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Screwed over by JobBridge (big surprise)

  • 05-05-2016 11:28AM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 154 ✭✭


    Hi guys, this is long but I just wanted people's opinions here/ to put this out there. This is in hairdressing. I just finished a 9month jobbridge internship, i had done 1 months work experience there as part of my FAS course and I was taken on with jobbridge as receptionist because the previous intern quit with 2 months to go and in order for me to start I had to be taken on under a different title. So I worked my ass off as a Junior for 7.5 months and suddenly there's a new girl taken on as a part time Junior. That's grand, the place is always really busy at weekends, we needed her help. (there was already 2 other part time juniors too- one of which is the previous intern who quit and who was then taken on, even after messing them about and quitting and coming back a few times.. That makes me even angrier, you'll see why...)

    My internship ended and I had been asking regularly if I was being kept on, as that was what I'd been told all along, that I'd have a part time position at the end of it. I was always told that the boss would let me know next week, that they haven't got back to them yet, that they haven't decided yet because such and such is happening. My last day I was told I would most likely get a few days a week and the boss would ring me next week. I haven't heard a peep from them and I know the place has been really busy and they could have done with me being there. I tried asking what's going on, I just got the same, that they haven't been told yet and now I get no response whatsoever. I haven't even been given the forms for when you finish your internship! It's been a month now.

    Honestly, at this point I feel like going back somewhere like that who didn't appreciate me one bit and completely used me for 9 months wouldn't be very nice and I'm just so angry!! We all know how hard it is to get a job, and to be back on the dole again after working so hard is soul destroying. I made it my business to always be busy, always have the place spotless, to be a model employee and I got nothing in return. (As have many people in worse positions and for longer periods of time... 🙁 )

    I'm just wondering has the company broken the jobbridge agreements by hiring someone else instead of taking me on?? Or because I was a "receptionist" and she's a "junior" is it ok for them to do it?! I clearly wasn't a receptionist like. Would reporting this prevent them from screwing somebody else over?

    Also, I just need to vent. 😄 And to get this out there. Maybe others have gone through similar or maybe it'll help others, I don't know 🙂


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26 Ben_Nevis


    Sounds like they have used you and they will do the same to the new one. Although you may deserve to be taken on permanently, it is at the employers discretion and if they're as sly as what they may be, they would rather pay zip and take on another jobbridge rather than the expense of hiring someone.
    An employer with 1-10 full time employees can only take one 1 jobbridge person.

    As far as I know they haven't broken any rules even if it is wrong to treat people in this way.

    You may be able to claim Back to Work Enterprise Allowance to assist you further while you look for new employment.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,209 ✭✭✭nelly17


    I thought the purpose of Jobsbridge was to gain experience not employment.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 154 ✭✭TheJinMu


    I'll try to find it, but there is something that says an employer cannot hire somebody else for the same position unless they have offered the position to the jobbridge intern.

    The purpose of jobbridge is to give experience but it's also supposed to help get the intern employment in the place.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,209 ✭✭✭nelly17


    Actually that is true they cant offer the same position but I think employers have been re-naming the position and changing the job description slightly to get round this


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,283 ✭✭✭✭drunkmonkey


    You now have 9mts experience, your chances of getting a job just went way up if you can secure some kind of reference from them if no job available, ask for a written reference if you can.
    Time to start putting the cv's out and get something quick, if you rest to long it might be all gone to waste?
    Are you qualified hairdresser or even training as one?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 154 ✭✭TheJinMu


    Well there's no full time staff at that salon but that's another matter...

    "17. What if one placement finishes and I want to take on a person in the same area of activity, can I do this?

    If a HO wishes to advertise in the same area of activity a cooling off period for 6 months will apply. However, the cooling-off period will be waived where the Intern gets a job with the Host Organisation or another organisation at the end of their internship.

    18. What if one placement finishes and I want to take on a person in a different area, can I do this?

    Yes, you may take on an individual in a different area providing that you do not exceed your quota of placements at any one time."

    https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/JobBridge-Organisations-FAQS.aspx#q17

    But perhaps that's only when taking on another intern.
    Again, I'm not saying I definitely should have been kept on, I'm just complaining about the injustice and the fact someone was hired for my position when I was almost finished the internship.

    I'm still training and my cvs are already circulating.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,706 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    TheJinMu wrote: »
    but it's also supposed to help get the intern employment in the place.

    Can you show us any links where it says this?

    It certainly wasn't true a few years ago, I'm not sure if it's changed since.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 154 ✭✭TheJinMu


    Can you show us any links where it says this?

    It certainly wasn't true a few years ago, I'm not sure if it's changed since.

    Let me rephrase that, the idea is to gain employment there because ultimately, that's the whole idea, to gain employment. Ideally, the company would choose to keep the intern because they have seen their work and know they're suited to the place. Again, it's not an obligation, it's the preferred scenario.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,455 ✭✭✭livedadream


    They have done nothing legally wrong, you can hire someone else in the same role as someone on Jobbridge, simple argument is they want that person to work there they dont want you to work there.

    The Jobbridge scheme is there to assist young persons or persons at risk of long term unemployment attain experience.
    While ethically they messed you around unfortunately legally they have done nothing wrong.

    Approach them for a written reference and start looking for another job, receptionist skills are get to have.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,706 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    TheJinMu wrote: »
    Let me rephrase that, the idea is to gain employment there because ultimately, that's the whole idea, to gain employment. Ideally, the company would choose to keep the intern because they have seen their work and know they're suited to the place. Again, it's not an obligation, it's the preferred scenario.

    Ideally for who?

    The company out of the goodness of their heart let you get receptionist experience in their workplace, even though you weren't an ideal fit for them. The point of you getting this experience is that you'll be better equipt to get work anywhere - not to "ease you in" to this particular workplace.

    Were you actually applying for real jobs the whole time you were on JobBridge? You should have been.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 154 ✭✭TheJinMu


    Can I reiterate; [ I just need to vent. �� And to get this out there. Maybe others have gone through similar or maybe it'll help others, I don't know ]

    I'm not really wondering if it's legal or not, it's more so that when I went looking for a similar situation I couldn't find any and I was looking for opinions on it :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 154 ✭✭TheJinMu


    The company out of the goodness of their heart let you get receptionist experience in their workplace
    The goodness of their heart? Or for free labour?!
    And as I said, my role wasn't actually receptionist there.
    I was looking elsewhere but I was told all along that they would be keeping me on so I wasn't very urgent with the search.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,455 ✭✭✭livedadream


    TheJinMu wrote: »
    Can I reiterate; [ I just need to vent. �� And to get this out there. Maybe others have gone through similar or maybe it'll help others, I don't know ]

    I'm not really wondering if it's legal or not, it's more so that when I went looking for a similar situation I couldn't find any and I was looking for opinions on it :)

    it happens unfortunately, I think the last report i read on Jobbridge was something like 7% of intern ships ended with a complaint from the intern or the employer.

    It works both ways, smaller businesses use it as a 'goodness of my heart give someone experience' with no view of hiring them long term and to get work done that they otherwise couldnt afford. or use it to test out a new employee first. Bigger companies VMWare etc, use it as a tool to get rid of expensive training, their VStart programme is a way they use Job Bridge to build a talent pipeline into their business your time on Jobbridge with them is basically your training with the company.

    It does sound like they didnt have an intention to keep you on which could be for any number of reasons and of course you are entitled to have a little rant about it, like ive said ive seen people be taken advantage on the initiative but in general its doing okay (you just never really hear those stories)

    Try to get a good reference from them and start the hunt fresh :-)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,209 ✭✭✭nelly17


    TheJinMu wrote: »
    The goodness of their heart? Or for free labour?!
    And as I said, my role wasn't actually receptionist there.
    I was looking elsewhere but I was told all along that they would be keeping me on so I wasn't very urgent with the search.

    That's true - they get free labour you get experience, there is no obligation to take on interns. Some employers abuse the programme but to be fair a lot of employers have had temporary or permanent bans from the programme. You live and learn you can't take it on here-say when it comes to employment if its not written on paper its not worth the paper its written on.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 645 ✭✭✭Pete Moss


    As others have said, the company and JobBridge have done nothing wrong, but I can understand your frustration.

    My advice would be not to let it knock your confidence. You've gained some good experience, in more ways than one from this company. You obviously done a good enough job to retain the position for the duration of your JobBridge scheme, so build on that and all the best for the future :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 154 ✭✭TheJinMu


    Thanks guys! :)
    it's irrelevant now but I forgot to mention the new person got the position because of who they know, not what they know ;) and only plans on staying there for 6 months. Which really adds to my annoyance.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26 Ben_Nevis


    Doesn't surprise me, nepotism is rife in Ireland.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,209 ✭✭✭nelly17


    TheJinMu wrote: »
    Thanks guys! :)
    it's irrelevant now but I forgot to mention the new person got the position because of who they know, not what they know ;) and only plans on staying there for 6 months. Which really adds to my annoyance.

    Believe me its not the last time you'll ever see this


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,072 ✭✭✭Tipsy McSwagger


    Ideally for who?

    The company out of the goodness of their heart let you get receptionist experience in their workplace, even though you weren't an ideal fit for them. The point of you getting this experience is that you'll be better equipt to get work anywhere - not to "ease you in" to this particular workplace.

    Were you actually applying for real jobs the whole time you were on JobBridge? You should have been.

    What if she liked working there and wanted to be kept on? Why didn't they bother their holes telling her she would have no work during the nine months she was there ? At least then she could have started looking elsewhere instead of having false hopes that she would be kept on.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,690 ✭✭✭bur


    This business is clearly abusing the program. Report them.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,455 ✭✭✭livedadream


    bur wrote: »
    This business is clearly abusing the program. Report them.

    how are they abusing the initiative?

    i'm genuinely not being argumentative i'm just wondering how you came to that opinion?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,576 ✭✭✭Keane2baMused


    Ideally for who?

    The company out of the goodness of their heart let you get receptionist experience in their workplace, even though you weren't an ideal fit for them. The point of you getting this experience is that you'll be better equipt to get work anywhere - not to "ease you in" to this particular workplace.

    Were you actually applying for real jobs the whole time you were on JobBridge? You should have been.
    The goodness of their heart?

    You really don't understand why many companies hire interns do you????


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 55,079 ✭✭✭✭tayto lover


    Jobbridge is one of the greatest scams ever. It legalizes the abuse of of our youth and those genuinely looking for work.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,706 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    The goodness of their heart?

    You really don't understand why many companies hire interns do you????

    Is your sarcasm detector broken? Of course it's not the goodness of their heart. At best, it's because they want to see people get a start in the industry. At worst, it's because they want some free labour. In most cases, it's a mix.

    But from the OP's perspective, it doesn't matter. They're doing a work-experience programme. Sure they might like the place and want to stay - but that doesn't give them any rights, and neither does the way that the JB programme is set up.

    The OP has not been exploited, based on the expectations set at the beginning of the programme.

    Now, I'm not saying that I agree JB is set up the right way - I believe that it is a stupid, exploitative approach which should never, ever have been done this way. But again, this is totally irrelevant, because what I believe doesn't count for diddly-squat.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,576 ✭✭✭Keane2baMused


    Is your sarcasm detector broken? Of course it's not the goodness of their heart. At best, it's because they want to see people get a start in the industry. At worst, it's because they want some free labour. In most cases, it's a mix.

    But from the OP's perspective, it doesn't matter. They're doing a work-experience programme. Sure they might like the place and want to stay - but that doesn't give them any rights, and neither does the way that the JB programme is set up.

    The OP has not been exploited, based on the expectations set at the beginning of the programme.

    Now, I'm not saying that I agree JB is set up the right way - I believe that it is a stupid, exploitative approach which should never, ever have been done this way. But again, this is totally irrelevant, because what I believe doesn't count for diddly-squat.

    Have you done a jobsbbridge internship yourself?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,455 ✭✭✭livedadream


    Have you done a jobsbbridge internship yourself?

    No- sorry for answering your question Mrs O But im gunna take this one.

    5-6 years ago I came back from austraila due to a family emergency, i was unemployed after having a great job in OZ in bulk recruitment, had some savings but not enough to rent etc, signed on for the first time in my life, felt like ****e. but I had a degree and solid work experience, I spent a few weeks trying to get a job before i signed on but couldnt get my foot in the door.

    all in all I spent 7.5 weeks on the dole, and it was the toughest, most demeaning 7 and a half weeks of my life, queuing up in the post office with girls in the pjs, queuing up to sign on (thankfully only had to do it twice) with pure scum who are of the 'we're entitled to it' opinion. listening to people in the social welfare office saying what they hadnt applied for jobs or why they couldnt work, when i was crawling for something.

    i was told i was over qualified for bar work, shop work even working in a mobile phone shop, which was true, was told id find a proper job and leave, which was true, but still made me feel like ****.

    A friend told me about a company locally (Cork) that was hiring someone on Jobbridge in a HR role to be mentored via their head office in Dublin, medium sized company doing okay for itself but they wernt able to afford someone, had been taken over by a bigger company so things were lean but that id get great experience.

    I took it, showed up for the interview suited and booted references and all, took one look at the competition (two lads, one in tracksuit the other in jeans and a hoodie) and smashed it, got the call on a Thursday started on the Monday. I worked my ****ing ass off, Id been told there was no way they had the budget to keep someone on, but that they could offer real experience and would fund any training they thought i needed.

    I came in early, stayed late, did stuff they didnt expect or ask me to do, did a manual handling course, train the trainer, lean 6 sigma, came up with new processes, procedures, again worked my ass off, proved myself, made friends with everyone, from the shop stewards to the ops manager and everyone in-between, drove them all crazy asking them about their jobs and learning.

    After 5 months my boss approached me and said a friend is looking for a HR officer, okay money, local to me and she had recommended me for it, nailed the interview using examples of the stuff I had done on the jobbridge and started with them a month later.

    Went on to do a HDip, Masters and specialise in employment law and training, and im pretty **** hot at my job.

    They company I worked for as an intern hired me not out of the goodness of their heart, they needed the work done and were willing to match the effort of their intern. The HR manager I reported to I still speak to she is a great mentor, I owe her my career.

    People say things like oh you got lucky, no i didn't I worked my ass off and proved that if you take what you are given and make the best out of it it will work out, yes I would have loved to have stayed in the organisation i did my internship in, but they couldnt afford to keep someone on and were willing to trade experience for hard graft.

    So thats my answer to your bitchy 'Have you done a jobsbbridge internship yourself' question to Mrs O Bumble. Yes I have and im ****ing delighted I did.

    next...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 645 ✭✭✭Pete Moss


    No- sorry for answering your question Mrs O But im gunna take this one.

    5-6 years ago I came back from austraila due to a family emergency, i was unemployed after having a great job in OZ in bulk recruitment, had some savings but not enough to rent etc, signed on for the first time in my life, felt like ****e. but I had a degree and solid work experience, I spent a few weeks trying to get a job before i signed on but couldnt get my foot in the door.

    all in all I spent 7.5 weeks on the dole, and it was the toughest, most demeaning 7 and a half weeks of my life, queuing up in the post office with girls in the pjs, queuing up to sign on (thankfully only had to do it twice) with pure scum who are of the 'we're entitled to it' opinion. listening to people in the social welfare office saying what they hadnt applied for jobs or why they couldnt work, when i was crawling for something.

    i was told i was over qualified for bar work, shop work even working in a mobile phone shop, which was true, was told id find a proper job and leave, which was true, but still made me feel like ****.

    A friend told me about a company locally (Cork) that was hiring someone on Jobbridge in a HR role to be mentored via their head office in Dublin, medium sized company doing okay for itself but they wernt able to afford someone, had been taken over by a bigger company so things were lean but that id get great experience.

    I took it, showed up for the interview suited and booted references and all, took one look at the competition (two lads, one in tracksuit the other in jeans and a hoodie) and smashed it, got the call on a Thursday started on the Monday. I worked my ****ing ass off, Id been told there was no way they had the budget to keep someone on, but that they could offer real experience and would fund any training they thought i needed.

    I came in early, stayed late, did stuff they didnt expect or ask me to do, did a manual handling course, train the trainer, lean 6 sigma, came up with new processes, procedures, again worked my ass off, proved myself, made friends with everyone, from the shop stewards to the ops manager and everyone in-between, drove them all crazy asking them about their jobs and learning.

    After 5 months my boss approached me and said a friend is looking for a HR officer, okay money, local to me and she had recommended me for it, nailed the interview using examples of the stuff I had done on the jobbridge and started with them a month later.

    Went on to do a HDip, Masters and specialise in employment law and training, and im pretty **** hot at my job.

    They company I worked for as an intern hired me not out of the goodness of their heart, they needed the work done and were willing to match the effort of their intern. The HR manager I reported to I still speak to she is a great mentor, I owe her my career.

    People say things like oh you got lucky, no i didn't I worked my ass off and proved that if you take what you are given and make the best out of it it will work out, yes I would have loved to have stayed in the organisation i did my internship in, but they couldnt afford to keep someone on and were willing to trade experience for hard graft.

    So thats my answer to your bitchy 'Have you done a jobsbbridge internship yourself' question to Mrs O Bumble. Yes I have and im ****ing delighted I did.

    next...

    That's a great example of the scheme being used correctly by not only the employer you worked for, but by yourself as well. I've heard of many dismiss it as a "load of b******s", but when the right employer finds the right intern, then the scheme can really work.

    I'm glad to hear that it panned out for yourself, and fair play. I've heard of a few other people who took an opportunity such as yours and ran with it, never looking back or sounding disgruntled about the scheme.

    In saying that, for every success story, such as your own, I've heard of the scheme being abused by many companies who are simply looking to fill a role and pay sweet f.a. Now, while the intern who fills said role gets some decent experience, the scheme is still being abused by many employers, so I can understand the frustration and distaste some have for the scheme.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,138 ✭✭✭trixychic


    It happens everywhere. Happened to me too.

    Jobbridge is being used for cheap Labour. One intern ends the next begins.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 154 ✭✭TheJinMu


    Up until the time when it came to deciding if they're keeping me or not I thought jobbridge was a brilliant thing too, I always defended it, if it's for a decent role, it's exactly what people need. I still think it can be really good but I reckon there should be some sort of incentive to keep people on, or at least sort some of help finding work after the internship.

    Speaking of which, before I did my fas course I was given an appointment in the post out of the blue one day to go in to an officer in the fas office who was going to help out with cvs and finding employment but I got my course so I didn't need it at that time- does anyone know how do I get that aid now? Is it a certain scheme or what?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,576 ✭✭✭Keane2baMused


    No- sorry for answering your question Mrs O But im gunna take this one.

    5-6 years ago I came back from austraila due to a family emergency, i was unemployed after having a great job in OZ in bulk recruitment, had some savings but not enough to rent etc, signed on for the first time in my life, felt like ****e. but I had a degree and solid work experience, I spent a few weeks trying to get a job before i signed on but couldnt get my foot in the door.

    all in all I spent 7.5 weeks on the dole, and it was the toughest, most demeaning 7 and a half weeks of my life, queuing up in the post office with girls in the pjs, queuing up to sign on (thankfully only had to do it twice) with pure scum who are of the 'we're entitled to it' opinion. listening to people in the social welfare office saying what they hadnt applied for jobs or why they couldnt work, when i was crawling for something.

    i was told i was over qualified for bar work, shop work even working in a mobile phone shop, which was true, was told id find a proper job and leave, which was true, but still made me feel like ****.

    A friend told me about a company locally (Cork) that was hiring someone on Jobbridge in a HR role to be mentored via their head office in Dublin, medium sized company doing okay for itself but they wernt able to afford someone, had been taken over by a bigger company so things were lean but that id get great experience.

    I took it, showed up for the interview suited and booted references and all, took one look at the competition (two lads, one in tracksuit the other in jeans and a hoodie) and smashed it, got the call on a Thursday started on the Monday. I worked my ****ing ass off, Id been told there was no way they had the budget to keep someone on, but that they could offer real experience and would fund any training they thought i needed.

    I came in early, stayed late, did stuff they didnt expect or ask me to do, did a manual handling course, train the trainer, lean 6 sigma, came up with new processes, procedures, again worked my ass off, proved myself, made friends with everyone, from the shop stewards to the ops manager and everyone in-between, drove them all crazy asking them about their jobs and learning.

    After 5 months my boss approached me and said a friend is looking for a HR officer, okay money, local to me and she had recommended me for it, nailed the interview using examples of the stuff I had done on the jobbridge and started with them a month later.

    Went on to do a HDip, Masters and specialise in employment law and training, and im pretty **** hot at my job.

    They company I worked for as an intern hired me not out of the goodness of their heart, they needed the work done and were willing to match the effort of their intern. The HR manager I reported to I still speak to she is a great mentor, I owe her my career.

    People say things like oh you got lucky, no i didn't I worked my ass off and proved that if you take what you are given and make the best out of it it will work out, yes I would have loved to have stayed in the organisation i did my internship in, but they couldnt afford to keep someone on and were willing to trade experience for hard graft.

    So thats my answer to your bitchy 'Have you done a jobsbbridge internship yourself' question to Mrs O Bumble. Yes I have and im ****ing delighted I did.

    next...

    That's great, well done. But I wasn't asking you.

    Not everyone has a wonderful jobsbbridge experience. I haven't done one but someone very close to me has a very similar story (to yours) except they were screwed left right and centre.

    Off your pedestal kiddo, not everyone is so lucky.

    And no it wasn't a "bitchy comment", but well done on jumping to such a strong conclusion.


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