| Author |
What a performance!
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| Hippo 2004-03-25, 12:20 pm |
| I've been out of work for over six weeks now, so I decided to "sign on". For those not familiar with this procedure for out of work Brits, this means trying to get some benefits from the Social Security system. I haven't done this since 1981. What a performance! I go to the local Job Centre, go into a phone booth and pick up the phone; speak to a nice lady who asks me for name, address, phone number and National Insurance number. Then she asks what line of work I'm in and have I been trying to get work. You bet I have! Then I get an appointment, next week, to speak with a financial assessor and a job seeker's specialist to try and get me back into work. Meanwhile, I should get some benefits in the form of a job seekers allowance and my Council Tax paid.
Anyone else UK side of the pond been through this lately? What can I reasonably expect out of the system?
With any luck, I might have a job before I have to go through this.
Hippo
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| prezbedard 2004-03-25, 12:38 pm |
| wow seems your system is better then the one over here.
Good Luck!
side note: I initially thought you might be referring to a play. | |
| Spides 2004-03-25, 12:44 pm |
| Hippo I have come very close to this and thank god I didn't but I guess people will accuse me of being racist but basically if you are white, a uk citizen and have paid tax and national insurance contributions all your working life you'll get XXXX all......I should know my brother works for enfield council......good luck and let us know how you go.....it shows how the IT industry is if a guy with your qualifications etc can't find work.....have you put your CV on jobsite.co.uk, I still get calls a year after putting mine on there........good luck | |
| Hippo 2004-03-25, 12:52 pm |
| Spides
I know what you're saying mate. We have several large African communities here, and I'm sorry to say that some of them are economic migrants without much intention of finding work and giving something back to society or the community. Now I don't want to go any further with this, so end of.
I have my CV registered with JobServe and CWJobs and it is on an I-Profile database; so any recruiters out there looking to do a mirror match to a job spec, can do so before they even advertise a job. A few have come through that route to me. What is really frustrating is the waiting between CV submission and interview slot.
My appointment at the Job Centre is next Wednesday; I'll you updated.
Cheers
Hippo | |
| Sexy Lexy 2004-03-25, 1:19 pm |
| quote:
Originally posted by Spides
Hippo I have come very close to this and thank god I didn't but I guess people will accuse me of being racist but basically if you are white, a uk citizen and have paid tax and national insurance contributions all your working life you'll get XXXX all......I should know my brother works for enfield council......good luck and let us know how you go.....it shows how the IT industry is if a guy with your qualifications etc can't find work.....have you put your CV on jobsite.co.uk, I still get calls a year after putting mine on there........good luck
Spides and I actually agree, this is the beginning of the end! | |
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| Time I was off to Florida. Or Spain; it's a bit closer to home and family. | |
| onoski 2004-03-25, 7:36 pm |
| I am not racist either but lets face it ethnic minorities are still at disadvantage when it comes to jobs and opportunities. The economy is hard and the IT job market has suffered the most, am a prime example been looking for another I.T gig for nearly over 2yrs plus before landing this one last week ago after receiving false hope phone calls from agencies and attending interviews and interviews with rejection after rejection. Stop pointing fingers and see things for the way they truly are. Makes me wonder if those that proclaim not to be racist really are saying the truth. God help us all.
I remember sending a reply to your post once Hippo about job search but you never acknowledged this. The world does not owe any one a job regardless of skin colour it really boils down to how desparate you are to land another job. Am not bragging but I'd rather do a cleaning or security officer job than to go on income support. This does not mean I disrespect those on it, it demotivates in my own opinion. Quote on quote as I did say in my own opinion.
One last point, forget about agencies and apply direct to companies using www.computerweekly.co.uk using the careers move section, remember looking for a new job is a full time job on it's own. Best wishes and don't give up the hope to land another job. This could happen to either one of us as none of us is indispensable. | |
| MistyRing 2004-03-26, 9:18 am |
| quote:
Originally posted by Hippo
Time I was off to Florida. Or Spain; it's a bit closer to home and family.
But then the Spanish would complain about you being an immigrant! 
In Glasgow it's all Albanians, Bosnians and the like these days. Not that I've anything against them - in their position I'm sure I would do exactly the same thing. It does seem the floodgates have opened though. | |
| thebonzodog 2004-03-26, 9:22 am |
| Hippo, expect nothing and you will not be disappointed.
When I was in that situation a couple of years ago, they were as about as useful as a porno mag at a Eunuchs' convention.
They were genuinely surprised (flabberghasted) when I got a job, everybody else in I.T seemed to be leaving the industry.
Every two weeks I had to sign on, and check their online jobs database. It was dire.
Don't wait for employees to find you though. Get personalising your CV as much as possible to suit the job you are applying for (without telling porkies) and keep firing it out.
CW360 and Jobserve are good places to start though. | |
| Spides 2004-03-26, 10:33 am |
| quote:
Spides and I actually agree, this is the beginning of the end!
This made me laugh Lexy, stranger things have happened at sea as they say!!!!
quote:
Time I was off to Florida. Or Spain
Well this time last year I was living on the Sunshine Coast of Brisbane, I am only back in the UK because I have a five year old son from a previous relationship. I would die to go back but for the time being I'll still in a country that is being savaged by migrants and the government are happy to sit and let them!!! Enough said, moaning will not change anything, the rich get richer the poor get XXXXed....... | |
| Hippo 2004-03-26, 10:42 am |
| Thanks to everyone for the pointers. I have my CV with every recruitment outlet you have all mentioned, as well as on an I-Profile database.
My next approach will be to directly contact as many local companies as I can find in this area, and speculatively send my CV to them. Last time I did that though, I got less than a 2% reponse.
On the subject of migrants, political or economic; I did not intend to raise a debate on this. This is a totally separate topic and I would appreciate it if people would desist from adding any further comments. I have my own thoughts and feelings on the subject and I would rather not publish them. I would rather concentrate on any practical solutions to the dilemma of my unemployment.
Thank you. | |
| onoski 2004-03-26, 11:52 am |
| Thank you, for a very mature response Hippo as I believe someone of your calibre and experience should not find so much hassle in landing a new job. Keep your head straight and your hope's high. Best wishes. | |
| thebonzodog 2004-03-26, 11:57 am |
| Hippo, one bit of consolation. I just ran my old search through Jobserve, and it turned up nearly double the amount it did 2 years ago.
Things are deinately on the up. |
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