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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder if you judge people who work in "crap" jobs, and if so why?

354 replies

ReallyThough100 · 16/03/2018 15:17

So, cleaners, dishwashers, fast food workers. Jobs seen as "dead end" and a bit shit. I have a job people think this about, and it often shows unfortunately (outside of work more than in it).
Aibu to ask, do you judge people who do this and what's the reasoning behind it?

OP posts:
CraftyNestUK · 24/03/2018 06:41

I’ll be very honest with you. I don’t judge these people. A person is a person. Out of work, how does anyone know what the other person does for a living? What’s important is how they are as people.

I’m glad people are out working in a culture where quite honestly many people choose to be on the dole. Some of these jobs may not pay well, but they’re doing an honest days work for honest day’s pay. That’s the important part.

However, do I want my children to have this type of job as an adult? - no. The reason why though is because I don’t want them to struggle financially and these jobs tend to have lower wages.

In no way do I think people are defined better/worse by their job. (Although I highly admire nurses, especially hospice/palliative care and health aids/carers.)

Purplealienpuke · 24/03/2018 07:02

I never had the relevant qualifications to get a job earning big money & no motivation to get said qualifications. I hated school. I had a weekend job from 12 (different times) and had a good job to start when I left school in a large department store that would have given me a career in accounts (I didn't start, different story). But I always had a job. With each job I gained experience.
So OP these people who you feel judge you really are not worth worrying about. You know that you work hard and why you do the job you do. It is NOT for anyone else to have an opinion.
Some people think their opinion matters when clearly it doesn't & shouldn't.

OMGafourth · 24/03/2018 07:28

Might sound daft but... I don't judge others for it, but I judge myself all the time! Part time supermarket worker and constantly feel like I'm missing something, like I should be 'achieving' something with my life! I don't judge my colleagues or people in other jobs though.

ellesworth · 24/03/2018 08:02

I'm a carer for elderly adults with dementia and I feel some people think I just sit and make tea and wipe arses. I get sworn at, hit, kicked, bitten (!), food thrown at me... we deal with people who are at the end of life and I've helped make people comfortable who are about to pass. We clean and dress those who have passed away so they look nice when they leave us.
Quite a few of my relatives have said they couldn't do it. And it really pisses me off when people think it's an "easy" job because we are so lowly paid.

MrsJayy · 24/03/2018 09:12

I think caring jobs are misunderstood and undervalued and underpaid I know a few carers and they are never off their feet.

MrsJayy · 24/03/2018 09:14

My Sister is a carer for adults with disabilities people think all she does is go to the cinema and mooch about town

pinkstripeycat · 24/03/2018 09:24

What we do without someone doing these jobs? I work in a dead end job but it’s because the hours suit and my focus now is my children. Before children I had a career and would love to be in that same job now but it was pilent suit my lifestyle

Vangoghsear · 24/03/2018 09:32

I have recently done some mystery shopping jobs and it has opened my eyes to the tedious, demoralising jobs some people have to do day in day out (retail, hospitality etc). I hadn't thought very much about it before. (Mystery shopping is a crap job in terms of the pay BTW but that wasn't my motive for doing it.)

ChocoholicsAsylum · 24/03/2018 15:10

@Omgaforth

This is what I mean with my job too, I dont judge anyone at all but I hate myself for the job av got into and at the moment I am stuck in it till something else.

silky1985 · 24/03/2018 15:29

I love cleaning its the one job that everyone would notice if you didn't do it and you can always see the work unless you are a really crap cleaner. Also cleaning can have very good pay depending on what you are cleaning. I also know someone that was a fast food worker just out of school and by a few years they were the manager of the whole place, so don't knock it till you try it lol
at least these people have jobs

ifcatscouldtalk · 24/03/2018 15:44

Some years ago I was working a PT office job and a PT retail job alongside each other. I found retail harder tbh. I don't judge. I know people definitely do though. I remember my old office boss asking what my husband done for a living. Warehouse operative seemed a quick conversation ender.
I find it interesting that a lot of admin roles pay little more than a shop assistant but somehow are more respected.
I was brought up that aslong as you worked hard at whatever job you took on then you had nothing to be ashamed of.
It's worth remembering not everyone strives for a career and not everyone is an academic. People achieve in more ways in their life than purely what job they do.

Icanttakemuchmore · 24/03/2018 18:40

Someone has to do these types of jobs or everything else wouldn't work! So no, hats off to all doing all sorts of jobs.

user1488397844 · 24/03/2018 18:51

I don't judge and I don't think other people judge me either as although I'm in a low paid job it's something that's generally seen as 'admirable' (HCA in children's hospital - which is fab & the kids are amazing). I do however find people seem to think I could 'do better' I.e. "have you not thought about doing your training" and "you would be a great nurse" are something I hear quite a lot as though people think I should strive to do better,however at the moment the hours suit me and I can't afford to retrain!

HulaMelody · 24/03/2018 18:58

My auntie is a hospital cleaner and if she didn’t do her job, the hospital couldn’t function. Cannot understand snobbery towards jobs, especially now where qualifications and experience don’t necessarily equate to a ‘good’ job.

evilharpy · 24/03/2018 19:14

User I think there are quite a few people in similar jobs to you that would like to train as a nurse but can't afford to. My friend is a care worker and loves her job but desperately wants to retrain as a mental health nurse (and would be brilliant at it) but can't afford it and hasn't been able to get onto some means of funding she was applying for that was apparently very competitive.

Fustyoldcarcass · 24/03/2018 20:54

I think generally most people respect anyone who goes out and works.

This issue is the attitude of the companies who employ people in these 'crap' jobs. The way they treat some of their staff is terrible - I have family who happily work in retail, but it is the attitude of their employer - not other people - that they find upsetting.

I have worked in retail, care and hospitality and my experiences were the same. Basically being over worked for a pittance and management treating you like you are beneath them, then occasionally suddenly changing to being concerned and supportive when they realised morale was low and there was an exodus of staff getting better jobs.

AccidentallyRunToWindsor · 24/03/2018 21:15

Not at all.

I would think 'that looks like hard work' but no judgement- why would I?

OMGafourth · 24/03/2018 22:58

I totally understand... Wish I paid more attention at college and less time in the pub. They say youth is wasted on the young! I'm hoping to retrain whilst on maternity leave... But can't get my head around which route to follow! I've been looking into nutrition... But finding it difficult to find a 'part time' uni course within a reasonable distance.

Baubletrouble43 · 24/03/2018 23:06

No absolutely not . Been a cleaner, Chambermaid... anyone who works hard deserves respect. I've been judged for having those jobs but those judging are the sort of irrelevant people whose opinions I couldn't give a flying fuck about.

Caucho · 24/03/2018 23:55

I have the opposite problem being working class but also am a professional in a fairly average industry and nothing flash. I’m priveged in comparison to ‘shit jobs’ which I’ve done before myself but get called a posh fucker all the time despite being the least posh person ever. I do think some people are being dishonest though. They say they don’t judge but wouldn’t go out with a man with a shit job but that might be a different question. The worst thing about dating is the interrogation at the start about your work etc

Caucho · 25/03/2018 00:02

Depends what you mean by ‘judge’. Many women would say well your job is really important and everyone needs (min wage) bin men, carers, cleaners etc then walk off and give them a wild birth in a romantic way (would probably say let’s be friends!). It’s really harsh but can’t blame people for human nature. The does he have prospects thing is still going and in modern society some men take that tack with the women they meet

omBreROSE · 25/03/2018 07:13

Lots of ‘crap’ jobs are not min wage.
For some reasons they are undesirable, and provoke snobbery in some individuals.
I work in a CS role, l make more than min wage - on a Sunday l’m paid very well.
Lots of the customers l serve, don’t even work. They get their benefits and then buy their lottery tickets/fags. They can be extremely snobby, bossy and rude.
Makes us laugh really...

ButtertubsPass · 25/03/2018 07:45

ellesworth your job is incredibly worthwhile and sounds difficult at times, I couldn’t do it either.

What a strange society we live in that doesn’t value these things. Let’s hope the prats that judge never need your help.

Accountant222 · 25/03/2018 08:05

I definitely don't judge people, cleaners and waiters always speak to you which I think is lovely , my nephew has a brain like Einstein and is a cleaner, could split an atom but couldn't sort a mobile phone contract out.

AJPTaylor · 25/03/2018 08:18

i dont.
when i was student/first job i didnt feel judged working in retail.
my dds though working in Boots have been sworn at, spat at and told to get a proper job. the younger one was targeted by a middle aged man who came to her till and made inappropriate comments several times a week.