Fás Interview (Unemployed)

mickeyboymel

I have been unemployed for a few months now, and have been called to a FáS Interview this week.

Can anyone tell me what to expect or how to prepare?

What should I bring with me and do they need evidence that you were actively seeking employment, I have not kept anything apart from a few rejection letters from jobs I applied for.

Are they likely to suggest any sort of job, or are you obliged to accept anything they offer you at the risk of loosing benefits?

Its certaintly not the case that I do not want to work, but at the same time I do not want to be stuck into some job/course I might not like just for the sake of it.

Anyone else been to one of these interviews?

brainstorm

I dont know if this is the same thing or not. but i went to them shortly after doing my undergrad. it was like ok so what are ur interests workwise,..what fas courses would i be interested in doing (if u dont mind waiting 6months + to do it.)......blah blah blah......


do no harm to bring in your cv and maybe a few pfo's just to show you arent lazing around, perhaps some recently applications that u have no news of yet...... As i say i dont know if what i did is what you'll be doing..

eth0_

Originally posted by brainstorm

do no harm to bring in your cv and maybe a few pfo's just to show you arent lazing around, perhaps some recently applications that u have no news of yet..

PFO's? They're very hard to come by. I've been on the dole a month and i've gone for a STACK of jobs and received NO PFO's. In fact, i'd say less than 10% of all the jobs i've ever applied for in my working life (5 years) have ever given me a PFO.

I wonder how the dole people accept this. Recruitment and HR people are scum enough, it sucks that they can still screw you over when you're meeting your dole officer!

Trebor

have not been to one but a friend has. he said they will ask for proof that you are looking for a job and they might offer to put you on a course or set up a job interview for you

brainstorm

i've gone for a STACK of jobs and received NO PFO's. In fact, i'd say less than 10% of all the jobs i've ever applied for

yup i'd say that a fairly good estimation. your right it could screw you over at a time like this, if u dont have a pfo, whos to say u just made up this application five mins before hand.........its also shows complete lack of professionalism and ignorance. even autogenerated blurb would do.

they might offer to put you on a course or set up a job interview for you

probably the former, but u;ll be waiting longtime to do it.

whosurpaddy

Originally posted by brainstorm
if u dont have a pfo, whos to say u just made up this application five mins before hand.........its also shows complete lack of professionalism and ignorance

i dont see how it shows ignorance or unprofessionalism on the part of the jobseeker, how can you produce something that employers/hr depts wont give you.

eth0_

Originally posted by whosurpaddy
i dont see how it shows ignorance or unprofessionalism on the part of the jobseeker, how can you produce something that employers/hr depts wont give you.

I think he aimed that at the employers, not the jobseeker.

brainstorm

if u dont have a pfo, whos to say u just made up this application five mins before hand.........its also shows complete lack of professionalism and ignorance

yup i meant the employer not the job seeker.

Our man in Havana

yup i'd say that a fairly good estimation. your right it could screw you over at a time like this, if u dont have a pfo, whos to say u just made up this application five mins before hand.........its also shows complete lack of professionalism and ignorance. even autogenerated blurb would do.

What I did was CC the emails to yourself and that way you can prove you sent out the CV and its up to the Dole to check it out.

brainstorm

CC the emails to yourself

i do taht but would never think to use it as proof.... i just do it so i know who and for what i applied for

i still think its a disgrace that HR ppl and the like dont have the decency to tell u, u aint got the job. a 30sec phone call would do !

DaithiSurfer

I thnk you shouldnt worry at all.
Have you ever heard of anyone getting booted off the dole after a Fas interview.
I havent and what about all the wasters who spend their lives on the doie? Obviously they dont have a problem getting it.

eth0_

Originally posted by DaithiSurfer
I thnk you shouldnt worry at all.
Have you ever heard of anyone getting booted off the dole after a Fas interview.
I havent and what about all the wasters who spend their lives on the doie? Obviously they dont have a problem getting it.

A guy I know has been on the dole nearly 2 years, he hasn't bothered looking for work. They lowered his payments to something like 45 a week though, after a certain amount of time, because they could see he wasn't trying to get a job.

DaithiSurfer

Surely since you worked for 5 years you have paid PRSI. Was this not insurance for the fact that you might one day be unemployed. They owe it to you. Its not like you're taking anything you havent paid.
If its a case that if i am unemployed they will give me grief then i'd like to stop my PRSI payments now please Bertie.
In fact eh!! Yeah right...

RicardoSmith

If you use Recruit Ireland it keeps a record of your applications. Print that out and show them that. Thats what I used the last time. Have to say the social security people were obnoxious about it the last time I was there. They wanted to see letters.

SantaHoe

I had to do the same kind of Fas meeting before, it was horrible... they're so pushy they'd almost sign you up for something and force the pen into your hand.
Then get all pissy if you decline, then try to break your spirit to bend you to their will.
I suppose they have a quota of people they have to take off the dole que so the government can pat itself on the back... a frantic juggling act IMO.

As far as I've gathered, they have no direct control over your entitlements at all... the only requirement you have to fulfill is to meet with them and satisfy them that you're available and looking for work, nothing more.
But don't go in with an attitude of "They're trying to break me", remember they're there to help you, so consider it some friendly advise and take what you can from it... (advice on your CV, what's hot in your job market etc. etc.)
It can be a well-needed reality check.

But seriously, don't take any sh1t from them... I've met some awful bastards who really make you feel like a worthless piece of sh1t by the time you leave... be assertive and diplomatic.
Don't let them talk you into a 9 month basket-weaving course if that's not what you want to do.
If at the end of the day you decide that there's nothing more they can offer you, then you can politely leave and have nothing more to do with them.

This is all based on my own experience, maybe I was just unlucky... I've heard of people meeting with really nice wonderful Fas career guidance people and found it a really positive experience.
Best of luck with it anyway, let us know how it went aswell, I'd be interested to know wether my experience is the exception or the rule.

mickeyboymel

Thank you all for the replies, the interview is on Thursday morning so I will let you know how it went.

To be honest, I could do with some retraining, as I fell into the Barwork trade while at school and when college did not work out (Electronic Engineering- Failed second term finals) way back in 1990 I went into the game full time, and having worked in London and Spain and here in Ireland at all levels of the trade up to managing, I feel I need a change, as short of owing a pub!(yeah, right) there is nowhere else to go.

So if I go in with that frame of mind and a positive attitude I might even get a course I like, I dont mind waiting a while longer.

I realise you get jobsworths who take everything by the book- I have seen this with the Social Welfare- some people are really helpful and nice to you, others are complete bastards.

KdjaCL

Could Fas website also when you hit apply online they keep a record.


I love Fas great courses cheap

Kdjac

SantaHoe

Yeah I forgot about that...
www.fas.ie
^ Check out what's on offer, just so you can go to the meeting prepared... It'd probably be easier to go through the course details at your own pace.
And if you spot something you like, then at least you can get striaght down to business when the meeting starts.
Or at worst - know what you don't want (for whatever reasons) out of the selection.

mickeyboymel

Well what an experience the FAS interview was.

I arrived at 12:30 ten minutes early and was told to take a seat, where I waited until 12:40. Both the girls on reception were more interested in phoning up to try and book a sun bed session for their lunch break,(loud enough for all the street never mind the reception area to hear), than to actually inform the lady that I had arrived.

When I got into the interview, I was told I should have been given & filled out a registration form at reception. She then questioned why I never registered before even though I had been unemployed for six months. So I explained my case and told her that I was not aware of these courses being available free (the truth) and of my interest in going on a computer course, to which I was told that the computers in the office were down (Sasser Virus) and she could not help me today, as she scrawled my details down with a pencil and pad.

After I told her all the details of the course, it turns out where I live, I have to attend Dundalk for any course, but a free bus is provided, leaving daily at 6:20 AM and returning at 5:30PM. (Not counting the 3 mile cycle to the bus stop)

I asked was it possible to get an accommodation allowance and stay in Dundalk during the week, to which I was told NO, seeing as they provide a free bus, and that I should be grateful as they also pay you while you are on the course, and I ought to think how much effort I was prepared to put into getting a qualification. I was given a brochure for the online college to “read” and sent on my merry way until I have the European Computer Driving Licence completed (a prerequisite for the full time course I want) and then she can put me on a waiting list.

I got my revenge in a way by taking until 1:20 to diligently fill out the registration form while the receptionist rattled her keys in the background, waiting to lock up, no doubt her sun bed session gone by the wayside.

I was full of confidence going in, but now feel totally dejected at the prospect of leaving my house at 5:50 every morning, and not getting home until 6:00.I would not mind getting a bed-sit, anything, or anywhere to live in Dundalk, God knows I’m not fussy; for the duration of the course, but spend 11 months of 12 hours a day coursework and travel, and no guarantee of any job at the end.

At least the FAS online college people were much more helpful when I phoned.

How can FAS call people in for interviews or even open up at all when their computer network is down as practically all their services are pc based?

Our man in Havana

How far is Dundalk from you?

This free bus is a right wheeze. They tried this with me. They wanted me to take the free bus from Portlaoise to Athlone. Problem was I live 25 miles from portlaoise. They just don't care. So to do a fas course you end up loosing big money.

Shower of chancers they are.

eth0_

Originally posted by DaithiSurfer
Surely since you worked for 5 years you have paid PRSI. Was this not insurance for the fact that you might one day be unemployed. They owe it to you. Its not like you're taking anything you havent paid.

You don't have a God given right to your 135 euro a week. The guy I know had his benefits cut because they knew he wasn't doing a thing to get a job, he couldn't show the benefits officer any proof he'd been applying for jobs because he hadn't been applying for any, and he wouldn't go on any fas courses, so his benefits were cut. It's common practice. Would you rather someone who is not bothered about getting a job was paid 540 euro a month out of your taxes?

RicardoSmith

This would be fair enough if it was after 6 months of being out of work. But if you are only a month or so, then its a bit rich IMO.