Tips from the street

We visited the Westminster Job Centre Plus in mid-March 2009. Here's what visitors told us about their experiences.

Marcus

Marcus is a legal accountant who has been looking for a new job since September.

"I resigned from my job as a legal accountant a year ago after I broke a rib and my mother became ill. She's 87 and I needed to look after her."

"Now I'm ready to go back to work, but it's a real shocker at the moment. I've been to ten interviews but got nothing. I was turned down as inexperienced despite fifteen years in the job! It's an employers' market - the pay on offer has gone from £37,000 to £22,000."

"My advice for anyone who has lost their job is go back to your old employer and plead for your old job back!!"

Ma

Ma is a trained midwife from the Phillipines, who was previously working as a nanny in London.

"I lost my job as a nanny two years ago. It's very tough now. I interviewed for a nanny's job recently but I don't know if I'll get it.

"I also tried getting work as a midwife. They told me that I can't practise here without doing a conversion course and providing them with certificates. But I don't have copies of the certificates so what do I do?"

"My advice? Just keep on applying."

 

Carole

Carole was recently made redundant from her job selling new build properties.

"Yes, I lost my job a few weeks ago. I think it was age discrimination as they kept the younger people on, but of course nobody admits to that. So I'm bringing an appeal."

"I've never been in this situation before... There's always been something going on in property."

"Well, c'est la vie. The Job Centre is really good - they gave me specialist advice and pointed me in the direction of a school secretary job. I went to the interview yesterday, so touch wood."

"My advice to anyone who has lost their job is don't lose heart. You've got to stay hopeful. I still find time for a glass of champagne!" she laughs.

 

Christian

Christian works in IT and sales.

"I went travelling for six months and came back to the UK a month ago."

"There's just no work, you know? I went for an interview for a job but I'm sure they gave it to someone with a family to support."

"So anyway now I'm thinking of going abroad for work or going travelling again."

 

Clint

Clint works in fashion retail in Soho.

"Hello. I worked in a fashion shop for two years and lost my job in December. To start with I didn't do anything really - I didn't know what to do! I'm from Malta, and I don't know how these sorts of things work in the UK."

"Now I've been for a few interviews but didn't find anything yet. So I've set up an interview at the job centre - I never thought I'd end up here!"

 

Alban and Aline

Alban, from Switzerland, and Aline, from France, work as landscape architects.

"We're here to improve our English and want to find some work. I transferred my Swiss unemployment payments to here," says Alban. "That's allowed for three months. But I'm now in my last week so I'm trying to sign up here."

"It's very difficult to find work. I'm thinking of going to Scotland to do dry stone wall work."

"The crisis, it's very bad in France. Switzerland? It's been bad there for about two months," he adds.

 

Tell us your story. See the 'Job Centre -your experiences' forum or write a blog.