I work in a Jobcentre. The bottom line is you're asked to come in once a fortnight, on time. This isn't the hardest thing in the world to ask for. If you're late it means people who turn up on time will be seen late as a consequence.

If you had a job interview, you would be expected to turn up on time, or you wouldn't get the job, so why should signing on be any different? I manage to get to work on time everyday, from a different town, and I don't even drive.

You will find Jobsworths in all occupations. I don't consider myself one, and am willing to bend rules in certain situations. I try to be friendly, informal, and sympathetic to people's situations. However if clients are rude to you, you are hardly likely to go the extra mile for them. Myself, and most of my colleagues, who include casual workers, have signed on ourselves in the past, so we know what it's like.

I was never late for any appointment there, but I was saying they would have b*ll*cked me if I was (I saw it happen to other "Job Seekers"). I was always early, and they never kept to the appointed time. So please don't patronise me and lecture me about punctuality, Jobsworth. Obviously, I consider a proper job interview more important than the time-wasting charade of attending a Job Centre to be quizzed by a junior clerk who knew nothing about the type of work I was looking for.

The whole thing was a waste of time from my point of view. They were not geared up for finding work for anyone except the most mundane jobs for unskilled workers, yet they forced me to go through the motions of looking at the vacancies on their computer every week. There was never anything there except for that type of work (McDonalds dishwasher, cleaner, etc.). I didn't even want the JSA, but I was told I had to sign on to get the NI contributions paid, or I would lose out.

I was seeking work through the usual channels (agencies, job ads in the press/Internet, etc.) and eventually found work through my own efforts without any help at all from the Job Centre. I found the whole experience of attending there demeaning and humiliating, as I expect is their intention. After 30 years of paying their wages I felt I was entitled to a little more respect - but that counts for nowt in their eyes.

Jobsworth, I expect you are a nice person as you say (your comments indicate that you are), so please don't think I'm saying that all Job Centre staff are like that. That was just my experience, and it's something I hope I never have to go through again. Next time I find myself out of work I'd rather stay away from the Job Centre even if it means my NI contributions won't get paid. That would also keep the government happy, because it would be one less on the unemployment figures.

I wasn't even allowed to go on holiday without reporting to a Job Centre in the town I was visiting. They think paying me 53 quid a week entitles them to run my life, which is what I found the worst aspect.