My DWP job coach showed up at my job interview

Hi,

I don't know if anyone on here is on Jobseekers Allowance, I guess by definition as students you might not be, but I'm a recent ex-student and wanted to ask about something which happened to me today...

So I've been on jobseeker's for about a month and a half now - I've signed with the same woman twice in a row, and on both occasions we spoke about an upcoming interview at a cafe near the job centre. Today she wished me luck for it, as I was leaving...

Later on, I'm sitting in my job interview in the cafe, and I look to my side only to notice that she's sitting on the table next to me! She had obviously arrived since my interview began, and had been sitting there for a while without me realising, in fact I only noticed her as she got up to leave, because my interviewer acknowledged her (out of politeness rather than because of recognising her, I hope).

Now, I could give her the benefit of doubt and guess that she might have forgotten I was having an interview there, but this is unlikely.... we spoke about it on two separate occasions, and in any case, she would have spotted me as soon as she went in.

Is this acceptable? I actually suspect that she was there on purpose, to check up on me and see that I really had gone.

I guess the best case scenario is that she just happened to be there, in which case I still feel like it was an invasion of my privacy, and it distracted me as I was trying to answer questions. Surely, as my job coach, she should realise I don't need the distraction of having her sitting at the table next to me.

Is it normal for job coaches to check up on you at interviews? Or was this just an honest mistake? Should I complain?

Reply 1

Matthew12

No way this is normal

Job centre advisors are just there to give you some advice and sign you on. Not monitor to see whether you go on interviews. That is out of order and you need to complain and hope you filmed her being there