On the dole

[frualeydis]

I have now had my exam and thus earned another 10 university points. I have also listed myself at the unemployment agency, so I'm now officially on the dole. Let's see how much I get from the unemployment benefit system. I have been full time employed for long enough, but since I've been ill I have no idea how they will calculate that. I should get something. I'll know in a couple of weeks hopefully. I always get very anxious about these kind of things, but hopefully it's just me and everything will go well.

Comments

[clothsprogs.livejournal.com]

Fingers crossed!

Teddy

[ginger-dragon.livejournal.com]

I think you still get money, even if you have been sick. But I also have very low opinion on a-kassan and arbetsförmedlingen. Last time I was kicked out because a-kassan claimed that they had been notified that I had got a job. ANd arbetsförmedlingen claimed that they had said nothing of that sort. Who knows- all I know is that I hadn't worked a day, and had to wait 7 weeks to get any money at all after that.

[therru.livejournal.com]

Well, the authorities can't mess things up *every* time, can they?
Good luck!

[nazgman.livejournal.com]

They most certainly try as hard as possible!

[amonik.livejournal.com]

As long as you're not too ill to work now, that shouldn't be a problem, should it? I don't know all the rules of course, but from what I do know, that wouldn't make sense.

[therru.livejournal.com]

No, they don't. They are just incompetent.

[nazgman.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, you're (partially) right. Last December, when I got a new job and was over at arbetsförmedlingen to unregister, I thanked them with a box of chocolates and flowers. Not because of what they had done for me (which wasn't particularly much), but rather for the things the didn't do to me.

On the other hand, a-kassan were really making an effort to make my life as miserable as possible. A very short summary:

Me: "I want to give you money, since I didn't deserve it"
Them: "It isn't that easy!" (translation of literal quote)

[(Anonymous)]

I'm so sick of that kind of attitude. I've personally only had trouble with a-kassan once, and then it was my own fault. (I messed up the dates when I was supposed to visit Arbetsförmedlingen.)

And as to all that stuff people talk about how you never get a job through Af, 2/3 of my jobs have involved Af. (The remainder was through my union.)

/Sara

[therru.livejournal.com]

Sorry if offended you. I have personally had almost only negative experiences with AF, but I thought that it was a bit much to say that they mess things up *wilfully*. I will keep my sarcasms to my own LJ in the future.

[nazgman.livejournal.com]

I can tell you what worked for me, and something which may work for others as well, take it for what it is.
All of my jobs (and a few offers) I've gotten through networking, or getting a foot inside so that those who decide on employment already have an idea of whom they get. Only two offers I've had (and turned down in favour of others) were obtained through the traditional channel of response to an advertisement, followed by one or two job interviews, followed by an official letter in which the job was offered.

In an "ideal" world, something which the swedes attempt to approximate in many ways, a vacancy occurs, everyone interested is informed of the vacancy and qualifications needed, candidates respond, and the best candidate for the job is hired.

In the real world, or at least my real world, vacancies are created for people, or vacancies occur and suitable & known (note the boolean use of "and") people move in to fill the vacancy. As a formality, an ad is posted requesting someone very closely matching the obvious and available candidate, to which the candidate and perhaps some others respond, after which the predetermined candidate is formally selected (of course). This is the way an increasing number of people find their jobs nowadays.

Well then, how do you get such a job, if it's all insider information anyway? First, get to know people in the branch in which you'd like to find a job. Find out if those people really do the kind of work you're looking for, perhaps it's not up to your idea of what that work should entail. Invite yourself over to a potential employer to learn more about their work. Be genuinely interested, prepare yourself well so you know what they're talking about, what the company is all about, who works there and what their interests are. If you have the chance, tell about yourself, what your capabilities and interests and ambitions are. If things feel right, ask about employment possibilities. Expect an answer along the lines of "not right now", but keep in touch, ask whether the people you've just networked with know others who may be interested in employing you, or would be willing to tell about the work they're doing.

Other options are to ask your friends whether they have connections which could help you along. I know whom I'd ask if I wanted to know about mediaeval clothing in Sweden. Same if a friend of mine would ask whether I know any jobs in historical textile, which I don't, but I have a pretty good idea who all might know about any such vacancies.

If you have specific knowledge or capabilities, don't be shy to advertise them in some way or another. Present your results to the right public, be it a conference, a popular talk, a demonstration, media, dinner party at one of your relatives, any appropriate setting will do. Once you have started something like this, you can quickly become "known" in the field, and will have much easier to get another chance to display your capabilities, or you may even be invited as an "expert". Talk with the people who come to listen to/look at you, make new contacts, offer your services.

Using methods like this, you can create chances for yourself. Take those chances, don't disappoint those who put their trust in you, and you will only open more doorways. Anyone can become an expert in their own field, even if it's professional lawnmowing or emptying trash cans, as long as you have a professional attitude towards what you do.

If you were in the shoes of somebody hiring a new employee, would you:
a) pick somebody whom you know does good work, has sufficient qualifications, and is recommended by people you know and whose opinion you respect,
or
b) pick somebody who claims to be excellent at everything you require, but you've never met this person, and have no idea whether this person will fit in your company and the culture of the company?

I think a lot of employers would be rather safe then sorry, and go for option a). And that's where you jump in!

[nazgman.livejournal.com]

... they mess things up *wilfully*

I have stacks and stacks of communication with Akademikernas Erkända A-kassa, and the only conclusion I can come to is that they mess things up wilfully. Not necessarily for them but very specifically for me. "I am sorry, but the rules are there to be obeyed." No attempt to think for themselves, to try to understand what is going on. Anyone stooping low enough to come to AEA expecting money for nothing is going to pay for it. The slightest miss-step, even when pushed by AEA, will be punished in the most severe way. Anyone being convicted for "grov vårdslöshet" is obviously the biggest cheater who walked the face of the earth, and has to be thankful that he didn't end up with criminal charges pressed against him. Anyone who provides mismatching information with what is on file at AEA is obviously a cheater, whose unemployment benefit will be stopped instantly. That the mismatch is due to the fact that AEA has forgotten to update their own files is not in the rulebook, so by default the poor unemployed bugger gets kicked in the face for it.

Sorry for the rant, I could go on for pages like this, but I'll stop here. Suffice to say that this is beyond incompetence.

[frualeydis.livejournal.com]

It's not so reassuring for me, since it's AEA I have to deal with. But I'm keeping a positive attitude.

Eva

[frualeydis.livejournal.com]

I must admit that right now, I'm not terribly anxious to get a new job. Not until after summer or so, or after the viva voce in september. I feel that I have earned some "free" time after the stress with the dissertation. Stress that isn't totally over yet, the setting isn't finished and I have yet to arrnage the printing, something that has to be done by the phD-studetn herself at our faculty!

Eva

[nazgman.livejournal.com]

It will probably be OK as long as you're just being the average unemployed person. Don't answer anything on the phone, as they can easily twist your words, do all communication on paper or electronically. Don't volunteer any information, especially not if it's something they don't expect to hear. Be the worst paperpusher and paragrafryttare you can be when dealing with them, because that's the way they think and act themselves. And forget about trying to win a conflict with them, the system is totally skewed.

[nazgman.livejournal.com]

Sounds familiar :-)
I hope you at least have a bit of a budget, because I was pushed to keep it as cheap as possible. And take a well-deserved vacation or break! Keep in mind that finding a job in academia can be a very long process, it can easily take 3 months between the decision that they want you and your first day at work, and that's when they're rushing things.