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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not want to take any minimum wage job?

99 replies

samandi · 03/11/2011 08:15

I've just finished my Masters, early 30's, living with partner but supporting myself on my (dwindling) savings. Have been applying for loads of jobs, willing to commute within a two hour distance if possible and affordable, but the only offer I've had is for a minimum wage call-centre job, and a temporary one at that. I did call-centre work for a year when younger and absolutely loathed it, and kind of feel I shouldn't have to go back to it. Plus it's awkward hours - shifts, weekends, evenings. It won't do much to help my financial situation. Not really sure why I applied now - in a fit of desperation I think.

Am I being unreasonable to turn it down, or am I just workshy and should I be grateful for anything that comes my way?

OP posts:

overmydeadbody · 03/11/2011 08:19

YANBU ofr not wanting it, but no harm in taking a job like that while you are looking for a proper career. What was your masters in? What kind of career do you want?

AlpinePony · 03/11/2011 08:19

Yab a bit u.

Having a masters does not entitle you to a fancy-pants job. Unless of course your undergrad was medicine of course.

StrandedBear · 03/11/2011 08:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CaveMum · 03/11/2011 08:21

Sorry, I'm of the opinion that any work is better than no work.

I think I'm right in saying (though I'm sure I'll be corrected if not) that you won't be able to claim JSA if you're turning work down.

HettyAmaretti · 03/11/2011 08:22

YANBU not to want to work in a call center after years of study. YABU to not take the job (while you continue to look for something more appropriate), it's the only thing on offer and you're living from savings.

Methe · 03/11/2011 08:22

Of course you're better than minimum wage like most of us.

Take the job and be thankful for it. Thousands of people would love to be in your situation.

Original poster

samandi · 03/11/2011 08:23

overmydeadbody - biology. Ideally something vaguely relevant, but "vaguely relevant" could mean something quite broad!

AlpinePony - when did I say I wanted a "fancy-pants job"? Or that I was "entitled" to one?

StrandedBear - I don't need the job to tide me over. Yes I'm moaning a bit though :-)

OP posts:

Original poster

samandi · 03/11/2011 08:23

CaveMum - I'm not entitled to JSA anyway. Not claiming any benefits.

OP posts:

HecateGoddessOfTheNight · 03/11/2011 08:23

imo, you take whatever job you have to in order to feed yourself and keep a roof over your head.

If you have savings that you can live off, and you prefer to do that, that's your choice. But you exhaust your savings and then what?

It's also easier to get a job if you've got a job I don't know why that should be, but it really does seem to be. So maybe take it, and look for something else.

At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter what you feel you should or shouldn't have to do. It is what it is. You need money. What you feel you shouldn't have to go back to is, in the nicest possible way, irrelevent.

To quote my dad "No honest work is beneath anybody"

Original poster

samandi · 03/11/2011 08:24

Methe - I've worked loads of minimum wage jobs in the past. The problem isn't the wage so much, I'd be happy to do it if it wasn't something I absolutely hated.

OP posts:

senua · 03/11/2011 08:24

Normally I would say take 'any NMW job' but call cantres are a bit different. Don't forget that when you have been there a few months and can't stand it any more fancy moving on, you won't get JSA when if you walk out.

Are there no Christmas jobs?

Callisto · 03/11/2011 08:25

Well if I was jobless I would do anything to make ends meet, including working on the tills at Tesco. Having a masters means nothing in this job market, especially if you masters isn't something that translates easily into something employers will find useful, History of Art or something equally useless.

So, I think you are being very unreasonable to not take what work you can.

gitinora · 03/11/2011 08:26

I think this is a difficult one! I can understand why you think you shouldnt work for the minimum wage but a job is a job at the end of the day!
Millions work for the minimum wage everyday and are grateful to have a job at all.
If you can cope without working for a while, i would keep looking for something better but set myself a time limit of say a few months and if i had not got something then take any job i could get.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 03/11/2011 08:26

Agree with Hecate, take what job you can if you need one. Don't if you don't. But you never know where a job, however seemingly unsuitable, could lead. I've had many unscheduled job changes through being in the right place at the right time.

AFuckingKnackeredWoman · 03/11/2011 08:27

You don't know how long it will take to find another. I would take the job.

A wage is a wage after all

senua · 03/11/2011 08:27

"No honest work is beneath anybody"

But does call centre work qualify as 'honest work'? There are some proper, useful call centres and then there are the others ...

AlpinePony · 03/11/2011 08:28

Oh right. I misunderstood, I thought your OP was about thinking you were too good for min wage mind-numbing work.

I loved cleaning toilets to put food on the table.

Now I'm going to make the assumption that you're quite bright, so presumably you were aware of the fact that biomed positions are few and far between - and frequently poorly paid. In addition, I'm going to assume it didn't take you 8 years to complete your masters and so the economy as a whole has been fucked for a while but you went in to all of this with your eyes open.

storminabuttercup · 03/11/2011 08:30

Are you sure it's minimum wage? I work in a call centre and have worked in a few in my time and they are usually a few quid more than min hourly wage!

Nothing wrong with call centre work IMO, I also work with a vast number of people with a university education!

TheRealTillyMinto · 03/11/2011 08:33

YANBU as you are not claiming JSA. if you hate call centres per se, then dont do this job but dont make it about the money.

I have done pre NMW jobs for £3 per hour (& i am not much older than you). Actually as a 12 year old i worked 50 hours a week for £1 per hour (in my parents business).

I now earn a v high salary & think i benefited greatly from the low paid ones.

maybenow · 03/11/2011 08:41

i have to say that while i wouldn't mind answering the phone in a call centre and i have in the past done data entry in one, i would not work cold-calling people or selling to domestic customers. i couldn't do it, it would make me feel terrible.

however, some minimum wage jobs can be fun - retail at xmas can have a great team atmosphere - and bars and restraunts can be fun places to work too.

if you have savings to live on then a totally unrelated job isn't perhaps the best route to your planned career - have you tried unpaid internships? work experience? or finding any kind of job in biomed... pharma companies often need min-wage staff and that could help you in the long run get to know the industry.

FlangelinaBallerina · 03/11/2011 08:42

I'm going to be controversial and say that if you don't need this post financially, and don't think it will do anything for you in the long term, you might be justified in leaving it for someone who really needs it. That job could make a huge difference to someone's life. You have every right to take it, since it's been offered to you. But I wouldn't necessarily assume that taking it is the most 'moral' option, iyswim. Given that you wouldn't be claiming any benefits, it's nobody else's business. I'm assuming your partner earns too much to qualify you for anything even when your savings have gone, but you could clarify that for us.

Having said that, I'd make sure you do something else with your time instead- volunteering perhaps. Others have mentioned how being in a job can lead to other things, get you a foot in the door and contacts. They're right, but the same is also true of volunteering. And you'd be using your education and skills to make a positive difference in society.

Ciske · 03/11/2011 08:43

After my masters degree I took any temporary job, even mininum wage, to keep myself in work while looking for something better. Eventually, one of those shitty jobs led to an excellent development opportunity with the same company. Every job will teach you skills - call centre jobs are great to prove you can work under pressure, deal with external customers, and can work to targets and set standards. If nothing else, it shows to future employers that you're a hard worker and have the discipline to stay in a regular job (you'd be surprised how many young people struggle with that!). It will look much better on your CV than months/years of nothingness.

A degree will give you better prospects long term, but it doesn't mean you're too good start at the bottom of the ladder and fight your way up like anyone else.

If you're financially ok to sit it out for a few more months, go for it, but don't leave yourself out of the job market too long.

Trills · 03/11/2011 08:44

YANBU to not WANT to, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't.

Depending on where you are you can get low-paid but genteel sorts of office work, sorting post and answering phones and basically covering holiday for 2 weeks at a time. Not burger-flipping or cold-calling.

Original poster

samandi · 03/11/2011 08:46

senua - have applied for Christmas jobs. Wouldn't mind shop work!

gitinora - I think that's the way I'm leaning - setting a time limit of a few months of something, and possibly doing a voluntary placement in the meantime.

Alpine - not really sure what you're trying to say. I didn't say anything about biomed, and biomed positions aren't all that poorly paid anyway. I went back to uni because I was jobless after a contract finished and thought it would help my career prospects (plus I got a scholarship so it was money coming in).

storm - yes, minimum wage. Nothing wrong with it if that's what you like at all.

Tilly - yes I've done below minimum wage too :-) My first job was £5000 per annum!

OP posts:

ThatsNotMyBabyBelly · 03/11/2011 08:47

It is easier to find a job when you have a job I think - it'll give out the right message to the employers you are hoping to attract that you are a grafter and will apply yourself even if the circumstances are not ideal.

YABU

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