Off topic discussion moved to BG

[Wayne0]

Well, at least there's a Silver Lining to it

i would rep+1 if i knew how, this def deserves it...

 

seriously though,

 

freeview, even though advertised as free forever, has never been free... remember the TV license that funds the BBC, and was also used to fund the switch over by license increases, rushed through by the government...

 

and mobile operators always get away with crap, as if uk legislation doesnt apply to them...

 

but its always us the UK public, who are "struggling" to pay bills that suffer... I bet those on JSA who dont work will get the filters for free though!!!

[signmaker]

Posts below moved from here to stop off-topic hijack - http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?357019-Millions-will-have-to-pay-to-get-Freeview-TV&p=3899708&viewfull=1#post3899708

 

I bet we ******* don't

 

I am sick of being classed as a scrounger I was made redundant 18mths ago through no fault of my own.

 

I don't drink

I don't smoke

and I don't take drugs

and on what we are given to live on I am struggling to pay my water rates, gas and leccy, and we are very frugal with it.

Myself and my wife have to live on £105 per week, luckily we get HB and CTR.

Yes you can survive on that amount but you CAN'T pay your bills.

And I am actively seeking employment.

If I have to pay for what you say we might then we certainly wont be watching Corra.

 

there is one thing though I could sell my tv and pay a bill:violin:

Edited July 16, 2012 by slick132

[Wayne0]

I bet those on JSA who dont work will get the filters for free though!!!

 

maybe i wasnt clear with what i meant...

 

The ones on JSA who take to living on it as a lifestyle with endless brood of kids.

 

I myself have been on JSA, but worked at the same time (declared). I had to pay NI contributions, and end of year tax, ETC, i earnt about 40 a week, and lost about 45 off my benefit... I also had to pay for fuel to get to work ETC.

 

WHERE AS if you DONT WORK and sit on benefits in general and never look for a job, there are so many scams on JSA that are so easy...

 

Trust me, working is not meaning more money...

 

I pay £60/week for fuel to commute to work... I get no "benefits" now, bar Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit, and earn about £210/week.

 

its not that easy working...

 

.... but tbf, I went from working in an office near £10 / hr, to working in a fast food joint for £6.10 / hr....

 

I hate to get into an argument about JSA, but dont you think 18 months is a long time not to find a job... I found a part time job within 2 days when i lost my last job....

[Wayne0]

http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/ukhome/People/Join-the-team.html

[Wayne0]

Wayne what do you know of the poster. Nothing at all. Even Mc Donalds don't give jobs to everyone and not everywhere has one. I think you may be on the wrong site

 

look, i made a comment, on an internet forum...

 

somebody then decided to nit pick with one little line on my post...

 

now as i said, mcdonalds is a starting point, i was merely offering a suggestion, giving my own personal experience that i went from a well paid "respectable" job... to working in a fast food restaurant for minimum wage....

 

how does that mean that i am on the wrong site?

 

- and again... I commute almost 20 miles each way to my job...

 

And again, I didnt know anything of the poster, but I hate to believe that there are not jobs for everybody out there... I have always found a job of somesort. and if you read what i said:

 

"I hate to get into an argument about JSA"...

 

I firmly believe that we need a benefit system for those of us who cant work / loose their jobs... but too many people abuse it....

 

Im a firm believer in giving and getting: Bin men dont work for free... why not get Job Seekers on the public services....

 

But its going FARRRR Off topic here isnt it

[CBLB2012]

So because you found a job in 2 days means everyone can, hey wayne? I've been on JSA since may this year and have applied for close to a hundred jobs with say 4/5 of those i'd actually have an interest in. The rest NMW dead end jobs, but hey a jobs a job.

 

Just a shame I can't get one.

 

Registared with every agency available to me and 99% of their advertised jobs are tempory for 1-2 weeks with no garuantee of a set minimum of hours.

 

Which is no good. Why should I have to worry about how much i'm going to earn this week or even if I have any work at all, maybe this wouldn't be a problem if I don't have a family to support

[Wayne0]

we all have a family to support, and again, if you NEED to claim, then do it...

 

Why should I have to worry about how much i'm going to earn this week or even if I have any work at all

 

you could always work, declare your earning, and then you wouldnt be worse off... You dont recieve benefits for when your over the hours/etc... but if you claim again, within so long its a "rapid reclaim" and you dont have the three day wait...

 

I guess its down to what i said and being WILLING to do any work - and not HAVE to rely on other people...

[Wayne0]

SoI've been on JSA since may this year and have applied for close to a hundred jobs with say 4/5 of those i'd actually have an interest in. The rest NMW dead end jobs

 

and also, two things i see wrong with this post: 1) may to now = 1 or 2 months.... 100 jobs in either 1 month, or 2 months really isnt a lot... I was applying to close to 200 jobs EVERY WEEK... WALKING around every town centre within 30 miles giving a CV to every one of the shop keepers "in hope that they might have something come up in the future"

 

2) there is no such thing as a dead end job.... merely a stepping stone... Negative thinking relays... if you think the job isnt for you, then the employer will see this, so why would they want to employ you,.. Think positive and it shows

 

Also, McDonalds have a very "strict" questionaire, which will have "DO NOT EMPLOY" if you answer certain questions "inadequately..." this is why its always to see an employer face to face to give a CV... and then if you apply online and go "oh wait, i met this guy, he was a really friendly guy.... I think he would do well here" and might invite you in your an interview either way!

[CBLB2012]

100 jobs is a lot given the amount of jobs available to me in my area which by the way covers more of an area set out in my jobcentre aggreement.

 

I've handed out, emailed or posted over double that amount in C.V.s to all manner of employers.

 

All this has took up more than a standard working week.

 

Searching, filling out forms, ringing employers, posting, emailing, writing and more!

 

I trust with you applying for 200 jobs a week. With a not unreasonable guess of an average of half hour to search and complete a job application, you was spending 100 hrs a week looking for work?

 

Or you just work,walk and talk faster than the average person?

[CBLB2012]

Also, McDonalds have a very "strict" questionaire, which will have "DO NOT EMPLOY" if you answer certain questions "inadequately..." this is why its always to see an employer face to face to give a CV... and then if you apply online and go "oh wait, i met this guy, he was a really friendly guy.... I think he would do well here" and might invite you in your an interview either way!

 

So for instance I go into McDonalds to hand my C.V. in. I'm lucky enough to get a chance to speak to him and he is impressed with the qualities I have presented to him.

 

Tho its company policy for all aplications to be completed online. Which is the case with most large companies.

 

I do this and answer this 'strict' questionaire giving the best answers I can.

 

For some reason or whatever I fail this 'strict' questionaire. Thefore surely my application will go no further?

 

Are you then saying the manager can then overturn this 'strict' questionaires decision?

 

Surely not?

[Wayne0]

Well the comment sense is obviously to have a well laid out set of template letters well written and easy to "edit" to the specific job... IE: Bar Work, Cleaning, Customer Service, Office. ETC... Obviously if you pay attention to "Computer Literacy" on a "Cleaners" application, it isnt going to help...

Half an hour to complete a job application is a bit of an exaggeration. It took me about 15-20 minutes...

 

Its all a matter of being prepared. and searching for a specific type of job at a certain time. And I guess 100 hours a week was probally an over estimate, but let me tell you, I did spend many a time where I went throughout the night (9am-4pm the NEXT day, online searching for jobs) and actually falling asleep from exhaustion.

 

Within an hour I could apply to at least 10 jobs. The main part was finding it. There are many ways to speed up job searching... Obviously, most jobs now adays state "If interested please send an email to XYZ" you wouldnt just email "tell me about the job buddy"...

 

hence template letters "I am writing to you today to express my interest in XXXX. As you can see from my attached CV I have a varied work background which i feel would benefit me in the role of XXXX for the following reasons...." ETC you have about 30 seconds of an employer scanning your covering letter / CV to impress them... otherwise "DELETE".

 

I know it isnt easy... And again, Trust me, I dont believe that EVERYONE on JSA / ETC are scroungers. But even you, being on JSA have to admin that MOST of the people on it ARE. (Just look around when you go to sign on... Look at the cars parked in the car park, and look at who gets out to go and sign on = brand new mercs ETC)

[Wayne0]

the final decision would obviously lie with a business manager... - but obviously, if he employed you, wasted time and resources training you, and you didnt want to stick it... he could have concequences.... Most McD's are franchise'd... so obviously the owner doesnt want to waste money, but the owner can decide to run his business as he pleases as long as he follows mc d's guidelines...

[CBLB2012]

So how would the manager go about doing this? Does he take the fail of the system? Does he mention to his boss that there employment system is failing?

 

Most of these 'suitable questionaires' I have completed will stop at a fail at which point the most they have got from me is my name and email. Would the manager be able to access this to retrieve my details and email an offer of interview?

------------

 

Its well known due to the high number of applicants for any given job, some companies have trained the people dealing with job applications to disregard any application that appears to come from templates, but I quess you wrote your own templates?

 

Even with your low estimate of 15mins this would still be 50hrs a week. You work at a superior rate than most people could.

 

Wouldn't your intellect have been flagged up either at application or interview with Mcdonalds thus most likely marking you over qualified, so not suitable for employment?

[CBLB2012]

Also wouldn't ignoring the decision of this 'strict' questionaire somehow go against the guidelines set out by Mcdonalds?

 

I guess it would, i'll look around most likely these guidelines are readily available

[Wayne0]

So how would the manager go about doing this? Does he take the fail of the system? Does he mention to his boss that there employment system is failing?

 

Most of these 'suitable questionaires' I have completed will stop at a fail at which point the most they have got from me is my name and email. Would the manager be able to access this to retrieve my details and email an offer of interview?

 

even failures are notified to a company manager most of the time... at mc d;s they are.

they obviously can view your info, as it is retained on file for "further positions" which you may want notifying about or w/e.

 

Its well known due to the high number of applicants for any given job, some companies have trained the people dealing with job applications to disregard any application that appears to come from templates, but I quess you wrote your own templates?

is this not what i said... I made a set of templates... as in my own letter... not one copied off the internet... which i could then edit to each company...

 

Even with your low estimate of 15mins this would still be 50hrs a week. You work at a superior rate than most people could.

not really...

 

Wouldn't your intellect have been flagged up either at application or interview with Mcdonalds thus most likely marking you over qualified, so not suitable for employment?

well, that is what happened, it meant i had to prove my worth.... Also, mcdonalds doesnt just expect people to sit at the bottom of the ladder. It expects its employees to work their way up the system.

 

i was on the apprenticeship program pretty much as soon as i started. this is needed before moving onto any type of management position. McDonalds has a very large team... and they obviously want people to learn the entire business... hence business managers usually start as crew members...

 

My business manager did, and my previous manager did....

 

---

 

BTW: I understand sarcasm, and I'm fully aware thats what you attempted.

 

ALSO, sometimes, to get a job, you have to show persistence... If a company doesnt call / email... why not just enquire about the application you sent X days ago... (14 days is a long time to wait)...

 

I could probally find my old A4 sheets i used to take to the job centre.... about 15 pages, detailing names of people i spoke to, jobs advertised ETC...

[Wayne0]

Also wouldn't ignoring the decision of this 'strict' questionaire somehow go against the guidelines set out by Mcdonalds?

 

I guess it would, i'll look around most likely these guidelines are readily available

 

ok, this is what i meant by somebody picking up on one thing and over analysing it...... "strict"....

 

 

http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/ukhome/whatmakesmcdonalds/questions/work-with-us/qualifications/what-qualifications-are-needed-to-work-at-mcdonalds-and-what-qualifications-do-you-offer-employees.html heres somewhere to start for mcdonalds...

 

also, as i said.. I worked a part time job 20 miles away from where I lived earning 40 a week... - i had to pay £10 fuel to get to work and home a week = 30 earnings... but the fuel wasnt taken into account...

 

this is one of the things that showed my manager i was willing to work, and WANTED to work...

 

an interview is for you to explain what you can offer a company, even if they ask "what would you gain from working with us"...

 

I explained i knew about the company, and i wanted to work my way up... that i was willing to work anywhere, but i didnt have the intention of remaining on the bottom rung of the ladder...

 

which mcdonalds gives...

 

and FYI, im sure theres a mcdonalds within 20 miles of you go onto mcdonalds.com and have a look on the store locator

 

again, more time giving excuses about why you cant find a job, than actually looking for work...

[Bang!]

Look on the bright side! It's not 2m people face a £200 bill - its 2m people's attention being drawn to being given the chance of downloading only the programmes they actually want to see, and saving £145.50 to spend on your newly freed time.

[Wayne0]

Wow that was a discussion and then some. Quality applications take a lot of time. .....

applications do take a lot of time, but as i said, the first stage to applying is usually an email. which needs to be well laid out.

 

I understand the points you have made in this post..., and again, no matter what, I fully believe in a benefits system, but strongly believe it needs a massive revamp, to stop abuse...

 

i dont doubt many people on it are looking for work, I did everything i could to find work, and took every chance to work (at one point i had four jobs for two weeks) - but so many people get money for nothing... no matter what people say, and im not calling people on JSA scroungers in general here... but considering if you work, you have to pay council tax ETC... why not get them doing litter picking, bin men, ETC... loads of walls in birmingham need repainting, to get the graffiti off, parks need weeding, ETC... if you need money, and a job, then a course doing this would give you experience in a possible new "field" and at least give "tax payers" something back...

 

I also agree, if you drive it gives you more "flexability". But i am far from berating somebody for "not finding" work... even if people are looking, the attitude of "dead end job" would show to anybody...

 

and also: .com / .co.uk same site / company... etc... most of the .co.uk things link through to .com

 

but let me get this straight: What i have said here is NOT me making a personal attack... even if anybody here believes so...

 

the job centre DO NOTHING to help you find a job, and know that they can do a lot more! - so many times jobs came up, and my "adviser" couldnt be bothered to even "discuss" it etc... if the job centre / advisers actually cared, then more people would be in work...

 

-----

 

but back to the original topic.... (thread)

 

I agree, i used to download all my TV / ETC and get dvds so on... it worked out a lot better for me. i only got sky because my wife is home all day with our daughter, so its only fair for her to have something to do.

 

but, i may be helping her to know how to get things off itunes etc, it would defo work out cheaper in the long run.

[Wayne0]

obviously, if people chose to, they could go to a dedicated "office" to apply, and then perhaps reduce costs, stamps etc should be paid by jsa... (i was spending 10-15 on stamps/envelopes./ink etc.

[Nystagmite]

I hate to get into an argument about JSA, but dont you think 18 months is a long time not to find a job... I found a part time job within 2 days when i lost my last job....

 

Can you please find me a job with the following criteria:

- doesn't require driving (no licence)

- 16-20 hours per week

- no more than 6-7 hours per day

- doesn't involve interacting with others

- easy to adapt for someone with sensory issues

- near a bus stop / train station

 

It's not as easy as you make out. Especially when there's 20+ people going for the same job. Just because it took you two days, doesn't mean those of us who haven't been working for 18 months, aren't looking hard enough.

[Wayne0]

Mcdonalds to start. Lol

 

But why only 16 hrs a week? Answer: so you can claim other benefits.

 

Interacting with others.... This is the real world.

 

No more than 6-7 hours... Tosh... My shifts are min of 8 hours. Much like others....

 

Why do job hunters put idiotic limits

....

 

Really? surely I'm not the only one who thinks these are un reasonable

[assisted blonde]

Anything to do with putting information into computers that can probably be home based. Bookeeping/accounting self employed any good Nystagmite. hard to make any suggestions when you dont really know what qualifications etc a person has or in fact where they live so it was just a thought.

[Wayne0]

Anything to do with putting information into computers that can probably be home based. Bookeeping/accounting self employed any good Nystagmite. hard to make any suggestions when you dont really know what qualifications etc a person has or in fact where they live so it was just a thought.

 

but this would involve interacting with clients

[Nystagmite]

Mcdonalds to start. Lol

 

But why only 16 hrs a week? Answer: so you can claim other benefits.

 

Interacting with others.... This is the real world.

 

No more than 6-7 hours... Tosh... My shifts are min of 8 hours. Much like others....

 

Why do job hunters put idiotic limits

....

 

Really? surely I'm not the only one who thinks these are un reasonable

 

I'm disabled. I can't work full time. You've just shown how judgemental you are. I'm sorry that I have speech delay and a disability which makes interacting with others difficult.

[assisted blonde]

If you did work computer based from home you could interact with clients via email which would save you from having to speak to them, there must be some type of work that you can do which you would be able to cope with , but it does depend where you are and what is availible, dont know how good you are with computers but that could be the way forward, or if you are arty some sort of web design etc, although at some point you will have to have some interaction with others as no one can work alone totally, its a bit of a pickle but I am sure you will find something at some point.