Big rant (V. long, sorry!) :-(

Bear in mind that this post doesn't give me any pleasure in writing. I just really need to rant and vent my frustrations and this seems like as good as place as any to do it seeing as you guys have been unbelievably wonderful to me over the last couple of days.

Yesterday I had to turn down the job. This rant isn't about the job. But I need to give you some background details on this week. Now this is going to get slightly confusing so here's what my schedule's been this week:

- Thursday, 27th August: 1st Interview w/ Marketing Company

- Tuesday, 1st September: Observational day/2nd Stage interview w/ Marketing Company

- Wednesday 2nd September: Training day 1

Okay, so yesterday, sadly, I had to contact the company and tell them I couldn't take on the job. It was a number of pros and cons that I weighed up having spent a few days with them and figuring out what the job entailed.

For those of you who aren't sure what this marketing company does, they deal in charity organisations mainly. You know those annoying, chirpy people who knock on your door and ask for a direct debit from you for the charity? That's the job. Which, to be honest, I don't have a problem with. I've always wanted to feel as though I'm really doing something while working and I felt confident that I would be good enough to do it.

The problems occur with the hours and the travel. As some of you may know from earlier posts, I moved back in with my parents a few months ago. I no longer live in Cardiff and it's a 35 minute train ride to get there. I don't have a problem with travelling into Cardiff for work but this job entailed getting to Cardiff and then travelling around the country to get to certain areas. My day would look like this:

Home --> {40 min. train} --> Cardiff

Cardiff --> {1 hour/2 hour train} --> Random area

Random area --> {1 hour/2hour train} --> Cardiff

Cardiff --> {40 min. train} --> Home

The problem with this was that I'd be in this 'Random area' from about midday until 8.30pm. That would mean getting home at 11pm/midnight some nights. And I have to get up at 6.30am in the morning to ensure I get into Cardiff on time in the morning (I have to leave the house an hour and a half before work starts).

I'm really sorry if that confused you. Trust me, it would mean getting roughly five hours sleep a night and ... well, not having any dinner. Ever. :-S Living on a sandwich and a bowl of cereal each day isn't good.

On top of that, we have to pay for our own travel to these 'random areas.' That can cost up to £20 a day! And, as you get paid on commision, if you don't make a sale, you can't really afford that travel.

I think you can kind of understand why I couldn't take the job. The cons started to outweigh the pros. On top of that, I caught a load of sniffles from being out on Tuesday and, as Asthma gets bad in the winter and I'm prone to flu and chest infections, being outside in the cold and rain isn't the best environment.

Okay, now, my rant isn't about the job. I just wanted to let you guys know that once again I'm unemployed and looking for a job but that was my decision. It was for the best and the marketing company were very understanding and said that if circumstances changed I'd always be welcome back. I didn't apply for it, they found my CV so I felt better about quitting that way.

What my rant is about is the JobCentre. I've been signing on to JobSeekers for the last 7 months. I've turned up for my appointments on time. I've applied for about fifty jobs a week.

My appointment to sign on was on Thursday 27th August. I called them and said I couldn't make it; I had an interview.

They said it was fine and that I should come back in on Tuesday 1st September. Of course, then I was offered a second interview, so called them again to say I couldn't make it again because I'd got through to the second stage interview.

The job centre said to come in on Wednesday 2nd September. Yeah, you get where this is going. When I called them on Wednesday to say I had a training day and that I might have got the job they said fine. And nothing else. They didn't give me another appointment.

Yesterday (Thurs. 3rd Sep.) I turned down the job and went to the JobCentre to sign on again. (I have to go every Thursday.)

When I got there a man said to me, "You were supposed to come yesterday. You missed it."

I said, "Yeah, I did phone up and tell you guys that I had a training thing to go to. You didn't say anything."

The man just said, "Well, you'll have to come in tomorrow now (Friday) at 10.20am."

Silly me didn't write the time down and, for some reason, got it into my head that the time was 10.40am.

So I went in this morning and said, "I've got an appointment at 10.40am."

She looked through her notes and said, "Oh, it was at 10.20."

I said, "Oh, I'm sorry, I thought it was 10.40. I didn't write it down. I was sure it was 10.40."

She sighs and says, "Okay, let me just go and see what we'll do."

I watch her go over to a 2nd woman and talk. They both come back over and the 1st woman says, "Right, you'll have to come back in on Monday 7th at 10.20am."

I say, "Okay, no problem."

The 2nd woman decides to speak and says in a very snooty tone, "You know, we nearly cancelled your claim this morning because you keep missing these appointments. This isn't the first this week."

Shocked, I say, "I've had interviews!"

She gives me a look and says, "Just the one."

By this time I'm upset. So I say, "NO! I've had two interviews and a training session this week. I was supposed to sign on on Thursday but you told me to come in on Tuesday. Then I had a second interview Tuesday, you told me to come in Wednesday. Then I had training that day and you said nothing. I've had no support from you guys at all. You think I'm lying about these interviews. I had to turn down a job this week - do you think I enjoy coming back here?"

Yeah, so unfortunately, I'd burst into tears by this point. The stress of the week topped with this shit and the fact that I'm really over-sensitive kind of exploded. I did apologise half way through that speech for the tone I was using but it was so hard to try and keep it calm.

Honestly, the crap I've had from these people this week has been unbelievable. They're supposed to try and help you find work but once you have an interview there's no "Good luck!" or supportive words. They think you're trying to get out of your appointment!

Yes, fair enough, I know I was 20 minutes late this morning but Jesus Christ! *screams into pillow*

I don't really understand why they thought I'd been skipping appointments. When I'd phoned up, they'd asked for my details so I assumed they're put the 'interview' information with my profile.

Anyway, this woman sort of lost her snootiness after I apologised for my tone and could probably see I was upset so just said, "Do you have documents from the company or something to prove you were there?"

Thankfully I do so I have to bring those with me on Monday. Honestly, the way they treat people there is awful. I've always hated going there anyway because people treat you like the scum of the earth for not having a job. You don't expect that kind of attitude from the people who work there.

Anyway, end of rant.

Seriously, if you've actually made it this far and have read all of that, you deserve a gold star, a gold medal, and a big hug. Sorry for the rant. I just really needed to let that out.