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Original poster

Are you/have you ever been embarrassed of your job?

55 replies

ShesSingingAgain · 18/11/2021 21:03

When LO was born and we went to register him, I remember the registrar asking me my occupation, I told her she wrote it down. She then asked my OH who is a sales assistant, he hesitated and then said do you have to put it, she said yes. He then reluctantly said he worked in a supermarket, and then said 'it's a bit shit do I have to have it written on the birth certificate'. The registrar then changed it to something like 'logistics personnel' and made his Job sound fancy.
I asked him why he did that afterwards he just said well it's not the best job and I didn't want LO to be embarrassed later in life.

OH still does a similar, he has the potential to do more however previous bad life choices and lack of confidence have resulted in him being in this position.

Any way this memory popped in to my head earlier and got me thinking, are you/have you ever been embarrassed of your job or even your partners job? Have you changed it to make it sound more glamorous?

OP posts:
PickupaPenguin8 · 18/11/2021 21:04

Do you mean embarrassed about your job?

fingersdoublecrossed · 18/11/2021 21:15

I get it. It's irrelevant really.
I don't think this info is on my birth certificate? But I do remember my father's occupation being recorded on my marriage certificate. I hope times have changed! My mum worked too but her employment details weren't required!
Your child will just be glad to have two parents who love them!

Hoolihan · 18/11/2021 21:19

My Dad retired and then took on a few weird jobs for extra cash/something to do, so on my marriage certificate he's down as 'blinds salesman'. Despite the 40 year career in IT infrastructure 😂 I think he was a bit embarrassed but it doesn't matter. I'm a bit embarrassed of mine because it's quite lame and I probably haven't fulfilled my potential. Just like they said I wouldn't at school!

Thinkbiglittleone · 18/11/2021 21:22

No, a job doesn't define who you are, anyone who would judge us on that, is not likely to be involved in our friendship circle, anyone outside out friendship circle, well, their opinion doesn't really count for anything anyway.

It's a shame your DH felt like that, earning a wage is something to be proud of, he should be proud.

Yoyooo · 18/11/2021 21:24

I was a waitress when I had DS and was horrifically embarrassed about it. I remember when doing his birth certificate I made them put hospitality worker so it wouldn't say waitress. I swore then I wouldn't go back to being a waitress and would work hard to be in a job I was proud of. I took a trainee job when DS was 6 months old and now 4 years later I am a operations manager.

HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 18/11/2021 21:28

I do a bit but more because it sounds a bit fancy and wanky (American company full of Presidents, Vice Presidents, Directors etc) and I don't want to come across as stuck up to other school mums or casual acquaintances .

Bookridden · 18/11/2021 21:36

OP, I think your DH should be proud. Retail staff did wonders in keeping a lot of shops open and functioning through lockdown, and they don't get the recognition that NHS staff get. No lookingdown from me - just an acknowledgement that it may not be glamorous, but it's really important work.

SarahAndQuack · 18/11/2021 21:46

@PickupaPenguin8

Do you mean embarrassed about your job?
What a total wankerish thing to say.
SarahAndQuack · 18/11/2021 21:47

OP, I know what you mean. I'm unemployed at the moment and I feel really embarrassed about it, though I keep telling myself I shouldn't, and I expected it and prepared for it.

Doona · 18/11/2021 21:51

Ohh that just breaks my heart! Of course your kids would never be embarrassed by that, and if they are, they need a shake.
Working to support the family is always admirable. The more hands on, the more impressive.

MelroseWasRobbed · 18/11/2021 21:53

@Yoyooo

I was a waitress when I had DS and was horrifically embarrassed about it. I remember when doing his birth certificate I made them put hospitality worker so it wouldn't say waitress. I swore then I wouldn't go back to being a waitress and would work hard to be in a job I was proud of. I took a trainee job when DS was 6 months old and now 4 years later I am a operations manager.
I'm a waitress on my dd's BC, never occurred to me to be embarrassed. I have an interesting-sounding job title now, but I'm not ashamed of any of my former "low-status" jobs. They were honest work and everything's an experience Smile
EileenGC · 18/11/2021 21:58

I worked various cleaning and customer facing (bottom-of-the-chain) jobs whilst studying and was never ashamed of it.

I remember when I moved to the UK to uni (posh and ‘old’ institution that prouds itself on 70% of their student body coming from public schools), I had to put my parents’ occupations on the online registration form. We don’t have anything like that back home. My mum is a cleaner and my dad is a builder and after I wrote it down I remember her saying ‘go smash it and show them they should take that section off the form’.

I think she might have felt a bit ashamed when visiting her home country where people remembered her as a nurse, and telling them she didn’t work as one anymore. Never showed it to us though.

Noseylittlemoo · 18/11/2021 22:01

I work in a shop. I often feel embarrassed/inferior to my peers who earn a lot more as accountants, solicitors, run their own business etc.
But I know that working face to face with the public everyday is something that requires skills that not everyone has. And I sometimes have the best stories about nightmare customers!

AlCalavicci · 18/11/2021 22:16

Years ago I was embarrassed to say that I was a cleaner , until I was employed by one of the best bosses I have ever had , he had a way of talking to everyone that made them feel appreciated and there opinions and ideas were valued and implemented whenever possible.

In one meeting ( when I had been there a monthish ) he got all of us together for a briefing on the next big job were going to ( we were mobile industrial cleaners ) as usual we went through the when / where / how / teams / equipment / chemicals etc and he showed us a short video and some photos of where we were going .
It was a disused kitchen in a big restaurant that had been shut for about two moths , it was revolting food had been left in unplugged fridges on work tops the deep fryer was still full of oil and the cooker hoods looked like they hadnt ever been cleaned .

It took 6 of us four 10 hr days of hard graft to get it clean , unbeknown to us he took photos of us working and more once we had finished.
The following week we had another meeting, for the next job but before he started talking about the new job he showed us the before , during and after photos and said
if anyone says you are only a cleaner show them this then ask to see what they have done this week We were all chuffed to bits to be cleaners !

When the restaurant opened about a month later I went there for a very nice meal Smile

XenoBitch · 18/11/2021 22:20

Yes, I was a cleaner for years. I was ashamed as hell. I remember cleaning a corridor and a lady telling her daughter that she needed to work hard at school or she would be like me. I was a cleaner, but also a student at the time. There were lots of Band 1 staff that were also students... some were medical students.
Was also a hospital porter and was ashamed of that too.
I tried to tell myself that if I was not doing my job, the NHS would be fucked.

XenoBitch · 18/11/2021 22:21

But now I am on UC, and not working at all. I am so ashamed of that, it is ridiculous.

Doona · 18/11/2021 22:24

Xenobitch! It's like shame follows you everywhere, no matter what.

Doona · 18/11/2021 22:25

Mind you, same. I'm SAHM at the moment, which is okay, but there's so much I do badly or fail to do.

XenoBitch · 18/11/2021 22:25

@Doona

Xenobitch! It's like shame follows you everywhere, no matter what.
Yes, like a bad smell.
YewandOak · 18/11/2021 22:28

Never been embarrased about any of my jobs,not even when I was a cleaner. Someone has to do the ''lowly'' jobs.
I'm a supervisor/duty manager in a cafe and proud of it even though some people think it's nothing special. I'm working,that's the main thing.

Doona · 18/11/2021 22:33

What could be more admirable than a hospital worker? Like seriously, I can't even think of a more worthwhile job, in terms of contributing to society. Cleaning too. So weird that these jobs are associated with low status. Why?

XenoBitch · 18/11/2021 22:49

@Doona

What could be more admirable than a hospital worker? Like seriously, I can't even think of a more worthwhile job, in terms of contributing to society. Cleaning too. So weird that these jobs are associated with low status. Why?
Low status, therefore must be thick to be doing them. Even though someone has to be doing them otherwise hospitals would be shafted. Every low paid job needs someone to do them.
FizzyPiglet · 18/11/2021 22:54

I'm not just an auditor, but a health and safety auditor. Oh yes.

I am a professional killjoy.

People have actually said to my face 'Dont you mind that everybody hates you?'

I do cringe a bit inside when I tell people what I do.

Saladcreamormayo · 18/11/2021 23:04

yes, I worked in a factory when my first dc was born I remember being embarrassed that my occupation was recorded as factory worker on their birth certificate. I much prefer the short certificate where none of that info is recorded.

Bideyinn · 18/11/2021 23:27

@AlCalavicci

Years ago I was embarrassed to say that I was a cleaner , until I was employed by one of the best bosses I have ever had , he had a way of talking to everyone that made them feel appreciated and there opinions and ideas were valued and implemented whenever possible.

In one meeting ( when I had been there a monthish ) he got all of us together for a briefing on the next big job were going to ( we were mobile industrial cleaners ) as usual we went through the when / where / how / teams / equipment / chemicals etc and he showed us a short video and some photos of where we were going .
It was a disused kitchen in a big restaurant that had been shut for about two moths , it was revolting food had been left in unplugged fridges on work tops the deep fryer was still full of oil and the cooker hoods looked like they hadnt ever been cleaned .

It took 6 of us four 10 hr days of hard graft to get it clean , unbeknown to us he took photos of us working and more once we had finished.
The following week we had another meeting, for the next job but before he started talking about the new job he showed us the before , during and after photos and said
if anyone says you are only a cleaner show them this then ask to see what they have done this week We were all chuffed to bits to be cleaners !

When the restaurant opened about a month later I went there for a very nice meal Smile

Love this. What a great manager, and he was totally right