Most hated jobs

[FiveGoPrematurelyGrey]

I have a job that regularly gets lambasted on here. I mean nasty comments about the type of person who does my job. It really upsets me, because I do not consider myself an awful person, and the people I work with aren't either. I am trying to avoid those threads for my own sanity.

My aibu is this- am I being pathetically unreasonable at getting upset at the horrible comments? How do other people with unpopular jobs deal with the hatred?
Do you just shut down and ignore, try and argue your point, avoid engaging altogether? Do I need to grow a thick skin, be reassured that I do my job because I want to make a difference, and heck, pay the bloody bills?

Op - I don't have a good answer, but I do struggle with the hatred for parking wardens, police and sports referees. A lot of people seem to think things would be so much easier if everything was a free for all, presumably resolved by fights.

I appreciate folk who work in these difficult roles, and yours op. Unless you are a lawyer :)

I agree Hesterton, sometimes you really can't win. I just get so angry at the lies and insults that are thrown around. I'd actually be afraid to say what I did on here because of the abuse some would think it was ok to throw!!

Not a lawyer @wason

Anyone who works in any benefit related role is usually hated. I imagine they are simply following the 'rules' that they personally do not make and are simply trying to earn a wage to get by like the rest of us.

God yes @Maddie, it seems to be the consensus that anyone in a benefits role is pure evil and out to destroy everybody they meet!

I’m a lawyer and it doesn’t bother me on a personal level that people hate my job, because I know I behave ethically within a functioning legal system which is essential in a democratic society.

It does bother me when I read things that people think about lawyers that are simply untrue eg they routinely question rape victims about being promiscuous etc because I think it’s a shame there is so much misinformation about our legal system.

@Sonya the lies are what does it for me too. And I don't speak up because I don't want to be a target for the abuse. I'm a believer in the greater good, but in this instance I think I'm just not strong enough!

@brand but do you assume that all estate agents are the same, and that they do the job because they get some kind of kick out of screwing people over? Or do you reserve judgement until you meet them? It's the 'if you do this job you are inherently amoral and evil' mentality that I hate.

I used to work for a payday loan company. I did it for eight years, in a mid-senior position. My job was to run their complaints department. As you can imagine, this was a stressful, pressured position which required me to be well qualified in the area and the salary reflected that. I always did my best to ensure that the (very strict) rules set by the regulators were followed, despite popular belief and media hoo-ha.

Lots of people gave me a lot of stick for it. 'Ah, how'd you sleep at night ripping poor people off?' No, that's not how it was, and anyone who has worked in the sub-prime lending industry would know that. But joe public don't.

At the end of the day, it was a well paying job, and there aren't too many of those where I live, you'd have to travel at least an hour to the nearest city. So I did it, I didn't lose any sleep over it. I did it well and fairly and I took the abuse on the chin.

I am in sales, so not hated as such, but my job does get sniggered at.
(yes, recruitment).

It doesn't bother me, if people don't want to use an agency, they don't have to. They still do and there are quite a few of us making a very decent living out of it, so clearly it's not that easy and that useless.

There are so people that I would''t befriend, loud brash cocky and rude, but I don't judge anyone based on their job.

I am much more judgmental towards people who chose not to work.

Same @coddiwomple. I'd rather be a 'hated' traffic warden, or estate agent etc that someone who couldn't be arsed to get a job and sat around with my hand out (not that all benefit claimants are doing this at all, I think benefits are wonderful for those genuinely in need).

The only 'sales' positions I do get a bit sniffy about are MLM reps. I have to say, they grind my gears.

@namey @coddi I admire your attitudes. I think I just need to toughen up, and pay more heed to knowing I do a good job with a good heart, than I do to outside opinions!

@FiveGoPrematurelyGrey Go and work in a complaints department. Any one will do where you're dealing with the public doesn't need to be finance. You'll soon develop skin thicker than a cows hide! 😂

@namey 😂 never short of complaints in my field!!

Retired now but was in a profession that is regularly slagged off on MN and in the press. Ive had too many experiences of people insulting me, verbally abusing me and physically assaulting because of my job.
I did learn to develop a thick skin as you just can't do it if you are a sensitive soul . I knew what I was doing was worthy regardless of the minority.

My mum worked in the job centre for 30years. She hated the changes, making people apply for random shit and was incredibly opposed to sanctions.

I saw a man verbally abuse a traffic warden one day. He was clearly parked illegally and I was so impressed with how the traffic warden took the abuse. She remained calm and firm throughout and when it was over I said I was really impressed with how she handled him. She said it was a common occurrence and she was glad she had a thick skin. Definitely some people are cut for these hated jobs.

HR- only ever one genuinely nice person who works in HR.

The rest were patronising, condescending idiots who look down their nose at the rest of the workforce

I am sorry for the lawyer quip - I’ve worked with good and bad laywers. I also had an excellent estate agent once who really earned his fee.

I feel sorry when I see a traffic warden on the street and they avert their gaze as they are expecting abuse.

Last time I got a parking ticket I politely told the bloke who gave it to me that I fully accepted I was in the wrong.

Don’t apologise @wasonthelist it was clearly a joke . I also said fair cop to a traffic warden who I saw by my car, because I knew I was late back. He hadn’t started to write out the ticket yet and said “oh are you moving it now?” and let me off!

fivego are you a midwife?? We're a hated crowd on here!! Sometimes i find it quite upsetting. A lot of times our hands are tied, lack of resources, lack of money, lack of time. And Dr Google having a lot to answer for...

Some jobs are slagged off because there are many people in those industries who drag the name down. For example, I am aware many officers try to do their best and are regular people and so on, but then I have also seen grown officers bully a young man til he snapped so they could hit him. I've seen them racially profile a suspect that allowed the genuine perpetrator to escape. I've had them ignore me when I pleaded for assistance for a friend. It's hard to get over these events.
I worked as a real estate agent for aa while. I KNOW there are good eggs out there. But I have been mercilessly hounded, had my privacy invaded and my property observed, monies withheld and other instances where the agent involved has outright lied through their teeth - there was a time I thought I was actually going mad the bullying was so severe. And no repercussions - she left the agency before my complaint could be rectified. For years I would become tense whenever I received ANY communications from any real estate - even the good ones I'm with now.
The problem is, some people in positions of power abuse their power and trust. And that leaves long scars. People bitch about it because they literally have no other recourse to deal with the damage inflicted in their lives.
Don't even get me started on benefits. They may not be responsible, but they are the hand that drives the cart, so to speak. On a case by case, personal level, I feel for them. But the institutions are so merciless that its hard to look past that.

I work in a Jobcentre and have never sanctioned anyone yet still a friend ( Social Worker) asked how I sleep at night !