What's it like to work in Job Centre?

[antone]

Excellent post, antone - there you go guys, from the horses mouth.

 

Thanks Erika. Coming from you, that is high praise

 

I suppose I should also point out that when I went through the recruitment process I had no idea whether I would end up working in a BDC, a Contact Centre, or an actual High Street Jobcentre.

 

It's also worth noting that it's possible to end up on a waiting list. All candidates who pass the application/test/interview must be considered for available posts, so there is something called a "Merit List". As posts become available, they will work their way down this list. In general, people are recruited in groups, presumably because it's more cost-effective to train people in these groups rather than individually.

 

So a candidate might get a letter saying "Congratulations, you have passed the selection process" and then not actually get a job for months. That happened to me.

[FitzWilliam]

Thanks Jan, Erika and Antone for interesting and informative discussion.

 

The temporary EO jobs at JCP seem now to be being offered for 12 months:

 

Current vacancies - DWP

 

The application form for the new posts is bizarrely called the 'EO Competency Choice Application Form':

 

Applying for vacancies using the EO Competency Choice form - DWP

 

The form asks for the names of 'two personal referees' who are 'people you know well but are not employers or relatives'. But it also says, 'Before we can offer you a post we will have to approach your employer, if you are currently in work.' So that might be to take up a third reference.

 

The guidance notes say, 'When applying for a post within DWP you may be subject to criminal records checks.' So CRB checks do not seem to be mandatory.

 

Of course, there is the usual 'Equal Opportunities Form' as well because the DWP 'embrace diversity'. They ask whether you are heterosexual or gay/? or bisexual or asexual. Curiously they omit transsexual. I hope no one feels left out ...

[Jan4a]

So a candidate might get a letter saying "Congratulations, you have passed the selection process" and then not actually get a job for months. That happened to me.

 

that's what happened to me - they didn't get in touch re interview until a couple of months later.

[FitzWilliam]

Regarding JC security staff - they are not directly employed by JCP, but instead by Trillium, the company that owns/manages the buildings. I'm surprised to hear about an individual being dismissed by Trillium and hired by JCP, but if they meet the criteria described above, I can see how it could happen.

 

Thanks for very helpful posting Antone.

 

Trillium manage the buildings for JCP and sub-contract security from various private security companies. At my jobcentre it is Sekurityass, and our former guard was a Sekurityass employee.

 

This security guard's position became untenable after my friend's acquittal in court. She told obvious lies about him in court and continued to be a big nuisance after he returned to the jobcentre after the trial.

 

But we are pretty sure she jumped before she was pushed. There was no way she could survive in her present job, as least not remaining as the guard in the same jobcentre.

 

On her side it was a smart more to get another job, but it may prove not so smart that she got it with the DWP. She was subject to several serious complaints to the DWP when she was a guard. And her past may easily catch up with her ...

[ErikaPNP]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. As frontline staff she'll only have very basic access and only then after training. The truth always comes out, pasts always catch up, and karma always bites the bad on their bottoms!

[FitzWilliam]

I see that the recently advertised EO and AO jobs are for working in jobcentres, but they say you may alternatively be offered an equivalent position in a Contact Centre or a Benefit Delivery Centre.

 

I'm wondering about a few things:

 

1. If someone applies for an EO job (Band C) may they, dependant on how their application goes, be offered a lower grade AO job (Band B) instead?

 

2. Is the decision to offer someone a position in a jobcentre/BDC/Contact Centre based on an assessment that someone is 'more suitable' for one position or another based on the selection process?

 

3. Or are geographical considerations more important (i.e. recruits nearer jobcentres or BDC's or Contact Centres get sent there because they live closer, saving travel time etc)?

 

4. Might someone, having applied for an EO job in a jobcentre, end up being offered an AO job in a BDC or Contact Centre?

 

5. Do BDC's process claims from specific areas (e.g. a defined region of their local county)? In other words, will claims from my jobcentre always be handled by the same BDC?

 

6. Do BDC staff and and jobcentre staff have much contact?

 

7. Are there rivalries or preceived hierarchies between jobcentres, BDC's and Contact Centres?

 

8. Are all telephone calls from claimants to BDC's and Contact Centres recorded; and to what extent are calls monitored?

 

Sorry about all these questions. I'd ask at my jobcentre, but I think they'd be reluctant to give full and frank answers. Also, they tend to freak out when I ask them things.

[Jan4a]

Fitzwilliam: Why? You thinking of applying?

[antone]

I see that the recently advertised EO and AO jobs are for working in jobcentres, but they say you may alternatively be offered an equivalent position in a Contact Centre or a Benefit Delivery Centre.

 

I'm wondering about a few things:

 

1. If someone applies for an EO job (Band C) may they, dependant on how their application goes, be offered a lower grade AO job (Band B) instead?

 

2. Is the decision to offer someone a position in a jobcentre/BDC/Contact Centre based on an assessment that someone is 'more suitable' for one position or another based on the selection process?

 

3. Or are geographical considerations more important (i.e. recruits nearer jobcentres or BDC's or Contact Centres get sent there because they live closer, saving travel time etc)?

 

4. Might someone, having applied for an EO job in a jobcentre, end up being offered an AO job in a BDC or Contact Centre?

 

5. Do BDC's process claims from specific areas (e.g. a defined region of their local county)? In other words, will claims from my jobcentre always be handled by the same BDC?

 

6. Do BDC staff and and jobcentre staff have much contact?

 

7. Are there rivalries or preceived hierarchies between jobcentres, BDC's and Contact Centres?

 

8. Are all telephone calls from claimants to BDC's and Contact Centres recorded; and to what extent are calls monitored?

 

Sorry about all these questions. I'd ask at my jobcentre, but I think they'd be reluctant to give full and frank answers. Also, they tend to freak out when I ask them things.

 

My answers are not definitive, and are not official answers given by the DWP. So here you go:

 

1) I've never heard of this happening.

 

2) There isn't a simple answer to this. Assignments are based on business requirements, and it's not inconceivable that this would include the suitability of a particular person to a particular role.

 

3) Recruits can ask for such considerations, and if they can be accommodated, they will be. But that's a big "if".

 

4) See answer 1

 

5) Yes, BDCs process claims from a defined area, and they have a number of associated Jobcentres. It's done by postcode.

 

6) Some contact, much of which is via email. There are people specifically assigned to deal with any issues between a JC and a BDC. On the whole, I have few complaints about JC staff. You'd have to ask one of them whether they have complaints about us. As with all working relationships, there are occasional problems - show me a workplace where that doesn't happen.

 

7) No, not really. We are colleagues. We all focus on different aspects of the job we're trying to do.

 

8) Calls to telephony operators are recorded. Others are not. In general, calls are not monitored, though if you're speaking to a trainee, there may be a trainer listening in.

[FitzWilliam]

Thanks Antone,

 

I had the impression from the way the new jobs are being advertised that the prospect of working in a jobcentre is what is being pushed foremost (i.e. a people job with direct contact with the public).

 

My guess is that most applicants would prefer a jobcentre post (because people, on the whole, like working face-to-face with those they are helping) rather than a Contact Centre or BDC post (where the contact is less direct by telephone).

 

Like I say, just a guess. I think if I was faced with the choice of a position in a Jobcentre/BDC/Contact Centre I would certainly put the jobcentre first because I prefer to deal with people in person and actually see them.

 

Thanks for your answers. I thought perhaps our jobcentre had its own designated BDC because a friend of mine has been directed to the same office (which turns out to be a BDC) for benefits queries, crisis loans etc.

 

Now I'm freaking because I'm starting to use all these DWP abbreviations. EO, AO, BDC; and I've just been reading about AJCS (pronounced Ajax). My poor head ...

[FitzWilliam]

Fitzwilliam: Why? You thinking of applying?

 

No. I have an inquisitive mind.

 

Jobcentre staff have being pushing the new DWP jobs in recent months, but they didn't mention the possibility that applicants might end up in a BDC or Contact Centre.

 

Hope you are over the flu, Jan, and getting on well in the new temping position. By the looks of things, the DWP may be winding down their recruitment process. I am guessing this because the new contracts seem now to be for 12 months.

 

Maybe if you get some more temping jobs you will escape DWP recruitment.

[Jan4a]

My guess is that most applicants would prefer a jobcentre post (because people, on the whole, like working face-to-face with those they are helping) rather than a Contact Centre or BDC post (where the contact is less direct by telephone).

 

 

I wouldn't as I'd be scared of violence and having my car trashed. Much better to be on a phone!

 

Hope you are over the flu, Jan, and getting on well in the new temping position. By the looks of things, the DWP may be winding down their recruitment process. I am guessing this because the new contracts seem now to be for 12 months.

 

Maybe if you get some more temping jobs you will escape DWP recruitment.

 

I have been doing a rapid reclaim from last Weds but I start another temp job next Mon so will only have been on JSA 8 days (it was 7 days last time). It was a good time to get the swine flu over with as it hasn't cost me money! I wasn't working anyway.

[antone]

Thanks Antone,

 

I had the impression from the way the new jobs are being advertised that the prospect of working in a jobcentre is what is being pushed foremost (i.e. a people job with direct contact with the public).

 

My guess is that most applicants would prefer a jobcentre post (because people, on the whole, like working face-to-face with those they are helping) rather than a Contact Centre or BDC post (where the contact is less direct by telephone).

 

Like I say, just a guess. I think if I was faced with the choice of a position in a Jobcentre/BDC/Contact Centre I would certainly put the jobcentre first because I prefer to deal with people in person and actually see them.

 

Thanks for your answers. I thought perhaps our jobcentre had its own designated BDC because a friend of mine has been directed to the same office (which turns out to be a BDC) for benefits queries, crisis loans etc.

 

Now I'm freaking because I'm starting to use all these DWP abbreviations. EO, AO, BDC; and I've just been reading about AJCS (pronounced Ajax). My poor head ...

 

I suppose that if new jobs seem to be pushing frontline Jobcentre work, that could be where the vacancies are. I was actually asked to select in order of preference - would I prefer Jobcentre a, Jobcentre b, the area BDC and so on. I asked for the BDC as my first preference, and that's what I got. Of course, I have no idea if they actually read that form

 

In the end I moved from telephony in one BDC to processing in another. It's a personal thing, really: I'm not all that gregarious, so I wouldn't intentionally seek out work that involves face-to-face contact with customers. In the end, though, I'll go wherever I'm sent.

 

Pretty sure there's no Jobcentre with its own dedicated BDC. The one I work in right now has about 15 or so JCs that it works with; the last one had 10. In most areas, Crisis Loans are handled by a different BDC from JSA, ESA, IS and IB. I won't swear that's universal, though - to find out, I'd need to spend all my spare time researching the operational delivery structure of the DWP, and I've got beer to drink and footy to watch

 

And yes, the abbreviations, oh ****, the abbreviations. Half of the staff (including me) don't know what they all mean. That's not me insulting my colleagues - you'd need a memory like one of those kids who can remember every London bus number and recite them at will to keep track of them all, heh. It doesn't help that some of them have more than one meaning: for example, PDCS is both "Personal Details Computer System" and "Pension, Carers and Disability Service", heh.

 

I like my job, but I do find some aspects of it to be...bizarre.

[FitzWilliam]

Thanks again Antone,

 

I think I put it badly when I said 'dedicated BDC'. I merely meant that all benefits enquiries from our jobcentre seem to be directed to the same BDC.

 

I think my friend's Crisis Loan was handled by the same BDC that has handled his other benefit enquiries, but would have to check.

 

Yes, those abbreviations are pretty crazy. I recently found a site listing 'DWP Corporate Abbreviations'. This link takes you to the first of six pages of abbreviations (for A-C alone there are over 300 abbreviations listed):

 

Department for Work and Pensions Corporate Abbreviations: A-C | Flexible New Deal Scandal

 

Probably better not to start reading them, and definitely don't read 'BPA'; but maybe useful to someone for reference.