The Job Centre 05/09/12

So, this week was my fourth visit to the job centre - as always, I was nervous/eager for advice from someone..anyone! I arrived in plenty of time, as always because you know five minutes late and it can affect your benefits.... they don't care about your personal circumstances... Anyways, so I arrive just after twenty to three - my appointment wasn't until three. The G4S guard (who may I point out have more security in the centre than the job centre have staff) WHY? So anyways, the guard was like, "you're far too early, it's only gone twenty to two...it's really busy upstairs.. go wait on those seats"... so off I stomp to the seats, annoyed that you are 'threatened' if you're late, and told off if you're too early. I can't be one of those people that shows up at exactly the time you're suppose to, I've always been told that promptness is a good quality to have! Also, when did it become a security guards job to assist people... they are there to make sure 'no one plays up' or whatever.

FINALLY, I am told I can go upstairs, so off I pop! Sitting waiting for my adviser... it's 3.05pm.. my appointment was at 3... can I start playing up? They're late! They've gone back on their job seekers agreement!! I don't obviously, but it means I have ammo for if there should be an occasion where I am late.. I'll throw that back at them. Sitting there, waiting for my appointment, I start shuffling papers remembering the questions I wanted to ask my adviser  - hoping she would be nice. Luckily she was, she was pretty young and understood how hard certain situations are.. including the expectation that you will work up to 90 minutes away. I said that I would consider it, if I could afford to, but if it came down to my wages were only paying for the travel - I just couldn't do it. She understood - phew.

We had a good chat about what I was looking for, we both had a giggle at the elf job application and we managed to find some pretty decent work experience. She really had a good read through what I had been doing but still made me think that I could probably not take the diary entries that seriously, hmm. She noted how detailed they were and was convinced I wouldn't be with the job centre long.. so I guess that's a sign. We found a really good work experience scheme - it's at a publishers in Hull, think I'll have to interview for it, so fingers crossed.

Felt like nothing positive has happened within my job search for quite some time, however, this week, although no job offers, had feedback about the volunteer positions and found some work experience (expenses paid) so, things are happening. No longer in no mans land, things are moving. Found some good jobs too - some require certain experience that my adviser found so we were disappointed about that, but applying for a couple of administration positions, not exactly what I want but it's a job, a wage and experience.

How's your job search going? Leave me a comment, tell me about it!
Any tips? Leave a comment!

As usual, you can tweet me too! @DebStevo90 :)

I look forward to hearing from you,
Deborah! :D