Today's Trip to Centre Link

Going to Centre Link just before the big race today was one of the best ideas I've had for awhile; just walked straight in and was almost immediately served. Barely any waiting at all!

Hell in Centre Link customer service terms I basically walked in and straight back out again!

Although that did mean I missed the drama at the Shell servo across the road from the skate park. I don't know what happened. But in the short time between walking past the first time and the second time three fire crews had been called out and thrown dirt all over the ground near the truck that was supplying more petrol. So I don't know if there was just an oil spill or if the spilled oil actually went up in flames ... but three fire crews seem a little like over kill for a run of the mill oil spill at a servo.

Still if it hadn't have been for the fantastic customer service I recieved while at Centre Link I probably wouldn't have even known about the servo incident.

And I'm pretty sure that I can easily find out what happened at Shell.

But I don't know if it's just the Ballarat office or if it's a new Centre Link thing to try and improve the public perception of their customer service, but they're going a little overboard with the door wenches; there were three in Centre Link today. After telling the first two what I was in for, I barely managed to avoid the third one.

I mean on any other day, three door wenches probably isn't enough. But on Melbourne Cup day after lunch I think three might have been a little too many. They were certainly annoying and clearly weren't paying any attention if all three tried finding out what I was there for.

Either that or they were just bored.

A Sign That Things are About to Change?

I have a job interview for a position with as a studio photographer. Apart from my resume I also have to bring some of my photos so that they can see just what kind of eye I have.

Ok, no problem. That's actually quite easy.

Except for the fact that I currently don't have any photos with people in them that I'm happy with.

Still not exactly a problem.

I could've gone out yesterday and taken some. I was already out and about because of my CVGT appointment.

But I didn't

The weather was crappy and I was sleep deprived and was feeling a little wildly emotional. No taking photos for me yesterday.

I still had today though. Except that the weather was once again crappy and I just could not work up the energy to go out and face such cold crappy conditions even though the photography interview is on Thursday and I'm going to be in Melbourne all day (where I suppose I could take these much needed pictures ... this thought has only just occurred to me).

But then I was thrown a life line;

The photography studio rang me asking if it would be ok to reschedule the interview for Friday instead.

It's more than just ok, guys!

And now I have the chance to go and get pictures of people near Central Square and/or Sturt st.

I just sat back and hoped for the best, and that's exactly what happened ... well actually, the best would be for me to sit back and find that I magically have amazing pictures that will land me the job on my camera. But since the key word there is "magically" I'll just have to settle for this situation.

So now I'm kind of hoping that my luck as turned around and that this is a sign that soon I will no longer be under the thumbs of Centre Link and CVGT.

How About Incentive to Actually Get Work?

Yeah, so. I don't know if you're aware of this little fact or not, but I'm currently enrolled in a pre-employment program that lands me a guaranteed interview at the end of it.

So yay me for that little achievement.

But it's not in Ballarat.

I have to travel to Melbourne every day to get to class.

It's not too bad, even if it is a little costly for someone struggling to live off Centre Link.

But no worries, right? As part of my Centre Link conditions I now have a job employment agency to help me out. And as it turns out, job employment agencies supposedly help people with them with these costs.

So I took myself down to CVGT to see if they'll help me out with my train fares, because that extra $90 is everything when you're only form of income is the pittance Centre Link pays.

Turns out that my employment status isn't urgent enough for CVGT to be able to help me out. As a Stream one person, the government is more than happy to punish me for being unemployed, but won't help me with costs for finding work.

It's as though they secretly want people to remain unemployed for as long as possible. At the moment it feels as though I should just drop out of the course I'm currently in and wait until I'm in a higher stream and am guaranteed the financial assistance that I so desperately need.

The way things are currently, I really can't see any benefit to doing this course if I can't afford to buy food. I feel as though I should just wait until I'm in a more urgent stream before continuing with this course.

I thought the government wanted to lower unemployment, not encourage it.

If they were really serious about lowering it, they would have the lower streams getting the financial aid, instead of waiting for the doll bludgers to reach a really urgent stage of unemployment before handing out financial assistance.

They should be rewarding people who actually go out and actively do things that will help get them a job.

But this would, of course, mean that the government would actually be thinking about something and doing it effectively. And we all know that that's impossible.

Damnit, Centre Link

I though that Centre Link was meant to help us poor, struggling, unemployed people.

Ok, ok, they say that. But everyone knows better. Centre Link doesn't help us. It just makes our lives harder, and they give us a pittance for selling our souls to them.

That's the reality.

But Centre Link has made a pretense of actually helping us in the form of advance payments.

However, these advance payments are not all that helpful!

For a start, you can only get one every 12 months. So if you're in a tight spot financially, that bonus $500 is a god send. But what about for the rest of the 12 months after that? What if you run into another tight spot financially?

Well, you can't turn to Centre Link for help if it's been less than 12 months. Even if you have already paid off your previous advance payment debt, which is ridiculous.

If Centre Link really wants to appear like they're helping people out, the advance payments should be available to people as soon as they're previous advance payment debt is paid off. Or at the very least, after six months.

Then maybe people (me included) wouldn't bitch so much about how much help Centre Link doesn't provide.

No Faith

Today while waiting at least half an hour for the three people in front of me to be served, I couldn't help but notice a sign Centre Link had put up explaining that everyone was in casual clothes because of Casual Friday.

Centre Link, or the people in the Ballarat office at least, really must not have that much faith in the people who receive payments if they felt the need to explain that.

I'm pretty certain that everyone knows about Casual Friday. Even if they are unemployed!

But maybe they've seen enough over the years to realize that maybe most people who receive Centre Link payments will never see the inside of an office building besides their local Centre Link one. Maybe the people in the Ballarat office are just realists.

I don't know.

It doesn't raise a person's spirits while in there though ... and it's already depressing enough in there as it is.

Centre Link

Centre Link offices really are the places hope goes to die.

There is only despair in them.

The people who go in there for whatever reason (usually forced upon them by Centre Link) have given up hope. They're now just doing their best not to sink any further, struggling to stay afloat ... I'd say hoping to stay afloat. But like I said, hope has died for these people.

Even the Centre Link employees seem to have given up hope.

I guess it would be depressing working in a Centre Link office. Being surrounded by that desperate despair. No sign of hope unless it's gone there to die.

Everyone just goes about their business, doing their best to hide their despair, praying that no one will notice.

Yeah So ...

As you might, or possibly, not have guessed, I've decided to start writing about my day.

Ok, so it may not be all that new of an idea! In fact one of the most unoriginalists ideas ever! But I totally have my reasons.

Not that I'm going to share ... at least not at this point in time.

But if you've been paying attention to my FB, Twitter and EP posts then you'l be well aware that I had a job interview today ... if you can call it an interview ... since the door to door salesman, Chris, totally pulled some strings for me well after the first interview or two, I'm not sure it can be called that.

But Whatever.

I was at the "Open Day" thing for the job today, which detailed what it was about (surprise surprise, 100% commission based work). It doesn't sound too bad. In fact it sounds quite cushy; I only have to make a sale a day at the very least, and I'll be earning around about $400 a week (more than I'm getting from Centre Link).

And if I make 30 sale, I'll get free Austar.

So guess what my sales aim is for the next 4 weeks?

I'm hoping (and assuming!) that I don't really have to tell you.

My fingers are totally crossed for landing this job. I know it requires a lot more effort than I really want to exert. But I should be used to this kind of shit; I mean, I'm a writer, right?

But this job will also hopefully give me some more insight into how people work, think and talk ...

Who I Am

I was chatting to someone on Experience Project. She had some English essay due about who she was. That got me thinking about who I was:
Soooooo,
Who am I?
I guess I’m an alcoholic (although I can survive not drinking), penniless student. I never have enough money to pay for my life (even if I go without alcohol and smokes). I certainly don’t live in any kind of reality than my own … which is probably why I never have any money.
I also seem to live the lifestyle of some washed up B-grade writer, which makes me even more bitter than I really should be.
But at the same time, I’m fiercely proud and independent, and can’t stand the fact that I have to rely on Centre Link for my income. That just makes me even angrier about the fact that I’m unable to find a job.
I’D LOVE A JOB!
That would mean that I wouldn’t have to rely on Centre Link for my money.

The Alternative to Centre Link

Well, now I’m super excited about a job.
This is rare. Since the sole reason why I want a job is so I no longer have to rely on fucking Centre Link. That is it.
I mean, if I could get paid and not work I’d be happy.
Well, I guess that’s how I am now. But I have to put up with Centre Link’s shit, and jump through hoops for my money.
I don’t want to jump through hoops for my money!
I’d rather work for my money!
Yeah, that’s right. I said it. I said that I’d rather work for my money instead of relying on Centre Link.
Shocking, ain’t it?
No. Not really actually.
Most of Australia would agree with me on this.
But the job that has got me all excited?
It’s with Westfield, and combines two of my biggest loves to create my dream job; a Westfield insider. That is basically someone who gets paid to go shopping at Westfield shops, and then write about it online. I think I have to inform the masses about some good deals I found and where I found them.
Too easy!
I just hope that I impress the Westfield people with my application.