Tag Archives: advisor

Low Risk foolishness

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So on Friday I was back at the Job Centre (yay I hear you cry…..rather sarcastically I hope!)…that morning I had been to see (yet another) recruiter about a job (read: a job prospect that would go no where so the meeting was merely an opportunity for them to get my name on their books), who was over twenty-five minutes late….said meeting ended with me waiting twenty minutes in the pissing down rain waiting for a bus (as the Loki-motion is seeing the car doctor)…said bus arrived when my nipples had already decided they wanted to become part of my chest cavity and my toes had long since disappeared to the pub (or at least I thought they had, it was impossible to tell as all I knew was that I couldn’t feel them anymore!).

Needless to say I was not a happy bunny! I’m tired of being messed around by recruiters and companies, and tired of being fobbed off by the Job Centre. On Friday I had a particular whinge to vent….and with Mother Nature giving my ovaries their monthly kicking I was rather in the mood for an arguement.

Advisor: “So you’ve had interviews recently?”

Me: “Yep, I’ve had over five interviews in the past two weeks or so”.

Advisor: “Well that’s good isn’t it?”

Me: “You tell me – most of the positions were given to internal candidates, or the company never called me with the outcome, or the receptionist was a complete bitch on the phone over the fact that they couldn’t even give me directions….that same company by the way had interviewed the previous day and didn’t bother to contact me to tell me this shit until I showed up in Manchester ready to attend!”

Advisor: O_o

Me: “ALSO – if I’m doing so great I wouldn’t once again be sat across from you signing a piece of paper to request benefits from the government…..don’t you agree?”

Advisor: “Well….you’re definitely trying to find work”.

Me: “Oh, while I’m on about attending interviews…you do realise that when I have five interviews in Manchester in the same week on different days that the cost of travel from where I live is approximately £60….”

Advisor: “Right….?”

Me: “I’m currently getting £71 a week from you…so that’d leave me with £11 a week to go towards rent and food would it not?”

Advisor: “Well…I….erm…”

Me: “Because my family do expect rent from me….but under your rules because I live at home I’m only entitled to job seekers allowance, nothing more. So, if I end up with a busy week like that I can’t attend all the interviews and pay my rent”.

Advisor: “But you live at home…And you have to attend the interviews otherwise you’re in breach of contract”.

Me: “Yes, yes I do. But my parents can’t be expected to be financially supporting me when I’m 27 years old, they do expect some help with the bills from me. So, I was wondering if you had any way for people to claim back travel expenses?”

Advisor: “Only if you’re a high risk claimant”.

Me: O_o “Whut?”

Advisor: “We’re allowed to give high risk claimants travel expenses…”

Me: *eyes start twitching* “don’t tell me…because I’m a low risk claimant I’m not entitled to it?”

Advisor: “That’s right yes”.

Me: “Ok….let me get this straight….because I’m actually attending interviews and applying for work I’m not entitled to travel expenses?”

Advisor: “Yes, because you’re low risk”.

Me: “And I’m expected to live on £11 a week or less if I have a week of interviews in Manchester or places of a similar distance?”

Advisor: “Well….yes”.

Me: “You know how backwards that sounds right? …so, you either help me with my travel expenses to attend interviews – or I stop applying for work and find my way onto your list of high risk claimants just so you can do your damned job correctly!”

Advisor: “You wouldn’t….you want to work! You’re one of the most determined job seekers here”.

Me: “As flattering as that is….being a low risk claimant means I get minimal help, and being a job seeker is depressing enough without being overlooked in favour of people who don’t want to work”.

Advisor: “But….it’s policy”

Me: “Uh-huh…..the choice is yours and believe me when I say I’m disillusioned enough with this country not to bother with your shitty processes to get the help I deserve!”

Turns out if I give them enough notice of my next Manchester interview that I can claim travel expenses…so fellow job seekers, dig in your heels! If you are actively looking for work, if you are attending interviews, if the expenses are costing you a fortune (to the extent you have barely anything left for food/bills/etc) then argue the toss with the Job Centre!

Just because you are a low risk claimant does not mean you shouldn’t be entitled to the same help as the high risk ones….after all, isn’t the point of the job seeker system to aid actual job seekers in their quest for employment? Rather than to mollycoddle those who clearly don’t want into the working world!

Loki-Lou

PS – Your eye candy from the Advent Calendar for December 16th comes to you from my fellow Lancastrian Alison’s other half:

kate winslet

(I don’t think this is the picture of Kate Winslet that you wanted Paul but hey….pretty sure the one you wanted would make this post NSFW! So you can have this one instead!)

Todays song of the day is:

The Darkness – I believe in a thing called love (try not to giggle at the video…I fail everytime!)

NaBloPoMo December 2012

Ups and downs of a Jobseeker’s day

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**As with yesterday’s post I will not be naming the company in the second part of this post as I don’t think it’s particularly fair to out them – so they’ll be referred to as “company”**

I had a meeting with my advisor today at the Job Centre…as you can imagine, I was thrilled! After the conversation in which I was dubbed a “low risk” claimant I was so excited that I put on my Pot Noodle stained t-shirt, ripped skinny jeans and mucky Converse on, completing the look with a baggy hoody to hide my pale face.

I wanted to look like shit….like I’d given up.

I wanted to look like Death warmed up.

Because I felt a bit like that…and because I really couldn’t be bothered ironing anything all for a 20 minute appointment.

The concerned look on my advisor’s face told me I’d garnered the right response, perhaps if I have foregone a shower, deodorant and perfume I would even have gotten a sympathy cup of tea! Who knows…maybe even a custard cream or two…maybe next time?

“How are you?” my advisor enquired.

“Still unemployed” I uttered sadly as I passed across my paperwork, he started to shuffle through the job applications but eyed me curiously rather than read the words. Eventually he put the sheets onto the desk without even having considered them.

“You’re doing everything right you know” he said finally, his voice warm, when I didn’t respond he continued “I know you’re feeling disheartened, I know this is difficult. With your qualifications and your experience you really shouldn’t be out of work…I’m surprised you haven’t been employed by now if I’m honest, it is quite pathetic that you’re not getting any interviews”.

“I guess” I murmured.

“Loki, you’re here because of a situation you had no control over…compared to most here you’re actually wanting to turn your life around, and you’re giving it a damned good go…you know I’m limited as to how much help I can give you – and to be honest there isn’t a lot more help I can give you because you’re doing everything right”.

“Everything right and I’m still getting no where” I smiled meekly, really I wanted to cry.

“I think I’m going to send you to a careers advisor at the college, they can go through your CV, get you onto a few courses that we’ll pay for, they’ll help tailor your approach to the job applications…..they might also give you some much needed confidence” I stared at him completely bemused as he started to call through to the college to set up an appointment, he wrote the time down and passed the card across to me “they’ll see you early next week”.

“Thank you” I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“I’m off when your next appointment is booked in for but I’m available next week if you need me and I’ll call the Monday I get back from holiday to check in on you ok?”

I am still wearing my derp face after this meeting…my advisor seemed a completely different person today. He gave me a much needed boost of confidence and some necessary support.  Words fail me as to how positive this meeting seemed.

Just as I arrived home with my brain going into overdrive my phone began to ring…

“Hello?” I started.

“My name is Sarah and I am the HR Administrator for company…I’m ringing because you were booked in for an interview this afternoon and I was wondering why you didn’t attend?”

Me: “Wait? You’re calling from company?”

Sarah: “Yes…so why didn’t you let us know you weren’t attending?”

Me: “You sent me a letter saying I wasn’t successful”

Sarah: “No we didn’t”

Me: *finds letter* “yes you did, it reads as ‘dear candidate, we are writing to inform you that on this occasion you have been unsuccessful’ …and that’s all it says”.

Sarah: “Really? Who has signed the letter?”

Me: *gives the name* “why?”

Sarah: “You were supposed to be called in for an interview, in fact we have you booked in and confirmed!” checks my name and address before adding “oh no…this is our new administrative assistant. She’s managed to mix it all up, you were supposed to be in for an interview and the one we rejected came in and was turned away”.

Me: “Did they have the same name as me or something?”

Sarah: “No…it was a HE for a start….that stupid cow! She only had to do this one thing and she couldn’t even get that right!”

Me: “I’m sure she didn’t mean to mess up, there may be an innocent reason for it”.

Sarah: “I am so sorry for this mix up, though it’s not me who should be apologising it should be her the daft bitch”.

Me: “Is it not possible to just re-arrange the interview because of the mix up?”

Sarah: “No no it’s not possible, we’ll have to assess the candidates that did attend and if we don’t like them we’ll have to re-advertise. So you’ll have to re-apply if we do”.

Me: “Erm…to be honest I don’t want to fill in that application form again (as it was 15 pages of in depth questions) and I’m not sure I want to work for a company that insults their staff to potential interview candidates regardless of what they have done…it’s not very professional wouldn’t you agree?”

Sarah: “well, I erm…”

Me: “Have a good day Sarah”.

As I hung up I felt terrible for the administrative assistant that was going to end up with a telling off based on that conversation, I’m pretty sure it was just an innocent mistake on their part. I know it cost me a job interview BUT I think in this case it’s a blessing, based on the attitude of the HR administrator.

Loki-Lou

PS – today’s song of the day is:

The Cranberries – Promises (awesome song, awesome video, awesome band…need I say more?)

NaBloPoMo November 2012

Job Centre Triage

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**This situation happened during my last meeting at the Job Centre**

I sat across from my advisor, my job application tracker (done in an Excel spreadsheet as the little green books I keep getting given fill up too quickly) and a list of short courses that I was curious about attending were sitting on the table between us. My advisor looked a little bit flustered by the amount of paperwork I had provided, he always seemed flustered by it, his face beamed red as he eyed it, wondering where exactly to start.

I shuffled on the seat, my legs shaking nervously…for some reason the Job Centre makes me incredibly nervous, it reminds me of attending exams at school. As though you’re just waiting to be caught out by the examiner because you haven’t revised for the test and had spent the whole time playing Zelda.

Eventually he motioned to pick up the application list, he fanned his face with it first, muttered something incomprehensible and then started flittering back and forth between the pages. As I watched his movements with all the interest as you would give to the dissection of a new animal species I was reminded of something my friend had told about when he had been a job seeker.

“Did you used to send people to an interview on the day they came to see you? If they were suitable for jobs you found on your system?” I queried knowing that it was through one of these automatic interviews that my friend had acquired his job.

“We did…well, we do” my advisor murmured while reading through my spreadsheet list of applications (now in excess of 160 jobs!).

“You do?” I couldn’t hide the surprise (and confusion I dare say) in my voice.

“Yes, we do” he still didn’t look up from the spreadsheet…if anything he was glaring at the words more intently than before.

“Why haven’t you sent me for anything?” at this he did look at me…questioningly at first which appeared to dissolve into a pitying stare.

“Because you’re fine as is” he said, shrugging, as though this explained everything.

“Fine as is?” I pulled my ‘are you shitting me?’ face before adding “I’m still unemployed so surely I’m not fine as is? I’m still sitting around waiting to be hired while trying to survive on the meagre amount of benefit you allow me”.

“Trust me – you are fine as is, you don’t need sending for interviews” his tone sharp, snappy.

I quietly contemplated this for a moment as he returned to my paperwork, scrutinizing each item on the list as though he was breaking a top secret highly important code and I was acting as an inconvenience to his task.

“How do you decide if I’m ‘fine as is’ and that I don’t need you to set up interviews with companies?” I uttered at last, eagerly wanting to know the criteria behind these decisions.

“You apply for work….so you are not high risk….you are a low risk claimant…as such we don’t need to send you for interviews” he explained slowly, as though speaking to a child.

“And these interviews….are they for very basic jobs?” my interest piqued.

“Not always…it depends on the jobs available, sometimes we even send people for trainee manager positions, we have a list of jobs that we can allocate people to” he waved a hand at his computer monitor as though this would instantly bring up this fabled system of allocated vacancies.

“Are these jobs on your normal system? Can anyone apply for them?”

“No, we have to send you to them…that’s what I mean by ‘allocated’”.

My brain started ticking over faster and faster as it processed his words…and then froze with a stark realisation.

“So…you’re saying that I could be being overlooked for jobs, overlooked for automatic interviews, because I’m applying for work which makes me a low risk claimant?”

“Exactly! You don’t need the extra help” he laughed dismissively.

“So because I’m doing everything right…you’re penalising me?” I kept my voice neutral, not wishing to cause a scene as I could sense the anger bubbling under the surface.

“No, not at all. We just don’t think you need sending for these interviews…there are people out there who don’t apply for work and who need to be in work…these people are high risk so we send them for interviews…they need this extra help”

I baulked at his explanation…then let go of the words I was trying to restrain.

“You’re giving interviews to people who don’t want to even apply for work and not asking those who are actually looking? Do you know how backwards that sounds? Surely it makes more sense to send those who want to work to interviews? Especially those who have been out of work for months on end, while applying for hundreds of jobs, who are qualified and experienced enough to do a wide variety of jobs and those who are going stir crazy sitting at home while going through the motions of application forms day after day….you’re saying I don’t warrant the same courtesy given to those who don’t give a damn?”.

My advisor merely shrugged and shuffled the papers before stating very clearly “you are not high risk enough”.

I wish I was bullshitting you all, I really do….alas I’m not.

Loki-Lou

PS – today’s song of the day:

Linkin Park – Lost in the Echo (Who doesn’t love a bit of Chester Bennington’s voice?)

NaBloPoMo November 2012

More fun with The Job Centre

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Dear readers I’m sure you will be shocked to know that I’m having a few issues with the local Job Centre…AGAIN! This time it’s regarding a “signing on” appointment on friday, the rules of the benefit contract state that I must attend all appointments arranged for me by my advisor otherwise my £20 a week (yeah, not £71 as it should be, £20 a week!) will be stopped.

Unless I have a valid reason for being unable to attend.

My reason for not being able to attend my appointment (and subsequently my reason for telephoning today to attempt to rearrange the time) is because I have a job interview! Over the weekend I applied for two jobs that I would absolutely love to have, I would get down on my knees and pray to all the gods of creation if I was to get either of those….so I am incredibly blessed/lucky to be called to an interview for one of them. Both applications reached their relevant HR departments Monday morning so when I was emailed today I was expecting the worst. I am shocked and thrilled but at the same time I’m trying not to get my hopes up too much…I have a lot of background reading to do in preparation and even then I know I’ll have some severe competition!

So I contacted the Job Centre to explain that I couldn’t attend that alloted time because of the interview, their response was (I spoke to three different people about this)….”if you fail to attend your appointment, regardless of the reason, then we’ll stop your benefits”. Seriously. They’re going to cut my job seekers allowance because I’d rather be attending a job interview, in an attempt to get a job, than attend a meeting about receiving handouts…I did try to rearrange the time by explaining that I could make the appointment before or after the alloted interview time but they refused. I even offered to see a different advisor, but nope, they were having none of it! Now, I have a few issues with this situation:

1. I thought the point of Job Seekers allowance was to help people who wanted to get back into employment – surely the fact I have an interview shows that I want to work? Shouldn’t they support me in my choice to attend an interview rather than sit in their office like a sponger?

2. They’re paying me £20 a week (after over ten years of me paying into the system!), the job’s basic salary is £15,000 a year…I’m willing to risk the joke of a benefit they’re offering for the chance of full time employment (bet you don’t hear that often from those of us on the dole huh?).

3. I thought that a job interview would be classed as a valid reason to re-arrange a job seekers advisor appointment – especially as I can provide evidence that I’ve been invited to attend and that I’ve confirmed my attendance. I’m not trying to get out of having the appointment, I’m not trying to skip a week…I want to re-arrange it for the same day. I have my spreadsheet of forty eight jobs I’ve applied for complete with times, dates, results (mostly rejections) etc since I last time I saw my advisor, I can email that through if they want to see proof of me applying for work (if they can’t accept an interview as proof!).

4. I’m not proud of being on Job seekers (to be honest the sooner I’m back into work the better!), I consider the benefit amount laughable and the advice given consisted of things I already know. BUT, what boils my piss is that there are people playing the system for all it’s worth (trust me, I know a few!) and it’s people like me (who genuinely want employment) who are shat on by this system! It is severely flawed.

I left a message with the main reception (who happened to be the fourth person I talked to) to get my advisor to call me back to discuss this because right now I’m raging.

As it stands I’m attending the interview – if Iose my benefits then I lose my benefits…I’d rather have a shot at a job, regardless of how minute, than turn down the chance for the sake of £20 a week….infact, this decision would have been the same if I was on the full £71 a week allowance.

Pride before a fall perhaps?

Loki-Lou

PS – Today’s song of the day is:

B.o.B (ft Hayley Williams of Paramore) – Airplanes (“I could really use a wish right now”….2012 is really kicking my ass).

 

Job Centre sneer

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Today I was back at the Job Centre…today I succumbed to the need for money…today I signed on for government help. And I hate myself for it! More than once I wanted to cry self-pitying tears of embarrassment…I really didn’t want to do this.

I met the wonderful greeter again (the one I mentioned in yesterday’s post) and was taken to fill in some paperwork…we basically went through all the information I had placed into their online form, which had then been confirmed three times with one of their “telephone advisors” only be to confirmed again today (twice!).

“Right, now go to the usual place” he then growled as I signed the final piece of paper.

“I’m sorry?” I murmured (usual place?)

Greeter: “Yeah, the usual place”

Me: O_o

Greeter: “Upstairs” (he then pointed towards the ceiling as though I didn’t know what he meant by upstairs).

Me: “Ok” (I started looking around for the doorway that would lead to the stairs).

Greeter (laughing): “Don’t tell me you’ve never been before?”

Me (blushing): “Actually, no, I haven’t, ever”.

Greeter (penny dropping): “ah…stairs are over there”.

I then shuffled away towards the stairs, red faced and feeling degraded at having to explain how I ended up in this situation in the first place to someone who had as much empathy as a steaming pile of dog shit. I signed in at the reception then grabbed a seat near to my assigned advisor, I took to scratching the backs of my hands (I do this when extremely nervous) and glancing anxiously around the room. It’s quite surreal that the upstairs department treats you as though you’re invisible unless you’ve been called by an advisor…until your name is hollared you sit in silence.

You are the scum of the earth to those paid to help you.

My advisor introduced himself as Peter and explained that we would be going through my paperwork….AGAIN!

Peter: “So you’re unemployed because you left your job?”

Me: “Yes”.

Peter: “We generally don’t help in that situation”.

Me: “It was due to a breakup…I was left homeless…I had to move back here”.

Peter: “Even so, we’ll have to refer your paperwork to someone more senior as you willingly left your job”.

Me: “I didn’t willingly do anything…I couldn’t continue with my job because I had no home! I had to move back up here with family…I wouldn’t say that’s willingly would you?”

Peter: “Well, you did decide to leave your job”.

Me: “No, I didn’t. I had no choice in the circumstances”.

As it stands my paperwork has been referred to someone more senior to decide if I should be allowed Job-seekers allowance because I ended up leaving my job due to suddenly finding myself homeless. I’m still at a loss how they can possibly claim that the decision was made willingly! The “advice” then started:

Advisor: “Well, we could send you on a course”.

Me: “What sort of course?”

Advisor: “Well, any within reason…you need to have qualifications nowadays”.

Me: “You mean like a Masters degree in a specialist science?”

Advisor: “Erm…..”

Me: “I highly doubt any course you send me on will make me anymore qualified that what I currently am, but knock yourself out trying to find one”.

Advisor: “Well…you could always apply for 13 jobs a day? That’ll get your information out there”.

Me: “I apply for a minimum of 20 jobs a day, I don’t hear anything but rejections….but yes, my information is definitely out there”.

Advisor: “Maybe it’s your CV”.

Me: *hands over a copy of CV*

Advisor: “Ah….there doesnt appear to be anything wrong with your CV”.

Me: “That’s what the recruitment consultants said….I’m on the books of the ones in Burnley”.

Advisor: O_o “you actually want to get back into work?”

Me: “You seem surprised? But yes, I want to work….I’d rather not be applying for benefits and dealing with the shitstorm that is daytime TV”.

Advisor: O_o

I left the place feeling horrendous. I cried as soon as I arrived home from having to explain the break up to so many people who really didn’t give a flying fuck, they only cared about pretending to do their jobs…all the while judging me because I’d finally given in and decided that I can’t live on fresh air. While I appreciate some people willingly give up their jobs (or just don’t work) and approach the Job Centre merely looking for hand-outs, not all of us are like that.

So why do I feel so bad about this? I am entitled to help because I’ve paid in…this is my first EVER claim for benefits…but I feel like a complete sponger for doing so.

Loki-Lou

PS – My song of the day is:

Chumbawamba – Mouthful of shit! (Here you go folks! Check out a Burnley Anarcho-punk band!).