs available with 5,562 companies so there's no excuses apart laziness and selfishness.
Just checking http://www.totaljobs.com/ there is currently 104,288 jobs available with 5,562 companies so there's no excuses apart laziness and selfishness.
I'm sure all the people advertising teaching positions and engineering positions and looking for solicitors would be happy to receive millions of applications from people without the qualifications for their job.
I'm sure people in London would love to sift through applications from people up in Scotland who have no plans to relocate, and vice versa.
What a wonderful and productive use of everybodies time.
Hey there - hows it going?
ok so i just read this and i thought mines was the only mad advisor!
i've been told to complete 20 steps a week - i know its ridiculous! i want a proper job, don't want to end up at burger king (no offence) lol. its frustrating.. but its 20 steps so like picking the paper up and looking at the jobs bit is one.. so confusing..
ok so i just read this and i thought mines was the only mad advisor!
i've been told to complete 20 steps a week - i know its ridiculous! i want a proper job, don't want to end up at burger king (no offence) lol. its frustrating.. but its 20 steps so like picking the paper up and looking at the jobs bit is one.. so confusing..
2 weeks ago I was told by one advisor I had to look for 20 a week. Yesterday another advisor, with a bad attitude, told me it was 35. And I had to spend 35 hours a WEEK searching and have proof! The system is a joke and trying to actually find the rules on the web is impossible, even the job centre web site doesn't tell you what the guidelines are. Pathetic!
Ideally they would acknowledge that firing off applications like a scattergun is extremely counterproductive and a waste of everybodys time. Either that or you can sometimes be inundated with several offers all at once, which is not ideal either.
A dozen meticulous prepared apps is miles better than 50 rushed ones.
good luck lads.
A dozen meticulous prepared apps is miles better than 50 rushed ones.
good luck lads.
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