1st meeting at jobcentre tomorrow.

[chilistrucker]

Does anyone know what I can expect?
My situation is I'm only going as I currently have no choice due to the dvla medical dept revoking my car and truck licences for the 2nd time. I had a fall and received some pretty major head injuries in May, but after 5 months I finally got the all clear from my neuro consultant and was allowed to return to work.
Sadly 3 weeks later the dvla changed their minds, they disagree with my consultant and have again revoked my licences, so have now lost the job I was doing, (which I really enjoyed) and sort of leaves me stuck in no mans land. Its ridiculous but i am fighting it and have my MP involved.

So in the short term, (I hope) I have to find something else, I registered with the job centre and have my 1st appointment tomorrow with my 'personal adviser'
Should be interesting as all I've done since I was 20 is drive for a living, 3 years on vans, and the last 20 years on class 1 hgvs. I love my job, but sadly its all I know. I like to think that I'm a reasonably intelligent man but because of my previous work history my immediate short term career future is looking bleak.
I've trawled the goverment job site but it looks pretty bleak for me as nearly everything on there requires some sort of qualifications or previous experience in the industries I'm looking at even as a security guard or warehouse worker, forklift driver, etc.
The only jobs I found that may possibly be suitable require you to have your own transport, mainly due to either their location, or the jobs being nightshifts when public transport doesn't run.
Lots of truck driving jobs, but thanks to dvla these are currently out of the question.

So what can I expect tomorrow? A career as a cleaner at minimum wage maybe, or will they come up with other ideas I wonder.
Bear in mind the minute the dvla farce is rectified and I again get my licences back I have a truck driving job waiting for me.

[n3il123]

Sorry to hear that Chilli.

From my experience it was a case of fill in some forms get given a card, told to come back in 2 weeks where you were expected to have some evidence of your job search. Remember when you have signed on you get relief on your council tax.

I'll try to gloss over the over "visitors" to the fine establishment, the condescending staff and the general air of despair.

There was a good blog from a little while ago about someone who lost their job and his experience of the whole process.

http://charliecroker.wordpress.com/page/12/

[chilistrucker]

Thanks I'll have a read of that link.
I won't get the council tax help, been down that route recently when I first had the injuries. They paid it for 5 weeks, then changed their minds, (but didn't tell us of this for another 5 weeks) then the other day a letter dropped through the door demanding we pay back the 5 weeks they did pay!!!

This is what I have come to expect though over the last 5 months with any dealings with government agencies.

I'll take a job at Macdonalds, KFC etc if they want but feel my people skills with the customers would not see me last the 1st day out

[vx220]

I visited nearly two years ago, only as not signing on affected my redundancy

Nothing nice to say on the subject, staffs attitude I can understand after seeing the vast majority of the rest of the "customers"

Luckily I had something planned (taking a while with CRBs etc) so I wasn't worried.

If serving customers isn't your thing, have a look for warehousing/decorating or other "manly pursuits"

[andy-xr]

chilistrucker said:

Thanks I'll have a read of that link.
I won't get the council tax help, been down that route recently when I first had the injuries. They paid it for 5 weeks, then changed their minds, (but didn't tell us of this for another 5 weeks) then the other day a letter dropped through the door demanding we pay back the 5 weeks they did pay!!!

This is what I have come to expect though over the last 5 months with any dealings with government agencies.

I'll take a job at Macdonalds, KFC etc if they want but feel my people skills with the customers would not see me last the 1st day out

I've found them pretty good to be honest, the local Jobcentre did pretty well with what they had to work with.

Bear in mind that what they have available in terms of jobs is out of their control, but they'll expect you to apply to the ones relevant to you. You decide what these are together with them. Have an honest chat about what you'd like to do.

They cant and wont discriminate against you for being unable to apply (ie, taking another driving job if you've had your licence revoked). It wont go on past experiences of jobs.

They're there to fill the forms in and just want an easy day. There's the odd jobsworth, but by and large, the people I've come across in jobcentres just want to go to work, deal with reasonable people, go home again and that's it

They can offer you training courses, there's options for retraining, sharpening up your CV, interview skills. Bear in mind in these workshops it's set for the lowest of skillsets to be all encompassing. So if you're reasonably bright and intelligent, you'll get the points they're making a lot quicker than some others in the room with you on a skills workshop

Dont miss signing dates, they'll stop your JSE. Dont think you're too good to be going in there. Dont be ashamed to go there. Dont think you shouldnt be there, things are what they are and it's up to you to do what you can with the conditions as they are right now.

The people at the JSA and the potential next employer arent responsible for taking away your licence, so any resentment you have about that is probably best dealt with before you try taking it out on them.

The main aim of Jobcentre is to get you off JSE as quickly as possible. It doesnt matter to them if that's a McDonalds job, which to be honest isnt actually as bad as what it's made out to be.

Edited by andy-xr on Wednesday 15th October 15:39

[TheRealFingers99]

chilistrucker said:

Thanks I'll have a read of that link.
I won't get the council tax help, been down that route recently when I first had the injuries. They paid it for 5 weeks, then changed their minds, (but didn't tell us of this for another 5 weeks) then the other day a letter dropped through the door demanding we pay back the 5 weeks they did pay!!!

This is what I have come to expect though over the last 5 months with any dealings with government agencies.

If you're signing on, you should get Council Tax and Housing Benefit. This is administered by your local Council, not by Central Government.

Get yourself to the CAB, ASAP.

[toohuge]

I signed on a few years back.... the first meeting is very daunting as you have no idea what to expect.... but if you go in with a positive attitude, I found the staff to be very understanding, informative and just about helpful. Despite the negative associations with those that live of JSA, there are many, many more honest, hard working folk down there that have fallen on hard times - it can happen to anyone.

[chilistrucker]

TheRealFingers99 said:

chilistrucker said:

Thanks I'll have a read of that link.
I won't get the council tax help, been down that route recently when I first had the injuries. They paid it for 5 weeks, then changed their minds, (but didn't tell us of this for another 5 weeks) then the other day a letter dropped through the door demanding we pay back the 5 weeks they did pay!!!

This is what I have come to expect though over the last 5 months with any dealings with government agencies.

If you're signing on, you should get Council Tax and Housing Benefit. This is administered by your local Council, not by Central Government.

Get yourself to the CAB, ASAP.

Sadly not, it was my local councils decision to not pay any council tax and housing benefits

Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated
I'll go down there my normal happy self and see what happens, i guess in away I've been spoilt doing a job I love and for now that has to change. Hopefully its just going to be short term but until it changes I'll do anything that pays a wage so I can put food on the table.

[truck71]

Chilli, is there no opportunity to get into a traffic office via contacts you have in the industry?

[japgt]

It sounds like you need to hear good things especially in the situation you are currrently in which i sincerely hope does get better for you, but im afraid my recent experience of the jobcentre after being made redundant was nothing more than appalling, the staff were incompetent to say the least not forgetting their complete lack of compassion/energy/ability. Security guars on the doors due to the sheer amount of scum that uses the place and of course the other "customers" that frequent the place for nothing more than their equivalent of the weekly wage and to drink stella at the front door whilst wearing questionable attire such as trackies tucked into their rockports!!! Its a sorry sorry place to have to endure and am thankful that i never had to actually frequent the place due to my hard work in finding anew job so quickly.

Edited by japgt on Wednesday 15th October 19:54

[TheRealFingers99]

chilistrucker said:

Sadly not, it was my local councils decision to not pay any council tax and housing benefits

Wise, though, to seek advice on whether an appeal is possible. CAB or there will be a local solicitor doing free benefits stuff.

And, of course, the last time need have no bearing on the present.

[chilistrucker]

TheRealFingers99 said:

chilistrucker said:

Sadly not, it was my local councils decision to not pay any council tax and housing benefits

Wise, though, to seek advice on whether an appeal is possible. CAB or there will be a local solicitor doing free benefits stuff.

And, of course, the last time need have no bearing on the present.

Ok i will have a look into that tomorrow as I pass the CAB office on my way to the job centre.

truck71, it is a possibility and I had a chat at a transport firm that knows me last Friday as they may have a position for a fleet manager :0 just waiting to hear back from them.
jap, thanks. After 5 months of grief, hassle and jumping through hoops think I'm due some luck for a change. You are right, when I went in to register the jobcentre had 3 'keen' security guards and a random bloke stood outside in a shell suit, complete with a can of tennents and a staff on a lead.

[Bullett]

I was made redundant 2 years ago and had to go through what you are starting out on now. I made a thread, it doesn't offer much advise but it's got some funny stories.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[General Price]

What about driving a dump truck on construction jobs.You might get your ticket paid for and if you can drive a lorry,a dump truck won't take much learning.

[davepoth]

It's pretty depressing. I've been on JSA a couple of times. The first visit takes a while, but if you're lucky your adviser will be pleasant enough. After six months they'll give you to a really miserable bd though, so try to have a job by then. Generally the advice is pitched at the type of person who has trouble spelling their own name.

One visit sticks in my mind. I was busily ignoring everything that the miserable bd was telling me, and listening to what was going on on the desk next to me. Recent graduate, signing on for the first time.

Advisor: "Do you have any qualifications?"

Claimant: (Quite proudly): "I have a Masters in Journalism."

Advisor: "I'll put you down for data entry jobs then, you'll be good at typing."

You could almost hear her deflate.

[eggchaser1987]

I did this a couple of weeks ago. As go say I didn't know what to expect at all, I went in as I was made redundant and thought I would give it a go and see of they can help.

The advisor I had was OK, to the point and you could tell they are used to dealing with people not wanting to do anything apart from getting a hand out. Sorry I can't offer any other advice but once the first meeting is over and done with and you do as you agree it's normally all OK.

[chilistrucker]

Bullett said:

I was made redundant 2 years ago and had to go through what you are starting out on now. I made a thread, it doesn't offer much advise but it's got some funny stories.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Just read all 4 pages Bullett, helpful and amusing


I like the dump truck idea, I would enjoy that but knowing how my luck has been of late am guessing there would be some stumbling blocks. Could I go on a training course for this type of thing if the dvla have, (wrongly) revoked my licences?
I suppose if it were on private land, then maybe it's ok. I would certainly do it if I could!

It shows how things are if someone with a major in journalism is just pigeonholed straight into vdu input job!


Just got back, polite lady just filled out more forms etc, back there again Tuesday to meet Jeremy, my jobs advisor.

Edited by chilistrucker on Thursday 16th October 16:28

[General Price]

chilistrucker said:

I like the dump truck idea, I would enjoy that but knowing how my luck has been of late am guessing there would be some stumbling blocks. Could I go on a training course for this type of thing if the dvla have, (wrongly) revoked my licences?
I suppose if it were on private land, then maybe it's ok. I would certainly do it if I could!

Plant firms are desperate for reliable and conscientious operators.You could ask when you go and see your job advisor if there are any courses available.I have seen schemes where you get your cpcs card paid for by the social if you are out of work.I know a couple of lads who drove dump trucks after losing their driving licences so you should be ok.

[chilistrucker]

General Price said:

chilistrucker said:

I like the dump truck idea, I would enjoy that but knowing how my luck has been of late am guessing there would be some stumbling blocks. Could I go on a training course for this type of thing if the dvla have, (wrongly) revoked my licences?
I suppose if it were on private land, then maybe it's ok. I would certainly do it if I could!

Plant firms are desperate for reliable and conscientious operators.You could ask when you go and see your job advisor if there are any courses available.I have seen schemes where you get your cpcs card paid for by the social if you are out of work.I know a couple of lads who drove dump trucks after losing their driving licences so you should be ok.

Thanks very much, I will definitely bring this up on Tuesday as until the dvla issues get sorted I'd be very interested in something along these lines instead of, "Do you want fries with that?"

[Sy1441]

Been unemployed twice due to redundancy. I work at regional management level in retail.

Had some hilarious visits to the job centre!

1. When asked what kind of job I was looking for I said "Field Management", the gormless woman done a search and found a job as a farmhand and genuinely suggested it to me lol.

2. When asked what sort of salary I was looking for the woman said "you don't get jobs with that salary".

3. Having a Business Degree and 5 years of senior leadership experience and after being unemployed for 8 weeks I was told by my "advisor" I need to start applying for jobs at £6.19 ph which was minimum wage which isn't even the correct current amount.

They are worse than useless but from observation it seems 99% of people they deal with are unemployable.