Please could you tell me how many different jobs you've done in your life and how old you are?

[mustytrusty]

Just that really. I have just been out with some friends and it came up that they were laughing at the number of different jobs I've had in my life and were taking the piss out of me about it.

For some perspective I am 55 and have had maybe 10 different jobs. By which I mean actual different job titles rather than different workplaces. So for example I've been a PA in 3 different organisations but I'd class that as one job, or I've worked as a carer for 3 different companies and I'd class that as one job.

Two of the people I was with are teachers and do nothing but moan about their work but have been teachers for years so have only ever done one job. One of the others has never worked anywhere (family wealth) and the other did two jobs then retrained as a nurse which is what they do now.

So I am the odd one out for having done a few different job roles. And I have never been out of work or been off sick with work-related stress or similar, unlike at least one of the others.

I just feel upset that they thought that my different range of jobs were somehow lesser than their jobs that they've stuck in for years and that I am somehow fickle or less good than them as I haven't stuck in a job that has made me ill or made me moan about.

But it also made me wonder if I am somehow weird for having a lot of different job roles over the years. So, how many job roles have you done and how old are you, please?

tell me how many different jobs you've done in your life and how old you

About 15. I've counted various temp agency jobs as 1 job, though.
What can I say? I get bored easily. I'm 50's and retired now. So I say I'm winning.

50, not counting Saturday and student jobs I've had 3 related roles, all in finance, 15 years, 8 yrs and 4 yrs. it was a planned career arc for me

I'd have thought quite a few people would have quite a few jobs, if you include Saturday and summer jobs. I've done library assistant in public and academic libraries, lifeguarding and swimming teaching in various places round the country, house cleaning and holiday chalet cleaning, documentation management, systems administration (which is what I've mostly done for over a quarter of a century, though i think about escaping.) But I've also done voluntary work in museums, and briefly taught language for free.

I have 3 different careers and 3 summer jobs.

5 different retail jobs from 16 to graduating

Self employed 2 fields since

I'm nearing 50 and also a teacher. I have had one job and one employer for 25 years now.

Early 50s and have counted up to about 15 different job roles - mainly across my teens, 20s and 30s. I've had two big career changes. I'm pretty settled in my current profession now as it provides so much interest, variety and travel.

It's a common pattern for women in tech. Men have often done computing at school, uni, and then as a job, nothing else. Women are far more likely to have had other careers first before getting into IT. (I was in libraries. I've worked with a former chef, people from marketing, a biologist... I think it's good, having a broader outlook, and not only IT experience )

67 and retired from wage earning now, although I still work as an artist. I've worked as a shop assistant, office clerk, administrator, manager, care worker, cleaner, kitchen assistant, cook, run a guest house, creative workshop facilitator, festival arranger, professional artist, art tutor. So 13 different types of job. Innumerable actual positions!

I'm early 40s, my work history is

Paper round
Waitress
Theatre usher
Hotel room attendant aka chamber maid
Sales adviser (2 different work places)
Admin assistant (2 different)
LSA
Teacher
Child minder
Project manager assistant
Project manager

So 11. The first 5 were part time jobs as a child or while at college and uni (have worked since 14).

55 and three employers in my career as a lawyer. Had a number of roles within those employments. Had 3 gap year/student employers before my professional career, one of which re-employed me every uni holiday.

I worked as a waitress until my early twenties I then went into childcare a i also occasionally topped up my wage with bar work. .I went back to school in my thirties and did a degree. I started working in social services but it wasn't for me. I tried TA in a school but didn't like it and have worked in a library for past five years which I love. Im mid forties. So that's 5 different roles but equals 16 jobs!
Dh on the other hand did one job at uni then did the job he qualified in straight out of uni. He's worked for three companies.

45 and I’ve had quite a few different jobs. The range of work I did as a student adds a lot to this

• paper round
• retail (four very different areas - supermarket, pharmacy chain, large department store, small bakery)
• marketing
• hospitality - pubs
• betting agency call centre
• teaching assistant / tutor
• researcher
• babysitting (regularly for the same family for a couple of years)
• admin roles as a temp in different organizations - council office, NHS, engineering company
• travel agent
• Recruitment consultant

all these before the age of 25 and all (except the recruitment role) part time alongside full time education and/or in the holidays. I’ve never actually listed it out before but doing so I’d like to pat my younger self on the back and tell her that she was an impressive kid who worked hard and was brave to throw herself into so many different things. Being poor gave me a lot of motivation to work -I had to in order to fund my lunch money in sixth form or to have any pocket money.

Last 20 years I have spent on a career path in the same industry -very differing roles (and across 8 businesses in total) but working towards my current senior role leading a business area. I’m also a charity trustee.

The takeaway - I’m a very adaptable, fast learning person who thrives on change and has a load of generalist skills that serve me well in lots of different roles and environments.

20 different jobs/emoloyers

dont see what the issue is

its expected now that people stay in a job for 2 years ish

I don't think it's unusual OP. I think it's great as well to have experience in lots of areas.

I'm 55 and been:

Office junior
Waitress
Shop Assistant
Cleaner
Receptionist
Payments Clerk
Admin Assistant
Team Assistant
PA
Exec Asst
Operations Manager
Business Development Executive
Team Manager
Project Manager
Producer

And probably a few more I've forgotten. It's 10 permanent jobs and about 90 casual / temp roles.

I fell into my career path at 19yrs so whilst my title changed as I moved up the career ladder, I've been in the Finance dept for 25yrs but many various industries which has kept it interesting. I've worked for 5 employers in that time. Not including the many part time roles I did as a teen.

Thanks everyone. I am reassured that I'm not weird or flakey or unable to commit. I am more on the 'normal' scale than people who have only ever done one job in one place so I feel a lot better. And I also think the range of things I've done is very similar to many others.

Thank you!

Aged 60

paper round
babysitter
market stall assistant
office junior
secretary/PA
foster carer
support worker
housekeeper
personal wellbeing advisor
counsellor
volunteer family support worker

I’m in my 40s and have done 4 main types of job:

• temp admin jobs
• temp call centre jobs
• permanant job in legal sector
• various roles within marketing

Hmm, in my first few years of work I was a carer and worked in sales, but then I got into my career and have stayed put.

Depends on age really. If you count all my jobs ever then 4 but in my adult life since uni only 1 job that relates to my degree, and two companies. I'm in my 40s.

I'm 74,at 13 volunteer in local hospital. Left school,clerk,clerk typist, typist, secretary,also working as usherette in local cinema. Quantifier in building company. 21 nursing training, plus office cleaning. Mortgage (contrary to popular belief,no mortgage on one wage) mostly nursing, hospital or nursing home,ft nights plus cleaning jobs, agency nursing, (at the same time)registered child minder. Couple of years back secretarial/break down recovery,as DM was dying in the hospital where I worked because of incompetence! Retired at 65. Now volunteer for local parish and area councillor, have done for about 8 years.

I'm 52 and since I was 16 I've had 20 jobs. Many of them were the same ( supermarkets and bar work( and some i had together (like 3 to 4 jobs at once )which was youth work and life guarding. The early ones were when I was a young adult and then after uni I settled into longer term ones. I've been a PC, sexual health workers and teacher (longer term). I have never had any issues with this amount tbh. I'm now looking for another type of job.

I guess people who have a career probably have less jobs?
I'm not a career person and have had shitloads of jobs, and probably couldn't remember them all if I tried!