Yes, really.
Yesterday I was admonished at the JobCentre for travelling to too many job interviews, then snubbed and bullied for daring to claim for another rail warrant to attend an interview next week.
Travel to Interview…no more
I have blogged before about Travel for Interview Scheme (TIS). If you need to travel to a job interview outside your local area, you may be entitled to TIS – if your local JobCentre approves your claim, they will issue you a rail warrant, which can be exchanged for a train ticket on the day of the travel.
This helpful scheme is one of only two reasons (the other one being NI credits) I decided to stay signed on at the JobCentre, as I am not entitled to a single penny in Jobseeker’s Allowance this year for not having paid NI contributions in 2008 and 2009 (I was studying in 2008, unemployed in 2009).
It is the only incentive I have to keep filling in “the six actions I have done to find work” in the JobCentre’s “dole book” and present them to the JobCentre every fortnight.
Well, the bad news is that the scheme has now closed. I only found out because as I called the JobCentre to tell them I had another interview in London (I live on the south coast) next week, instead of the usual invite for an appointment to get TIS, I was summoned in for a “meeting with a personal adviser”.
It didn’t sound good.
So I googled “Travel for Interview” in advance and found out, purely by accident, that the scheme is no longer available. That is according to the DirectGov website, but, in reality, it seems as if, despite tighter controls, each branch is still handing it out at their own discretion.
Investigated
The appointment with the personal adviser turned out to be an inquiry into why I had been to interviews five times outside my local area and still had not landed a job. Was I going for the right type of jobs? Was I preparing myself appropriately before interviews? Had I requested feedback after each job rejection? Could I not find jobs more locally?
I had indeed claimed for TIS five times in the past few months, including two for second interviews, and all of them for publishing jobs. I happen to have more than 15 years of publishing sales experience; and my last job was in publishing… To me it is the fastest and most obvious route back into the job market. But not to the JobCentre.
“Money is tight,” the personal adviser said. I was not to assume I could automatically claim TIS, was I clear, and they would not be able to issue any more warrants for jobs in publishing, as it seemed I was not getting anywhere in that field. Instead, I should go for more general jobs, such as PA, which I could find more easily in the local area.
She then deleted “journalism” from the list of areas “where I am looking for work” to include “PA”. I now have:
- publishing
- PA/secretary
- event organiser
under the “type of jobs I am looking for”. Curiously, searches on the JobCentre site under those codes still produce jobs in “store cleaning” ,”nursery assistants” and “charity fundraising”…
Once the personal adviser was satisfied that I had not been trying to abuse the system but was genuinely trying to find a job, she printed my new “Jobseekers Agreement”, which I had to sign to show my commitment towards finding work. I was then sent to the floor below to see the adviser who deals with Travel for Interview warrants.
Bullied
The TIS lady received me with the warmth of someone about to interview a mass murderer. Scowling, she spat her words to drive home the fact that she was less than pleased I was travelling out of town for yet another interview.
She reminded me once more I would not be paid any more TIS for jobs in publishing, that any further claims for TIS would be considered on a case-by-case basis. Â The conversation that ensued left me speechless and later drove me to tears:
“Where is the interview in London?”
“The nearest station is Sloane Square.”
“Sloane Square?! We can only pay until Victoria. You’ll have to make your own way from there. Sloane Square is not far fromVictoria.”
“….”
“The 12.05 train will get you there at 13.28. That’s an hour before the interview, so plenty of time….”
It suddenly dawned on me this was my punishment for daring to ask for a Travel for Interview warrant. She was suggesting I get there an hour early so that I had time to walk from Victoria to Chelsea. With trainers on, it might take me half an hour. Wearing an interview suit and heels, and if it rains, it could take from 45min up to an hour and my feet are likely to blister and bleed (Update for those who thought I was exaggerating: I have huge, problematic bunions on both feet).
I looked at her eyes and recognised the same crazed hatred I used to see in the bullies at school: those who spat at me for being the only Oriental kid in class, cut my notebooks in half with a knife and scribbled unrepeatable swearwords on my seat.
In shock and humiliation, my mind drew a blank and I had trouble remembering my postcode and my home telephone number to fill in my TIS claim form…
I can understand rules are sometimes harsh but need to be followed. But bullying? Can there ever be any justification for unnecessary cruelty, especially towards the unemployed, who are skint, demoralised and most likely depressed? Isn’t the job of the JobCentre to give support to help jobseekers get back into work as soon as possible?
Wasting money
I noticed the TIS lady wrote down £24.90 on her copy of the document. This is because it costs £24.90 for a return ticket from my local station to London Victoria if you buy it on the day. This is because the JobCentre doesn’t, as a rule, allow you buy your own ticket and claim for reimbursement later.
The absurdity is that, if they did, I could have bought an advance ticket online, including London Underground Zones 1-6, for £13.30 on the Southern Railway website. This would have saved the JobCentre £11.60 and myself the unnecessary humiliation of being “dropped off” in Victoria and told to walk the rest of the way.
How much travel money is actually being wasted by the JobCentre this way, while they try to make savings by restricting the number of times anyone can have their travel to interview subsidised? How much more money wouldn’t they save from closed JSA claims, if active jobseekers were, instead, encouraged to attend as many interviews as they can get?
Thankfully my partner is in work and, although we live on an incredibly tight budget, I can just about buy a London underground travel card once I get to Victoria.
But someone virtually on the breadline may not have been able to afford the extortionate £6.60 that an off-peak day travel card costs for zones 1-2. Depending on the time of travel, you can pay up to £15.00 for a London underground travel card for zones 1-6. That sum could exceed the cost of a family dinner in some households. What if it is a choice between eating or paying for a train ticket to get to a job interview, which, if successful, would mean one fewer benefit claimant for the Department for Work and Pensions and the JobCentre to sustain?
None of this makes sense to me.
Not too many interviews
In 10 days’ time I must present myself at the JobCentre again to show the adviser “the six things I have done to actively find work”. Due to the JobCentre’s ambiguous attitude towards interviews, I now know those entries cannot be six job interviews, as subsidised travel clearly becomes an issue after five interviews, especially if potential employers in your field tend to be located out of town.
I will have to start turning down any interviews I get from anywhere beyond zone 1 or 2 in London, as that is the most I can afford out of my own pocket, in my seventh month of unemployment.
Now I am also obliged to spend a few hours a week applying for secretarial jobs I come across, even though my experience as a PA is so outdated I am highly unlikely to be shortlisted for interview. Although time spent applying for such jobs will take away from time I could spend applying for jobs I am far more likely to get (in publishing), that is what the JobCentre wants me to do.
Again, I question: how many unemployed people are having their jobseeking efforts hampered by their JobCentres by being artificially forced to apply for jobs that are not suited for them at all? And how much precious government money is going down the drain because of an inefficient system that penalises rather than support active jobseekers?
Failure and guilt
More bad news awaited me when I got home. A voice message from a recruitment consultant confirmed I had not got a job for which I had been interviewed twice already. Â Four nights without sleep preparing a presentation for the final interview; 16hs of travel in total; hundreds of pounds in train fares. For nothing.
I feel as if I have failed myself, my recruitment consultant, my friends, my parents, my partner, and now also the JobCentre for having wasted two of their TIS warrants. This is not right.
Being rejected from a job hurts. But having to feel guilty for going to too many interviews, and being bullied by the JobCentre before travelling to one is not only preposterous; it is utterly inhumane and disgraceful.
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Have you had a similar experience and would like to share? Please leave a comment below or write to me privately if you do not mind being contacted for an interview for an newspaper piece. All names will be kept confidential upon request.
Related articles of interest:
- Jobcentre tells unemployed man they’ll stop dole money if he goes for job interview (Manchester Evening News)
- Discussion forum on the end of the Travel for Interview scheme from May 2011 (The Money Saving Expert’s forum)
‘Yesterday I was admonished at the JobCentre for travelling to too many job interviews’
I was kicked off a training course for writing too many spec letters to employers.
Ha ha, lovely. How did that happen? Would you like to share some more?
Nice site. There’s some good information on here. I’ll be checking back regularly.
You’re clearly a writer. You have, especially, the ability to turn strong feelings into words. I wish that the words were £££.
With all good wishes.
How flattering, thank you.
PS If words were £££ all writers and journalists would be millionaires!
Very interesting and well-written blog. I just wanted to say how sorry I am to hear about this stupid self-defeating bureaucracy you’ve fallen foul of. Would it be worth sending a copy to Norman Baker, just to see what his take is on it?
That’s a very good idea, Beth, thank you. Norman Baker works for the Dept of Transport anyway, doesn’t he? If the JobCentre doesn’t have the funds to sponsor Travel to Interview any more, it would be helpful if unemployed people could get either a complimentary ticket or a heavily discounted one on days they are travelling to an interview away from their local area. The JobCentre would still check the evidence, but train companies would cooperate w/ the government and facilitate jobseeker’s travel to appointments like that. Seems like such a simple idea but I’m probably too naive and there are hundreds of reasons why it can’t be implemented…
This is ridiculous. One of the justifications of the changes to Housing Benefit is that people must be prepared to travel around to find work…while the JobCentre takes away the money it offered that allows people to do that.
We need changes to the Welfare State such as allowing you to buy a ticket in advance and claim back, helping to save money and allow the scheme to be extended. We also need changes on permitted work and a million other small but significant tweaks. So the govt is ignoring all of that and bringing in UC instead with all its associated costs and very few answers. The deck chairs on the Titanic spring to mind.
PS: I don’t know if this makes you feel better or froth more. In London TIS never covers the Tube unless you can prove it is the only way possible for you to get there (like for a 9am interview). Otherwise, they only issue for buses, even if it’s 3 there and back. And if it’s less than 45 minutes, they’ll tell you to walk.
“One of the justifications of the changes to Housing Benefit is that people must be prepared to travel around to find work…while the JobCentre takes away the money it offered that allows people to do that.” – Exactly. Why is the government saying one thing and doing another that contradicts it??
Re TIS I have had London underground covered before, but maybe it was because the interview was in North London and not within walkable distance from an overground station. It would be good if there were written rules for TIS we could refer to, wouldn’t it? I will try to find out…
This is shocking and demeaning treatment.
Horrifying and astonishing, Chie.
Well, it should be. Except, sadly, it’s not really astonishing if you’ve ever had anything to do with JobCentre Minus.
All I can do is send you a big virtual hug. And say you deserve so, so much more xxx
“JobCentre Minus”…ha ha. Love it, M. x
I can sympathise with you. I have been unemployed almost a year now & I find the whole condescending attitude depressing.
The whole system is designed as a state sponsored scheme for unskilled underpaid low & non skilled jobs, which obviously costs the state more money but makes employment figures look good.
The system purposely deviates you from trying to find a job in the level you are qualified for, and when you want to retrain or increase your qualification level, the aforementioned system blocks you from doing that!
“Condescending attitude” is a good way of describing it, Michael. Just because you lost your job for whatever reason, you are suddenly reduced to this pitiful creature that needs help… It’s the lack of dignity that hurts, doesn’t it?
My daughter claimed jsa for a couple of weeks, then had to stop as her treatment at the jobcentre made her suicidal.
She has no income and cannot get a job.
I am so very sorry to hear about your daughter. I completely understand and empathise. Unemployment has led me to depression as well, and I will be blogging about this topic soon. She’s not alone…
I hope your daughter has talked to a GP about how she feels? Counselling sessions can be available through the NHS, so please do make enquiries. I will email you privately about this in due course.
Absolutely shocking. Back in the days when I was doing manual labour and catering jobs etc, the job centres in Bognor Regis and Swansea helped me a lot. In recent years, though, I’ve only been treated with disdain. I went to the Brighton one once, in 2007, and quickly realised they had no intention of helping me.
I’d been teaching English abroad for a few years, then to refugees in London for a year, then been made redundant following a change in government funding. The job centre advised me to adjust my expectations, and my CV to make it clear that I had experience of using the phone and so on. I walked out and never went back – I got better service and more respect from the private recruitment agencies, for whom I did secretarial work in hospitals and mental health centres for a few months until I got my job at The Grocer.
I think it has something to do with bitterness – you’re basically aiming for a “better” job than the people who are supposed to be helping you feel they have achieved themselves. Why do you want to go to London? Is Brighton not good enough for you? Etc.
I’m truly sorry you’re being treated the way you are. And you make a very good point about advance train tickets – typical inefficient bureaucracy.
I know JobCentres are not recruitment agencies, so they can’t be expected to delve into your CV and discuss your career choices with you (even recruitment agents don’t do that these days), etc but I think people get frustrated for being regarded in such a one-dimensional way.
Their job is to get people off benefits as quickly as possible, and they think downgrading the type of job you’re looking for to a less skilled one and more local, you’ll find work sooner. The irony is: that does not happen. Employers are not stupid. They can see, by looking at your CV, that if they employ someone with a degree to stack shelves, for example, they won’t stick around for long so they don’t offer it to you in the first place. In the end it just prolongs unemployment.
As to “Is Brighton not good enough for you?”, my personal answer is yes, I’d love to have a job in Brighton, but the type of jobs I’m applying for (publishing) are located mostly in London or further afield, what can I do? I guess it’s not a question of which city or which job is superior to which but what is the most practical solution to each person’s (unemployment) situation. And in that sense the JobCentre is totally impractical!
It is solely the Jobcentre’s remit and function. They are tasked with ensuring that YOU (and every jobseeker) don’t have a “settled way of life”. In regards to preventing a “benefit lifestyle culture” everyone sees it as fair enough… but when it comes to practical things like important job interviews they don’t care. They are in authority and you shall do as you are told. Its a very contradictory system but confusion boosts their authority.
The second link you posted I quote the following false statement:-
That is not true. If you sign on every Monday (for example), take this month… it could be 11th July and 25th July. There is nothing stopping them (at their discretion) of signing you on not on your normal cycle. If you had a job interview on the 25th July… you couldn’t sign (to their unofficial rules) on the 24th July and again on the 8th August. You would have to sign again on say the 26th July for the period of 1 day. Claim doesn’t have to be to the benefit week.. it can be in parts and this is what happens if you hand in your ES40/sign off. Some people sign on weekly (at a certain stage of their claim) and some have the pilot of daily signing!! Thus it is possible they just do not want to. Anyone who signs on are aware of the paper where any date range can be added – as is manually inserted. This could be for a day or up to 2 weeks.
In fact, there is no reason (for example) why a person signing on Thursday instead of Wednesday can’t sign up until Wednesday… other than wanting to award a 2 week benefit sanction! You can backdate… including on the ES40 form… if you signed on the 11th July… you can hand in the booklet on the 25th July with the last day being the 12th July. You can also date it in the future. The only difference is this would sign you off also.
To my understanding TIS was scrapped but advisors have a fund they can use to achieve the same – not sure if this is a partial rename with merge of the previosu discretionary fund; and whether individual Jobcentres choose to unofficially use the TIS title as people understand it. They shouldnt be using the name if it don’t exist. Likewise, it could be per area budget. Some areas might have exceeded their budget which ends the scheme, where new funding for it hasn’t been assigned. Others might have left over monies in that budget to continue with until they dry up.
You might enjoy this read… http://www.workprogramme.org.uk/201106271554/understanding-jobseekers-allowance.html (hopefully its of some help not just a shameless piece of promotion)
Have you considered The Guardian? This blog article clearly exceeds many of their articles!! They are amongst the best for news I think.
Thanks for your loyal readership.
I am curious about what the rules are for funds for travel to interview post-TIS, so will make some phone calls to the DWP and find out, as it might be interesting for other jobseekers too. When I have dug out some more facts and figures I will try to put together a “proper article”. I may even try the Guardian.
I didn’t know I could ask the JobCentre for travel expenses (they never told me). When I was living in Sheffield I actually got the two companies outside of Sheffield I interviewed with to refund me. Once was a return ticket to London costing more than £100 (that was the job I got), and once was a return flight to Berlin.
I don’t know if that’s something you feel you can ask for from employers in your field, but it helped me get a job (and visit a nice German museum – though I didn’t get refunded for that €5).
Hi there. Thanks for visiting my blog and commenting. The JobCentre normally doesn’t tell you about TIS, as it is obviously not in their interest to have every jobseeker claiming transport costs. I was only told about it a good few weeks after I started claiming JSA last time I was out of work.
I have tried asking companies before if they reimburse money for fares for travelling to interviews and only one (a very large publisher) has ever agreed. The JobCentre adviser told me in the old days they used to all do it, but now they don’t any more, probably because of the economy…
Of course going to Berlin (or anywhere abroad) is a different story. Even I wouldn’t dare take that kind of claim to the JobCentre… ;D
Sadly not at all surprising. I went into JCP with 20-odd years of cutting edge aerospace engineering experience, and a disability. I explained this all to the Disability Employment Advisor, who promptly started advocating I should apply for minimum wage jobs. A few weeks later she washed her hands of me, and the mainstream staffers spent the next year trying to argue all the disability-related provisions in my Jobseekers Agreement weren’t actually needed. After an absolutely farcical referral to a training agency (see http://wheresthebenefit.blogspot.com/2011/01/inept-leading-clueless-jcp-jsa-and.html) I’d had enough and copied my complaint to the Minister.For Disabled People. What a transformation in attitude that caused! But the only way they could deal with my disability was to ask to me switch to ESA. I dread to think how the disabled people being abused off IB by the WCA are fairing, because I’m absolutely convinced JCP and their staffers were the most significant hindrance to my finding work.
David, I’m sorry it took me so long to reply to your comment. I wanted to read about your experience as a disabled claimant when I had time to focus on it properly.
I have just read it and I must say I’m horrified that you’ve had to go through so much stress until the Minister finally intervened. Surely anyone with a disability needs special support from people who understood their limitations but at the same time respect their qualifications and experience? I’d be interested to hear how you’re getting on after being switched to ESA. Please can you let me know if you decide to write a post about it? Thank you.
I must first of all say what a brilliant blog.
What an obsurd situation, being reprimanded by JobCentrePlus for going to too many job interviews, christ I wish Atos healthcare felt the same about attending their assessment process.
I shall be adding your blog to my web list. Brilliant..
Thank you! I’m so glad you liked it. JobCentres are not literally telling me off for having too many interviews, of course, but when you start going to too many away from your area, and claiming TIS, then they need to make sure you’re not abusing. I understand why they need to do this, but it can be a degrading experience, when you’re already having such a hard time financially, mentally…in every way…
I honestly dont know what to say except i’ll make it my business to make sure as many people as poss see this post
Much appreciated, Miss Ben E Fit!
As an American, I read your story with some interest. It sounds C.R.A.Z.Y! Lord knows, does government EVER make any sense?
I got turned down for Food Stamps after my Unemployment ran out because I work a part-time job (where I make a whopping $400 a month). Therefore, it would be better for me to QUIT my part-time job and rely solely on government assistance. Makes NO sense at all.
Hi, thanks for reading my blog. Yes, that happens in the UK as well. Many benefit claimants find that they’re better off financially living off government benefits than having even a part-time job.
I’m so sorry you’re having such a hard time. It took me a year to break back into publishing after a career break teaching English abroad, but eventually the right job came along, and all the interview-preparation agony was worth it! You will get the post you’re looking for in the end, I’m sure of it.
Thank you for your kind words, Abbie. I hope so too. I agree w/ you that it is all good experience. I am getting better and better at interviews now that I’ve gone through so many.
I’ve had some noteworthy experiences on JSA too, over the last two years and during a period sometime before that. My big bugbear is how they treat graduates, plus how the limitations imposed by the system can be actively detrimental to career development. I’d be happy to help you out with your article if you wish, suitably anonymised of course.
How do they treat graduates? (In what way is it different to everyone else)
Thank you, David. Treatment of graduates by the JobCentre makes a great topic but it may end up taking the focus away from the Travel for Interview scheme, so I’d like to discuss that with you separately, if you don’t mind. I’ll email you privately later.
I’m sorry Chie, but I think the staff were completely reasonable with you. If you’re not finding work, then asking “Was I going for the right type of jobs? Was I preparing myself appropriately before interviews? Had I requested feedback after each job rejection? Could I not find jobs more locally?” seem very sensible questions, and I can’t see how that amounts to bullying. And “crazed hatred” is a very strong phrase – are you really accusing the other woman of that level of feeling about you?
I’m also shocked you find it such an affront to be asked to walk about half a mile from Victoria to Chelsea. I sincerely doubt your feet will bleed from that short distance.
Finally, the Job Centre isn’t banning you from applying for jobs in journalism – it’s just saying that after two years of trying and failing, it’s no longer prepared to pick up the tab for your doing so. Your experience as a PA may date from longer ago, but it seems reasonable enough to think you stand more of a chance of landing secretarial work if there’s more of that work available, which there is. Is a secretarial job really that far beneath you that you find being asked to apply for them such a personal affront? Or store cleaning, for that matter? I wonder how the people who have taken those jobs feel about their taxes being used to pay for your job interview travel expenses.
Hi, Jo. I respect your opinion but I must confess I was stunned by your comments, as you seem to have distorted the meaning of everything I have written to make me sound like a jobseeker with an attitude problem. Either you have never experienced unemployment/a JobCentre appointment and haven’t got a clue what I’m talking about, or you completely missed the point of this blog post.
1) The adviser who asked me details about my past interviews was trying to make sure the reason I had not got a job yet was not because I was going for the wrong jobs, preparing myself insufficiently before interviews or forgetting to get feedback. She was/is a lovely, personable lady, my favourite adviser at the JobCentre in fact. She was just doing her job. I didn’t think she was bullying me at all. I didn’t write that she did, did I? I was just describing the process of how, if you claim for one too many travel for interview warrants, you get referred to an adviser, who scrutinises whether you still deserve to get your travel funded, etc. What I was trying to say is that the process itself is quite degrading for jobseekers, who are trying their best to get as many interviews as possible.Getting lots of interviews is a POSITIVE thing but the JobCentre turns it into a negative through that process. Unfortunately, because there are so many people going for the same jobs, competition is fierce and it can take several interviews until you come through as the best candidate. But that doesn’t mean you’re not trying as hard as you can and you shouldn’t be penalised.
2) “Crazed hatred” may have been a strong expression, but if you have been constantly bullied at school, in the workplace, etc, you learn to recognise when people are doing something with implied cruelty. If you have never been bullied, you probably don’t know what I’m talking about. It was a description of how I felt being treated in a condescending manner by the JobCentre, and she was scowling at me the whole time too, as if I was a terribly bad person. I am sure a LOT OF jobseekers, who read this blog, will agree that unemployment leads to extreme low self-esteem and self-confidence. Many end up suffering from depression. I am not expecting a red carpet to be rolled out every time I walk in, only a minimum degree of respect and common courtesy, that’s all. The woman may not have meant to make me feel so bad; maybe she was just trying to ascertain her authority; maybe that’s just her personality. But I felt bullied, she hurt my feelings big time, and I was expressing my pain, describing it. I believe I have the right to. Even if it makes you feel uncomfortable.
3) I don’t mind walking half a mile anywhere; that was not the point. In fact the other day I walked almost 10 miles in a day. But it wasn’t an interview day, where I had to arrive somewhere looking presentable. I wasn’t wearing a smart suit, carrying a briefcase, had heels on. And my feet do blister and bleed after about 10-15min with almost any shoes that are not trainers because they are too wide. Worse than that, I also get shooting pains from my bunyons, and it becomes virtually impossible to walk after a while. I wasn’t exaggerating. I have huge bunyons on both feet, which are now getting so problematic and painful I’ll have to be operated soon. I hope you didn’t expect me to post a medical certificate about the state of my feet on my blog.
4) First of all, I haven’t been unemployed for two years. I was unemployed in 2009 (when I started this blog) but I was working in 2010 (in publishing). It was a short-term contract, so I started looking again since February this year. Secondly, I am not applying for journalism jobs, or very rarely (Where did I say I was applying for journalism jobs?). I want to keep journalism as a sideline. I am currently looking for sales jobs in publishing, where I have the most experience. Thirdly, where did I say that secretarial jobs or store cleaning are “beneath me”? You seemed to have missed the point completely. The cleaning jobs appear when you enter “publishing” into the JobCentre’s search system. It was supposed to be a HUMOROUS comment to show how inefficient their database is. I have an enormous respect for people in cleaning jobs; one of my best friends has got one. Where did I say it was beneath me, etc?? I am quite happy going for secretarial jobs, and have in fact applied for several so far (before the JobCentre included it on my “list”) but, to date, I haven’t been called for a single interview. My point was that by forcing you to go for jobs you may have less relevant or recent experience in, the JobCentre may be prolonging your unemployment. Why would I ever think it was beneath me to be a secretary when I worked as one before??
Finally, I do know I am not “banned” from looking for journalism jobs; my kind adviser even told me I could continue looking in that area of course. Where did I say I thought I was banned?
I am sorry if the message in my post was not clear enough to you. I was frustrated and angry so I had a rant. This blog is about the realities of being unemployed, where anyone experiencing unemployment can voice their frustrations too, or share tips. I guarantee you I am not this arrogant person you make me out to be, who looks down on cleaners and secretaries and needs a chauffeur to be driven to interviews.
Well after three reads that’s how it came across to me. Chippy lines like: “Once the personal adviser was satisfied that I had not been trying to abuse the system but was genuinely trying to find a job,” helped me to that conclusion. As to the walking, why not do the walk in trainers and change outside the interview? Or get the bus there? I’m not surprised the woman lost her patience with you if you were so aghast at the prospect of travelling any way other than by the “extortionate” underground.
I have signed on, three times, and yes, it’s grim. However I didn’t rant about Jobcentre staff who are just trying to do their jobs. I did my best to get a temp job so I didn’t have to do it any more.
“However I didn’t rant about Jobcentre staff who are just trying to do their jobs.”
The Nazis said the same thing in their testimonies… Doesn’t make what they did right however.
I have been signing on for a few months and the people that i have come across working in the job centre are not any help so you do not need to defend them. A example. I was late once due to a accident so i called and advised them before i was late that i would be getting there late. On another occasion i had a job trial for night work and because i doubted i could wake up in time to sign on i stayed awake overnight and despite everything was late due to roadworks. i was told by my adviser i needed to make more of a effort and that if late again my money could be stopped. Now the point is this is the only money i have to live on and i can be on time but have to wait for them but if im late even if i phoned before they can threaten to stop the only money i have. i have been working for 15 years in retail before this. I have finally went on a training course for security and 80% of the people put there by the job centre do not even speak English. this is a £500 course which alot of the guys will fail and to be honest alot couldn’t be bothered to make any effort on. i paid for the course with a loan.
In regards to the post if they paid for your travel lucky you. Now they dont tough luck really. If you want to live in Brighton and work in London then go get a shitty job in Brighton like the rest of us and book interviews for your days off. If you choose to live there and intend to work in London then you should fund the travel costs to arrange interviews. I hope it works out for you being jobless sucks
Thank you for your comment, Jason. I do feel your pain. It has been reported in the press that JobCentres around the country have been using any excuse to cut benefits for those on JSA, due to targets they have been imposed by the government. Being late for an appointment could well be used against you one day, so just beware.
I do not necessarily “want” to live in or near Brighton, although I do love Brighton. I used to live and work in London and only moved to the south coast because my partner lived and worked there. Most jobs in my area are in London though (I wasn’t “choosing” London jobs), so it was inevitable that the bulk of my interviews would be in the capital. Since I wrote this post, I did exactly what you advised: got myself “a shitty job in Brighton” and continued looking in my free time. I now have a much nicer job, and yes it is in London. It’s only a fixed-term contract, but at least it’s a start. I do hope something works out for you. If retail is where you feel you belong, don’t abandon your dreams. You may have to be creative about how or where you look for work, but your efforts will pay off one day. Come back to this blog and let me know when anything changes for you. Good luck to you too!
Thank you so much for writing this blog post. I am so sorry for the treatment that you have had, my brother and friends have had similar treatment from the Job Centre and it is what is putting me off signing on myself – I’m trying to find a job from my own means before I resort to the Job Centre. I already suffer from stress and depression from before I was at university, I hope I don’t get to those lows again any time soon.
Take care, and I hope you find something soon.
Rachel Simmonite
I completely understand and empathise, Rachel. If you can afford to look for work without claiming any benefits, I would recommend that option any day over having stressful dealings with the JobCentre. Thank your for your kind words and very good luck to you too!
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Getting an interview means you are in the running, a second interview a serious contender. If you were after the wrong jobs, in the current market you’d have no interviews at all. As for walking from Victoria to Sloane Square to save a few bob despite the fact that you may be so exhausted/wet/pissed off by the time you get there…
That’s not doing your job, that’s being officious when you know you can get away with it. Otherwise known as bullying. But it’s clear you are made of sterner stuff!
Thanks so much for your support, John. Your comment made me smile.
I’ve had to deal with the JobCentre on various occasions and have had the exact same feeling from staff there; mocking judgement. It’s as though they feel superior to you because they have employment, and must ensure their feelings of greatness remain by kicking those they are supposed to help.
On top of changes to the bureaucratic process, JC staff should be better trained to help and even just talk to people using JobCentre services… heh, they should be reminded that they ARE providing a service.
Well, I hope you have more luck finding work and that it comes your way soon.
I am reluctant to label everyone at the JobCentre as having a superiority complex (most staff at my local one are quite friendly in fact), but I agree with you that they should be trained to exercise more sensitivity when talking to jobseekers. Just as doctors need to have good bedside manners, JobCentre staff should have “dole manners”…lol
Sorry this isn’t a totally refined comment just some thoughts thrown together!
I have experienced similar frustrations at some of the times I have signed on. I prefer to work but there have been times when I couldn’t through ill health. And on this occasion I was in a job but my employer concluded my contract recently through no fault of my own. I managed to secure 2 interviews in the first 2 weeks of signing but like you was told the TTI scheme was not available – cost of travel was 2/3 of weekly allowance, like you it’s good that i have a partner willing to help support me. The job centre doesn’t really seem to have modernised since over 6 years ago and I’m sure the government is missing a financing opportunity by not revising the system to make it more like a recruitment agency with commission earnt on successful recruitments.
I understand that the ‘taxpayer’ isn’t there to fund all demands or choices but for most of my life I have been that taxpayer and so actually I am happy to have some of what I paid in to be paid back to me to help me through a sticky patch! And actually some might make that equal argument over all the women choosing to have fertility treatment or the choices over drug regimes for chemo or the fact that i don’t have kids so why should I pay for your child’s schooling – it is a very patronising argument in all cases. There are funding choices to be made and socially I believe it is the responsibility of the taxpayer to help the vulnerable. So instead of demonising job seekers perhaps people could get some empathy and realise how lucky they are not to be in that situation and start working on ways to change the whole culture of capitalism which seems to require that a certain number of people remain unemployed…
Your comment couldn’t have been more refined, ‘mpage3′. You are so spot on. I am with you 100%.
This is a really interesting blog and frankly I am terrified that I will eventually have to go to the job centre again.
Last time I went was in 2003 – and it was bad enough then!
Having worked at senior level in what I have seen referred to as an ‘extreme’ professional career i.e. leading advisory /strategic consulting I was burnt out by 40. These days graduate are 10 a penny but I have a gold standard degree and MBA. These are facts not bluster.
What incenses me is the lack of flexibility in the UK labour economy – I would now quite happily work for 40% of my last salary. I really want to get a job at a mid senior grade in the public sector. I am qualified for finance, project management, operations, strategic planning i.e. virtually all commcial leadership roles. However I have found that they ringfence roles for those who are already working in the public sector even if they have inferior qualifications, commercial and interpersonal skills.
I now really regret that I aimed high at 18 if I had taken the route of the less able I went to school with I would be sitting in a cushy (relatively) Civil Service role earning 50k and a final salary pension! with limited threat of job loss (again relatively compared to the private sector) no up or out culture, no 80 hour weeks /months overseas.
The labour market (particularly public sector) should be more flexible and security of employment should not be used to protect second rate workers from competition. Employers should be able to upskill in times of high unemployment i.e run like a league system relegated high quality workers would replace second division and so on. There should be not be this stickiness/distortion which means that really well qualified people have to take jobs they are vastly over qualified! This would improve welfare for the whole economy.
I also feel that the public sector should have a requirement to soak up willing and suitable workers and that roles should be made jobshare if there is skilled unemployment.
I am pleased you found this blog interesting, Liz, and thanks for leaving a comment. Your views re public sector jobs are very interesting. If I ever decide to write a post about it, I may come to you for advice.
The job center staff are not trained to get people into jobs that suit their skills but any job. I am severely dyslexic but have have two degrees and they don’t seem to understand why it is difficult for me fill out application forms and dont understand the Equality Act. Doing a job for longer than a few weeks which you absolutely detest is counter productive and ruins your family life and your social life and mental health plummets.,
We are going to be working for longer so our jobs most be half way decent to satisfying our not only financial needs but emotional and intellectual.
It is not a crime to want to do a job that pushes u intellectually nor is it snobbery .Diversity in skills practical, manual IT etc is needed. After all we will be all working for longer than 65 years so whole concept of work will have to change.
You make an excellent point, Claudette. Retirement age gets higher as life expectancy goes up, so you’re right in that a bigger chunk of our lives will be spent working. It is only natural that we should all be seeking some level of professional fulfilment, an occupation that challenges us and helps us develop.
I really feel for you, that’s horrible.
I’ve not long got back from signing on myself, and the woman I saw today (not someone I have seen before) was absolutely horrific. She made me feel like no-one would ever want to hire me in the field I have been applying for jobs in (general admin, though I have beene applying for anything that doesn’t outright require something I don’t have). I felt so stupid and worthless that I have literally been sitting here crying for the last half an hour.
Oh Annie, I am so sorry. I know exactly how that feels. JobCentres are not exactly good for your morale when you’re feeling vulnerable anyway, are they? From my experience, however, I know personal advisers change regularly, so you may be getting a nicer person next time, who will be a little more sensitive towards you. In the meantime, just try to remind yourself it’s a (not very pleasant) “game” you need to play while you’re signed on but it will end one day. It will, I promise you. Good luck in your job search!
Hi Chie,
Just wanted to thank you again for your thoughtful reply. It really helped me when I was feeling down. I’ve just been offered a full-time job, to start at the beginning of next month, so I can’t wait to get away from the job centre!
I understand from your recent blog that you, too, have signed off once and for all!
Best wishes for the future,
Annie.
Annie, you have no idea how happy you made me with your lovely comment. I’ve had a couple of very rough days, but your kind words made me smile again – thank you. I am so glad I have been of help to you, and you have just helped me back.
I am delighted to hear you have been offered a job and no longer need the “services” (?) of the JobCentre. I will continue to write about work-related issues here, so please do visit this blog again and feel free to comment or suggest new topics. Life post-dole will provide plenty of material for blogging, I’m sure… Best of luck to you!
That’s it exactly; it is a vulnerable position to be in to start with, things like this are a hindrance, not a help! Fortunately for me the person I have been assigned to and see as my personal advisor is not the person I was with today.
Thank you for your kind words. I wish you luck in your job search too!
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