Those dreaded words - "You've been out of work too long"

I got the dreaded letter of rejection back after my interview and when I called and asked them for feedback, it boiled down to the same old mantra - "you've been out of work too long" writes job-seeking blogger James Alexander.

As I've talked about before, I've come to the conclusion that maybe some temporary work is probably the best route back into the workplace.

I made some enquiries into part-time temporary work, as people on incapacity benefit can work 15 hours minimum wage for up to a year without it affecting benefits.

The idea is to ease yourself back into the workplace, especially if you've been off for a long time and to give employers a more cost-effective way to look at you.

I'd also figured out that if I got the hours right, I wouldn't have to mess with childcare arrangements in the short-term which would help as well.

I spoke to a lovely lady at an agency and, whilst she sympathised greatly with my predicament, the same words came back to haunt me.

In the current job climate, where there are a much greater number unemployed than there are jobs available, employers can afford to be choosy and one way that this manifests itself is that they don't like taking on people who are long-term unemployed.

She said that although my CV was very good; with the right experience, and some key skills employers would still turn their nose up as I had been out of employment for such a great deal of time.

This begs the question how I'll ever get back into the workplace and further reinforces my belief that if the Government are serious in wanting to cut benefit claimant figures, then they need to persuade employers into taking on people who have been on benefits for a long period of time.

Without any form of incentive it seems currently that, unless someone decides to take pity on me, I'm stuck on benefits.

However, I was told by the agency that they could maybe offer work on a temporary basis that was odds and ends; i.e. three days here, two days there.

No guarantee of work, but they would do their best as she thought I was a very good candidate and would represent the agency well.

Of course, this work wouldn't be regular hours, so I'd have sort out childcare, and I'd have to risk not earning any money against losing the benefits I have that help keep a roof over my head.

Whilst I'm scared – nay, petrified of not having enough money to make ends meet my desperation for a job is such that I'm actually considering this.