And so it has come to pass that today is the last day of my contract, as I mentioned before we were not renewed.
For the last 17 months I have been a Personal Adviser at Job Centre Plus, I hope during that time I have assisted and helped people to the best of my ability and in my own small way made a difference. Unfortunately it is one of those roles that is virtually thankless, if someone gets a job due to your assistance or advice, you seldom ever hear of it, they just stop coming in.
It has certainly opened my eyes to the Public Sector,(the ‘front line’ at least) the majority are good people, trying to do their best with what they are given, trying to fight against a crippling bureaucracy, years of civil service inertia and Party politics.
Unfortunately I have also met those that should never be allowed to meet a member of the public and in any private sector firm would have been shown the door years ago (or not hired in the first place. But you’ve got to meet those ‘quotas’) and those are the ones you hear about.
For those of you that say ‘Hurrah another Public Sector parasite bites the dust’ please remember there are people at the end of it, of the 7 of us leaving tomorrow, one has a months trial at a Recruitment firm lined up, the rest of us nothing and not for want of trying, do you actually think we want to be unemployed.
So it is off out tonight to The Golden Lion, it could get messy, if you’re passing, please drop in. I’m the one that looks like George Clooney [Ed. Well you’ve both got grey hair, apart from that, no you don’t]
All I can hope is it is ‘Good Bye Job Centre’ and not ‘Au Revoir’ I’ve got enough saved for one maybe two months, then we’ll have to see.
Sad. Best of luck with the interviews.
ReplyDeleteA while back, I said your professed moral code - ‘Do Unto Others As You Wish To Be Done By’ -
ReplyDeleteshould be written in up large letters on the wall of every council office, schoool and hospital in the land.
The Public Sector system as it is favours those fluent in management-speak and self-promotion, those who know how to seem rather than be good at the work; I suspect a large proportion of those newly unemployed will be conscientious and principled souls who don't fit the model.
You find the same thing in teaching - there are a few rotten apples, usually further up the greasy pole, and the rest of us are tarred with the same brush in public opinion.
So commiserations, and best wishes with the job-hunting; I hope you soon find an employer who appreciates you.
I'm glad you were one of the good guys, but in my bitter experience as an (ex-)claimant there are so many scumbags/little Hitlers working at Jobcentres.
ReplyDelete"... the majority are good people, trying to do their best with what they are given, trying to fight against a crippling bureaucracy, years of civil service inertia and Party politics. "
ReplyDeleteNever was the Peter Principle so illustrated as in the public sector...
And yes, something will come along. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
ReplyDeleteActually I would suggest that the Job Centre system is one of the less parasitic of the public sector organisations, given that it is trying to help people NOT scrounge. It's the people who get in the way of job creation 'n shit who annoy me.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, I'm sure that a worldly-wise man like you will be snapped up!
My youngest sister was employed in the same position until January this year and jumped before she was pushed...jumped all the way to China dontchaknow ! Happily earning squillions teaching chinese children English. There's a bigger picture that should concern us all there but I digress...
ReplyDeleteI'm sure everything you've done to find people work has been appreciated it's just that...as so few really know how to say sorry these days...so few really know how to say thank you.
Anyhoo...before leaving she received a box of chocolates and home-made (!) thank you card from a very rough looking "jobless scum-type" person who had been on the dole for almost a decade, caused the dept no end of trouble and was about to face yet another sanction. She'd found him a job in literally both of their 11th hours and he passed the interview.
Trust me there are those who have appreciated you and let's hope they do in whatever you do next.
Keep the faith, don't lose pride in yourself and best of luck finding another job.
I've often thought about how it must be on the other side of the table. Insecure, it seems. Hope something turns up for you.
ReplyDeleteTwo years ago I started with the DWP on an FTA. I stuck it for nine months and gave up, after inadvertently receiving an inappropriately 'cascaded' message that none of us were to be kept on, because of all the bullshit, although most of my colleagues were amongst the nicest I've worked with.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your job search. I've been unable to find anything in ten months and have a three month review coming (yes it took seven months of living on £25.00 / week for food for two - that's little more than half the allowance for a single convict - to swallow my pride and apply). I'm seriously considering signing off, even though the JSA has improved our standard of living, again because of the pointless bullshit involved in claiming it (there are no jobs here and applying for things I haven't a hope in hell of being considered for merely to qualify for sixty five quid a week is absurd, as is going through the pantomime of appearing 'positive' each week).