Universal Jobmatch

[snowy101]

As i outlined in one of my previous posts, my friend is currently signing on , on the last two occasions he has been asked has he got a UJM account , his reply is " its not mandatory & i have concerns about its safety regarding my personal data so i won`t be opening one" , this ends any further discussion on the subject. He fills out his JSAA with jobs he has applied for & has even provided a letter from London Underground inviting him to an interview. This seems to satisfy the advisor , he thinks that although they know its not mandatory they are still being told to push the UJM account & if the person signing on is aware of their rights, then too leave it at that.

[fed up and sanctioned]

Please sign this petition to get a stop to UJM

 

epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/49607

 

We need thousands of signatures so please tell everyone you know.

 

It does seem that there are varied approaches to UJM mandate which make it even more unfair. I have just been sanctioned. Actually I had signed up, but was locked out and have asked for my account to be resest. I asked on 1st March and was told that this would take three weeks. I am still waiting, But because I refused to provide another email address to make a whole new account I was sanctioned. I have since read much more about UJM and am not going to sign up and will ask for my details to be removed, but since they have not managed to reset my account in over 2 months it does seem that once you have loaded your online data it may be both insecure and permanent - of course this is even more worrying. The JSA officer that I sopke to has said that he thinks UJM will help everyone get a job. Of course the logical conlcusion of this is that he is applying a blanket approach - which to my understanding is against guidelines. He could not give me any reason why he had singled me out. I am applying for loads of jobs and have given evidence every time asked.

 

If a JSA officer cannot dictate how you show them your job seekign activity surely there must also be some freedom to use other more suitable job search sites. I am doing this. To my mind the government is trying to give Monster and UJM a monopoly on job seeking. This surely is illegal and what do other legitimate job search engines think of this? It woudl be interesting to know.

 

I am left with no income but will fight this every step as I think it is unfair to everyone.

 

To my mind the UJM is just a sanction machine.

[Hacked_Off]

Anyone else having trouble getting into ujm today? Won't even let me search "service unavailable"

[flumps1976]

Jasta11 when I log in to view a claimant account during signing the record only shows the application history and activity history as dates no times are logged.

 

The entire digital system was unavailable for a few days last week and I believe some ares are still playing up.

Doesn't make me feel confident for the future where everything will be online.

[dyfed]

Signed and ty for the info and link

[jasta11]

Jasta11 when I log in to view a claimant account during signing the record only shows the application history and activity history as dates no times are logged.

 

The entire digital system was unavailable for a few days last week and I believe some ares are still playing up.

Doesn't make me feel confident for the future where everything will be online.

 

Thanks for the info, Flumps. I thought they'd be able to check the activity dates, as it's a good way to see how often a person uses UJ (or how little they use it, which is potentially more dangerous).

 

Being a suspicious type, I'm sure there's lots of other things the senior DWP 'bods' can check on - they probably haven't even told the JC staff the full story.

 

UJ is too good a chance to miss to spy on jobseekers and find sanction targets.

[osdset]

It looks like the PCS union are experiencing dissent in the ranks, it's their annual conference and on day one (yesterday) they passed a few motions ( don't go there!)

 

Motion A1, moved by Glasgow branch and seconded by Swansea Pension Centre, called for the group executive committee to:

 

• Highlight the "inequality of the Welfare Reform Act"

• Organise welfare events in all regions

• Raise the threat of privatisation

• Support our national welfare campaign.

 

Motion A12 called for protests alongside unemployed workers' groups over the government's flagship Work Programme.

 

"People are unable to find the help and support they so desperately need," he said. "We must support our members and unemployed workers."

 

Serious concerns were raised in motion A16 about Universal Credit and how the government's insistence on 80% of claims being made online could disadvantage and exclude the most vulnerable claimants.

 

Cat Boyd from Glasgow Benefit Centre moved the motion and highlighted the fact that 40% of our members will be affected by Universal Credit and could be sanctioned by fellow DWP staff members.

 

"Our jobs are becoming harder and harder and the lives of claimants are becoming harder and harder," she said.

 

Story http://unemploymentmovement.com/forum/chat-a-rap/5967-pcs-union-conference-welfare-attacks-condemned

[postggj]

Not going off topic

 

Since the launch of universal credit

 

Irritable Bowell syndrome has been keeping very quiet

 

Any update??

[san_d]

Today it was the first time ever that I was asked to give printed evidence of my jobsearch. I handed over 15 pages of screenshots and the advisor was speechless. His face was a mix of surprise and disgust. Two more weeks without sanctions I suppose.

[antone]

Cat Boyd from Glasgow Benefit Centre moved the motion and highlighted the fact that 40% of our members will be affected by Universal Credit and could be sanctioned by fellow DWP staff members.

 

"Our jobs are becoming harder and harder and the lives of claimants are becoming harder and harder," she said.

 

Story http://unemploymentmovement.com/forum/chat-a-rap/5967-pcs-union-conference-welfare-attacks-condemned

 

Heh, cool. I knew Cat Boyd, in passing at least. Good for her.

[joeski]

Not going off topic

 

Since the launch of universal credit

 

Irritable Bowell syndrome has been keeping very quiet

 

Any update??

 

probably looking after bessie or whatever is wifey is called haha

[osdset]

probably looking after bessie or whatever is wifey is called haha

 

He probably can't remove foot from mouth at the moment.

[jasta11]

Today it was the first time ever that I was asked to give printed evidence of my jobsearch. I handed over 15 pages of screenshots and the advisor was speechless. His face was a mix of surprise and disgust. Two more weeks without sanctions I suppose.

 

Good for you! I hope you used their facilities to print off the stuff too

 

Best way to stay (hopefully) sanction-free is to always give them far more than they ask for.

[joeski]

do the tracking features of UJM only work if you are registered on the site?? i go on UJM to apply for jobs but only if they have email addresses etc supplied..does this mean the DWP can still get feedback from employers about the jobs i have applied for? :/

[jasta11]

I'd assume the DWP can make enquiries about any job we apply for - whether it's off UJ or not. I haven't applied for any jobs directly with UJ yet, I do the same as you and find jobs with alternate emails so I can contact them directly.

 

However, I sometimes mention on my job log that I found the job from the UJ site, just to show them that I'm using it and keep them sweet.

 

I have concerns about exactly what can be tracked from UJ - whether you're logged in or not, but then I'm a very cynical person to start with! I'm sure there's things within UJ that even the JC advisors haven't been told about. This is the internet, after all and nothing is truly safe.

[snowy101]

My friend has seen a job he would like to apply for , problem is, it is advertised on the UJM website. As he has not joined & has no intention of joining how does he apply for the job?, the advert has no email address or company name, just a job reference number.

 

Any advice please

[san_d]

My friend has seen a job he would like to apply for , problem is, it is advertised on the UJM website. As he has not joined & has no intention of joining how does he apply for the job?, the advert has no email address or company name, just a job reference number.

 

Any advice please

You could google part of the advert to see if it appears in other boards. Usually the first sentence is enough.

 

I've also found that most vacancies on UJM are also on Monster.

[snowy101]

You could google part of the advert to see if it appears in other boards. Usually the first sentence is enough.

 

I've also found that most vacancies on UJM are also on Monster.[/quote

 

Thanks

 

It must be a UJM exclusive:wink:, not on monstrosity or any other job sites. He rang the job centre with the reference number & the girl would not give him any details, she insisted he must join UJM. He told her he was currently employed & just wanted to apply without signing up, in the end he told her to forget it. He will not be applying , looking elsewhere, sad state of affairs if you can`t get details of a job without all this rigmarole.

 

I feel for him. It is one of my bug bear issues, not so long ago , if you saw a job you liked the look of, you simply phoned the company & asked to speak to so and so in relation to the vacancy , the person would ask you a few questions & if they liked the sound of you, invite you in for an interview. If all went well you could be starting the following week. Now, 20 people in HR farm all the responsibility out to recruitment agencies & online job sites, it takes them 6 weeks to compile a short list & invite them to an interview, in the meantime , good experienced potential staff have either taken another job, and / or have forgotten all about applying .

Edited May 30, 2013 by snowy101

[jasta11]

Very true!

 

Job applications used to be so much simpler and more common-sense in the past. Your application went straight to the person who would be your manager, they invited you in and interviewed you themselves and if they liked the look of you, you got the job. No HR, no 'aptitude tests', no asking of silly questions like 'why do you want to work for us?' and no second or even third interviews. Wonderfully simple!

 

..then HR departments started up and it all went to hell rapidly.

 

I signed on today and noticed that the JC clerks were being very polite to people who hadn't yet signed up to UJ..wonder if they've had their knuckles rapped over their previous 'you have to register' attitude?

[snowy101]

Hi Jasta11

 

Yes, the dreaded " HR" , numerous amounts of people doing what ?. The old personnel invariably had 2 persons, a manager & secretary managing large amounts of staff. HR [ i hate that term] is systematic of the modern obsession with bureaucracy , inventing BS & deliberately making any procedure extremely complicated too keep their over inflated salaries. The old saying of " BS baffles brains " has never been more apt. My friend was asked about UJM on Tuesday [ again] , he gave his stock answer of it not being mandatory & was told by the JCA, " i could sanction you into joining "

he simply told her to do so if she wanted too , but she declined . Apparently this woman is not a nice person. So he lives to fight another day.

[jasta11]

Pity he hadn't recorded her - definite case of bullying if she said it like that. No wonder she backed down when he called her bluff; she would first have to issue a jobseekers direction requiring him register with UJ, and if he refused only then could she refer him for a sanction. If he hasn't been officially issued with a jobseekers direction then he's under no obligation to join.

 

I'd still report her though. People with an attitude like that need putting down firmly.

[RebeccaPidgeon]

Pity he hadn't recorded her - definite case of bullying if she said it like that. No wonder she backed down when he called her bluff; she would first have to issue a jobseekers direction requiring him register with UJ, and if he refused only then could she refer him for a sanction. If he hasn't been officially issued with a jobseekers direction then he's under no obligation to join.

 

I'd still report her though. People with an attitude like that need putting down firmly.

Even if a Job Seekers Direction were to be issued, the likelihood remains that the candidate would only be required to i) create a UJ Account, ii) create a profile, iii) upload a CV, iv) make that CV searchable. Of course, although the Job Seekers Agreement specifies 3 job goals, and that within UJ, a candidate may upload 5 CV's, only 1 CV may be searchable on UJ at any time.

 

Insofar as claimants, when they sign on, are still being coerced to sign up to UJ, with Front Line Advisors asserting "You have to tick the box to give us access" or "We need your email address", it is unlikely that any Job Seekers Direction would succeed where they specify that claimants must provide the DWP with access to a UJ account.

[jasta11]

When I signed on yesterday I heard a clerk telling a customer that 'if people just write what they've done on paper, they could be making it all up but if they put it all on UJ then that's better'. I was tempted to ask her exactly how this would prove the applications were genuine - yes, any jobs you applied for via UJ would be proven applications but anything else you say you've done could just as easily be made up.

 

The lady customer obviously had no idea what the rules were so she probably went home and registered and gave them full access. I spent a pleasant 5 minutes discussing the merits of the new Tesco store with the advisor I saw, no mention of UJ at all - but then she knows I'm always armed with a copy of the PCS Union's memo on UJ

[tt4079]

When signing on this week I was told on 3 occasions I must bring my 8 digit UJ id with me next time. Do I have to? Will I get sanctioned if I don't? I use the system though since joining it I have only had 3 replies and all of them were scams. However, I don't like the idea of being spied upon. Also as I block third party cookies, when applying for most of the jobs on UJ I then have to go back to UJ and say I have already applied for this job. I cannot see under my account a list of these jobs. Only the ones actually applied for direct on UJ. How do I get a print out of the ones ticked already applied for?

 

Many help for any help and advice anyone can offer.

 

Wayne

[RebeccaPidgeon]

When signing on this week I was told on 3 occasions I must bring my 8 digit UJ id with me next time. Do I have to? Will I get sanctioned if I don't? I use the system though since joining it I have only had 3 replies and all of them were scams. However, I don't like the idea of being spied upon. Also as I block third party cookies, when applying for most of the jobs on UJ I then have to go back to UJ and say I have already applied for this job. I cannot see under my account a list of these jobs. Only the ones actually applied for direct on UJ. How do I get a print out of the ones ticked already applied for?

 

Many help for any help and advice anyone can offer.

 

Wayne

When you create a UJ Account, you enter into a legally binding agreement (enforced within the courts in England and Wales) where you agree not to divulge any information pertaining to your UJ Account ... if, in future, a Clerk persists, simply say that you will consider their request under Personal Advisement. If they persist, and issue a Job Seekers Direction, this will likely require you to i) create a UJ Account, ii) create a profile, iii) upload a CV, iv) make that CV searchable. However, it is unlikely that any Job Seekers Direction would state that a candidate must divulge any information on their UJ Account.