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?

And yanbu.

Ooh and I did one day in a factory, couldn't hack anymore than that I'm ashamed to say.

Oh and I have done cleaning, waitressing, chambermaiding, patisserie assistant and receptionist.

I have worked in a corner shop, a bookshop, a nightclub bar and a pub. Then a carer in a Nursing Home and home help.

Last job as a sister/trained nurse. Currently SAHM.

I had a job in a shop that was a greengrocers at the front and a cafe at the back.

I removed a lot of apostrophes.

Now I'm a teacher, and still removing apostrophes.

Bar, shop, cafe, restaurant and factory

Nope, never. I worked the whole time while I was at university, term time and hols, playing in pit bands, and as a session musician, and doing 'weddings, bar mitzvahs etc' and a bit of teaching.

yes. 3 different shops before/during university and cleaning the halls of residence during summer as mentioned above.

my last shop job was my local convenience store and i kept it on after graduating till i got a full time job. i was almost right back there when my contract was up!

I'm an analytical chemist and most people i work with have done some other work of some sort.

Before DS, I worked my way through Uni in bars and restaurants, and did loads of retail work before "finding my career" in advertising sales publishing. After being a SAHM for a few years, I've gone bank clerk and contact centre work because it's actually a lot more fun than bricking myself about hitting targets every day

noblegiraffe - "IMO people who haven't done jobs like that have been mollycoddled by their parents so haven't needed to"

Thats a very big assumption. I got a job aged 15 unpaid in the industry I ended up in. It wasn't any of the above, but was menial to start with. I paid my mother a proportion once I earned anything from them.

Yes to shopwork and office drudge- also waitressing. Never worked in a bar and wouldn't want my DDs to do so. Have been an Au-pair- hated but even at the time knew it was the making of me.

Agree strongly that it's obvious that many of the 'great and the good', (well MPs anyway) have never done a shitty job and it shows.

I had:
a paper round
worked in local shop
Door to door selling(avon, kleeneze)
Nursery worker
Raised my 4 kids

Soon I will be training to be a MW which will be my first proper job/career at almost 40

The door to door selling is probably what fits closest to the barwork/cleaning. Shit jobs with little reward and you really had to work hard or didn't get any recognition/fitted in around studying/raising kids. Maybe some of the politicians should be sent to do cleaning/barwork before they can run for elections

i've never worked behind a bar (unless taking a dare to sneak behind and pour us all pints whilst the bar was unattended counts )

or a super market

but have

waited tables
worked in numerous factories on production lines
tested crisp flavourings for mould and salt
washed up in commercial kitchen
worked in call centre
ordered DH where to go (and got paid for it)

and been a Social Worker

I've done most of those and more besides... I work in supermarkets at xmas for extra cash and love it.

Actually I missed out the detail that I did work during term time when I was doing my postgraduate. But as a TA and also private tutor. But none of my jobs have ever been 'working class'. Which is what I think you are talking about.

Worked in a supermarket during sixth form and throughout my degree :o

I've worked in a paper shop, chippy, supermarket, pub and a hotel. Since I stopped getting any form of pocket money when I was about 12, it was the only way I was going to keep myself in Smash Hits and day-glo clothing

Since Uni I've been doing much duller work!

I did 2 paper rounds, then went to work in Greggs as a Saturday Girl. One summer I was earning £250 a week which I saved for going to college as I could only do a Saturday and that paid about £30 a week.

After Dd I worked in Tesco's Garage in the evenings.

I've never worked in a factory, but I've worked behind a bar (evening work fits in with having DC) and worked in a supermarket. I still work in reatil though so maybe not professional enough to count.

My sister probably does though - has a degree and is now counted as someone who can sign passport applications She has at various times, worked as a care worker in an old people's home, worked in a shop, worked in a factory (meat processing plant when she was a vegetarian), was a silver service waitress and worked behind a bar. When she left Uni she carried on at the pub and actually became a very scary Pub Manager before going into the field she's currently shedloads of money in.

maybe it should be compulsory for themiddle classes- like national service?!

Retail that should be.

Are no politicians working class then and are all folk who have worked in a bar working class? Bit of generalisation there.

Never worked behind a bar but have done washing up in a hospital kitchen and cold calling for double glazing. I hated both jobs but as a poor student, I had to take whatever work I could find.

I have:

• worked in a deli
• worked in corner shop
• waitressed (for one night - after which I was never asked to work anotehr shift!)
• cleaned coffee machines in an office

I was once stopped in the lift and asked if I was "Doris from accounts" .... I said "no, I am the woman who cleans the coffee machines".

@bejeezus Why? Not that I was middle class so I presumably wouldn't have been forced to do those particular jobs. If you can make more money, or the same money, or even less money but enough money, doing something else where is the shame in that?