Need serious help please !!

[Shoelover]

It's not for them- it's for a any prospective employer.

 

Just suck it all up and create an email address they like and use it just for job hunting.

 

When are you meant to take the to shirt off? For job interviews? Again you need to look professional not as if you are off to the pub.

[BankFodder]

I think that there are two issues here. The pragmatic issue of getting a job and the more far-reaching issue of a lack of empathy for equal rights by a public sector organisation.

 

In terms of the pragmatic issue, I think that you should get an additional email address (note - I don't say - change your email address) which you should use for job applications for the moment. You want to get a job and some money to spend and it won't make much difference to you or to equality issues if you become permanently unemployed because you want to stand on principle. (There are other ways to fight). If you are putting off potential employers by using a "banner" email address, then maybe you are doing a modern gay rights movement more harm than good by creating apprehension and by not giving potentially homophobic employers the chance to realise that employing gay people doesn't disrupt their business and that in fact they won't notice any difference.

Furthermore, your email address might put off potential employers, not because of homophobic considerations but merely because they might consider that this kind of email address suggests a lack of judgment.

 

On the equality issue, I am shocked that you have been sanctioned on these grounds and I think that should begin an official complaint. I also think that you should contact Stonewall or some other gay rights organisation because there is an important general public interest at stake here as well.

In fact I shall be contacting Stonewall and alerting them to this thread.

 

I'm afraid that we can't deny that there is homophobia - and other phobias in the employment market place. I am sure that quite a lot of it isn't real homophobia - more likely that people would be put off by an email address which appears to be challenging or campaigning.

In some ways, it is a shame that such email addresses are still necessary - because by using it, you are in a way proclaiming that you are different and that homosexuality is different and is still not part of mainstream society. I don't think that is especially true anymore - even though it might not yet be fully integrated. I do think that your email address is highlighting homosexuality in British Society as an issue - but frankly I have a sense that your attitude is rather 1970s. Maybe being the only gay in the village.

[jadeybags]

Personally I think an email address can be a good way to NOT get a job. If you get what I mean. Just saying how it looks from reading this thread. ..

[BankFodder]

I've sent an email to Stonewall with a link to this discussion.

[Chester6]

Oh for heaven's sake. Get over yourself.

 

I don't know how to put this, but, no-one cares that you are gay. No-one cares that I like girls. If you really must insist on picking ridiculous fights with the Jobcentre, please don't come on here and ask for our advice as to which weapons you should use. We have better things to do with our time.

 

Of course there is homophobia. You do yourself credit by fighting it. But there's a time and a place.

Actually many do unfortunately

There's still lots of homophobia about and many who will abuse you

It's correct that this seems pointless to sanction over but it's how the dole offices operate now, they are determined to control Jobseeker's and dictate everything to them and sanction them to hit targets

Samaritans is a good idea though

Dole offices seem to be about pushing people to suicide

 

The email address is up to him and it's individual, too many never get back to you and if you can get homophobic employers not to employ you then that's far from a problem anyway

[Shoelover]

I do get your concern with homophobia - I have been on a night out with a gay friend & his partner and witnessed it first hand, I agree it's shocking.

 

Let people judge you on your skills & qualifications- then if you are declined for a job it will never be a question in your mind as to homophobia or not. And when you get the job you can dazzle them then

[Nystagmite]

if you can get homophobic employers not to employ you then that's far from a problem anyway

 

You can't prove that the employer not getting back to you is homophobia related.

 

I find this whole thing childish. I currently use one email address, which I know wouldn't be appropriate for job searching, so if I do end up job searching, I would simply use another email address.

[fletch70]

Shaun, and I assume that is your name

 

First and foremost you need some help with your bad thoughts , as said talk to the samaritans and go and see your GP urgently.

 

I have so much I want to say to various people on this thread but first I want to apologise to you for being harsh before. I certainly didn't understand what you were going through

To rae , being gay is a huge part of who I am , no I do not wave a banner but it really does influence many parts of my life and not just who I sleep with. It may be a stereotype but statistically gay men tend to have different likes and interests than straight men so while a str8 man may want to go to the pub and get ratted a gay man may want a night out dancing or a bottle of wine and dvd or listen to ABBA. Yes I know it sounds like a stereotype but there is an element of truth their

 

I do not care what anyone says, there is a lot of homophobia out there especially in for example a northern working town or village , possible with a population who have very strong religious and cultural anti gay beliefs . The same may be said in a middle class middle england Daily Mail reading village

 

If they sanction you I would definitely appeal and thankfully BF has passed a link on to stonewall as i do think it would be an outrage to sanction you for that. However if we are being realistic and trying to get you a job then a more conformist email address may help. I have to say, the email address I use for this site is really really inappropriate and I should say it was a typo when I set it up.

 

As for your CV I found this site quite good https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/account/Pages/default.aspx

 

I genuinely wish I could help more and I do regret being harsh with you before so sorry for that.

 

One last thing, even though I am not working and am on ESA so do not "have" to apply for jobs, I still do apply for some , wishful thinking probably. I would say I get less than 10% response and sometimes it is so long after I have forgotten what the job is. This is from an old fart with a long career history so god alone knows how they will treat a younger man with little experience.

[Lilly_Monroe]

But Job Centre is not professional, its a just a rubbish dole office !!!

 

That is not fair, there are some good caring people who work there and do their best under what can be difficult situations (the bad ones just get more press).

You are under NO obligation to sign on and take the money - none of us are.

 

I was one of the ones who congratulated over your 'job posting' I like to see people do well, irrespective of age, gender, hair colour or what football team they support.

I realise how hard it is to get a job these days, and was delighted for you.

Sad you felt the need to #lead us all on!

[ims21]

Thread closed

[BankFodder]

Received this response from Stonewall:-

 

Perhaps it would be better for this guy to contact us directly. Feel free to post this info along with our contact details. We can help him find the relevant policy and take appropriate action. We are not able to get involved with individual cases so would not contact the job centre on his behalf but might be able to assist him to do so.

Louise

Louise Kelly

Information Officer