to think that most of us have worked behind a bar/ in a factory/supermarket/ as a cleaner at some point, HAVEN'T we?????

[bejeezus]

Came up in conversation today in the office, that I have worked as a barmaid; my colleagues where and I was equally that non of them have...I thought EVERYONE had worked behind a bar at some point in their life???

Ive had variousjobsinmylife, including factory work, working in kitchens, dog kennels, cleaning, callcentres; and now Im a professional

it gotme thinking--i went to uni and worked holidays/ evenings and weekends...now i think about it, hardly anyone else did that!

Am reading 'Chavs' at the minute and the author makes that very point....very large majorityof politicians have never done that kind of job and so cannot relate to the working classes AT ALL. It really hit home, how very far removed from normal folk, politicians are these days

But,most of yous have done/do these kind ofjobs-right?

Would you like a muffin with your tea?

Opening a little cafe somewhere nice is my dream....

YANBU. Have been waitress (can still carry six plates on one arm), leaflet-deliverer, envelope-stuffer in county court and long-time on-and-off temporary secretary. Never worked in a shop but only because the ones I applied to wouldn't have me! I thought everyone normal did that kind of thing in their university vacations?

In this order from 16-19yo while studying:

Supermarket produce dept
Supermarket checkout
Receptionist in a salon
Bar work

(i loved bar work but the hours were shit as was the pay)

Like most students, I held down loads of jobs over the time.

I have actually always had a job (except for 2 weeks of my life) since I was 9 years old.

Initially my older brother had two paper rounds - we used to go out together he did one side of the road and I did the other. He kept one wage and I had the other.

At 13, I moved on to a leaflet round as that paid more.

At 15, I got my first job at Woolworths. I was paid £2.05 for that job and actually had to take 3 tests (one literacy and 2 numeracy) and 2 interviews (one group, one individual) just to get a 4 hour a week job! I pretty much did this job until I went to uni.

Other jobs I have done include...

• Lots of shop work (some cool like River Island (loved that job) and others dire like The Disney Store)
• Worked in a bar
• Worked in a children's play scheme
• Worked as a care assistant in an old people's home. Got very acquainted with poo in that job .
• had a temp job in a factory - sticking stickers on headphones.
• Babysitting....

The one job I've never done is working in an office!

I could never do that 6 plates up the arm.

The worst jobs hurt, though. I ended up with proper hand injuries doing factory work, and same serving ice cream all day. Not nice.

I have worked in shops, call centres, take-aways/cafes, as a cleaner and across all social care.

My sister hasn't because she was hepled out a lot my our GM, she started at a lower level but never had to take part time jobs to make up her money, whilst she took qualifications.

Oh and i was a cleaner during and after Uni.

I was a miner
I was a railway man

Sorry has someone already done that? Long thread.

Can I have an iced bun please usual

"I have an urge to bingo now! I can't never keep up, it always makes me cry with laughter, and I always get frowned at...which makes me laugh more..."

Another 'me too' at that :)

My first visits to a Bingo Hall ever were by friends who live 'oop north' and boy, it was NOT the fun, relaxed evening I thought it was going to be!

I was constantly being told to 'calm down' as I found it all such fun. WRONG! Grab your marker and shut up love more like so it was

AND they actually served chips and gravy on plastic trays during the break which I'd thought was just a stereotype used in books before :) Marvellous!

Blimey, trip down amnesia lane? I also had betterware and avon rounds. They were hard work.

Umm interesting. Worked in many bars and pubs. Loved it Planted seedlings in a nursery, very boring and damp. Think it is a great leveller.

I am raising a family In times of austerity And I'd really like this not to be Between more bloody wars

That whole post at 21:37:40 GetOrf had me roaring!

Didn't think I'd get a laugh tonight, good ole MN :)

'your getorf does well but she makes too much noise, it put me off dabbing the no. 88 last Wednesday'

Yanbu, I've been a kitchen assistant, waitress, worked in shops, bar work, flyering and Market research. I think everyone I know has done this sort of work at some point.

Bloomin' 'eck no, its not supposed to be FUN bibi

Have been waitress & fruit- picker & cleaner.
Via teaching to SAHM

But wanted to say- I lived in very rural area (hence fruit-picking for crap wages) until I left home. If I had a bar job or supermarket or cleaning etc as a teen- my parents would have to drive me 15 miles to get there.
There were (and are) no part time jobs like that in some rural areas. So some people might say Molly-coddled- for me to have worked before I was 18 would've costly parents more in time/petrol than I would've earned. So they chose to give me some money instead.

Mainly waitressing, with the odd bit of chambermaiding thrown in.

I'm a solicitor now but worked from 14;

mucking out at riding stables (very cold and muddy, nice horses)
fruit picking (back ache, but yummy)
on a frozen strawberry picking line (boring and cold fingers no redeeming features)
in a sewing factory making jeans (hot sweaty and LOUD but cheap clothes)
behind a bar (maths wasn't my strong point liked the chat)
as an usherette (watched the end of batman 15 million times but easy job)
in a supermarket (met a hot bloke at the deli counter0
as a waitress (split soup over a customer)

I'm very glad that I did and if I couldn't work in my professional career anymore I would have no problem going back and doing the same things again.

YADNBU!

• First job in a restaurant from age 14 til 21 evenings and weekends. Cleaned the toilets, washed pots, prepared food, waited on, worked bar, supervised on outside catering functions, maitre d and acted as front of house manager.
• Various shops from saturday staff to senior manager.
• Call centre customer service to corporate relationship manager.

Genuinely don't understand wht anyone thinks any one job is more important than another. Can't bear the term menial!

Why is the guy that sells the stuff any more important or respected than the guy who makes the bloody stuff?

I have always progressed in every job I have done, it's just the way I am. I have to be the best at everything I do, clearly an inferiority complex or something like that but that's just me! (let's face it in retail it's not exactly the salary that motivates!)

I have a friend who has worked in a supermarket since he was 16, he's now 41. He's happy, he works hard, he earns a living and supports his family. He just has absolutely no desire to move up the career ladder or take on any more responsibility but he very much values his job security. Why should he be looked down on?

I also have a friend who is highly qualified, has never done a menial job and considers them all to be beneath him. He earns a great living but is constantly changing jobs and therefore is back on probationary periods and temp contracts regularly. He happily accepts this as par for the course.

They are both happy in their choices, good for them!

I hate hate hate it when people are made to feel embarrased or ashamed to say what they do for a living. The way job titles are made up to sound more important. Why should someone be embarrassed to say they work at the skip, why is it more worthy to say recycling operative?

My mum's a cleaner but tells everyone she "does some light-housekeeping"

Can you tell it's a bugbear of mine

beertricks has me roaring with laughter too. Didn't they see the funny side? Didn't they want to keep you on as a kind of Manuel type character?!

I'm not embarrassed , its just I feel a bit like the odd one out