SnowdropExplodes's profile . SnowdropExplodes's homepage
 |
| SnowdropExplodes |
on Sat 27 Aug 05, 11:08 PM to SnowdropExplodes's blog.
Alas, not an account of receiving oral sex, but a description of what it feels like I have received from the Job Centre.
At the beginning of the month they sent me the standard letter saying "why didn't you apply for this job?" to which I replied saying "because when I read the person specification, I found that I did not match the employer's specification so I would be wasting my time and theirs to apply for it". To which they replied about 10 days ago, "give us exact details of their person specification and the ways in which you did not meet it". Seems reasonable until it is pointed out that they notified me of the job nearly three months ago, that I read the person spec. online and that, since the job was not one I had a chance of getting, I didn't take a print-out of the relevant details.
So I rang them up to explain the difficulties in recalling the exact details this far down the line from the closing date of the job, and was advised to tell them as much as I could, which I did, noting down that I believed it was probably a lack of a typing qualification that was at fault, although I really could not say for certain (this is because several other jobs for which they have given me details, turned out to need typing qualifications).
Today, I received a letter saying that they do not feel that I have sufficiently good reasons for having "failed" to apply, and that they will stop my JSA as a result 
Thankfully, I am not inclined to lie down and take this from them. If anything, it has galvanised me and got me ready for a fight. Starting with round one "You can ask us to look again at the decision" and "if we can change it we will tell you, and if we can't we will tell you why". Hopefully, a cordial face-to-face explanation will be enough for me to convince them of the error of their position.
So I am marshalling my forces and the ammunition at my disposal. Since it has become this serious, I am going to write to the employer in the hope that they can provide the details that I did not think of printing when I had the chance and thus strengthen my case). I have drafted a letter setting out why I decided not to apply (I didn't "fail" to apply, it was a conscious and sensible decision not to!) and explaining that the details with which the Job Centre provide me often do not include the fact that certain qualifications are listed by the employers as essential criteria, so that sometimes a job that looks like it fits my search criteria turns out not to be suitable after all.
If it goes to appeal then I will draw also on the fact that they left it over 2 months to follow up on this, and explain that this leaves me in a very uncomfortable position when it comes to trying to defend myself.
Still, it shouldn't happen again: I've learned my lesson from this experience, and am keeping accurate records of the jobs for which I have been given details and if there is a reason why one is not suitable after all, what that reason is.
The worst bit is that this comes as a horrible distraction just when some of the best opportunities they've ever given me are sitting in my lap ready for me to fill in the application forms!
***
On other work-related news, on Tuesday my card goes in the shop window advertising my services as a private tutor to help kids with their GCSE core subjects, Maths, English and Science. As people may know, I am something of a grammar/spelling freak (a pedant to the core 
) and I did my degree in maths (with philosophy). I have 'A' Level Physics and a good general understanding of the other sciences so I should be able to do a good job. Explaining things and helping others understand the subject matter has always been a skill of mine, and something I really enjoy doing.
If there are any readers of my blog in the Wealden area who would like me to help their kids along, please memo me!
Ta, SnowdropExplodes
