Universal Jobmatch

The website replaced the JobCentre Plus' Job Search Tool and Employer Services Direct, which were part of the Directgov online system set up in the UK's New Deal employment system.

The service was introduced as part of a Government project to enable the DWP to monitor client's jobsearch activities directly, and as part of its "Digital By Default" agenda to migrate more British citizens to subscribe to an online process when claiming both unemployed and in-work benefits.{{Cite web|title=DWP's Digital Strategy|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/193901/dwp-digital-strategy.pdf|last=|first=|date=December 2012|website=gov.uk|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}

At the same time that Universal Jobmatch was switched on, the DWP closed its existing processes supporting Job Search and Employer Services Direct, migrating its customers to the new system, and reported that 460,000 employers were posting jobs and the site was receiving over 6 million searches per day.

By February 2013 there were 2 million registered users.{{cite web |url=http://www.managers.org.uk/news/universal-jobmatch-service-getting-6-million-searches-daily |title=Universal Jobmatch service getting '6 million searches daily' |publisher=Chartered Management Institute |date= |accessdate=5 November 2013 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102133130/http://www.managers.org.uk/news/universal-jobmatch-service-getting-6-million-searches-daily |archivedate=2 November 2013 |df=dmy-all }} The site was also more user-friendly and less verbose in mid 2013.{{cite web |date=15 November 2012 |title=Universal Jobmatch: How On Earth Can It Work? |url=http://intensiveactivity.wordpress.com/2012/11/15/universal-jobmatch-how-on-earth-can-it-work/ |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106051716/http://intensiveactivity.wordpress.com/2012/11/15/universal-jobmatch-how-on-earth-can-it-work/ |archivedate=6 November 2013 |accessdate=5 November 2013 |publisher=Ipswich Unemployed Action |df=dmy-all}}

According to a report in The Guardian in March 2014, leaked documents from the DWP indicated that the government had formulated plans to scrap Universal Jobmatch when the contract for the site came up for renewal in 2016, due to the numbers of fake and repeat job adverts posted to the site and because of cost concerns.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/mar/16/dwp-jobs-website-universal-jobsmatch|title=DWP draws up plans to ditch ridiculed jobs website|last1=Malik|first1=Shiv|date=16 March 2014|website=theguardian.com|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140319034755/http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/mar/16/dwp-jobs-website-universal-jobsmatch|archivedate=19 March 2014|url-status=live|accessdate=19 March 2014|df=dmy-all}}

On 26 April 2018 a message was placed on the home page saying the service would be replaced by "Find a job" on 14 May 2018.{{cite web|title=Universal Jobmatch (homepage)|url=https://jobsearch.direct.gov.uk/register.aspx?redirect=http%3a%2f%2fjobsearch.direct.gov.uk%2fhome.aspx|website=Universal Jobmatch|accessdate=11 May 2018|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180511215817/https://jobsearch.direct.gov.uk/register.aspx?redirect=http%3a%2f%2fjobsearch.direct.gov.uk%2fhome.aspx|archivedate=11 May 2018|quote=Universal Jobmatch will be replaced by the Find a job service on 14 May 2018. Important: If you have an existing Universal Jobmatch account it will not move to the new service. Save any information you want to keep, like your CV, cover letters and application history by 17 June 2018.}} Users were advised to save their information by 17 June 2018 as logins would not be moved to the new system.{{cite web|url=https://www.adzuna.co.uk/blog/2018/03/20/adzuna-wins-contract-for-universal-jobmatch-service/|title=Adzuna Wins Contract for Universal Jobmatch service – Blog|website=www.adzuna.co.uk|date=20 March 2018 }}

Hacktivists created an plug-in addition for the Google Chrome browser to allow the automatic distribution of CVs to any recruiters through Universal Jobmatch.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/dec/07/jobseekers-site-spammed-with-cvs-by-activists|title=Jobseekers' site spammed with CVs by activists|author=Alex Hern|work=the Guardian|date=7 December 2013 |url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916181755/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/dec/07/jobseekers-site-spammed-with-cvs-by-activists|archivedate=16 September 2016|df=dmy-all}}

From January 2013, Universal Jobmatch stated regularly on their relevant web pages that users should "never ever give out things like scanned passports, national insurance numbers or bank account details until a job offer has officially been made".{{cite web |title=JobSeeker's Allowance (JSA) |url=https://www.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance/safety |work=www.gov.uk}}{{cite web |title=JobSeeker's Allowance (JSA) |url=https://www.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance/further-information |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011045000/https://www.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance/further-information |archivedate=11 October 2015 |work=www.gov.uk |df=dmy-all}}{{cite web |title=Safer Jobs |url=https://www.safer-jobs.com/ |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151106013205/https://www.safer-jobs.com/ |archivedate=6 November 2015 |work=safer-jobs.com |df=dmy-all}}{{cite web |title=Universal Jobmatch jobs and skills search - Help |url=https://jobsearch.direct.gov.uk/help/help.aspx?k=/inline#searchtips |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180129210500/https://jobsearch.direct.gov.uk/help/help.aspx?k=%2Finline#searchtips |archivedate=29 January 2018 |work=direct.gov.uk |df=dmy-all}}

Early controversy arose due to some of the people who registered with Universal Jobmatch being targeted by dubious organisations and individuals in financial scams.

Channel 4 News ran a feature, in December 2012, which explained how this new government service was being used to obtain personal details of jobseekers.{{cite web |title=Universal Jobmatch Alternative - We Respect Your Privacy |url=http://www.universaljobmatchplus.co.uk/ |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927013617/http://www.universaljobmatchplus.co.uk/ |archivedate=27 September 2015 |work=Universal Jobmatch Plus |df=dmy-all}}

On 12 February 2014, it was revealed in a Freedom of Information Act request{{cite web |date=19 March 2013 |title=Universal Jobmatch procurement (first tender) |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/universal_jobmatch_procurement_f |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221184953/https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/universal_jobmatch_procurement_f |archivedate=21 February 2014 |work=whatdotheyknow.com |df=dmy-all}} that Monster did not win the Universal Jobmatch tender, falling into last place on value and second to last place on evaluation scoring,{{cite web |date=12 February 2014 |title=Universal Jobmatch – Tender Scam - Ipswich Unemployed Action. |url=http://intensiveactivity.wordpress.com/2014/02/12/universal-jobmatch-tender-scam/ |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303175717/http://intensiveactivity.wordpress.com/2014/02/12/universal-jobmatch-tender-scam/ |archivedate=3 March 2014 |work=Ipswich Unemployed Action. |df=dmy-all}} until the service was put back out.{{cite web |date=19 March 2013 |title=Universal Jobmatch procurement (first tender) - a Freedom of Information request to Department for Work and Pensions |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/153748/response/390213/attach/3/FOI+1309+Response+150513+Final.pdf |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083131/https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/153748/response/390213/attach/3/FOI%201309%20Response%20150513%20Final.pdf |archivedate=4 March 2016 |publisher= |df=dmy-all}}

The Government paid Methods Consulting Limited and Jobsite UK (Worldwide) Limited £950,000 compensation,{{cite web |title=Contact (for personal messages only, not advice or guidance) |url=http://refuted.org.uk/2013/12/20/bungabungle/ |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140217005858/http://refuted.org.uk/2013/12/20/bungabungle/ |archivedate=17 February 2014 |work=refuted.org.uk |df=dmy-all}} who should have won both tenders when the new contract was awarded.

Concerns were raised as to how Monster's "satisfactory" evaluation score and high bid in the first tender, resulted in a near-perfect evaluation score in the second tender and a bid of under half the original which in turn made them competitive.

Allegations of insider dealing and corruption were made because of this.

As of 1 March 2013, JobCentre Plus advisers could, if giving a good reason, require Jobseeker's Allowance claimants to use the site through a JobSeeker Direction. If they refused to comply, they could be recommended for a benefit sanction.

A decision-maker took the final decision over whether benefit should be removed, which as a consequence of the UK Government's Welfare Reform Act 2012, could lead to a loss of state benefits for up to 3 years.{{cite web |author= |date=4 March 2013 |title=JobSeekers required to use Universal Jobmatch |url=http://www.dwp.gov.uk/newsroom/press-releases/2013/mar-2013/dwp030-13.shtml |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130411022911/http://www.dwp.gov.uk/newsroom/press-releases/2013/mar-2013/dwp030-13.shtml |archivedate=11 April 2013 |accessdate=5 November 2013 |publisher=Department for Work and Pensions |df=dmy-all}}

{{cite web |title=Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) - GOV.UK |url=https://www.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance/further-information |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011045000/https://www.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance/further-information |archivedate=11 October 2015 |accessdate=2015-11-03 |df=dmy-all}}

Registered users had the option to allow the DWP to have access to their account to allow the department to monitor their activity,{{cite web |title=Universal Jobmatch jobs and skills search - |url=https://jobsearch.direct.gov.uk/Account/TermsConditions.aspx?mid=302375&did=302376&md=15/11/2012%2011:58:00&opt=1073&mp=upd |work=direct.gov.uk}} as requested by Monster, the site provider on behalf of the DWP).

Whilst this was not mandatory, some claimants were threatened with benefit sanctions for not doing so.{{cite news |date=20 December 2012 |title=Log on or stop signing on, Iain Duncan Smith says in warning to job seekers |url=http://metro.co.uk/2012/12/20/log-on-or-stop-signing-on-iain-duncan-smith-says-in-warning-to-job-seekers-3326097/ |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106212614/http://metro.co.uk/2012/12/20/log-on-or-stop-signing-on-iain-duncan-smith-says-in-warning-to-job-seekers-3326097/ |archivedate=6 November 2013 |accessdate=5 November 2013 |work=Metro (British newspaper) |df=dmy-all}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

1. https://www.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance
2. https://www.gov.uk/jobsearch
3. https://jobsearch.direct.gov.uk/Home.aspx

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