Peoples views on lower paid jobs

[UrbanMan27]

Evening all,

I just wanted to bring up this thread because I have noticed in the last decade or so that people seem to frown upon jobs for example; (Cleaners, Carers, Bus drivers etc) also people without Degrees get frowned upon too. What can't some people accept that a Job is a Job and not having a Degree makes you a failure.

What's your take on this?

I can only work part time as a HCA in a hospital as I have Schizoaffective disorder which does affect things but I also get some PIP for epilepsy which helps.

I would love to be able to work more hours and not get benefits but my health isn't good enough at present.
I do actually enjoy my job although it's quite stressful. I also have a degree. I earn basically the NMW.

My sister however earns at least £45k in her career and doesn't even have A levels, just lots of relevant experience & contacts.
But she's very bright & is trying to get some more training courses done.

For all these people who look down their noses at people without decent jobs/degrees on many occasions those who graduate end up in the same type of jobs. Despite having further education. For example Deliveroo, nursery assistant, supermarket job (shelf stacking) all of which an 18 year old can fairly easily achieve.

I would be frowning upon people who frown upon those with no degrees and with basic ordinary jobs. I detest snobs.

I also detest snobs and realise that all the jobs the OP mentions are vital for a society to thrive.

I also think people (whatever their job) should take pride in doing a good job. I think that has been lost somewhat in all areas of life. You can tell those who still do 😊

I agree. And we all know who would be the first to complain (and the loudest) if those so-called menial jobs weren't being done!

I also agree that taking pride in a job well done has been lost in many cases.

We're all cogs in a wheel, it's stupid to look down on anyone for their job. Anyone that does, must be a pretty insecure person.

I've always enjoyed my lower paid jobs more but ultimately couldn't survive on NMW as a single parent with a mortgage in London.

Feel quite envious that someone could survive doing a few shifts a week at Sainsbury's.

I don't know why anyone would look down on anyone for doing any job to be honest - what an absolute waste of brain space. Anyone who does just isn't worth your energy, and I just think is it not bad enough we don't pay these essential jobs properly without people being twats about it??
I do a stressful 'non-job' and my DP works in manual trades and anecdotally we have quite unusual experiences - He has never found himself to be looked down on by people in my type of job, however he has by people who have 'climbed the ladder' in his trade (and he is not 'entry level' skilled either) and I've only ever been looked down on by people who work in trades for 'sitting on my arse in a cushy office all day'.

Anyone is ok in my eyes, employed or not, in any job, as long as they are a decent person. I really do not understand the mentality of believing anyone is better or worse than someone else for what they do for a living.

It's true that a lot of people look down on lowly jobs and I hate that.

I have a low paid job but I also have a degree and had an associated career. In the end I chose my mental health over money.

My son is an apprentice bricklayer. His earning potential ,when fully qualified, is far in excess of many graduates. He could also build his own house 😂

Absolutely 💯

I'll add support workers to the list too - good ones can be utterly vital. Kept my relative out of hospital for years.

I have been a C Suite executive for decades. I have given it up to buy a little company and I am going to live on a fifth of my salary a bit like @MintJulia
I have always worked in retail on barely above minimum wage between contracts. I hate not working it effects my mental health. I get a shop job and serve the customer. Could I do it forever? No because 9 hours on my feet kills me and when the management find out my background they hate me ((they think I want their job, I don't). I always engage with tradespeople as they are so interesting. I worked in a charity shop and we had a huge variation of staff. All appreciated, all doing a much needed job often for free.
My niece is a carer in a nursing home. She was a top flight hairdresser. She prefers the company of the OAPs over the Prima Donna hair clients.

Yes it’s true re tradesmen, some can earn a lot but have to work far harder and physically too than a lot of people who say are in finance! Also you can’t get anywhere these days without completing courses and extra work such as a masters! You have to keep bettering yourself constantly to stay ahead in the game and keep increasing your earning potential!!!

Got my degree at age 38, but only then realised it wasn’t worth much.

tis just a piece of paper to help hr depts.

got to respect the bin guys, etc, more, because it’s a job most of us wouldn’t/couldn’t do. Anyone can be an accountant given the training, support, and a modicum of ability to add stuff up.

@Daisydooooooo

Yep, my brother has been a successful plasterer for many years and also earned more than me and my sister who went to university. It’s levelling out now I’m middle age as he’s burning out quicker than me and my sister and physically he is struggling whilst our careers are still on the up. You can peak early sometimes.

@Rebel2

So you worked as a carer with a business degree? I’ve also worked as a carer with a degree, key word here being “worked”.

It is unusual for anyone to remain working as a carer when they have other credentials. Reason being the whole sector isn’t credible in terms of staffing levels, pay, basic safeguarding, and there appears to be a complete lack of dignity for the elderly.

Many people who remain in the sector do so because they can’t get other work. They’re certainly not at all caring individuals, well not the ones I came across anyway. LOTS of bad apples in that profession with the odd outlier.

Yes. I no longer work in care but am still in a min wage job and likely to remain in it

I have a degree. I work in a supermarket. I'm actually a team leader but only to guarantee more hours.

Husband is a skilled craftsman. He also works in a supermarket.

We live semi rural south west. Not a lot of options really. My work is 5 minutes from home and I get discount.

The only thing I would think about typically lower paid jobs is that they are a lot of work. I have 3 degrees and a higher paid job, and I would assume it's a hell of a lot easier than being a carer or a childminder or a cleaner, which is proper hard work.

That said, dh is self-employed doing something manual that doesn't require a degree (he does have a degree though). He makes more than me or anyone else I know! I physically couldn't do it though, even for all that money.

@Rebel2

So you left your caring job to go into another NMW wage job? Well, I don’t blame you one bit for that. A lot of people with sense did the same thing, even if meant working in supermarkets which by the way offered them a much better standard of living and better working conditions. No brainer.

Probably already been said but covid taught us that it was the lower paid jobs that kept society functioning during lockdown.

I find that people often assume that some jobs are low paid, when they are not.

I used to be a Bank Manager.

Now I do home boarding for dogs. All I have to do is sit with the dogs, feed and walk them twice a day, let them in to the garden a few times a day, pet them....absolutely love them all to bits.

Guess which pays more?

I've noticed a few things about those who look down on the lower paid jobs - they aren't shy about using the services they provide, relying on them in some cases so they can do their 'better' jobs.
I think there's an element of something I can't quite name, maybe guilt, fear or entitlement that they know fine well they're relying on people that are treated badly and paid poorly to further their own endeavours and therefore do some mental gymnastics to assure themselves that the person/people they rely on are thick, lazy, uninspired and only in those jobs because they can't do any better - and if they can make the people they rely upon believe that then everything will stay the same and essential work that props up society will remain available and cheap, and you can guilt people into continuing by telling them it's a 'vocation' so really, we don't want people doing it for the money, do we?
If you appreciate those roles in society for what they actually do in supporting the rest of society, then you run the risk of them withdrawing that work until they are compensated fairly for it. I really do think that's how the government thinks at the least, and that attitude is a large part of the issues we're facing at the moment in health and social care.

There's also a bit of hypocrisy going on, as people who do this are often the ones who complain the loudest about the service they get - they are happy to think that anyone in a lower paid job is an idiot who can't do any better and isn't really important, but then are emotionally upset, angry and demand the impossible the highest standards from them at the same time - always baffled me that people expect 100% all the time and how important they think it is, from people they have zero respect for and who they don't view as important - if you think people in these jobs are idiots, why an earth are you expecting high standards? Of course many say they're not high standards, but basic, but even then - why are you even expecting that?