Job Seeking

[Sst]

Hello, I recently became unemployed in December. Since then I managed to get back into work on a Zero Hour Contract. Anything to be free from the dole was a bonus in my mind. The problem I have now is that this job never lets me have any work. If I phone they apologise and say there isn't any work, if I wait I don't receive a phonecall or text so what can I do? It's an awful situation to be in. As I was desperate to leave the Job Centre and for the first few weeks I got some decent shifts out of it. I was warned when I started work that there might be quiet periods and was then later told by a different member of staff they rely on you for a few weeks to fill the quota and then you are just added to a never ending list full of names. When it's really busy you are required. When it's quiet which is most of the year they will pick a select number who have worked for a while and are able to work each and every shift.

 

What I did then in mid March was decide to reapply for Job Seekers Allowance. The forms seemed to go on forever seeing as I had recently took up employment. Still employed just not received any work since. Got all the information sorted, signed on, had to wait a week or two to get the forms sorted.

 

I have been told by the Job Centre that I must use a site called Universal Job Match. I was made aware of this site before I signed off in February. As I had a start date due and it wasn't mandatory until April the 2nd I think I never bothered signing up to site as it wasn't compulsory. I had also heard the site was shocking and amateurish.

 

I have since signed upto the site and started using it frequently as that is what the advisors required. What I am having trouble with though is the fact that this site is much worse than any other. The first time I signed on I was told to stick with Universal Jobmatch. I did that and I found that every job I apply for the status says received and not one has been viewed for over a month of applying. So what is better about this site over any other than what they can do to track what you are doing? It doesn't seem to be very popular, companies are not flooding in from all angles and the site is truly dreadful. Yet I keep being told to use the site as they are not happy with me applying for jobs on Indeed, Totaljobs and Reed my personal favourites. So limiting my choices is not helping me in the slightest.

 

As I'm 23 years old I applied for a few apprenticeships as it was part of my Job Seeking Agreement when I first signed on when I was aged 21. Not many Apprenticeships around in the sector I was looking at back then. As I was employed I was earning over £400 a week so I wasn't necessarily going to drop down to £70 and travel long distances on public transport as most of the apprenticeships are quite a travel and for what you get paid it would leave me in a lot of trouble.

 

Then funnily enough I received a phonecall saying am I still interested? 2 months after I first applied for this apprenticeship position. I had no idea who the company was, who the learning provider was and what the actual job was. She explained quickly. With what was going through my mind I just decided to say no as a two year course which would only fund me until 24 years old, the travel and the wage wouldn't cover much and I'd find myself out of pocket. I was just wondering if I had applied for this job myself will I be sanctioned? As I've been thretting over it for the past week.

 

Not received anything else. Universal which I feel restricted to don't bother looking at the CV's. The only other phonecall I have had from an unknown number is a survey team and as my number was new then I'm guessing some of these job advertisements are fakes. Still classed as employed just in a bad situation.

[joeski]

no you don't have to use Universal Jobmatch at all..the jobcentre advisors are lying to you.

[flumps1976]

You can be directed to open and use a Universal Job Match account if your adviser thinks it is a suitable option for you to have the account. It is not mandatory to give DWP access to view the account.

It is mandatory to create a UJM account from 04/03/2013 but you can refuse to set up from home due to the cookies, but if there is internet access elsewhere that you can utilise you will be advised to use UJM from that facility.