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?

'saturday girl' on market coffee stall, hospital cleaner, cinema usher, pt work in greengrocer's, chemist's, shoe shop, waitressing etc. Also worked in magazines, marketing, small business startups. Been in IT for the last 15 years, currently middle management with staff. Party trick is still guessing shoe sizes though, and I have a natural talent for making cappucino

Interesting point usualsuspect.

It seems that having done the job doesnt necessarily mean that those who have will feel any less "better than" than those who never have.

Jeepers does that sentence make sense?

pubs
restaurants
bars
hotels
supermarket
adult phone lines
flyering (dressed in various highly ridiculous outfits)
chambermaiding
bank cashier
admin clerk
receptionist
nursery worker
paper round

I started paper round and waitressing at 14 did all over xmas and new year for 2.60 an hour even on boxing day and nye/nyd. Also used to get 8 quid for delivering 176 papers and flyers

Worked in a cafe. It jogs my memory every time I fill up the coffee machine at work. Usualsuspect if I got the push from I'd do it again any day.

These are proper jobs though whether as filling in or as full-time. It gets my goat on MN when people start off on "and the checkout person said XYZ to me who did they think they were?" as if they weren't a human being.

"Party trick is still guessing shoe sizes though, and I have a natural talent for making cappucino "

I like being able to carry a silly amt of plates at once
and making hospital corners on bed sheets

This thread makes it look like only professionals post on MN. and the other jobs are not proper jobs.

I was a shit waitress so I can only do 3 plates at once

Between 16 and 19, I worked as a cleaner, mothers help, in a cafe, a bar at the student union (happy days!) and in a belt factory. When i've finished this degree, i'll be back to doing one of those for a while at least! I loved bar work, factory work was ok as long as things were busy, hated cleaning.

Only just laptop!

Hmmm...there is a bit of that vibe isn't there???

I worked as a shop assistant in a pharmacy for 5 years and in a call centre in the evenings. My DP has worked in a supermarket, on a farm picking nad as a shop assistant and usher in a cinema.

We are from v posh places and quite well-off middle class families. We are now full-time working professionals.

However, many, many of my middle class friends who are in similar and far more 'priviledged' professions iyswim have never done work like this.

They left uni without having done a days work in their lives.

It is shocking so few politicians have ever worked for minimum wage.

oh and I was a waitress for 2 shifts

I don't think it does usual suspect, it asks if people have EVER done them, ever includes now! I've gone back to one of them and don't feel excluded on this thread.

They are definitely proper jobs. When people at my work say they are fed up of Gove and want to go and work at Tesco it makes my blood boil as I know that it is bloody hard work.

I teach, I work long hours. Nothing like as many hours as my farming relatives though.

Well I feel like the poor relation tbh

usuals

I agree

Sorry, long day.

I never had a job until the one I went to Uni for. You could say that due to this, I dont look at the jobs listed as "those funny little jobs "people do whilst working towards their real jobs" but as actual just plain old JOBS!

Of course I know thats not the case but sometimes it has read a bit like that in the above posts.

Yes it reads like that to me too.

I had my first paper round at 13 where I was paid the princely sum of half a pence per paper , I have worked in a cafe, a chippy, in an office and now as a cleaner.

Yeah supermarket work was HARD! being timed all the frickin time - eugh!
when I worked in a profession that required a degree people used to say "I should just go and do something easy like work in tesco" - err noone is timing you via CCTV, you have it easy!
I think a lot of professional graduate positions are easier than the min wage jobs - that's one thing that min wage jobs are good for: making you work harder at uni cause you know how much hard work it really is to work in Tesco/Factory/call centre!

But that wasn't what I meant

@usualsuspect I agree they are proper jobs. I remember a major row with my parents when I came back from a particuarly hard day at the NHS coal face (had been called a stupid bitch by a completely sane, rich git) and they looked bemused that I was upset as 'it wasn't like a career'.

They have both been/are public sector workers!!!!

Yes to most of your list OP. YANBU.

Usual - I'm a teacher. Many people have told me that I don't have a 'proper job'. I let it roll off my back now because I love what I do and work hard. I have a friend who has said on several occasions, in front of me, "oh yes, when I did my little job as a primary teacher......" it used to make me angry. Now I just laugh it off. I am so grateful for my job, my lovely students, my family.

Hmm. I did fruit picking while I was at school, then I did cleaning in the hospital and other places nights while I was at uni. It was a posh university. No one else did this that I knew. Most people got more from their parents per term than I got in the last remenants of the student grant per year (this was late 90s early 00s), so they didn't need to. They still denied they were rich and said everyone was middle class really. I therefore know what kind of thought processes politicians start off from, because it was a university that a lot of them have attended. Yes, it is pretty out of touch. There is, however, no way to make them get in touch because they keep up such thick walls of denial about how people who aren't so rich live.