Your first contact with Jobs 22

Your Jobcentre Plus Work Coach will invite you to a ‘warm handover’ call where they’ll introduce you to one of our friendly Customer Service team where you’ll receive a short introduction to the Restart Scheme and the support available.  The Jobs 22 team will then arrange a time convenient for you to go through the following:

• A short introduction to the Restart Scheme and the support available.

• Our adviser will firstly take some basic details from you, your name, DOB, National Insurance Number, contact details; email address and phone number. They will find out how best to contact you and any times to avoid.

• We'll have a short discussion around your barriers to work, maybe you have childcare issues, need help with transport or have some health issues that have been holding you back. Here we’re just trying to get a snapshot of your current situation so we can find the best way to support you in your journey. We'll make sure this information is passed over to your Employment Coach.

• Our adviser will book two meetings - an engagement call, and your first meeting with an Employment Coach.

• We’ll send you over a questionnaire to complete before your engagement call, don’t worry if you need some help with parts of the form, your Employment Coach will be happy to help you during your next call.

How to prepare for your first call with your Employment Coach

The Engagement Call is where you first meet your Employment Coach, you can expect the call to last between 30-60 minutes and together you’ll complete a more in-depth questionnaire (we’ll send you a link to complete before the meeting or we can complete with you on the call)  to get a more complete picture of your situation, the challenges you might face and your skills and aspirations. From here you will work together to create an action plan.

Your Employment Coach will guide you through this process, to get the most value from this call we’ve got some top tips to help you prepare:

• Think about your skills and your hopes for the future. What would you like to do? What are your skills and experience? Think about your transferable skills from running a home or caring for family too.

• Think about what’s been holding you back? The fuller picture we have of your situation and challenges the more support we can provide. Honesty is always the best policy, we’ve helped people from all walks of life. We don’t judge, we just listen.

• Think about how job applications make you feel. Do you have a CV? If not, don’t worry we can help you create one and we’ll give you access to the Jobs 22 App which has a CV reviewer function to show you how to improve your CV and get noticed by employers.

• Think about your interview experiences, for some people it subconsciously stops them pursuing the job they want. Interviews can be nerve-wracking, in fact most of the people we meet feel the same way, your Employment Coach can help you prepare and get you feeling confident in interview situations.

 “We use your responses to the questionnaire and our conversations to create an action plan, the idea is to identify the areas where you need the most support and meet those challenges head on. I’ve never met a participant I couldn’t help, whether it’s access to foodbanks, housing struggles or getting ID sorted for a job interview. We want you to feel comfortable enough to answer the questions fully, this isn’t a test or a reflection of you, it’s so we can deliver the best service imaginable and help you get back to work in the right way.”

Ibrar Qureshi, Jobs 22 Employment Coach.

Building interview confidence 101

Interviews can be tough, especially if it's been a little while since you've done one. Follow these top tips to make sure your first impression leaves a lasting impact on the interviewer.

1) Get there on time

Being punctual shows that you are dependable and prepared and you respect the interviewer's time. It also demonstrates your ability to manage your own time well. We can support you with travel costs and route planning to and from your interview.

2) Be curious and ask questions

You may think it's the interviewer's job to ask questions, but this isn't always the case. If you don't prepare any questions for the hiring manager, they may feel like you aren't interested in the role or company.

One great question is "what are some of your current challenges in your department?" You might be able to help solve at least one of them! We can help you prepare and research the company, the Jobs 22 App is also a great resource to help you prepare for interviews, with plenty of practice questions.

3) Dress for the job you want

Of course, feel free to dress for the job you want. However, it's important not to wear anything that might make your interviewer uncomfortable. Showing up in a suit when everyone else is dressed casually (or the opposite) can be jarring. We can help you get a work-ready look.

4) Prepare and practice

Make sure you come up with questions for the hiring manager based on their website and job description. Knowing a little about the company can help you relate to their goals.

5) Don't assume you aren't qualified enough

Don't be afraid to ask the interviewer what they're looking for in a candidate. Even if you've been out of work for a little while you will have transferable life skills that employers value, such as the time-management and planning skills it takes to run a household or care for a family member.

6) Listening carefully when the interviewer speaks

Active listening is an important skill to practice when interviewing. Showing you are engaged and truly interested in the company demonstrates your interest in this role and positions you as an asset.

7) Build your resilience

Sometimes it's not meant to be, with our support you'll soon be interviewing for another job that could be perfect for you.

Getting the most out of the Jobs 22 App

The Jobs 22 App was designed to work hard for you, connecting you to the resources and tools to help you stand out to employers. Whether you want to improve your CV, need help researching potential employers or preparing for interviews, our app brings it all together for an easy and seamless experience.

Digital learning

Covering helpful areas such as:

• Handling interviews

• Researching employers

• Networking

• Working with recruiters

Jobseeker tools

Easy to use interactive tools including:

• CV builder

• AI-powered CV reviewer

• Interview simulator

• Job search engine

• Psychometric/aptitude tests

Assessments

Delve deeper into your chosen career with:

• Motivation, personality, workplace culture and resilience assessments

• Reports highlighting practical career considerations and choices