Prevented From Working To Demand Work

[scruff]

That's really interesting, I've never even heard of that. Is it a job program requirement, where you show your application to the counselor or something?

Certainly in England, to get certain benefits you need to prove you are available for work and looking for work. So yes, you end up with a folder of applications and refusal letters.

[wordgirl]

Others have answered very well but yeah, it's the same here. Different programs have different requirements but most require some demonstrated effort to find work.

Most of the time, both sides just go through the motions. Everybody knows the drill.

Then again, there's this cool story: Several years ago a woman - call her "Lisa" - came in wanting to apply for a job that was just way out of her reach, pretty high up in our sales department. Our HR director (who is a sweetie) could have laughed her out the door but instead she talked to Lisa about a very low-level position (for which Lisa still was not, on paper, qualified). Lisa was hired, did OK - then did well, then VERY well ... In the job she has now, she actually manages the people doing the job she initially wanted to apply for.

And Lisa will very candidly tell you that the only reason she showed up in our office that first day was to keep her welfare checks coming. She was absolutely floored when the HR director decided to take a leap of faith on her.

[Slave to the Phone]

I have had several jobs where I was the first contact for job seekers. My bosses always asked me about them. To a person, they thought that if someone was rude to the person giving them the application, they wouldn't be a good fit for the company.