We like the moon coz it is close to us - But not as high as dirigibles or zeppelins...

[gemfyre]

I am now on the Centerlink treadmill.

I must apply for 10 jobs a fortnight. Apparently they have to be full time. Christ, there AREN'T 10 full time jobs a fortnight that I am qualified to do!!

I will just apply for anything. And I thought volunteer work counted as an activity and if you did it you didn't have to so much job searching. But from the impression the woman gave me this isn't true and I'm now confused.

Stupid damn Centerstink.

I'm sure all these employers just love getting loads of half-hearted applications from unqualified people just because these people have to make up their numbers or else they won't be paid.

Comments

[japester.livejournal.com]

it sorta counts ....
sorta.
like centrelink sorta sucks.

[maelkann.livejournal.com]

I thought you were studying... or did you graduate?

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

Doing part time.

Only got a few scattered units to go and it doesn't add up to full time.

Hence I have to tell Centerlink that I'm willing to compromise getting my degree ASAP so I can apply for full time work so I'll get some money to live on.

[jet-ski.livejournal.com]

I did that treadmill for the last year of studying part-time to finish off odds and ends of my degree.

You have a couple of other options, but whether you will get approved or not for them is up to the discretion of the particular centrelink officer that you see.

You can sign up for a Mutual Obligation Agreement which requires you to do:
1. At least 130 hours of part-time or paid casual work within 13 fortnights
2. At least 200 hours of community work within 13 f/nights if aged 18-20, 240 hours if aged 21-39 or 150 hours if aged 40-49

Now I'm not entirely sure about this, but I don't think you get to do a MO agreement straight away - I think you have to be on the dole for 3 months first, but ask someone at centrelink and if you are not happy with their answer, ask to see someone else.

I have been doing the p/t or paid casual work option for about 6 months now, and it's cool, but mostly i have ended up working so much that I havent been paid anything by da Link....

PS - centrelink do not have the resources to check whether you actually applied for all the jobs you have written in your diary, and contrary to what that rude CSO told you, you have to apply for part-time and casual positions as well. What they are looking for is that you have filled it out pretty well, legibly, and that its believable that you have filled it out as you went (i.e. not filled it out from the phone book, put in alphabetical order through the diary in the same colour pen). Even then, all they can do is record their suspicions and give you a bit of a harder time about it.

fuckers!!!!!

[khiseer.livejournal.com]

grrrrrrrrr... i hate centrelink whenever i register with them they try and fuck me over, so i just stay away from them now..

Centre Link

[samashahdi.livejournal.com]

I agree with jet ski
Having done the tread mill I found that It was important to make sure that you a)used several differant pens to fill out your diary -I even used those fine felt tip ones and roller ball as well as standard biros just so they can see that it wasnt done all at the same time ( yeah right )

Part time or casual work should be included as well
ALSO make sure that whatever you give to centre link you have a copy of- i kept 2 diaries identical-the c/l one and my own from wa salvage ( a cheap and nasty type diary cost 57 cents back then )
But it mean t that went c/l "lost " my diary i ha d a complete record of what was in it .

~S~

Re: Centre Link

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

Yeah I've had to go through the job seeking rigmarole briefly between the time I turned 21 to the time I got into uni (about 3 months).

I realised that they don't check all the jobs you apply for.

But hey, this time 'round I actually want a job, unlike last time when I was like "I intend to be attending uni next year, I don't think employers would appreciate employing someone who will bugger off in a few months." They don't seem to understand that, or the fact that university is in fact legitmate education and should be recognised as such.

Re: Centre Link

[shadowshifter.livejournal.com]

i think theyre backing the government's policy on education.

Re: Centre Link

[shrika.livejournal.com]

actually they do check the jobs you go for, but rarely. Despite the fact that it's against the privacy act for them to do so. Plus it's pretty pathetic, I mean if you called for jobs 3 months down the track who is going to remember that! Sheesh!!!
You can go for part time and casual jobs (otherwise it wouldn't be an option to tick in the diary)

[jet-ski.livejournal.com]

Fair enough, you want a job. I want a job too, but as I am already working two casual ones, I am selective about what I apply for. I might add that my MO agreement only requires me to apply for 4 a fortnight. If I work over 30 hours in a fortnight, that is halved, and if I work over 50 hours, I don't have to apply for any! Yay.

At the moment I'm focusing on applying for graduate recruitment programs, but nil success so far. CALM told me that they didnt take any graduates who hadn't had work experience with them. Alcoa's grad recruitment deadline is today, so I shall find out how I went soon.