> I suspect that this new system is to automate the process. I
> assume the computer polls everyone's page and sneds out an
> automatic letter if you're not getting hits.

JT> I wouldn't think it even goes that far. It's probably, smarter,
JT> that is, it fits people who have been on the dole for longer to
JT> jobs, the short term unemployed are low risk (to the govt as
JT> far as outgoing payments go) so they don't worry about them.
JT> It's the long term they want to pay less, so they are more
JT> likely to give the few jobs they DO have to them.

 They have a special "intensive care" system or something. Wait...
I'll look it up. I *love* bureaucratese.

  Intensive Support Services!

 Centrelink is shedding *all* its services now, passing it on the the
agencies. If you are not a prime candidate, they don't actually give
you the best job to get rid of you... they put you in the Intensive
Support.

 It's an agency! They get paid two ways: Centrelink pays them to run
all this crap, and they get a share of the first-year's salar - so it
works the opposite to what you're saying. The keep the jobs for the
*prime* suspects, where they're sure to get a divvy on the first year,
and the long-term no-hopers like me go into Intensive Care which
presumably pays more from Centrelink.

 There is *nothing* of value for me on their site. It looks liek they
have dumped the professional end of the job market entirely.

 I went to an Intensive Support interview last Friday, and the nice
lady suggested I go to teaching, at TAFE! ROFL!

 I'm 64 in November, my degree is incomplete and 40 years old anyway,
and the conversion course from engineering to teaching is 12 months.
What the fuck?

 Oh. I forgot to mention, TAFE has compulsory retirement at 65.

 Then she asked had I considered voluntary work. "What for?" says I.
"Are you saying that I'm worhtless?"

 ROFL!

 This is fun! And when I get enough ammunition I'll dump the bucket
on fat Mandy. My real target is the way Mandy dumped the Mature Age
Allowance.

 Last year, in your sixties if you were already a Carer, Invalid, or
long-term out of work, you went onto the equivalent to the Pension,
perks and all. That's been dumped (quietly) and all that remains is
the dole (known as New Start). Obviously, it's ridiculous. No one is
going to employ a 60+ with dated skills. It's jsut a way to screw us
oldies. 

JT> It however has never worked. Even in the early days, looking
JT> for a job via the CES was usually pointless. The local rag was
JT> by far more fruitful. 

 Yes. But Centrelink *pretends* it works. It's no use just saying
it - if you want to hurt Mandy, you have to have an *actual* case. I
reckon I have a great story... real Ray Martin material. I give up a
consultancy career to look after my poor old mother, and when I try
to return to the workforce five years later, all I get is the
Centrelink tapdance and a box of useless computer-generated letters.
And no money either!

> I've never checked a reference, it's easy enough to tell if he's
> bullshitting, and if he's good enough to fool you, he's the man
> for the job!

JT> All the good bullshitters must have faded into the past. I've
JT> never come across anyone who has even come close to
JT> bullshitting us. They just don't put the effort into it
JT> anymore...

 I was conned by a classic. He was American, an engineer, he had all
sorts of paper, worked on everything... a beauty! So I hired him and
then we discovered he couldn't solder! Did not have a clue!

 I didn't sack him, though. Just gave him a tech's wages and taught
him to solder. Ed... he was a brilliant conman.

> What I see as a better system, run by Centrelink, is no agents,
> just a database with all jobs and all job-seekers. The employer
> lists his job and immediately gets hits. The boss scrolls down
> and marks the likely ones - and Centrelink sends out the
> notification to those who have a hit.

JT> But then, they would have to become the headhunters, and,
JT> possibly have to actually do some work. This way, they pay
JT> someone else to do that for them (and half-arsed at that).

 So far, from inside the system, actually pretending I want a job
and giving all the right answers... it seems to me that they only
*pretend* to be finding you a job. The pretty lady gave me a pep talk
(standard "think outside the square" crap, how pathetic is that?) but
provided nothing. She's been trained to motivate dorks to find their
*own* job, or invent one. And then after two months when I move out of
this Intensive Support bullshit, I go onto the long-term no hoper list
and that's the end fo that.

 Or I hope so, anyway. It'll be a real bastard if they actually get
me a job.   

Regards,
Bob
  

--- BQWK Alpha 0.5