Extremely frustrated with my APM employment provider after today’s appointment
Had an appointment with APM today and walked out absolutely pissed off.
I went in knowing I’d missed reporting one job application for the fortnight. Fair enough, I missed it and I’m happy to take responsibility for that.
But straight away the woman I saw started going on about how I need to be looking for work and how I’d missed my target. The way she spoke to me honestly made me feel like she thought I was sitting on my ass doing nothing.
I am looking for work. I apply online, but I also physically go into businesses with my résumé and cover letter and introduce myself. I currently have a casual job as well.
She then brought up that I missed my appointment last week, which I’d already apologised for when she rang me that day.
During that phone call last week, she also mentioned that I hadn’t been keeping up with my study. I told her I was interested in doing a course that would allow me to serve alcohol at venues. She told me they wouldn’t do that, but said they could look at getting me into some volunteer work instead.
I said okay. She told me she would have a look and get back to me.
So today I asked her about the volunteer work.
Her response?
“It’s not on me to help you look for volunteer work. You have to do it yourself.”
That annoyed me because she was the one who offered to look into it and said she’d get back to me.
Then the manager came over and the subject of my study came up.
This is another thing that has seriously pissed me off about APM.
When I originally signed up for the study, I specifically told the manager I didn’t want to do it. It was online study, and I told her I’m terrible with online learning.
She told me I had to undertake study to meet my obligations.
I specifically asked her whether it was actually a requirement or whether she was just suggesting it.
She told me it was a requirement.
So I agreed because I thought I had no choice.
Then, at the END of that appointment, after signing me up, she basically told me:
“Also, it isn’t part of my KPI for you to undertake study, so you didn’t actually have to do it.”
I was furious and just left.
Today she basically denied that she ever forced me to study.
I told her, “You told me it was an obligation. I specifically asked you whether I had to do it.”
She disagreed and dismissed the whole thing, so eventually I just said, “Whatever.”
Then she started telling me again that I need to meet my obligations.
I said, “I know. That’s why I’m here.”
She asked what jobs I’d applied for and I said they should be on the computer in front of her.
But the conversation kept coming back to this one missed job application, like I’d spent the entire fortnight doing absolutely nothing.
Eventually I said:
“You guys are hopeless. Every job I’ve ever gotten, I’ve gotten on my own and not with the help of you guys.”
Her response was basically that if that’s how I feel, I can go down to Centrelink, tell them I don’t want an employment provider anymore and they’ll take my payment away.
I told her that just because I think APM has been useless at actually helping me find employment doesn’t mean I’m refusing to meet my obligations or saying I don’t want my payment.
She then told me:
“It’s not our job to look for jobs or volunteer work for you. That’s your responsibility.”
And that’s what I don’t understand.
Obviously I know I’m responsible for looking for work. I’m the one applying for jobs. I’m the one walking into businesses. I’m the one writing cover letters and handing out résumés. I’ve managed to get jobs myself.
But if an employment provider’s response is essentially, “It’s not our job to help you find jobs or volunteer work”, then what exactly am I going there for?
I’m completely fine with them saying, “You missed one of your obligations this fortnight, make sure you meet it next time.”
What pissed me off was being spoken to like I’m doing nothing, having one missed application treated like some massive failure, being told they’ll help with something and then being told it was never their responsibility, and being told study was compulsory only for that to later be denied.
Has anyone else had experiences like this with APM or another employment services provider?