Well... Time to have a rant.

[JCFarnham]

I never unload on people like this but frankly I need it right now. Hope you don't mind. Heh...

Someone explain to me how and why its so easy for benefit cheats to get money, when normal law-abiding guys like me--who genuinely aren't able to get a job because business in this country is that broken--are unable to get a bloody penny.

So here is it. I've been trying to find full time employment since leaving university last summer (yes, I've been trying for over a sodding year now). It hasn't happened, aside from my family throwing the odd sympathy job my way (which I'm greatful for thankfully, it paid for six months rent). Finally I decided enough is enough. I signed up for a little thing the government does called Job Seeker's Allowance. Hugely demoralising standing in a line with the dregs of society, but it's money I'm entitled to. Right?

Well apparently something about myself makes it ridiculously difficult to either get a job, or get benefits meant to help me, you know, keep my house and actually eat in the mean time. I thought for once perhaps there would be a scheme in this country that would help someone like me. Over my life, I've done literally everything I've been told with regards to getting a job. Volunteer, make your cv look good, go to university employers will snap you up...

It doesn't work.

And you know what, when I finally do get paid any arrears I have via the JSA I bet I'll be working for £15k per annum any way. What a joke. JSA is made for people in situations like me.

Urgh. They're just TRYING to make it difficult aren't they.

[Kit]

When I went to college (this was back when dinosaurs walked the earth), the prevalent thinking was "Get a college degree, and you're set for life." Even if you got a degree in something not terribly practical (liberal arts, philosophy).

This is not true any more.

I finished college (two associate degrees and a bachelor, in something practical and- I thought- recession proof) but still got laid off two years ago.

My two housemates both flunked out of school and played with their computers. Now they're each making ten times what I make.

It's not about education and hard work any more; it's about adapting to a constantly-changing world of what people are willing to pay for.

[Chilari]

Yes they are. I was in the same situation you're in: I left uni in September last year and put off claiming for 6 weeks, living off Dad's charity and babysitting for my neighbour while looking for jobs. One job I applied for they asked me to come do a trial shift, working in a restaurant in a rural hotel. So I worked the shift, wrote down my hours on their time sheet, and waited for a call to see if they would offer me a permanent position. Anyway a little after that I signed up for jobseekers. The actual people working there were great, but the hoops i had to jump through were stupid and then they were pointing at shop jobs because there's no graduate support, the whole system is not designed for us. But anyway, eventually I called the restaurant back and asked if they had any other shifts and could they pay me for the last one please (when i'd finished it the manager had assured me he'd phone in the week to get my bank details to pay me). Apparently they don't normally pay for trial shifts. Not impressed. I made it clear that this information had been kept from me until this point. Anyway they offered me another shift, I worked it, gave my bank details, eventually got paid for both shifts but on the same payslip, even though one was in early October and the second in mid November. This made it difficult with my JSA because they take away what you earn from your JSA except for £5 (stupid system, hardly encouraging you to work now is it). It took me a month back and forth filling in forms and providing evidence to support my claim to get them to give me the amount that I'd earned before I signed on. Stupid system.

Oh and for weeks afterward I had to fill in a "part time work" form because I'd done one shift with this restaurant while signed on and there was a slim possibility it might happen again* so each fortnight I had to sign to confirm I had not worked for them, in addition to everything else I had to sign.

*it wasn't going to happen again. I was 23. Minimum wage is £6.08 for me. All the other people working for them were 17, minimum wage for them is £3.68, quite a difference. Discrimination based on age is illegal but I didn't like the job anyway so I couldn't be bothered to take it any further, but after the first shift I did, the trial shift, it was heavily impied they were happy with me and I could expect to see two shifts a week, but after two phone calls asking for shifts (and money) I only ever got the second shift six weeks later (and paid two weeks after that). I guess they must have found out how old I was.

In early November I interviewed for the job I now have. My boss wanted to offer me the job but finance and HR hadn't signed off on it, so she suggested I do a week's work experience before Christmas. I brought this up at my next signing on session, and they told me no, I can't do that, it would mean I am unavailable for work for the week and would thus lose that's week's precious £53.45. I had to do two weeks instead, organised through the Job Centre, and call it Workfare. And I had to do it after Christmas because there wasn't the time to organise it before. Anyway, after my two week placement I was of course offered the job, but I am convinced that if the Job Centre hadn't gotten in the way and just let me do the week before Christmas, I'd have started getting paid for this job at least 2, if not 3 weeks earlier.

So that's the story of how the Job Centre delayed me getting a job.

The Job Centre is so broken. It seems targetted at keeping people off unemployment. One little error, or one refusal to apply for a job (I read about one young woman who wouldn't apply for a job in a strip club and was docked JSA) and they take you off it for a certain amount of time, and you can't get back on unless you continue to look for jobs all the while they're not giving you anything to pay for food to eat or whatever.

Oh and for the record, my job now is less than a graduate salary. More than minimum wage, but entry level administrative.

[Ireth]

I know how you guys feel. I'm still in college, but haven't been able to find work for two consecutive summers (not for any lack of trying), so much of my tuition these past years has been paid for by either my parents or by student loans. I'll never be able to pay off those loans if I can't find a job once I graduate, and I'd be EXTREMELY lucky for any of my books to make a big enough profit that a day job wouldn't matter.

[JCFarnham]

When I went to college (this was back when dinosaurs walked the earth), the prevalent thinking was "Get a college degree, and you're set for life." Even if you got a degree in something not terribly practical (liberal arts, philosophy).

This is not true any more.

I finished college (two associate degrees and a bachelor, in something practical and- I thought- recession proof) but still got laid off two years ago.

My two housemates both flunked out of school and played with their computers. Now they're each making ten times what I make.

It's not about education and hard work any more; it's about adapting to a constantly-changing world of what people are willing to pay for.

My degree is joint Marketing and Music Technology. The Music because I enjoyed it and the Marketing because if your business is going to flourish well it better have a marketeer on board. Fool proof says I. In fact it should be. There is no reason, aside from people not wanting "the risk", that I'm still unemployed. I've got four or five volunteer placements on my cv. I'm applying for job relevant to be BUSINESS degree. I'm literate so my cv and cover letters are hardly going to be the problem.

No one out of the people I've spoken for can give me a reason why in over a year of trying for work I haven't gotten a single interview. Yep, you heard me right people. Not. A. Single. Interview.

Needless to say I've lost hope, so being screwed by the Job Centre isn't helping right now! heh

EDIT: Oh wait, I forgot to mention that have a Japanese qualification and am going to be taking a Web Design course. Don't suppose that's going to do any good...

On the plus side I found four + jobs this week, compare to last week's one. Things might be looking up but I'm not holding my breath after today's issue. Already been turned down for one, no doubt the others will follow in a "working week".

[JCFarnham]

I know how you guys feel. I'm still in college, but haven't been able to find work for two consecutive summers (not for any lack of trying), so much of my tuition these past years has been paid for by either my parents or by student loans. I'll never be able to pay off those loans if I can't find a job once I graduate, and I'd be EXTREMELY lucky for any of my books to make a big enough profit that a day job wouldn't matter.

What we weren't told was that our student loans start acruing interest almost immediately. To the tune of twenty quid at least each period (I'm not even sure how the loans company defines that). Oh well, at least I don't have mortgage payments yet...

I hope you're one of the lucky ones Ireth, like my girlfriend, or her friend Jordan who stepped straight out of a chemistry degree into a HIGH paying Lab Tech job in the county he was already living in.

The buggers ....

[Ireth]

What we weren't told was that our student loans start acruing interest almost immediately. To the tune of twenty quid at least each period (I'm not even sure how the loans company defines that). Oh well, at least I don't have mortgage payments yet...

I hope you're one of the lucky ones Ireth, like my girlfriend, or her friend Jordan who stepped straight out of a chemistry degree into a HIGH paying Lab Tech job in the county he was already living in.

The buggers ....

Well, I honestly have no idea what a BA in Biblical Studies will get me in the future. ^^;

[Caged Maiden]

@ JC, You said your CV was good, and I don't want to doubt that, but I used to be a recruited and have conducted over 500 interviews. If you want another opinion on the CV or tips for interviewing (I have my fingers crossed you will get one soon), let me know.

Sometimes it's just as simple as refreshing your qualifications and experience.

There's tons of people unemployed here too, and while we can't all open our own business, there must be some way to get people back to work. I quit my job as a recruiter four years ago when my second son was born, to stay home because I couldn't afford the $12k/year cost of day care. I miss working, but I'm virtually unemployable at this point (four kids, running a household, and off work for that long). Luckily my husband's job is very secure, because if he lost it, our family would be screwed.

[T.Allen.Smith]

Unfortunately, western society has bred a notion in young adults that when they get a degree, businesses will come knocking on their door with good job offers. It just doesn't work that way any more. In our parent's generation, where post-high school education wasn't common maybe that held true but it's certainly different now.

In my own situation, I graduated high school, served in the Marines for 7 years, went to college the next four. After graduating (and with military service in the background) I had five long years of working jobs I was way overqualified for and way underpaid. Those five years, living very meagerly, earned my stripes so to speak, allowing me to eventually land a great job in a growing industry.

Being able to exhibit success & experience is the only thing that REALLY matters nowadays to employers. That degree (with the exception of highly technical fields, medicine, law, etc) is nothing more than a screening process for today's employers that tells them you're a person that completed a long course of study.... You can start what you finish.

I know that sounds harsh. I agree, it is, but that's been my experience. Living in a state with over 15% unemployment, I see it all around me and feel quite fortunate. You may have to work those low paying jobs to earn that invaluable experience before someone takes a chance on you.

Look at it this way. If you were the employer, who would you call in for an interview? The person who has a degree with little to no experience, or the person who'd been working in the industry for the past few years with a demonstrated track record of success?

Either way, I wish you luck. I know it can be hard. Keep your chin up.... With hard work & determination it does get better.

[Ireth]

Look at it this way. If you were the employer, who would you call in for an interview? The person who has a degree with little to no experience, or the person who'd been working in the industry for the past few years with a demonstrated track record of success?

And therein lies the real problem. It's hard to get a job without experience, and it's harder to get experience without a job. Cycle of fail.