After you have your initial RAV meeting, how much time do you usually have until the next scheduled meeting?
What do you mean by initial meeting? When you register at the RAV office they normally tell you the date of the first meeting. Each subsequent meeting you are informed of the next date...and so on...normally once a month 4-5 weeks apart depending on the RAV mans' vacation plans.
For me it was 4 weeks after my first meeting, but they are not the same everywhere and it depends on your adviser. I know some people that have to go every 2 weeks but they have been unemployed for a long time!!!
I registered, and I had to attend an induction day and language assessment about three weeks later. At registration I was also given a date with my counsellor, which was a week or so after my language assessment.
Afterwards it's usually monthly meetings, though this is at the discretion of the RAV counsellor and depends on your strategy/progress measures.
So if I don't understand German, then I'm screwed. I have to report to the Meilen office.
They ask that if you dont speak German. Then you must bring someone who does!
In Zurich it's possible to do the induction day in English... I was enrolled on this without anyone asking about my German ability. Everything else is done through German. You are officially asked to have a German translator if you don't speak the language but some get lucky and have counsellors who want to practice their English or have another language in common with them. It's all highly subjective and unpredictable.
Not in the least. You have to ensure that you speak or can understand the spoken language of the canton where you apply, nothing subjective or uinpredicatable here.
You may strike lucky and find a mutualy acceptable compromise, but at the end of the day, the onus is on you to speak or understand the language of the canton.
I agree with the language use for integration. It demonstrates your employability in the job market of the canton and to an extent, your integration for future work. I am just adding that the language of the RAV sessions is still at the discretion of the RAV counsellor. German is of course their working language, and I do all of my RAV communication in German. I have however had colleagues who have been offered English, French and Italian in Zurich. None of which are listed as working languages of RAV Oerlikon.
RRS, I have to report to Meilen too, due to a recent move. My first meeting with a new advisor is tomorrow. Before, in Zurich, my advisor spoke English and in Meilen they refuse to. Meetings are once a month.
Marz
The lady told me in perfect English, "No one speaks English here, you'll need a translator"
hahahha. Which one was it? The one who did the registration at the window with make up from the 90s? That one told me 5 times that no one speaks English and my new adviser is very willing to practice her English, lol.
I would be perfectly capable of saying that sentence in German, French, Greek or Albanian, but I would not be happy to blag my way through something as important as a RAV interview with a client in any of those languages.
Inconvenient as it might be, the staff of such institutions are perfectly entitled to expect users of their services to either speak the local language or make arrangements for an interpreter.
There's a world of difference between ordering a hamburger and advising someone on seeking work.
Yes I agree, but when people go to the Zurich office there is a good chance someone will speak English. Plus the lady spoke more English than just that. I really need to just hold out till June, then I can apply for Tier 1 visa in the UK
Grey haired lady, she was nice enough, and i didn'[t have the energy to say anymore.
I've been with RAV for 3 months and from my own experience they're a useless bunch. Never got any good advice from them apart from 'keep looking'. Never mentioned any company, job positions available etc. On top of that my previous adviser told me I don't qualify for a German course, because I've not studied German before and if I was at A2 they would have paid for it. My current one was happy to send me on a course and said: 'It's great you're not A2 because you wouldn't qualify. Having worked in a similar industry before, I used to do a lot more.
Oh yeah, must be the same. I hope you get the same advisor as mine. She's nice.
Not long, then.
Can't you just blag your way through it in your best German to keep them off your back, then bugger off to England when they start getting shirty with you?
Just tell them you're applying for jobs at international schools or something...
I will have to get one of my friends who understands German to come along, but will have to be convenient to their schedule.
Will have to sell apt here also.
So she speaks English to you? How do they assign the advisors?
By your occupation? Do they check up on you in the time between meetings?
i.e if I want to go to the States, I haven't been back for 2 yrs, until my next meeting, can I go? Or will they be calling to advise about jobs, check up on me and mail stuff to me.