jsa and job interview

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Just wondered if the jobcentre will punish me for this.

Months ago I applied for a sales assistant job via uk local recruitment and didn't get the job but on Tuesday i got a phone call from them saying do i want to go to an interview on Wednesday for a sales executive job full time so i said yes, i then phoned the JC to say that i might be a bit late for my signing on time and they said just come in anytime that day.. when i got to the interview 35-40 other people where there and while waiting to go in we got talking and no one could remember applying for this job and also no one knew what the job was just the title sales executive. we then got called into the conference room and the woman at the front asked what have you been told about the position and we all said nothing and she told us. door to door sales person for dogs trust signing up people to donate. She then asked if anyone wants to leave we can most of us stood up and left me included and there was about 10 people left in the room.

I told the job centre i walked out because i couldn't do the job anyway due to my medical conditions as i sometimes need to urgently go to the toilet and if i in the middle of a housing estate there is hardly going to public toilets about, the customer service person looked on the system and said that there was no medical conditions listed and I said there should be because the person who did the original meeting I had to spell the conditions for her to type them and she said that my advisor will probably want to discuss this next time.

on my JSAg there is 3 jobs listed admin, IT support and contact centre work.

I have been truthful to the JCP but will this back fire on me.
 

Saluki

World class procrastinator
I had something similar to this in January. I was told that it was an admin role and it was a door to door thing. I fessed up to the Job centre and the woman there said that I was not the first person to be taken in by the 'admin' job.
Its a common thing, the ruses that companies use to recruit door to door sales people and I am confident that the job centre will not penalise you one bit for leaving the interview.
 

Pauluk

Senior Member
Location
Leicester
Don't blame you terry, its not even a proper job. I used to be rude with door to door sales people but now I try to be polite as I realise that most of them are just trying to earn a pittance because its probably all that's available at the moment. Some of them probably only get paid a commission as well. Shame on those companies that adopt these practices.

Good luck, hope it goes ok at the job centre and hope you get a proper job soon.
 

marinyork

Resting in suspended Animation
Location
Logopolis
The jobcentre staff know what a pain agencies are, they know about ghost jobs and they know that ads aren't always honest or even accurate. However their view on these things may suddenly change if a need arises.

The jobcentre don't necessarily expect you to have an excuse why you didn't 'take' the job. You just say it was unsuitable or outside your jobseeker's agreement. That's what everyone else does. Sometimes they don't even want a reason. All they want you to do is turn up to it, log it and once you've ticked the box move on. I've been sent on awareness day courses and completely unsuitable job interviews that were a complete waste of time and I accepted them and their part of the bargain was not to ask what a waste of time they were (because they already knew it was).

I would be extremely careful with some of your answers though. This is the second thread and there is a risk that you'll be perceived as being a bit of a 'village idiot' in jobcentre mentality or by simply waffling on about your reasons a bit too much and unfortunately as it is a medical reason they may well see you as being deliberately 'awkward'. And either of these things could mean if you continue to sign on that they think you need some rough treatment, a kick up the arse and some extra special help to find work. I should hasten to add that that is nasty and not what I think, and there is a risk you'll misunderstand this. You're probably a very nice bloke and job chances out there at the moment are really hard to come by and I wish you luck. Just be careful.
 

classic33

Leg End Member
My disability advisor at the local jobcentre was always giving me driving jobs to apply for. She even arrainged an interview for a job as a forklift truck driver. None of which I can legally do.
Reason is simple & was the reason I'd been given a disability advisor in the first place, epileplsy. It legally prevents me from driving. I was turning jobs down & she didn't like it.

Once went for an interview, where I'd to watch a video of the sales methods used & what I'd be able to earn. I said that I wasn't interested in trying to that kind of work. Selling a product which claimed to be able to cure any ailment/ilness you may have. Job centre annoyed at me for turning it down.
 

MrJamie

Oaf on a Bike
When I was signing on a couple of years ago, the staff were so inconsistent - most didnt read/check my form didnt ask me anything, but the odd one would try to tell me off for various things despite noone else even bothering to talk to me let alone advise me for weeks. Arguing with them even politely seemed a bad idea, better just to let them treat you like an idiot and get back to searching for a job on your own.
 

Sandra6

Veteran
Location
Cumbria
It depends how long you've been signing on, for a while you can limit yourself to your "usual" job, after that you have to be prepared to consider anything (within reason)
I think you are allowed to refuse jobs that are commission based though.
If they do give you grief just say you're morally and ethically opposed to the job, they won't understand but will hopefully be put off asking questions.
 
OP
OP
terry_gardener

terry_gardener

Veteran
Location
stockton on tees
I would be extremely careful with some of your answers though. This is the second thread and there is a risk that you'll be perceived as being a bit of a 'village idiot' in jobcentre mentality or by simply waffling on about your reasons a bit too much and unfortunately as it is a medical reason they may well see you as being deliberately 'awkward'. And either of these things could mean if you continue to sign on that they think you need some rough treatment, a kick up the arse and some extra special help to find work. I should hasten to add that that is nasty and not what I think, and there is a risk you'll misunderstand this. You're probably a very nice bloke and job chances out there at the moment are really hard to come by and I wish you luck. Just be careful.

I think I will reframe from writing treads which don't involve cycling anymore as when I do I get abuse sorry for wasting peoples time. silly me for thinking the cyclechat cafe section was for talking about non cycling topics.
 

ASC1951

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
I think I will reframe from writing treads which don't involve cycling anymore as when I do I get abuse sorry for wasting peoples time. silly me for thinking the cyclechat cafe section was for talking about non cycling topics.
I think you have misunderstood Marinyork's comment. As I read it, it's talking about your responses to the JobCentre staff, not your posts here, and is intended to be helpful anyway. So don't be put off starting whatever non-cycling threads you want, although if you think you have encountered abuse you may need a thicker skin - have a look over on the Current Affairs sandpit to see proper abuse.
 
OP
OP
terry_gardener

terry_gardener

Veteran
Location
stockton on tees
I think you have misunderstood Marinyork's comment. As I read it, it's talking about your responses to the JobCentre staff, not your posts here, and is intended to be helpful anyway. So don't be put off starting whatever non-cycling threads you want, although if you think you have encountered abuse you may need a thicker skin - have a look over on the Current Affairs sandpit to see proper abuse.

if that's the case i have misunderstood his comments, as I read it as I was coming across to cyclechat readers as a village idiot.

I already know that some of the JCP staff think that all people claiming benefits especially JSA are scum or idiots as I use to support there IT systems and they talked to use the same way as people claiming. Some of the people within the DWP are brilliant.

also thank you for the replies
 

MrJamie

Oaf on a Bike
if that's the case i have misunderstood his comments, as I read it as I was coming across to cyclechat readers as a village idiot.

I already know that some of the JCP staff think that all people claiming benefits especially JSA are scum or idiots as I use to support there IT systems and they talked to use the same way as people claiming. Some of the people within the DWP are brilliant.

also thank you for the replies
I think he was just trying to advise you that you may be *mistaken* for either being the idiot or using a medical condition as an excuse, because of the typical clientelle of the JobCentre some of the staff can be very cynical and unhelpful and they may get it in their head youre making things up. Like you (and me above) say some of the DWP staff are great, but some of them are certainly in the wrong job and frequently dont have the intelligence to back up their condescending attitude towards their clients.

Also, youd have to do a lot worse to look like the Village Idiot on here, competition for that revered title is fierce :crazy:^_^
 

marinyork

Resting in suspended Animation
Location
Logopolis
if that's the case i have misunderstood his comments, as I read it as I was coming across to cyclechat readers as a village idiot.

I already know that some of the JCP staff think that all people claiming benefits especially JSA are scum or idiots as I use to support there IT systems and they talked to use the same way as people claiming. Some of the people within the DWP are brilliant.

also thank you for the replies

I didn't mean it like that at all :blush:. Sorry. I've signed on and seen it all, as I suspect a few other people have. I've seen JSA/new deal staff picking on other people even one that had a similar medical condition to yours. The DWP is based up here and known many people who've worked for it and some are a bit wary of what goes on in customer facing roles.

There are some perfectly nice people in the jobcentre, but the processes and targets make people behave in completely different ways at times. I found the process at the jobcentre very inconsistent rarely having the same advisor and it varying from a nod and mutter and sign here, to friendly hellos, to them being very arsy or quite guarded. If you ever have to deal with a New Deal/Work Programme, the people on that are on another level, particularly A4E.

As long as you have been true to yourself, you don't ever have to justify yourself to them (or rather the system). You certainly don't have to justify medical conditions to them - you live with it and they don't.

It's such an odd and frustrating process, I don't think anyone has a problem with you starting a thread on it.
 
OP
OP
terry_gardener

terry_gardener

Veteran
Location
stockton on tees
I didn't mean it like that at all :blush:. Sorry. I've signed on and seen it all, as I suspect a few other people have. I've seen JSA/new deal staff picking on other people even one that had a similar medical condition to yours. The DWP is based up here and known many people who've worked for it and some are a bit wary of what goes on in customer facing roles.

There are some perfectly nice people in the jobcentre, but the processes and targets make people behave in completely different ways at times. I found the process at the jobcentre very inconsistent rarely having the same advisor and it varying from a nod and mutter and sign here, to friendly hellos, to them being very arsy or quite guarded. If you ever have to deal with a New Deal/Work Programme, the people on that are on another level, particularly A4E.

As long as you have been true to yourself, you don't ever have to justify yourself to them (or rather the system). You certainly don't have to justify medical conditions to them - you live with it and they don't.

It's such an odd and frustrating process, I don't think anyone has a problem with you starting a thread on it.

thank you for the reply I am sorry that i snapped but I have been having ulcerative colitis flare up the last week and a half and not been able to do any cycling my primary form of exercise for about 3 weeks because everytime I got on the bike I got stomach cramps and the last week and half I have been getting stomach cramps, urgent toilet needs, loss of appetite and fatigue, so i am little depressed and frustrated with the medical condition and the general job search thing. it is starting to ease so hopefully try some cycling next week starting slow again.
 
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