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?

Turkey plucker
Supermarket checkouts
Pie factory probably the worst
Call centre
Cold calling
Reception/ switchboard
Healthcare assistant

Never did do bar work, mainly as I couldn't stand the idea of going home smelling of smoke every night (pre ban anyway) probably a life skill I'm missing out on?

"because I pinged spuds across the table in my attempt at Silver Service, called 'Chef' 'the cook' in his earshot and laughed when a customer said there was a caterpillar in his cabbage how the fuck was i to know he wasn't joking"

Silver Service was really bloody hard work! People don't realise - carrying all those dishes on your arm, trying to pretend not to exist at all while roughly plopping elegantly placing slices of turkey and veg on diners plates.

Being yelled at by a beetroot red 'chef' who hates just about everyone on earth (though no-one tells you that littel secret at 19 years of age so you take it personally)

Having 20p left for you as a 'tip' and suppressing the urge to throw it at the benefactors head while screaming 'here, take it, you need it more than me'

Disappearing back to the kitchen to change a deliberately accidentally dropped piece of cutlery (read, standing behind the wall for 2 mins and bringing back the exact same piece of cutlery)

Oh, crappy days!

And I was desperate to earn my own money- that way I felt less bad about spending my parents hard earned money on fags rubbish.
And please no-one suggest buses. There weren't any.

Waitress
Barmaid
Envelope stuffer
Box office assistant
Shop assistant (from the age of 14 on Saturdays & school holidays)
Telephone survey caller
Receptionist
Cleaner

All while I was a student / 'finding' myself (ie. getting drunk & not caring about responsibility!)

Went to University. Now got a 'proper' job!

little even, it's the excitement, forgive me, here I am, brain the size of a planet, carrying plates of turkey :)

While at school then college worked variously as a cleaner, chip shop, shop assistant and bar maid.
I needed the money to support myself...

Paper round
Fast food restaurant
Admin work
Bar work
Call centre
Pub work
Permanent post uni employment. So the work I did before my degree and during it was quite varied. I think it all helped develop me a lot though - especially the pub work which improved my confidence greatly!

Not done any of the jobs listed by the OP. However, am another one who thought there would be more ex MacDonalds employees here like me.

Geroff, believe me, your DD will earn every penny! As Nursejennylee said, a great place to meet people, but bloody hard work. I still have a network of friends from when I started work there 30 years ago; the day after my last exam!

YANBU. I have been a waitress at the Pancake Place and worked in Littlewoods, bhs and Devenhams as Saturday/uni jobs. Then four years conference and banqueting waitressing (silver service - get me) which led into a year on their switchboard when I graduated, plus little bits of waitressing and bar work.

The thing I take out of that is I know I can always go out and earn some sort of a wage, quickly. I actually think these kinds of jobs made me more confident in my own abilities than any of my professional work has done. Because if it all went tits up with DH and I ended up in some horrible situation I can graft, IYSWIM.

I've worked in shops, bar work whilst also working in the city,a cleaning shop when DC's were small as well as doing ironing from home. Also worked in a day nursery so have done plenty of minimum wage jobs.
Wasn't allowed to get a job whilst I was at school but came from a poor working class family. My parents saw education as the way out of poverty so wanted me to work really hard at school. Did have to do alot of housework/gardening and didn't go out much though.
My very posh, public school/oxbridge eduacted DH ,on the other hand worked from 14 onwards in kitchens, shops and as a dustman.

Just as an aside - Getorf my friend worked in a bingo hall. Are the stains on the chairs what she says they are or does she just enjoy winding me up?

Delivered leaflets.
Bar work .
Sales assistant.
Call centre work.

i've done all four tbh.

I work in a preposterously middle class field now I'm in my thirties but as a teen and all through my education I had various jobs like the OP describes.

I know a girl who is solidly upper-middle class and although she has fees paid, etc, she also works shifts in the local shop when she's home from uni. I do respect that. She's had some very nice internships (related to her studying) that she can only afford to do due to her parents' financial support, but she doesn't turn up her nose at retail.

I think it greatly effects political decisions - I've never met a single person who has worked in retail (as an adult, not a student on a transient job) who advocates all this twenty-four hour opening hours, never-closing, open-during-the-Olympics bollocks.

It's always those who've never been near the wrong end of a supermarket till who think endless opening hours are great. The vast majority of those who earn, or have earned, their crust in a shop know how precious Sunday closing, proper lunch breaks, and observations of public holidays really can be.

URGH at bingo seat stains.

God knows what they were. Possibly BLOOD from a non-local, non-regular who won the jackpot one week and was bludgeoned to death with a dabber.

Also worked in KFC on an M6 service station, but I couldn't keep up so got demoted to clearing tables in The Granary ?

Exactly victor

"I've never met a single person who has worked in retail (as an adult, not a student on a transient job) who advocates all this twenty-four hour opening hours, never-closing, open-during-the-Olympics bollocks"

Nodding along with that!

I get most enraged at the crowds of bored people who go shopping on fecking boxing day especially - all those souls kept away from their families just so a section of society can have a walk and look at something slightly more interesting than the in-laws

I was a chambermaid and worked in a supermarket while I was studying, was full time in the supermarket whilst looking for other jobs.

My proper, qualified job features large quantities of sewage though, so I'm not all that certain it's an improvement.

I think your point about politicians is valid in that they don't relate to the real world. To survive the media they need to be squeeky clean. If you look at those in senior managment who have the experience running multinational companies and would be fabulous in Westminster, I doubt the vast majority want to subject themselves or their families to such scrutiny. If you look at businessmen such as Richard Branston, they just wouldn't survive the media onslaught.

The only place a politician can survive is by doing nothing and government jobs seem to be perfect for that. I think I am one of the few people who would strongly prefer their representative have private sector experience in managment, including having supported a dependent (child or parent not the wife) and look for them to be over the age of 55. I really don't care how many affairs they have. That is private and has nothing to do with their ability to do their job.

So, male, then?

My sister works in retail. I never go shopping on Boxing Day in solidarity. Even if she is working.

That didn't stop us running out of milk on Easter Sunday though. Still forgot shops were shut.

"Richard Branston" - him of the pickle empire?

Being serious for a sec, I don't understand how revealing they'd done a hard-graft job or two in their time could dent their image so much?