Universal Jobmatch

[LaughingGirl]

I'm confused about this, too - I signed on tuesday, and it wasn't mentioned to me at all.

[LaughingGirl]

Yeah, i've read the stuff on the website, I just can't tell if it's mandatory. Suppose i'll just have to wait and see what they suprise me with. i've got no problem with it as long as it actually works!

[LaughingGirl]

I've probably missed a huge segment of conversation somewhere, so forgive me for asking...how in god's name do you prove you've been looking for Work for 35 hours a week? I've just totted it up in my head, and i'd say I spent 20-22 hours last week, if you leave out the hour and a half signing on. I can't think of anything else that I could have done!

[LaughingGirl]

I do a tailored cv for each job, I actually go into the agencies rather than ring them, I try to get to at least 2 or 3 potential employers a week to drop in cv's (i'd go to more, but it gets expensive on the bus fair front). would doing free online courses count? researching interview techniques? I could probably bump it up by another couple of hours if I tacked things like that on.

[LaughingGirl]

Again, if it works I'm ok with it, but the logistics are puzzling me. if we're not working by the end of this month. Our internet is gone, can't afford it. I live in a town that has a library with 12 pc's and a jcp that has 2. there are 1092 unemployed people in the town. I can't see how it's going to Work.

[LaughingGirl]

Well, they won't. my local library books computers in 20 minute slots up to a maximum of an hour. I don't think this is merely unfair to claimants, it's unfair to the staff in the jcp. all the staff in the one I attend are very sensible, reasonable people and I doubt very much they want to put people into poverty for not completing impossible tasks. they're going to get so much grief over this!

[LaughingGirl]

Just about to try setting up an account again, will report back with my experiences...3rd time lucky!?

[LaughingGirl]

So much for third time lucky, then.

 

Managed to get to the Gateway screen, noted my details, tried to log in (once and once only) and got the following message:

 

You have incorrectly entered your login details more than the permitted number of tries. Your account has therefore been locked for security purposes. Please contact the help desk for details on how to reactivate your account. Click on the button below to return to the portal homepage.

 

I think it may be time to rethink my signature, folks.

[LaughingGirl]

Well, I still can't even sign in. I try to log in, it tells me I need to verify my email, I verify my email, I try to log in. It tells me I need to verify my email, I verify my email...you get the picture. at least I know how you can job search for 35 hours now though - I could rack that up just trying to log on to job search.

[LaughingGirl]

Why are you trying to log in?... you dont have to.

 

You can use the site as normal without logging in and without making an account.. Having an account is optional.

 

Nimitz

 

because I actually like the idea of being able to match my cv to jobs and apply for them like that - the jobs I apply for on that site are the most time consuming part of my job search, not to mention that a lot of the jobs I'm interested in seem to involve ringing an 0845 number for application detail

[LaughingGirl]

On the subject of the predictive search facility, when I try to input any variation of the word 'secretary', it insists on replacing it with 'secret service'. i've decided to leave it on my profile - I think it shows willing to explore other avenues, plus I quite like martini's.

[LaughingGirl]

I sign on tomorrow, and although I have an account it's been barely usable. on the flip side, I'm lucky enough to have a very decent personal advisor who I'm in regular email contact with, so she's knows i've had problems. today's issue was an almost permanent 503 error, but I know the jcp staff were having the same problem. still no apply button, though - even on new vacancies.

[LaughingGirl]

Devastated, I saw a different advisor today and she didn't even look at my blimmin' paper record, never mind my ujm account! I drove myself crackers trying to get the Damn thing to Work...it's not so much a user interface as my arch nemisis, but she just looked mildly perplexed that i'd even managed to log in!

[LaughingGirl]

I think it's torturing me.

 

Under my 'recommended jobs', it's just listed a vacancy where the job description sounds like it's been lifted from my CV, with a £27,000 a year salary, private healthcare, 30 days holiday, employee discount scheme and a subsidised canteen (I don't care about the free car park, I don't drive).

 

It's two hours away by car.

[LaughingGirl]

I'm getting round that by saving the jobs I apply for - it then gives you the option to make notes against the advert, and I'm inputting how I applied, when I applied and to whom. Necessary in my case because I still haven't found a single vacancy that has an 'apply' button.

[LaughingGirl]

Aha! That's probably why it keeps insisting I want to join the secret service...suddenly it all makes perfect sense!

 

on a serious note, yes..they could do with taking a closer look at some of the jobs posted. some i've seen recently are barely disguised scams.

[LaughingGirl]

Thanks Flumps. So I guess people should make a bigger point of complaining about totally inappropriate vacancies.

 

I do, and to be fair they usually vanish reasonably quickly.

 

On another note, there have only been two new vacancies posted on there in two days within 20 miles of my location...are you guys still having problems or is this just part of the dreaded Christmas lull?

[LaughingGirl]

Yep, feels like being back in the NHS again Flumps! I feel strangely comforted when something IT based makes me want to mash my face off the keyboard.

 

That being said, looks like we know how the employers feel about it...apparently, they aren't using it. Not in my area anyway.

 

EDIT: Holy Moly, I take it back! 40 pages of jobs, all dated today have just appeared. Apparently, they are using it after all!

Edited November 30, 2012 by LaughingGirl

[LaughingGirl]

If you were given them in the JCP, I think it's safer to assume that they're matched vacancies.

[LaughingGirl]

i was given vacancies to apply for from another website by the person i saw yesterday, do they count as matched vacancies as they are not from the jobcentre system?

 

As Flumps said, if they've given you jobs to apply to it's because they've matched you to the vacancies. They will definitely have made a note of them, and they will ask you about applying next time you sign.

[LaughingGirl]

ive applied for them all even though one of the vacancies was not on the website, so i applied for the same vacancy but in a town just down the road

 

the adviser who gave them to me has a history of handing out vacancies that have either closed or simply don't exist anymore, i don't know if its just me she gives them to but im taking it personally so if anything happens i'll make sure she gets the blame

 

To be fair, if she's getting them off agency websites I spend half my life applying for jobs that don't actually exist through agencies. I have no idea what recruitment agencies get out of posting fictitious jobs, but it drives me absolutely crackers. It's such a waste of time.

 

There was a job posted a couple of weeks ago which I was going to apply for. From reading the details of the job in the advert, there was only one company that it could possibly have been, so I rang them and asked them if I could apply to them directly. To absolutely no-one's surprise, they didn't have any open jobs and don't use recruitment agencies when they do.

[LaughingGirl]

well i wouldn't put anything past jobcentre staff, most of them are all smug towards the unemployed.

 

I've said it before, but all the staff at my job centre are lovely...which is great, but also means you never get seen on time, lol.

 

Employment agencies have been posting non existent jobs for years, I had a fixed term contract supervising major front door installations throughout London via an agency in 2008, they are still advertising the same job today!

 

But WHHHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYY????!!!! Lol. Honestly, it drives me nuts!

[LaughingGirl]

Lol I am willing to bet there will be lots more of these spoof jobs, The Anonymous Hacking group are showing some interest in UJ as well HM Gov don't know what they have let themselves in for!

 

Oh goody. [/sarcasm]

 

Whatever they do, I hope it doesn't involve exposing the personal details of jobseekers, or result in people not being able to prove their job search and ending up sanctioned. I'm all for taking a stand, but not if it involves shooting myself or other people in the foot.

[LaughingGirl]

I always understood that if you were to be sanctioned, you would have to start a new claim for Housing Benefit, but would still be entitled to it as having nil income. However, Flumps post seems to contradict that. You may want to PM her and ask for her attention on this thread if it's something you're seriously concerned about.

 

P.S: You wouldn't automatically be evicted - again, if you're seriously concerned about this, you may want to start your own thread.

[LaughingGirl]

I've just responded to you on your other thread Oblivious...when does your new job start in January? I hope at the beginning.

 

Are you claiming Housing Benefit at the minute?