This is from a blog. Pretty much sums my experience so far.
Worker's Woes
PDRC: job centre nonsense
That's: Personal Development Resource Centre. I am now being forced to attend this centre for 13 weeks, for what purpose is unclear. Actually, I have worked it out: it is so the powers-that-be can witness me job searching and not just take my word for it. The company offers a service along the lines of Penna, except it's a very poor imitation. The advisors speak as if to children (we were shown what envelopes look like, for goodness sake!) and can't speak very well ('den' and 'dat' instead of 'then' and 'that'), but then I guess their target audience is the lower end of the job market and maybe that's what these people relate to. Each week at the PDRC, I have to take the addresses of five companies I would like to work for, print out letters and CVs, address envelopes and allow a member of staff to post them. I think that backs-up my theory of being seen to be job searching. The PDRC offers nothing apart from facilities: no contacts or hot job leads, just another way of leaning on the unemployed under the guise of helping. Maybe I am being too unkind, as the group I'm in contains people that wouldn't know what a CV is even if it bit them on the bum, so just maybe it is a useful resource. I had a look at a number of folders containing advertised jobs: catering; warehouse; drivers - you get the picture of the level that this PDRC is aiming at. I may have trouble finding five fresh companies in my sector each week as I've carpet-bombed London with my CV over the past six months so my pool is somewhat small. Oh yes, I was blown-out by the estate agent for lack of experience. I knew that and they knew that before we met, so why see me? The search for the mythical job continues.
