Beware of the Jobcentre

The Job Centre itself is a waste of time - they have a turnover of staff I believe of about 40% every year, realms and realms of paper to fill out for a tiny amount of money. I know someone who was 5 days from starting their PhD and was told to come for interview for a job or they would not pay JSA. - come on how ridiculous is that? They were only applying to JSA as they needed it so they would be exempt from rates as they had no income till they got their stipend - when you pay peanuts you get monkeys!!!

Stevie. I think you put your case eloquently and clearly. The only answers that I can see are that if staff are PAID to do a job, then they should do it - the morale of the workforce does not stop people doing their job. As they are paid for by the taxpayer, WE expect them to do their job diligently and professionally. Anything less, then why do WE employ them? If you didn't do your job to a satisfactory level in the private sector - goodbye job. The only problem I had with them was their attitude, why should I be expected to tolerate being spoken at like I was dirt? I don't deserve it. I really don't care what the previous victim was like, that's not my concern. They should behave professionally. You mention staffing levels. When I was there, there didn't appear to be ANY rush at all, and there were several people standing around not really doing very much. Staff shortages didn't exactly spring to my mind..... Also, the cuts are hard, BUT the Tories are only clearing up the mess left behind by the previous 13 years of Labours borrow, borrow, borrow. Please tell that to you neighbour, so she can reconsider her affiliation with Labour.

Working in a customer-facing role, typically as first point of contact, customers can be really annoying and it gets worse when they are angry due to something someone else has done. If job centre staff cannot cope with customer interaction, or, use text book techniques to calm the situation down and give great customer service then they shouldn't be in such a job, likewise, the same for advisers. For “customers” who are unemployed (all of them) especially those who are actively looking for work, it becomes very frustrating in seeing that those who cannot do the job properly have a job and those who need a job, and who think they can do it better, i.e. themselves, don't have the opportunity. This is how people get so upset with the poor service delivered and where it becomes very politically orientated. Currently, job centre staff are on about 15k annually, or, about minimum wage for the hours they work, these are the ones you mainly deal with in the job centres, many of them are on 12 month contracts which are sometimes non-negotiable, depending on their years of service, etc, they either carry on after a year, or, there contract is terminated, which does happen, believe it, or, not. I know for a fact that many of them are just as worried about their futures, as they have mortgages, bills to pay, just like we do. The Gov't treats them badly, chasing targets is the norm these days, as with many other Gov't orientated organisations, rather than actually trying to get folks back into work, they are the thin end of the wedge, abusive yobs and drunks going into offices at all times (hence, they have security staff on-site every day), students who won't even fill in the appropriate booklets to prove they are seeking jobs, and they all say that the documents are difficult to understand (yet, they managed to have the brains to get into University!!). My near neighbour was made unemployed after 29 years service to this industry and had to sign on, ironically, she was interviewed by one of the people she once trained. So, [mepink53], apart from your cynical statement """do em good to see what it's like''', they do know what it's like and are just as miffed as the rest of the jobless in our society, and as for those of us of a mature age, we have less likely opportunities to get back into work, as against the many able-bodied, but, couldn't give a sh1t, lazy, unemployed layabouts, who apply for every benefit going, but, don't deserve a penny, which is one reason I wouldn't work in one of these places, as I'd tell all these scrounging ******* what I think of them and the system they abuse so openly and freely. Having read all of the comments on this page, I doubt if ANY of you would be prepared to go and work in one of these offices for 12 months in a major town and city, you all seem to think it's such an easy task. Morale in these offices is virtually rock-bottom nowadays, and as staff may be made redundant themselves at any time, is it any wonder that the 'couldn't give a toss' attitude has crept in here as well which reflects on the way some unemployed are treated each time they attend to sign on. And as regards the topic of this article, it's alright saying that JCP should check adverts, but, where offices have been chopped down to a bare minimum amount of staff, they don't all have anyone available to check things, or, does the journalist think that they have staff falling over themselves these days, Government Cuts affects everywhere you know. Having been unemployed personally, I tend to look at things from both sides of an argument, and with my personal experience and having spoken to employees, I gain their side of the story as well, perhaps you lot should do too before criticising. My neighbour is a staunch Labourite, so she hates this coalition Gov't and everything it's doing to this nation's workers and the unemployed, she never voted them into power, but, has now experienced the backlash of them being in that position, job centre staff don't make the rules, they just abide by them, maybe some of you folks don't understand that concept.