[Closed] Dole or Rubbish job, what would you take?

Crappy job. Who knows where it might lead.

You are right IMO. Apart from anything else you will earn more than the dole and jobs in that salary bracket are pretty rare - IIRC top earning 10% of the population

I stacked shelves in Sainsbury's for Christmas 2 years ago. Loved it

The Dole
I'd say the Dole but that was when it used to be easy to stay on it. I believe now they make you really work for your benefits ?

It's been 7 years since I was on the Dole. I was on it for 9 months, because I wouldn't come off it to take a crap job, and waited until I got a decent one.

Well it pays well even if long hours and not mentally challenging.

Bit back breaking but hey, I'll pause the gym membership and could use the exercise!

I know a guy who waited 4 months on the dole, refused shop work and got the 65k job he wanted.

I can understand though.

Nice one Houns, me too!

The work you are doing is more mentally rewarding than sitting at home, and if you don't get the job you hope for it can be anxious being unemployed and searching. You're doing the right thing.

Sadly due illness (once I'm fit enough to) I may be doing it again

It's not a decision. If you're on the dole then it should be because you don't have the option to work. That is what the dole is for - a safety net. If you have the option to work then it is your duty to work, if not you're a sponger.

"The Dole"

Depends what you're looking for I guess, but for me job hunting was a full time job in itself. Last time I hunted many places wanted at least 2 interviews, sometimes a written exercise too, then you've got to preparation for the interviews, creating a presentation etc..

Well if you're sick, you're sick.

Get well soon!

I was off sick for 3 weeks after been run over! Took me longer to recover though but work helped but in some ways I wished I had more time to recover as I didn't know anyone's name from my head injury!

What about volunteering whilst unemployed?

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/volunteering-while-benefits

Unless you've got a particularly nasty claimants adviser, the Job Centre will generally leave you alone, as regards hassling you about looking for work, especially if you tell them you're only needing to claim for a short period. You can spin it as the voluntary work being something that you can learn transferrable skills from. And you could well really enjoy volunteering. Many organisations are very grateful for any volunteers to help out.

Nothing wrong with doing a shitty job though. Millions have to. 2 months will fly by if you get your head down.

The key is to use the time in a way that is constructive for you.

Was going to suggest you look at postie jobs, but then I re-read your OP

Never claimed the dole, always been lucky and found something within 3-4 weeks. Always easier to look for something better when you have a job already, and shows a good work ethic.

Plus, I'd fester if I didn't have to go to work. I've been a postie, call centre drone, office admin, all sorts.

Argos are taking some driver jobs if that helps anyone.

Shops, hospitals, schools, laboratories and Canary Wharf- done it all.

Guess my goal is to save up a bit more and go self employed round deux!

I know it's easy and if you're mentally or physically challenge or sick.

I couldn't clean toilets but then if I had to I would.

I'd work, I'd go mad on 'the dole' I've always hated it.

I don't mind a bit of unskilled labour, I once had a job as a photocopier and general gopher - happiest 3 working weeks of my life. Straight from that into Corp Finance, sucked but the money was good.

I knew a guy who went from top sales executive to breaking parts off in washing machine scrap yard to pay the bills.

He went on to opening his own successful business as a flourist.

I saw him laugh, cry and laugh again.

He left school with nothing but desire and work ethic. It paid off!

DwP are very reluctant and tough on the self employed who claim they have no work and you will find yourself getting a hard time if you try

IMHO its better to work than not work in general but it is your choice and i make no judgement of it

are there anything but 'crap' jobs? 😆

I didn't bother going on dole.
Not worth the hassle.
I just spent time applying for decent paying salaried jobs, cutting back on the spending massively and making my own cider to get drunk.
I'm single though, own my house outright without a mortgage and the drummer from the band inhabits the spare room and pays me rent

I figured each job application takes about 8 hours if you do it right. Get an interview with a required presentation and once you count travelling etc you're looking at about 20 hours total.

I had savings though.....

Crummy as in 2 part time jobs that nobody wants to fill so I'm doing it.

Crummy as the people who worked there told me they hate their jobs but hey it's money to me.

It's not beneath me but I got a load of stick for doing it by friends and embarrassed families but I don't care.

Everyone is equal in my book - even the Queen sits on the toilet but unfortunately I don't have Jeeves to wipe my backside!

My crappest job was wiping the crap off the backsides of mentally challenged folks. I didn't like the smell but did that for a year while at Uni.

I have savings but not prepared to let them drop if I can.

I'm lucky enough to work only because I want to and I'd rather work (at least part-time) than not. I've done minimum wage stuff, done stuff I've enjoyed. I don't think it's a pride thing either, I just prefer to have that additional contact with people and feeling I'm doing something more useful than arguing on the Internet.

Edit : cue someone having a go at me for "stealing" a job from someone more in need....

I've been hard up with finding the right work, but been working for an outdoor shop on minimum wage and I'm quite enjoying it. Also topping up on massively discounted outdoor equipment for the foreseeable future.

I've got a job that's brain-dead and £45k a year (exactly what the OP is trying to avoid).

£45k isn't enough for this hobby (mountain biking) and I'll never have the skill or fitness to make any money through racing. The skill level of some of the people I ride with is like it's another World and even they aren't making money out of this sport.

The problem is, I don't think I can possibly get anything better and I'm stuck with it for 30+ years until retirement.

"£45k isn't enough for this hobby (mountain biking)"

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat

And what scotroutes said.ive earned some good money over the years from menial jobs . Ive had some good time doing them as well.

I do think its Important to never be too proud to do menial jobs . Keeps you grounded.

grannyjone - Member
I've got a job that's brain-dead and £45k a year (exactly what the OP is trying to avoid).

£45k isn't enough for this hobby (mountain biking)

[url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/cheapest-replacement-for-specialized-ground-control-tyres ]moans about £30 for a tyre[/url]

😯

For most folk it's that if they come off the dole it takes forever and a day to get back all your allowances and be actually paid.

In your position, make sure you can take a day off etc for interviews and/or are able to answer the phone/emails.

If you are only getting JSA then its probably better working, but if you can get JSA plus family/housing help then you'll probably be better off on the dole and if going after decent jobs they won't care you've been signed on.

After a long period of crap jobs after getting made redundant (age 50) from the profession I really enjoyed, and was well-paid in (Enterprise IT Sales) Mrs BigJohn said "do something you're good at, and enjoy, and if it makes a bit of money that's a bonus".

So I did. And now I make bespoke bedrooms and studys (studies?), I no longer advertise because I get referrals and repeat business and at the age of 63 I'm the happiest I've ever been.

"£45k isn't enough for this hobby (mountain biking)"

Oops - I'd better stop immediately as I only made £30 000 last year. Oh wait - I have money in the bank and a nice range of bikes
* checks salary scales*

What's going on here lately with all the welfare state bobbins being posted? Can't you just concentrate on spreading twaddle about brexit/weight loss/poppies, or is that not enough?!

Thankfully I remember the OP has (a quite entertaining) form on trolling, so I'll not be biting. 🙂

Easier to find a job when you already have one.

Whilst you're not signing on and not claiming JSA (or whatever it's called this week), wh's paying your NI?

Finding a job takes a lot of hours so I think it's really hard to work full time and put the hours into Interview preparation and practice, perfect application form filling and prep for other assessments at the same time as working full time.

who's paying your NI?

Nobody.

So kids, when in doubt, get in touch with DWP*. It may be as simple as for contributions only, but it's [u]your[/u] contributions, paid for you.

Ditch any misplaced feelings of 'pride' and declare your circumstances; the welfare state exists to help you when you need it. Ignore the media, ignore the absolute garbage posted on here and get the support that you are entitled to.

I'd wager that most of the regular posters on here receive some form of state funding anyhow.

*or go online to Money Advice Service, or Gov.uk,

Me I'd work.

Pride is part of it
Social is another possible part
Setting a good example to my boys another
But mostly ---- Why w/should I (be able to) take others' money (taxes collected) when I can earn my own and leave more in the pot for the truly destitute.

Finding a job takes a lot of hours so I think it's really hard to work full time and put the hours into Interview preparation and practice, perfect application form filling and prep for other assessments at the same time as working full time.

This basically.

Ive been out of work since July and applying is pretty much a full time. Taken a low paid job a couple of weeks ago and haven't had time to make one application since.

It's a rock and a hard place.

My current job cant be permenant, it doesnt pay enough to even cover the mortgage amd bills so thats being topped up from savings which is only sustainable for a few months. So its work, pay bills in the short term but not have time to apply for so many new jobs and be buggered in the spring. Or collect the £70/week (barely makes a dent in the household finances) and hope for a job quickly.

Feel for you guys. Hobson's choice.
Gotta keep your own happiness as part of the equation too.

Though my pal got laid off from her office job at a stationary company. Well paid but soul sucking.
Works part time in a vintage clothing store but is so much happier. Doesn't make enough to cover her bills but does DIY and cleaning for people to make it up.
Can see a real change in her. Money isn't everything.

Does help though.

Also means we have time to toke together, yay

[i]"yourguitarhero -
I'm single though, own my house outright without a mortgage and the drummer from the band inhabits the spare room and pays me rent"[/i]

yourguitarhero - When you say "the band", do you mean

......or someone you're in a band with?

Dole. I feel I gave paid in long enough and have no issues getting some of my money back.

No, not that band. We're nowhere near that good!

I'm still reeling that on STW a £60k job is merely "OK".

This is easily the silliest thread I've read on here. £60K is merely ok, £45k isn't enough to keep in bike parts? Families being embarrassed that you've take low paid jobs? WTF, with family like that, who needs enemies? Quite how I manage to maintain four bikes and own a nice house in a nice but expensive city while earning a fraction of that makes me wonder what planet you lot are living on? Never been on the dole, found it much easier to just to get agency temp work. As a result I've got a CV padded with experience that makes it easier to get work. People's expectations/sense of entitlement are ******* weird.

Egb has it right.
Work everytime. Dole is for when body or mind fail you not a choice you take as an able bodied person.

I've gone from crappy job on Friday (picker in a refrigerated warehouse) to contracting on £300 a day on Monday (designing A/C ducting for OE automotive).

I needed the money on friday to eat. And the money on monday so i could save and have a life when the contract ended.

Work, like people have said, who knows whom you'll meet?

Someone I knew went from shop floor to steering committee at John Lewis all because she bothered to write a critique of the operations and posted it to the MD.

Got redundancy from my last job in 2011, knew nothing about signing on etc but got told I needed to in order to keep up National Insurance payments. Went in to the Job Centre and said to them that I'd just had a nice pay out and was taking a bit of time before finding a new job. The guy didn't listen to me saying I had no interest in claiming anything (just making sure was still paying National Insurance contributions) and set me up on the Dole, had to go in every week or so with a job plan and proof that I was going to be away the next week (again!) somewhere sunny.

Did not enjoy going in and people not listening that my job search was under control. After a couple of weeks the guy suggested I should switch from my career I am experienced in to a low-paid unskilled job as they had none on their system. I had a job within a week of starting to look post holidays...

So if I had time out with something new starting on a set date I'd definitely take a job.

Work every time and network. 75% of executive jobs are created to suit the person who walks in the door, so I've been told anyway. Network network network, ask ask ask, write write write.

Currently in a in-between job as the wife was concerned that I planned to take a few months off to study and attempt to get some professional certificates under my belt and didnt want me to cut into my savings.
Now I have a dull job, low pay and still have to find time to study!
In Hong Kong there is no dole, especially for us who are not permanent residents yet.
A job you find uninteresting is worse than anything relating to money IMHO.

Forgot to update this.

Ended up driving full time and tutoring which led to a temporary teaching role from word of mouth.

It was better to take a rubbish job and not have sit on rear for 6 months but it can also look weird from exec to delivery on your C.V.

Still looking for hat new job though.

Perfect job? Never but it would be nice to get paid more than £30K.

People were right, it really helps you keep grounded too.

Don't give up.

I'm curious to know why so many people assume that being out of employment means that one has to sit on one's arse. Does nobody have any desire or imagination?

Families being embarrassed that you've take low paid jobs? WTF, with family

Yeah I'm calling troll on this whole thread

Next!

Since when is £40-£60k adequate?

It's the top 5/10% in the country, and if someone who has earned that kind of money and then comes on a forum asking load paid job or dole, really should know better.

As above if no work plenty of alternatives to sitting on your arse all day

Not sure what some people are getting on the dole but the minimum isn't great and not really a choice between working or not.

If you are living on Job Seekers Allowance + rent you could be getting 6 or 7 thousand per year.
A minimum wage job gets you closer to 12 thousand a year or £400 per month more than on the dole.

Adequate is a relative term though, we all lead different lifestyles and have different financial commitments.

Grannyjone prob earns £15k a year, he's just learned from his mechanic to inflate everything by 300%

he's just learned from his mechanic to inflate everything by 300%

[img] [/img]

I hope this is a troll thread. If not, OP, sorry to say, but your attitude to work and the dole is appalling.

If you can work , work. Might not be what you want/expect but don't expect
me to be happy for you to sponge off the system because the jobs you do get offered you feel are beneath you.

Edit: just read the dates and fact you did take job. Maybe i should have read whole thread. Oops.. 😀

I know a guy who waited 4 months on the dole, refused shop work and got the 65k job he wanted.

It is however diminishing returns... 3-4 months is IMHO a reasonable amount of time if you are actually spending 8 hours a day looking for the 65k job you are qualified for.... after that simply being on the dole that long is going to diminish your chances but equally most people will then start to adapt and instead of treating finding a job as a job (and actually spending 8 hours a day doing it) are going to relax their search, not spend as long tailoring a CV etc. etc.

edenvalleyboy - Member
I hope this is a troll thread. If not, OP, sorry to say, but your attitude to work and the dole is appalling.

Hi, I took on 2 part time roles and was happy to do so even if temporary. That's why I said I would be in shops or delivering parcels on the opening post lol.

I just wondered what other people did/thought e.g. Chat.

Going on the dole is not an option for some especially if I want to pay for car/cycling hobby but understand it's not easy finding work with huge competition.

I delivered parcels, cleaned, shop work and tutored. I signed on for 3 days as I managed to find work.

Yes I had snobby friends and family who were embarrassed I wore a pizza boy delivery type of uniform but they're not paying my billls and f them on their snobbery as I'm no sponger.

I also understand people signing on. I had numerous letters of rejection and finding a job can be a full time job on its own.

I was lucky it was Xmas season and found temporary part time roles roles and overtime in shops, delivery, cleaning and bar waiting work.

Always wondering what next or what will come up and saving every penny.

No troll and no I was not asking for signing on permission - I would have done so if I couldn't find any roles.

The chat was about would people sign on if they couldn't find a similar role to previous or would they be grateful to find any position to take on while they kept on looking no matter what.

It was interesting how customers treated you differently to each role, some polite and some treated you like you were nothing. Gave me a lot to reflect on.

After July my contract runs out so I'm already applying now.

Sure people can be creative and take time out but you don't take time out while on the dole. Work then save for a while before you take time off.

For me, it really helped to find a better role and my current boss did see the work ethic by taking a lower paid job that some would refuse to do.

To be honest it was the down to earth nice chirpy happy people I worked with that made the worst and best jobs fun.

Anyway don't give up to those looking or changing roles. It may help to volunteer or take lower paid role until you get something else.

[img] #3-grid1[/img]

Freddie doesn't believe in you and neither do I.

See also Peter Pan, Superman et al.

In what universe is 45k not enough to buy a mountain bike and 60k is merely "ok"

Been working in an outdoor shop since being made unemployed. Awful money, but great mix of people and a great staff discount. I'm slowly buying half the shop.

Met another person through the shop and joining another business with better money in September.

Good to expand your networks. Quite often not what you know but who !

In what universe is 45k not enough to buy a mountain bike and 60k is merely "ok"

STW.

What world are all these people living in who think it is easy to get a manual job to fill in, it sure as **** isn't the real world. Recruitment is expensive, companies do not employ over qualified people who will piss off as soon as a "real" job appears for a reason.

FuzzyWuzzy - Member
Adequate is a relative term though, we all lead different lifestyles and have different financial commitments.

No, it's not relative.
We're all human beings and feel the same pain and humiliation when we can't provide for those we love.

No one 'deserves' more than anyone else.

FuzzyWuzzy - Member
Adequate is a relative term though, we all lead different lifestyles and have different financial commitments.

Ah yes, I forgot the hardships of those who have to afford the repayments and tyres on their Audi S4. That certainly is something they were no way responsible for the cards they've been dealt and they're just trying to make the best of a bad situation

In what universe is 45k not enough to buy a mountain bike and 60k is merely "ok"

Not that long ago my job paid exactly 30k - tax... I was single and had plenty left over.
I then spent 4 months unemployed...
A year later I was supporting a family, paying a huge amount in rent that was necessary to live where the job was commutable and paying several grand a year just in train fares.... and despite earning over double what I had previously was a lot poorer and truth be known getting poorer every month...as we just broke even if nothing unexpected happened

I'm not wedded to the lifestyle... I'd love a less demanding job but between present job and dole options are limited.

Sure, but thats lifestyle choices someone has chosen. Just because you can afford a mortgage on a 500K house and two kids doesn't mean you should jump straight in...

The fact remains 60k by definition is a much better wage than "ok". The average wage is £26.5k and people manage it.

According to Monster, that 26K is combined earnings of a couple.

I've earned good, bad, good and bad again lol.

I spend very little on a car - banger-nomics...

I have friends who earn £150,000 to £14,000. Some spend loads on cars or homes to renting and spending little on food and eat pasta twice a day. It's a choice.

Thing is looking at these groups, they both have homes and cars. One expensive home/ sports car to home and a banger.

No difference, just earn more and bigger bills but the same problems are there.

Personally I feel poor but am I? Are we dodging bullets or starvation in an African country?

We take it for granted how lucky we all are whether you earn 11K or 110K.

I want to know where these generic non career specific £60k jobs are.

If you have that sort of wage you usually have a career and will get back into it.

Sure, but thats lifestyle choices someone has chosen. Just because you can afford a mortgage on a 500K house and two kids doesn't mean you should jump straight in...

It's not a case of jumping straight in, at least for me a mortgage was a way around crippling rent which was the only type available where I needed to be for work.

The fact remains 60k by definition is a much better wage than "ok". The average wage is £26.5k and people manage it.

It depends where you live/work and what non-claimable expenses the job has.

For my current job I have little option about where I live... at least between anywhere that makes a difference and I'm in the cheapest town I could find in the area of the SE where I need to be for work.

In my experience, the better paying the job the less of your expenses are covered (in general) and the more tax you paid on the gross leaving less net out of which you then need to pay these non-reimbursable expenses.

I spend a lot on work expenses I can't claim back but without them I'd be on a redundancy list.