Work Programme

[tezzaa61]

With the recent disclosure of the heartbleed bug, it is prudent to wait for critical patches to be made available before uploading sensitive personal data to untrusted servers

 

It also takes time to craft a job winning CV that would attract that lucrative and elusive employer.

 

Not everyone has constant access to a reliable broadband connection that is working 24/7 - Even the most reliable of service providers have to conduct routine maintenance from time to time (the likes of TalkTalk can be out of action for a week or more).

 

 

If you have been mandated to create a UJM account by the 11th, then you are at risk of a sanction - Best to do it this evening with three recommendations:

 

 

• Do not tick the "allow access" boxes - To do so is a fast track to a sanction as they can monitor your activity in detail.
  
• Put the minimum of information in your CV.
  
• Save your CV as an image file and then convert it to a PDF - Makes it much more difficult for someone to tamper with it.
  

 

With that said, you've been through the Work Programme and have had dealings with the JCP - A little surprised that you haven't had to create a UJM account before....

 

Thanks for the advice. Can I just clarify something: the Claimant Commitment is effectively my JSA Agreement, and because one of the action points is that I create a UJM Account then that is effectively

me being Mandated to do that, is that correct?

 

Yes, I've avoided creating a UJM account for a long-time.

[jasta11]

Thanks for the advice. Can I just clarify something: the Claimant Commitment is effectively my JSA Agreement, and because one of the action points is that I create a UJM Account then that is effectively

me being Mandated to do that, is that correct?

 

Yes, I've avoided creating a UJM account for a long-time.

 

If it's on a form and you've signed and agreed to it then best to do it, at least for now - don't give them the chance for an easy sanction.

 

According to the guidance - which they tend to either ignore or not be aware of - they supposed to only mandate people into making a UJ account if it will be beneficial to the claimant. If you already have online profiles with other job agencies then you could argue that there was no need for any more. To date, I have never been issued an offical direction to create a UJ account - though I created a very empty one just to show willing. If I'm ever challenged over anything on UJ I'll politely ask them to show me a copy of the Jobseekers Direction mandating me to use it - which they don't have.

 

Given that UJ is the DWP's 'pet' project (and is a good way to catch you out if you allow them access), they're naturally going to tell people they must create an account., whether beneficial to you or not.

 

I don't even have a cv uploaded to my account; no point as I never apply directly through UJ anyway,I only pick vacancies which show an external email address - and even then only if it seems a genuine address. If it's [email protected] or something then I treat that as fake. The UJ FAQ bit even warns you of this - then they proceed to advertise such jobs!!!

 

Make sure you create a new private email account and only use that one for any dealings with UJ - I created a new email account and I'm getting all manner of junk mail (no, I don't want a Russian bride thank you very much!). God knows what UJ is actually doing with our information.

[Helen2264]

Hi,

 

I had my initial appointment on Monday 7 April, to start my claim for JSA.

 

I signed a Claimant Commitment that includes as one of my actions that I will create a Universal Jobmatch account by 11 April.

 

 

 

 

I've not yet created a Universal Jobmatch account, will my JSA be in danger of being sanctioned because I have not yet done that?

 

Thanks

 

Terry

 

 

Do create an account because it is mandatory but you do not have to give them access to your profile it is your choice to do so as mentioned in the guidance of Welfare Job reform act 2012. My son was threatened with sanctions several times if he did not allowed his DWP adviser access, I rang her up and read the guidance to her and also have him carry the guidance on him at all times they've left him well alone since. You might get another adviser seeing you instead of your main adviser it's a trick they do and that other adviser can sanctions you also which again my son had, I rang her up too she backed off surprisingly my son has since only the main adviser since. You got to be aware that all the dwp advisers have to sanctions three people a week each it's a fact, so make sure you carry or know the guidance that is in your favour.

 

DWP advisers don't like Guidance throwing in their face and they have been told by their managers to leave those with guidance alone.

[Helen2264]

If it's on a form and you've signed and agreed to it then best to do it, at least for now - don't give them the chance for an easy sanction.

 

According to the guidance - which they tend to either ignore or not be aware of - they supposed to only mandate people into making a UJ account if it will be beneficial to the claimant. If you already have online profiles with other job agencies then you could argue that there was no need for any more. To date, I have never been issued an offical direction to create a UJ account - though I created a very empty one just to show willing. If I'm ever challenged over anything on UJ I'll politely ask them to show me a copy of the Jobseekers Direction mandating me to use it - which they don't have.

 

Given that UJ is the DWP's 'pet' project (and is a good way to catch you out if you allow them access), they're naturally going to tell people they must create an account., whether beneficial to you or not.

 

I don't even have a cv uploaded to my account; no point as I never apply directly through UJ anyway,I only pick vacancies which show an external email address - and even then only if it seems a genuine address. If it's [email protected] or something then I treat that as fake. The UJ FAQ bit even warns you of this - then they proceed to advertise such jobs!!!

 

Make sure you create a new private email account and only use that one for any dealings with UJ - I created a new email account and I'm getting all manner of junk mail (no, I don't want a Russian bride thank you very much!). God knows what UJ is actually doing with our information.

 

Best thing is to use a computer from the library, internet cafe or dwp's own I've used a different address but they can still pick things from your computer altogether.

[tezzaa61]

Thank you all for your replies.

 

I had major problems getting a UJM Account created last night, took me about an hour and a half, and I'm very I.T literate! I'll not go into all the problems I had, but the result is I now have an account, but when I click on any of the top links to update my profile with my name, town, postcode etc, create a CV, search jobs, create covering letters etc I get logged out and get a message saying I have to login!! When I then login again and click any of those links, same thing, I'm logged out again and get another message saying I need to login!!

 

So I now have an account, but it hasn't got any of my details and it's not linked to my name only an email address I have ( as I can't update the profile), very frustrating!

 

So how will they be able to check that I have indeed created it??

 

Terry

[Helen2264]

Thank you all for your replies.

 

I had major problems getting a UJM Account created last night, took me about an hour and a half, and I'm very I.T literate! I'll not go into all the problems I had, but the result is I now have an account, but when I click on any of the top links to update my profile with my name, town, postcode etc, create a CV, search jobs, create covering letters etc I get logged out and get a message saying I have to login!! When I then login again and click any of those links, same thing, I'm logged out again and get another message saying I need to login!!

 

So I now have an account, but it hasn't got any of my details and it's not linked to my name only an email address I have ( as I can't update the profile), very frustrating!

 

So how will they be able to check that I have indeed created it??

 

Terry

 

If you don't give them access to your UJM they won't be able to check what you are doing, I'm still not convinced and don't trust them. You will have a lot of problems getting to the UJM website, you can try to log on all day and won't get through, on my son tried all day long and could not get through. I've told him to print out the emails confirmation of his job searches and show that to his adviser, again carrying the guidance is very important for not getting a sanction.

 

The UJM is run by Monster website developer at a cost of £3 millions tax payers money of course and also be aware the job shown on the UJM are fake or 4 months out of date. CV Library, Monster and Reed throws fake jobs but just go with the flow and applied on those websites then record them on your UJM job activity for not being sanctions.

 

As I've mentioned before you do not have to look through the UJM the welfare guidance mentioned looking for job on an online site which could be any job website, Universal is not mentioned. Get those guidance about UJM is at Chapter 2 of the welfare reform, it's a guide for the dwp to follow and told them what they can or cannot do to claimants. They've been told to cater for claimants that do not have a computer, are not computer literate, do not have access to internet at home, if all those applied they must allow the claimants to come to the dwp office to search and print the job searches and if you are ask to come on a date that is not your interview date they have to pay your fares.

 

My poor neighbour was treated like a dog and was told to go about and search for a computer don't matter who she'll ask but she must found one and create a UJM otherwise she will be sanction, yet the guidance told the dwp avisers to cater for people who do not have a computer or internet access devise etc! pff

[tezzaa61]

If you don't give them access to your UJM they won't be able to check what you are doing, I'm still not convinced and don't trust them. You will have a lot of problems getting to the UJM website, you can try to log on all day and won't get through, on my son tried all day long and could not get through. I've told him to print out the emails confirmation of his job searches and show that to his adviser, again carrying the guidance is very important for not getting a sanction.

 

The UJM is run by Monster website developer at a cost of £3 millions tax payers money of course and also be aware the job shown on the UJM are fake or 4 months out of date. CV Library, Monster and Reed throws fake jobs but just go with the flow and applied on those websites then record them on your UJM job activity for not being sanctions.

 

As I've mentioned before you do not have to look through the UJM the welfare guidance mentioned looking for job on an online site which could be any job website, Universal is not mentioned. Get those guidance about UJM is at Chapter 2 of the welfare reform, it's a guide for the dwp to follow and told them what they can or cannot do to claimants. They've been told to cater for claimants that do not have a computer, are not computer literate, do not have access to internet at home, if all those applied they must allow the claimants to come to the dwp office to search and print the job searches and if you are ask to come on a date that is not your interview date they have to pay your fares.

 

My poor neighbour was treated like a dog and was told to go about and search for a computer don't matter who she'll ask but she must found one and create a UJM otherwise she will be sanction, yet the guidance told the dwp avisers to cater for people who do not have a computer or internet access devise etc! pff

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

I'll just go onto all the other jobsites I'm registered with, but won't be able to record anything on my UJM account as I just keep getting logged out when I try and do any acivities on it. I have emailed the support email for UJM, so can show that email if they ask why I am not using UJM.

 

Thanks

 

Terry

[biggeorge]

Why not just turn cookies off and print out the error page for the JCP while trying to sign up.

You do not have to accept cookies on your own personal computer and without them you can't sign up to UJM.

 

George

[tezzaa61]

Why not just turn cookies off and print out the error page for the JCP while trying to sign up.

You do not have to accept cookies on your own personal computer and without them you can't sign up to UJM.

 

George

 

That's a good idea, I'm signed up now though. If I had known that I would have used that strategy.

 

Thanks for your reply

 

Much Appreciated

 

Cheers

[Mr.P]

[...] but when I click on any of the top links to update my profile with my name, town, postcode etc, create a CV, search jobs, create covering letters etc I get logged out and get a message saying I have to login!! When I then login again and click any of those links, same thing, I'm logged out again and get another message saying I need to login!!

 

Sounds very much like a cookie issue - Perhaps rejecting third party cookies or not acknowledging any SSL certificates...

 

Why not just turn cookies off and print out the error page for the JCP while trying to sign up.

 

Indeed - Last time I tried logging in, I got a very cryptic error message that gave absolutely no clue as to what the problem was.

[essexmat]

Created my account when I first signed on in February 2013. I used it for 3 weeks and have never used it since as it is a pile of kangaroo excrement that does not work and has no proper jobs on it. It is simply a DWP/JCP spying machine so first thing to do is NOT tick the agreement to let them have access (you don't have to) then forget you have the account unless you want a job delivering pizza leaflets or cleaning sick up at holiday camps for less than you would get being on JSA.

[Helen2264]

Sounds very much like a cookie issue - Perhaps rejecting third party cookies or not acknowledging any SSL certificates...

 

 

 

Indeed - Last time I tried logging in, I got a very cryptic error message that gave absolutely no clue as to what the problem was.

 

This happens everyday, it's a miracle to get through on first logging in. No you'll never find out what the problem is all you see is error to register or call their so call administration that perhaps don't exist, my son says in the job centre they don't have that problem surprise, surprise.

[Helen2264]

Created my account when I first signed on in February 2013. I used it for 3 weeks and have never used it since as it is a pile of kangaroo excrement that does not work and has no proper jobs on it. It is simply a DWP/JCP spying machine so first thing to do is NOT tick the agreement to let them have access (you don't have to) then forget you have the account unless you want a job delivering pizza leaflets or cleaning sick up at holiday camps for less than you would get being on JSA.

 

I couldn't agree with you more, the jobs are just a pile of crap Friday or yesterday they had no jobs on there for the London Area lol and they expect people to go on there to look for jobs. My son has not give them access at all. The job centre my son goes they have to create a UJM account and show that they are using it otherwise they'll be sanction.

[essexmat]

After 3 weeks I told JCP I refused to use it and I also told my WP (INGEUS) I refuse to use it = when both asked why I said "it a a useless time wasting tool with no jobs of any worth on them and I am not wasting my time with it" Never had any problems with JCP or WP with this in over a year. Will never use it, it is a spying tool, pure and simple

[Helen2264]

After 3 weeks I told JCP I refused to use it and I also told my WP (INGEUS) I refuse to use it = when both asked why I said "it a a useless time wasting tool with no jobs of any worth on them and I am not wasting my time with it" Never had any problems with JCP or WP with this in over a year. Will never use it, it is a spying tool, pure and simple

 

 

Yep agree with you, if my son not getting through again I will tell him to tell his dwp adviser he will not use UJM it's in the welfare reform act, he can search for job elsewhere, it is so annoying when you try all day and not get through especially when you have to do that 7 days a week. .

[essexmat]

7 days a week? Never have and never will job search on weekends or Bank Holidays

[Helen2264]

7 days a week? Never have and never will job search on weekends or Bank Holidays

 

Yes my son have that written on his document, we are in London perhaps it's different where you are, one time he did not search on a Sunday and got threatened with sanctions absolutely ridiculous.

 

I am training him myself for accounting job, thanks god for my accounting career, I will make sure he'll find a job in the private sector as soon as possible. He's only been claiming for 3 months, 3 months too much for him and me because he is so fed up with the dwp.

 

I cannot work through ill health at the moment but are looking to do freelance Bookkeeping/Accounting job at home because two my friends/neighbours benefit's stopped for no reasons without even a letter been to hell and back with the dwp, I am watching my own back just in case.

 

I read an article in a paper somewhere the ESA support group now have to have medical assessment twice a year and 6 in 3 years instead of getting call once every 3 years no one is safe, some people in the support group has already been call at home and ask about their job prospect etc.

[Mr.P]

I read an article in a paper somewhere the ESA support group now have to have medical assessment twice a year and 6 in 3 years instead of getting call once every 3 years no one is safe, some people in the support group has already been call at home and ask about their job prospect etc.

 

ATOS made a right royal pig's ear of assessments and are (were) struggling to get people in to assess within a reasonable period. It is quite likely that their replacement will also fail to deliver acceptable results - From what little I've heard, waiting times for PIP assessments is six months or more and there are insufficient centres across the country.

 

With that in mind, along with the range of other farcical programmes this government has introduced, is a regular six month assessment for ESA likely or practical ?

[Helen2264]

ATOS made a right royal pig's ear of assessments and are (were) struggling to get people in to assess within a reasonable period. It is quite likely that their replacement will also fail to deliver acceptable results - From what little I've heard, waiting times for PIP assessments is six months or more and there are insufficient centres across the country.

 

With that in mind, along with the range of other farcical programmes this government has introduced, is a regular six month assessment for ESA likely or practical ?

 

Atos is/was also struggling to employ genuine medical professional as suggested by a court, hence! all the long waiting for medical assessment besides they are being taken over by some other private medical company, as far as I know from benefitsandwork website no medical assessment should be carried out until further notice, so I am surprised how people are still asking to attend medical assessment by ATOS. Did you know even America got rid of ATOS for not treating their vulnerable disabled people that is saying something, we all know what america is like when it comes to their benefit systems. Capita is one of the third party behind the DWP and the Local Authorities too, the corruptions are spreading like a virus.

 

Capita, A4E and some other third party will be taken over the dwp in the coming year and those private companies have no intention of helping the vulnerables, the benefit systems are changing, I just received an email this morning from my local constituent they are cutting cost for disabled children after school care. My local authority actualy call themselves a business and is run by Capital. DWP/Capita has asked the authorities to give them names of all problematic tenants all those goings on spelt privitisation to me.

[jasta11]

So I now have an account, but it hasn't got any of my details and it's not linked to my name only an email address I have ( as I can't update the profile), very frustrating!

 

So how will they be able to check that I have indeed created it??

 

Terry

 

If you've given the JC the email address that you used to create the UJ account (and assuming you've denied them access) when the advisor enters your email address into UJ a message will come up telling them the account exists but they don't have access to it. This is the proof that an account has indeed been created.

 

Extract from Universal Jobmatch Toolkit Chapter 3;

 

Claimant has not given DWP access to their account

11. If the claimant has not given DWP permission to access their account your search will open a page that returns a message which says, “User has not provided permissions to access account.” This also confirms that the claimant has completed their profile and therefore has created an account.

 

Regarding alternative sites, Reed.co.uk and CV-Library.co.uk are FAR better - you'll find more jobs to apply for and they're all 'one click' applications. They send acknowledgement emails to your own account as proof you've applied and they also list your applications in a handy 'My Applications' list - with dates - which you just screen print and show the JC. I use this all the time and a lot of advisors have said 'I wish everyone was so organised!'.

 

...always apply for more jobs that you're required to so the JC have no doubt you're making an effort; click away!

[tezzaa61]

If you've given the JC the email address that you used to create the UJ account (and assuming you've denied them access) when the advisor enters your email address into UJ a message will come up telling them the account exists but they don't have access to it. This is the proof that an account has indeed been created.

 

Extract from Universal Jobmatch Toolkit Chapter 3;

 

Claimant has not given DWP access to their account

11. If the claimant has not given DWP permission to access their account your search will open a page that returns a message which says, “User has not provided permissions to access account.” This also confirms that the claimant has completed their profile and therefore has created an account.

 

Regarding alternative sites, Reed.co.uk and CV-Library.co.uk are FAR better - you'll find more jobs to apply for and they're all 'one click' applications. They send acknowledgement emails to your own account as proof you've applied and they also list your applications in a handy 'My Applications' list - with dates - which you just screen print and show the JC. I use this all the time and a lot of advisors have said 'I wish everyone was so organised!'.

 

...always apply for more jobs that you're required to so the JC have no doubt you're making an effort; click away!

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

Regarding other jobsites, CV Library is the one I have always used in the past, not tried Reed for applying for jobs but I'll take a look at it. I do like the one-click application process that I was using at CV Library, you can get a ton of applications done in a morning.

 

Cheers

 

Terry

[essexmat]

I use CV-Library, Reed, Indeed, Careerbuilder and Adecco. I would stay clear of Reed and Adecco though as they have a habit of emailing you an hour after application saying you are unseuccesful which tells me the job does not exist and it is a sign up ploy. No way can they read your CV, letter etc in under an hour and dismiss you straight away.

 

Also all very well saying you can get tonnes of applications done on CV-Library, which you can if your CV and standard CL is stored however do you apply for each job with the same CL? If so that isn't productive as you are not tailoring it to the job description or person specification.

 

I usually do 2-3 applications a day (Monday to Friday only) and each application if reading the job desc and tailoring a CL should take around 2 hours - some applications I have done have taken me 4+ hours.

 

If you are simply going for numbers and not really wanting the jobs advertised you can quick apply with your stored data and do about 10 applications in no more than a few minutes - not the route I want to take but everyone has their preferences

[jasta11]

Exactly. I have two types of jobsearch; jobs I really fancy and the 'pad out my jobsearch evidence' ones. I tailor my letters in the case of the former but the latter just get a standard short covering note.

 

I too have my doubts as to the effectiveness of actually finding a job through these sites, however as a 'placate the jobcentre' exercise they're excellent

 

Anyone else noticed that jobs on UJ tend to change their 'posted on' dates? For example, I see a vacancy posted on 3rd April then a few days later I look at it again and it now says it was posted on 6th April...look at it again a few days later and it now has that date. Same job, same reference number.

 

Can come in handy as you can list the job multiple times over a few weeks on your job search sheets - they never keep mine so don't know it's already been listed under previous dates.

[Lorise]

I very rarely job search on a weekend, as I am a single mother and I like to spend that time with my child, I also tell the JC that when I am asked what I have been doing to look for work, a advisor told me that my job search is a job in it's self and because my available to work times are weekdays I only have to job search weekdays during those times......I never knew that no one had ever explained that to me before.

 

 

 

 

On a slightly different note, I have a UJM account I didn't give them the right to view it for a long time but it just got too much whenever I signed on, the hassle and grief they give you, so in the end I give them the right to view it and to be honest I have had no bother at all, most the time they never check it when I am there any way, never have any messages from them, and it is easy just to log all my job search where they can see that I am trying my best to find work.

[Lorise]

Exactly. I have two types of jobsearch; jobs I really fancy and the 'pad out my jobsearch evidence' ones. I tailor my letters in the case of the former but the latter just get a standard short covering note.

 

I too have my doubts as to the effectiveness of actually finding a job through these sites, however as a 'placate the jobcentre' exercise they're excellent

 

Anyone else noticed that jobs on UJ tend to change their 'posted on' dates? For example, I see a vacancy posted on 3rd April then a few days later I look at it again and it now says it was posted on 6th April...look at it again a few days later and it now has that date. Same job, same reference number.

 

Can come in handy as you can list the job multiple times over a few weeks on your job search sheets - they never keep mine so don't know it's already been listed under previous dates.

 

I have also noticed that, I thought maybe the company just had few new postings but when you click on it was the same job......looks like they are just trying to fill the job search pages so it looks like there are plenty of jobs out there for us all........when we all know that is just not the case