Start my new job today!

Richeh · 24 Apr 2006 at 07:10

Hey all,
I posted a while ago that I got a new job working for the Civil Service at the Jobcentre Plus as a Benefit's delivery officer (Behind the scenes work). Well today is the first day and unsurprisingly didn't sleep much last night. Mainly because i'm going from part time at Sainsburys to full time at this new job.

Just wondering if anyone has worked for the Civil Service or Jobcentre Plus before and know's what I might be able to expect. should have probably posted this last night as I start in 2 hours but was enjoying one night of freedom with my mates

Cheers

MagicUK · 24 Apr 2006 at 07:21

good luck mate!

Street · 24 Apr 2006 at 07:30

Good luck mate... Have a good day!

Nix · 24 Apr 2006 at 07:46

Good luck, i'm sure you'll enjoy yourself

big_white_dog84 · 24 Apr 2006 at 09:09

Good luck.

Enjoy your final salary pension scheme and spending half your life on strike

wesley · 24 Apr 2006 at 09:14

i'm going to Job Center later today with my brother.

pic of me and my bro

Stringy · 24 Apr 2006 at 09:33

That reminds me, I've got to get back on the 'I'm a lazy bugger' money while I'm looking for temporary work to tide me over for the next three months

Nazbit · 24 Apr 2006 at 10:13

Best of luck with that matey, let us know how it goes

daz.p · 24 Apr 2006 at 10:42

good luck

Richeh · 24 Apr 2006 at 18:44

Got just back from my first day, tired because of the lack of sleep last night. It definately seem's like a very cushy job. For the first 7 weeks it's training, and we start at 9:15am and finish at 3:45pm, we get 2x 20 minute breaks and a 1 hour lunch break all paid for which I was very surprised at. 6 and a half hour day's suit me fine as i'm adjusting to working full time. Best thing is they pay us as if we were working the full time week.

Most people were older than me (i'm 20), there was about 21 new starters and only 1 person was younger than me. Most were 25+ but there were some nice girls in the 20-30 range

We got split into smaller group's but unfortunately none of them made it into mine

Stil after the training its only a 7 hour 30 minute day, inc the breaks and lunch again, and at about £13,000-£15,000 a year the pay isn't bad for me with no experience in this area.

Only worrying thing is in the original ad it said that some staff may have to go to the Eastbourne branch (I'm at the Hastings one) which is a 35 minute train journey from the town centre, but I live about a 30 minute bus journey from the town centre so I told them that it was very awkward for me, plus I have no idea of my way around Eastbourne at all. Hopefully there will be enough people and I won't be required though.

Cheers for all the GL's

Big Spender · 24 Apr 2006 at 18:49

lucky for you getting to work behind the scenes, i've gotta sit on the phone all day listening to people screaming about when they're getting there money. allbeit a completely different area of civil service, but somewhat related. have fun!

chippie · 24 Apr 2006 at 18:57

Welcome to the life of a civil servant!

Get yourself signed up for the pension, and join the union, and you'll be fine.

I've been a civil servant for 3 years now, not in the jobcentre though.

Big Spender · 24 Apr 2006 at 19:05

chippie said:
Welcome to the life of a civil servant!

Get yourself signed up for the pension, and join the union, and you'll be fine.

I've been a civil servant for 3 years now, not in the jobcentre though.

do as the man says, the union is pretty much your only life line in the civil service lol.

big_white_dog84 · 24 Apr 2006 at 19:31

7.5 hour days including lunch? Life in the public sector.

chippie · 24 Apr 2006 at 19:34

You will probably find that you don't normally have a paid lunch, but you do at present because you are on training, and if it's anything like the department I work in then however long a full days training lasts, it's counted as a full day (unless of course it goes over the length of a standard day in which case you claim the extra as a flexi credit if you have flexi-time)