GOT ANOTHER INTERVIEW..??

[En1234]

Well, yesterday I received a telephone call from a lady asking if I would attend an interview on Monday at 2.30pm. (This coming Monday). The job is office based and she said she had had a look at my CV and was "quite impressed"... If I was offered a position it would mean travelling 30 minutes into Glasgow City Centre but I would take this.

I should feel really quite chuffed with this news but my nerves are really jangling at the moment and I wish I could magic some confidence my way. Maybe on the day, I will feel OK. I still have my GP appointment next Friday and I cannot wait. I just feel I need to have a chat with someone professional face to face. If she gives me something, even something very mild to help me get back to being the old me again then maybe this will help me too!!

I took my friends advice and registered with the Job Centre and it was quite possibly the worst thing I could have done. These people do not leave you alone and they tell you that you have to spend 35 hours of your week looking for work. You have an Online Journal which you have to complete every day and the Job Centre people are able to log-in to this Journal every day at any time. They are able to see where you have applied to, what you have applied for and even at what time of the day you applied. !!!

Yesterday I was having lunch with a couple of friends and they even sent me a text message asking me to check my Journal online as there was a question they needed me to answer. I had no sooner done this than they txt me again to ask another question. Its as though your life is no longer your own and they are allowed to dip in and out and disturb you whenever they like. Its almost like an invasion of your space. I have never experienced anything like this. If you have not looked hard enough (in their opinion), then they can sanction any payments you may have been eligible to receive. (But this is all just down to whether or not your "work coach" feels you have been looking hard enough!!). To date they have not paid me anything but apparently I would be due my first payment on 10 August. (Needless to say my Journal is very busy and has a lot on it). If I am offered a new position next week (I would need to be told by next week because they would like the candidate to start work on 23 July), then I would not need their money.

Fingers crossed and hopefully things will start to get better again!! I will keep you posted and as always sending love and hugs today to all of my Health Unlocked friends!!!

Theresa

XXXXX

[clovislorry]

This sounds hopeful, Theresa! The best of luck and I will be thinking of you on Monday, "virtually" holding your hand. Only advice I will give is don't rush into accepting anything, make absolutely sure it's something you really want, not just something you think you should do. xxxx

[En1234 in reply to clovislorry]

Thank you so much. (I will remember you are holding my hand when the nerves kick in!). I know what you mean also about not just taking anything for the sake of it so I will be asking lots of questions about what will be expected of me if I get an offer and about training etc, so I am 100% sure of everything. They may not offer me the post but at least it is reassuring to know that my CV is still catching someone's interest.

I hope you are well today and I will keep you posted!!

Theresa.. XXXXXX

[hypercat54]

Hi Theresa yes it is draconian being on JSA now as they really do push you. Also if you miss an appointment with them or are even a few minutes late they can sanction you. I was on JSA until 4 years ago and was 5 minutes late once and was told this by my sign on person (who was very nice). She could have sanctioned me there and then but didn't. I have heard the jobcentres have sanction targets.

Another time I was 5 minutes early but had to wait to be seen for around half an hour. The woman said 'You seem to be a half hour late'. I said 'Excuse me missus but I have been here for 35 minutes'. Fortunately the security guy backed me up on this.

Good luck with the job. x

[En1234 in reply to hypercat54]

Its terrible Hyper to think these people hold your life in their hands and I want out of it asap!! My God, you should see the person who is my "Work Coach". When he was typing up my details, he could barely see and was using one finger. (I was told I would only be in for an hour but I was actually there closer to 2 hours because he was so slow!!)..I actually said to him "If you pass me the keyboard I can type in the details myself!"...He found this extremely amusing, but I did explain that I was a typist!! I think if he could have got away with it he WOULD have let me type it up myself!!! When he was interviewing me, I kept using "big" words that even he didnt understand and he kept saying "Oh, what does that mean"..LOL!! I swear, I am not just saying this but I felt like he was talking down to me and I just wanted to tell him "Listen Mr, I could do your job standing on one leg and wearing a blindfold!!, so I would appreciate it if you dont speak to me like Im an idiot"!! Of course, the reality is that I didnt say this. Im not that rude and I needed as much dignity as I could muster to walk in AND out of that horrible place!!

I really need things to change.......and soon!!

I hope you are OK today!!

Theresa..XXXX

[hypercat54 in reply to En1234]

Hey snap! I trained as a copy typist way back in the 70's. It comes in very handy now doesn't it? I would chat to colleagues at my jobs whilst furiously typing away and they would look at me in awe asking me how I could do both. Easy I would say nonchalantly!

Don't be too harsh at the jobcentre staff. I found at mine around one third are 'career' staff ie never worked anywhere else and didn't understand unemployment, single parents etc. The rest had lived in the real world and were nice. Conditions are quite bad for them though as there are lots of targets, meetings, and retraining. They are always short staffed and they get people who get very nasty with them. I worked in the jobcentre for 3 months as a temp so I know.

I then worked for 5 years in the DWP contact centre (taking benefit claims). The customers weren't the problem but management was. Endless targets, 2 week meeting with the line manager, retraining, expected to read long emails with phones going constantly and so on. Oh and no more than 7 days a year sick otherwise they start issuing official letters. Staff including me went in with colds, flu and all sorts wrong and were told we shouldn't be in if we were sick! So you kept quiet, felt awful and still had to do your job. Yuck!

Having said that about customers I was surprised how many asked me my opinion about the rules. As calls were listened to I couldn't say anything otherwise I would be disciplined. I used to tell them that I could only explain the rules but couldn't change them. Customers would also get upset and angry on the phone to me about cock ups different areas had made and I did very sorry for them especially single parents left without any money for food.

I must admit because I had worked in the system I knew quite a few at the jobcentre and they treated me less like a client and more like a colleague x

[En1234 in reply to hypercat54]

Mmmm... Suppose there is a flip side to it and I am only seeing it from my side...it is still a terrible system and like I said I cannot wait to get out of it...Then again, I suppose your right, its not the employees in the Job Centre who are to blame, its the halfwits who run our country..

Hope you enjoy rest of your weekend!! Will keep you posted and let you know how it goes on Monday...

Theresa.. XXXX

[hypercat54 in reply to En1234]

Yes. I have seen both sides and while I can never condone rudeness or nastiness I can see the pressure DWP lower level staff have to work under. Obviously it's always the front line who get it as bosses hide behind them and let them take the flak. x

[Stilltrying_]

I agree with clovislorry Theresa. Yes it sounds hopeful but don't rush. You have good skills. You will settle down eventually, when the right job comes along. Yes it's awful the way the job centres treat people nowadays. It's bad enough when people are well but some mentally ill people end up in this system because of being pushed off their disability benefits which makes it all the more hard for people and it can be stressful to most people at the best of time and soul destroying to some who are less able to cope . x

[En1234 in reply to Stilltrying_]

I know Gemma. I will go for the interview and see what happens.

I think some of the problem with the Job Centre is that they rely on people like me who WANT a job. I think a lot of people dont bother with Journals etc because a lot of folk will most probably be handing in sick notes which means they DO get their money and they dont have to use Journals etc. I even asked about entitlement if I get a part-time job and they told me that I could get a part-time job but I would have 63p deducted from every £1 of my Universal Credit. In other words, I NEED to get full-time work. I am not surprised people go to the doctors and get sick notes and DONT work!!

I hope your OK today and Ill let you know how it goes!!

Theresa XXXXX

[Hidden]

Good on you for the interview 😀

Look on Google about the benefits of eating bananas in relation to nervousness.. if you like then give them a try.

[En1234 in reply to Hidden]

Jimmy I eat a banana every day!!

I heard they are good to help you sleep at night too!!

(LOL!!! Ive just got a vision of me halfway through my interview and pulling out a banana and chomping all the way through my questions... )

But your are right!! Bananas are great for all sorts of things!!

(If I could get away with it I would eat a bunch every day but then I would end up with an entirely DIFFERENT problem, if you know what I mean??...LOL!!)

Thanks for your post!!

Hope your OK!!

Theresa xXXXXXX

[Hidden]

I you do chomp one in the interview don't forget to take he skin off 😉

They are good for lots of things, eat one up to an hour before the interview and it might help. I chomp a couple of day but I do understand what would happen if I ate a whole bunch 😂

I'm ok, thanks for making me laugh. 😀

[Hidden]

Good luck and will be thinking of you x keep us posted if you like

[Cholor]

Hi their , it sounds positive jusr go to the interview see how it goes and be prepared. The job centre is hard to get use to but it's not forever. I still get nervous going to a interview. Also they can't bother you like that. Jusr update and they'll leave you alone and also have a aim to apply for 7 jobs a day.