Job Centre Report

An interesting day today, kicked off with a visit to the Job Centre for a review of my ongoing unemployment. It's not the most inspiring place to visit and not one I'd recommend for anybody but for 2.67 million people (or thereabouts) it has become part of their life.

I was kept waiting for about half an hour while the team sorted things because somebody had gone sick and eventually I was dealt with by a member of staff who had not dealt with Job Seekers status updates for a while so was not exactly au fait with that part of the IT system. She was only trying her best.

My overriding feeling sitting there was how many members of staff there were and yet I wasn't seeing them doing a lot. I hope that's not unfair but a fair bit of walking up and down, and from one desk to another was done. And there was me waiting for my appointment which happened 30 minutes after the due time!!!

To be fair to the team, a member of staff did explain why there was a delay. So a thumbs up for that piece of customer focussed thought.

The ritual signing on is normally on a two week basis but because I had been away on holiday, and therefore not available for work if it had arisen, I had to finish one claim and then restart another on my return. What a palaver!!! It doubles the work for everybody!!! 

Guess what? I have to go back tomorrow to sign on. Can anybody tell me why today could not have been sufficient? What is going to change in the 24 intervening hours?

Anyway, it reinforced my resolve to find a role soon. So back to the internet job boards, back to the agencies, back to my connections and back to LinkedIn. 

And fingers crossed something will come across that will rid me of that purgatory that is JobCentre Plus.

Please circulate my LinkedIn details to your connections and to anybody else who needs a seasoned HR professional. As always, happy to talk to anybody.

Thanks for all your support.