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The job centre
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Work & Study
Just wanted to get some feedback from those who have signed on in the past or who are signing on now.
Basically how do you find them ?
Helpful/the opposite ?
I can only talk of one job centre, but I just wonder if most people have similar experiences.
I don't think they provide much help at all.
Basically how do you find them ?
Helpful/the opposite ?
I can only talk of one job centre, but I just wonder if most people have similar experiences.
I don't think they provide much help at all.
0
Comments
They are generally helpful.
They generally leave you to get on with it without signposting you to other organisations or sources of help.
I just think they could be a hell of a lot better as they are the first port of call for people looking for work. Speaking to other people recently they don't the job centre are very good either.
Apart from getting the money I have no other reason to go there.
They don't have time. I'm lucky if I'm asked more than "what have you done this week?"
I still think they could do more to help people though. I know they don't have a lot of time, but they could still suggest places you could go for help or have a list of training providers printed off for you. Maybe tell you of a job club that they know about. Even if it was just a few snippets of information.
I think things could be improved - generally people just go there to collect the money they need.
A friend I was speaking to the other day was thinking along the same lines as me that they don't provide a very good service.
Maybe you do have certain expectations, but I think they could do more to help without having to ask.
On average I spend an hour with my advisor, max I've spent with her was 1:30 hours. Their time allotment varies from job centre. When I was down south in Reading I had to sign on, they weren't helpful and had no time for you, even though I waited for 40 minutes. The staff I spoke to didn't speak very good English either so that didn't help.
They don't have long to do things with you. I've always found that if I want help, I have to set up another appointment.
I guess the function now, is to use the resources they have to help where they can and for people to prove to the Jobcentre, that they are looking for work.
:yes: It's a problem with the government targets and the people on top, not just the ordinary staff. Like many front line public sector departments, the workload is huge. Of all the departments, DWP has the highest absence for sickness, mainly due to stress (hence the call centre strikes a few months back). If one person is absent, they do not block out the diary, but give to other people who may already be juggling two diaries themselves...
I know people on the inside... Some have gotten sick with stress from high workload, or not had breaks, or hate their jobs.
I can see why people are frustrated in this climate and obviously, I am not excusing crappy behaviour from advisers, if they are bullies... But I do think that people can have too high expectations of what people can do with their resources and sometimes, give people a hard time who work in Jobcentres (not on this thread specifically, but in general).
That's not always their fault. There isn't always enough time for the staff to do everything they need to do, and so run over time. This has happened to me before. Sometimes, they've only had time to say "you need to attend this" and that's all they have time for. No time to check that I've done things the previous 2 weeks.
They're not there to find you a job.
They failed to do this.
How proactive were you in looking at job vacancies, job papers, sending in CV's to places?
I have signed on before, albeit was only for a short period, but I have never used the job centre to find a job. I have also never been out of work for any massive long period which I guess I'm lucky for, but you dont have to totally rely on the job centre.
The onus is on YOU to get the job.
Exactly.
Where I am, they see around 5000 people per week for signing on. They really don't have the time to go through job searches with everyone.
They did find me my last job; but haven't (not complaining, mind) really found me anything suitable. That, as far as I'm concerned, is what I must do.
Well if he isnt a lazy parasite then he should know that the onus is always on him to do things for himself
He was very clueless though. Neither of his parents are in work and the uni advice was pretty useless for people graduating into a recession. He needed some realistic advice about the situation in the current job market.
The point was that he was keen to find work and open to suggestions and they just fobbed him off. Whats the point in sending people for these meetings and interviews if they are just going to be fobbed off. They might as well just hand you the money.
Worth noting that it must be quite depressing for job centre staff. They have to deal with some serious low lifes - all the people that don't want to work but still want to sign on.
I've not taken those things up (I probably should) but they have been offered to me.
And then imagine you're looking for something graduate and part time... worse than useless.