A4e Gateway Course, Day 6, Application forms

Putting aside the extremely useful and productive time spent playing hangman.....
Today we looked at those scary and confusing words you might see on application forms. You know, just so I should be prepared should I ever see one, which of course I haven't in the years I've spent looking for a job. I admit, the being treated like a child is starting to grate just a teeny bit. Being given a 'trick' test that I remember being given various times at school really doesn't help. You know the one, 'read all steps carefully before doing any of them' and then the last one tells you to do nothing.

So what words might scare and confuse me? How about employee, or referee, or maybe dependants? I'm not entirely sure why a job application form would be asking about my dependants, but hey, what do I know? Our first task is to define a list of words. Then, after the answers are read out, we get a list of the exact same words along with their meanings and have to match them up. Read-time filler, because they know very well that their 'course' could be completed in a day rather than dragged across 2 weeks.


Then, to fill in the rest of the day, (well, morning, our afternoon is again free to use the internet to look for jobs) fill in an application form of course. This time for your own job choices, but with a form from a shop so that the questions are entirely irrelevant to me. I guess it's just another chance to make us write out our contact details again. 60% of the way through!! I'd be pleased, but I think the New Ordeal experience will only get worse.

A4e Gateway Course, Day 5

Today we only get a half day, yay!! Only half a wasted day! All morning is spent on job search, so sat at computers again. Then there is a working lunch, which seems very much like a normal lunch.

Halfway through the pointless course. What can possibly happen next week? Come on wishing bracelet, save me from this rubbish!!

A4e Gateway Course, Day 4, Job descriptions

This morning we are being tested on our ability to identify 'confusing' words or phrases on job adverts. Guess there wasn't any point to that literacy test then. The first one, seriously, is 'application form'. Come on!! When is the tv presenter going to come out and tell me this is all a joke?

Next, our group looks at fake job descriptions and identify what qualities it is asking for in applicants, and what are hidden qualities. We then write our own job ad. I am not convinced that this is a skill I am in need of as I am not an employer, I am a jobseeker.

In a useful end to the morning, the all important general knowledge quiz!!

Finally, our afternoon is spent on computers, doing my same jobsearch as I would at home.
4 wasted days now.

A4e Gateway Course, Day 3 Cover Letters

Firstly, I know how to write letters, and always accompany my applications with a cover letter. But today I get actual teaching. The cover letter theory lesson. Half an hour is spent signing in and ordering lunch. Then finally!! As a group, we found errors in a fake cover letter. It turns out that spelling mistakes are bad. We then have to make up our own cover letter for our own made up job. Useful. Male dominated group, you can probably guess what sort of jobs were applied for.

Finally, we are instructed to write our own spec letter. We are given a sheet with some examples of opening statements. And that is my useful morning. In the afternoon we are set free on computers again to type up letters and job search. 3 wasted days so far!

A4e Gateway Course, Day 2, CVs

Arrive at 9am today. Armed with my CV on disk, as I was told yesterday, I am being a good student. First, I get to do the very exciting literacy test. I admit, I am quietly confident about that one. I then get to join the rest of the gang, who are in the teaching room writing out their CVs by hand. Not convinced that this is entirely necessary. Also, a glaring oversight comes to mind. I am starting new deal. Therefore I must have been looking for a job for long time. Why am I on a course to teach me about CVs? I obviously have a CV already, why would they even think there was a possibility that I didn't? How did the jobcentre think I was applying for all of those jobs that I told them about?! Surely this course should be what you do when you first sign on if you need help.

12 o clock, almost lunchtime, and some people are now being allowed to go to the computer room to type up what they've just written. Wow, I was starting to think the computers were just plastic boxes there for show. One o clock, I get to upload my CV finally, for a trainer to look at it. A quick perusal and it seems to be fine. I am now allowed to do use the resources to look for jobs, yay! The rest of my day is spent online looking at the exact same jobs websites as I would have done at home (yesterday). I am starting to think this is a waste of my time.

A4e Gateway Course, Day 1, Induction

Arrive late, due to morning being wasted by JobCentre Advisor. On arrival, I am handed a basic numeracy test and told I have half an hour until tea break. I have a scientific degree & doctorate! Quite bemused by this personally tailored approach to helping me that my New Deal Bully described. Very glad when tea break finally arrives. And what useful thing comes for the final part of the afternoon? What thing that will help me get a job that I just hadn't thought of before? A general knowledge quiz! Now that is thinking outside of the box! One whole day wasted where the jobcentre is actively stopping me looking for jobs!

Day of interview

No, she is that useless. I am being interviewed for a project I read about, which is for under 25s. One morning wasted by New Deal.