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?

Yes, before I had turned 19 I had been a kennel assistant, corner shop worker, woolworths Saturday girl, telephone researcher, shop supervisor (while a student) and a waitress. I am now a professional in an entirely different field.

I know plenty of kids that get to 21-22 having never worked and they are all really struggling to find work. It might be easier if you want to work in the public sector I guess but private sector employers seem to take a dim view of non-working.

I wasn't allowed to work in exam years during term time, but in the summer holidays I was expected to and if I wanted to travel it was a working holiday - I think that's a good balance!

A lot of it was also so much fun - hotel work is shite but there's lots of parties, bar work = lock ins, waitressing I loved and would happily do that again and the tips were fantastic!, The cinema I worked in was good for a bit of celeb spotting from time to time plus free movies, shops were a giggle as I worked with other young people, nursing home and supermarket didn't really have the same social aspect though...

I think these sorts of jobs are important for people to have when starting out even if moving to a 'professional' field or going to Uni. You learn people skills for starters and get a broader view of life. I remember new graduates in my old company being ghastly on the telephone and unable to send a fax. If you have zero work experience an employer will not look too kindly. It's also great to actually earn your own cash.

I had 2 jobs in particular working early shifts in a nasty hotel cooking breakfasts and then cleaning rooms. On my first day I had to ask how to fry an egg (never ate them myself!). I saved every penny from that summer and went to America for a while.

I just want to clarify, that I never meant these aren't proper jobs.

Some people have only worked them knowing it was a temporary situation/to fund studies etc

I still think this is valuable and important for a variety of reasons; transferable skills, work ethic, experience crap conditions/pay, realise what hard work it is and of relevance to MP situation; to see that the people that do these jobs are actually human beings

Money aside, laptopdancer and others, did you not find that not doing those jobs held you back when you went to get your graduate jobs? I clearly remember referencing skills/tasks from my weekend/holiday jobs at school on my cv and in interviews when it came to summer and term time jobs during uni. Then using these as interview fodder once I was graduated and looking for a job etc. that was in the early 90's and I felt these skills gave me an advantage in interviews. If a graduate went for an interview now and said they'd done literally nothing else bar study during a-levels and uni they'd promptly be shown the door. In fact I doubt they'd get an interview as their cv would be crap!
My dd's will prob have to work to help out financially, but even if we were loaded I'd make them do it!

I do a menial job now. It's actually one that dd1 got when she was 13, I took it off her because she's surgically attached to Facebook hard revising for GCSEs. It's too much money to lose, so I'm more than happy to do it. (degree, Professional qualifications, part time voluntary job and no political ambitions)

My DB thought these jobs were beneath him. He was forever doing a phD something to do with engineering. He got his first job at 28. Really. Can you imagine how much life you miss out on ? We were seriously worried about him for a long time (ps - he is fine now).

It's just about having a natural work ethic isn't it.

Since having my children, I have worked in two pubs and a supermarket.

Good for you metabilis

before and during college and uni:

Restaurant staff
baby sitting
bar work
lottery counter in Spar (5 years)
summer evening racing counter staff
cleaner
house/cat sitter

At school I had paper rounds, babysitting and stacked shelves in Woolies.

In between jobs, I have stuffed envelopes, admin jobs, and worked as a dinner lady.

Factory- packing frozen fish. I stank.

Bar- in Australia in a mining town. nothing but the bar, a roadhouse and a fuckload of blokes. Not in a good way.

Shop- during university, costcutter supermarket, also a petrol station.

caz I didn't get my first professional job until I was 35, so it would have held me back if I hadn't had other jobs on my cv

Caz10- I think you are also right. I only got my graduate level job as I'd worked during Uni in a consultancy for 3 years. Recruitment people counted it as proper job which was very lucky. But, I still think doing other jobs is important at the expense of doing nothing. It's a question of finding the best thing out there for you.

I seem to be the only one who has done a stint in McDonalds, I worked there from 16yrs old in my home town then when i moved to university and ended up becoming a floor manager you had to go on a course and do actual exams for that. Crackers!
I know people mock but it was great fun, we were a young team and all worked hard and played hard. It's unusual to find a job as a teenager that pays holiday pay but they did.

I then worked in a naice wine bar during the day and an indie nightclub by night. Bar work was brilliant, don't think I could hack it now.

I've done lots of the care work/HCA stuff you do on your way to completing my nursing degree.

ive been

a checkout operator
a garage attendant
a cleaner
an optical assistant
a receptionist
and now im a professional. i think. sort of.
but ive never done bar work....

Oh I have. Various shops, including a cake shop taking left-over cakes home like someone else mentioned. Supermarkets stacking shelves etc. Bar work. I hated bar work because of the creepy old men coming onto me and then giving me 2p tips. My job now isn't especially glamorous but it is slightly better paid than the above. I would do them again, if we needed the money - my first choice would be the supermarket stacking shelves (especially when store closed - lots of quiet to think in). Second choice cake shop - good job but overly social for this quiet introvert. I actually think a work placement of the kind should be compulsory for Year 9 - much better than the SATS at least, and might motivate a bit for G.C.S.Es. Also many of the general public who are rude to customer service staff I suspect are the ones who have never done the job and can't understand how hard it is (as in customer service you always have a smile and try to seem positive even when it is madness).

yeah that is odd nursejenny because isn't there some mad statistic that says something like 1 in 3 (might be making this up slightly as can't remember) people world wide have worked in a McDs at some point in their lives!

I'ld expect more McDs on this thread to be honest

• I haven't worked there but have friends who have and some who became managers etc, they did seem to have a good team spirit and lots of nights out. Don't know anyone who works there now though

I worked in a department store as a Saturday girl when I was doing my a levels, and did holiday work in a bar and delivering the post when I was at university. I didn't work term time then though

In my case, it wasnt a problem with me finding a job straight away when I graduated. That was 20 odd years ago though.

Lots of unpaid (free ride) work experience at stables - bloody hard work.

Work experience as an office junior - boring, would hate to work in an office full time.

My first paid job as a teen was as a kennel maid, loved it and given the chance would definitely do it again.

Call centre - inbound - hated it, time dragged after the lunch rush.

Labourer & Security for the Manchester Common Wealth Games - that was fun.

Cook at a pub and a children's nursery - didn't enjoy it.

Worked behind several bars, its made up the majority of my working life, I loved it.

I've worked on a market stall. Glorious in the summer and really social, but grimm in the winter.
I had two cleaning jobs in a chiropodist and a baby clinic (at the same time). That was pretty sweet even if I did have to sweep up a lot of toenails; I had the keys so could go in any time I liked between 6pm and 9am...I used to do it on the way home from the pub sometimes.
I worked in a cheap fag/sweets/magazinne shop, which was just grim...48 hour week for £1.78 an hour. Got the sack after a month because I mentioned I was planning on going to college a few months later.

I'm under no illusion that my nice, well paid office job is much cushier number regardless of the additional stress. I only have to remember sheltering under an awning on the freezing rain for 8 hours a day...or even look at my factoy worker husband and see the extra toll that kind of physical labour takes on a body.

I lucked out big style.

From 14 yo, waitressing in different places, incl Silver Service, & some bar work while pregnant (not at 14 )
Shop assistant
8 long years in a call centre
never done cleaning

would do pretty much anything if we needed the money

were i to have my time again though, i would tell myself to go after less well-paid office roles - the fact i had done so much factory/shop/cleaning/warehouse work counted against me when applying for office based roles (although not as much as not having worked at all would have!).

the reason i did so much of that type of job, was because if you ramp up the hours, you earn much more than an office worker limited to 35 hours a week.

short-sighted i see.

I think the people i knew who did get very good graduate jobs either 1) were more mature students with wider experience/years out 2) had got summer placements/ decent level work (usually with help of family & friends, but not always)