To feel embarassed/ashamed of what I do for a living?

[Exvagabond]

I'm currently working as a cleaner at £10/hour with an agency in London. I've never cleaned professionally until a few months ago, but I was desperate to find work to support my family.

Whenever someone asks me what I'm doing, I tell them and you can just tell by the look on their face that they don't approve almost as if they feel sorry for me. Why does my job make people uncomfortable?

I dont have to work, my partner supports me but I see it like this;

-My DD (4) gets 30 hours at nursery, socialising with other children and learning what I don't have the time to teach her at home

• I'm bringing money in to the household so that we can put money away for emergencies, a holiday, days out etc.

• I'm putting money in to a private pension

• I'm paying tax

• On top of this I'm a part time student, so I won't do this forever

Why am I scum to some people?

Not read all the thread but I’ve been a cleaner and still would if I had the energy. It would suit me down to the ground, being mostly mostly solo work in a quiet environment. Fuck what anyone else thinks.

I worked as a cleaner / hotel maid when I was a student. Just holiday work but mattered to me as my parents couldn't support me entirely. Some of my fellow students who were bankrolled by mum/ dad did get a bit sneery at times - 'Urgh, I could never do that' type comments. I also did bar work and shop work which didn't attract the same level of 'Urgh' but some still felt they would hate to have to work alongside study. Lucky them eh?

My mum also worked as a cleaner when I was small, in a bank and in a school. She had no family local to give childcare so she worked evenings when my Dad was home to look after me.
I'm proud of her! No shame at all.

@eaglejulesk - Thank you. I certainly had some ''interesting" moments

Any job is a job and I would t look down on anyone for doing it. Though maybe if you were a call centre scammer pretending to be Microsoft I might! Wouldn’t look down on the debt collector earlier on the thread, though not so keen on their bosses pushing easy credit (it’s easy to say it’s the person’s own fault for borrowing but those adverts target people who are vulnerable, and not necessarily financially literate)

I’d say any negative reaction you get is more a reflection of the person you are speaking to, rather than your job. I don’t think it matters what you do if the person you are speaking to is that was inclined they will just find some way of looking down on you.
I am a vet nurse, I am regularly asked don’t you want to be a vet/when will you be a vet/ why didn’t you become a vet? (The answers to which are, no, never, I didn’t want to) The fact that I have a BSc (Hons) degree from a well respected university, 10+ years experience and love what I do is irrelevant to some people
I often wonder if nurses are asked didn’t you want to be a doctor?!
My point is though that some people are just rude!

Screw them. You are earning a living - what do you have to be ashamed of? As simple as that, if someone doesn't like that then that's their problem, not yours

I think you’re doing an important job and you should completely ignore the negative attitude of others.

Their negativity has nothing to do with you, they’re insecure and trying to bolster their own self image in a twisted way.

You should feel proud, you’re doing a great job for yourself and your family. Much love xx

I don't judge you on being a cleaner but would judge on this: --- 'I dont have to work, my partner supports me'. Yuck.

Not RTFT but I dont think your scum OP, my mum is a cleaner, my MIL was a cleaner, I worked as a cleaner before, I work in a shop now and you earn more than I do.

I completely understand what your saying. My work is not the same as you but about the same level. But I actually don’t care in the end.my work has meant that I have always been around for my kids before and after school and school holidays, I pay my share of the bills and pay my taxes with no handouts from the government so don’t see any problem at all! i know people who have fantastic careers who have never taken their children to school never been to school plays and are always stressed and moaning about their lives and yet they are the ones who give a sly comments about my job. You sound as though you are making very sensible decisions so hold your head up high!!

One woman was forever looking at me like scum. Her husband then hired a cleaner...me...I ended up realising she was not better than me. Her toilet was terrible.

@Youneverknowwhatyourgonnaget

* I pay my share of the bills and pay my taxes with no handouts from the government *

If you earn same as OP and have children - you will be entitled to “handouts”. Odd not to receive what you are entitled to, especially as you have children. Is it pride?

YABU to feel embarrassed/ashamed of your job. Everyone is/needs a cleaner; if we had the funds I would like one rather than having to do it myself.

If the job suits you and your family then screw what anyone else thinks!

Skyjuly

I don’t earn the same as OP it’s just the same type of job title where people assume it’s low pay and kinda feel sorry for me. It’s my own business though and I do ok from it, not amazing like the earnings I read here but enough to be comfortable. Maybe it’s a complex of mine but I feel sometimes that if you don’t wear a suit go to meetings and have degrees that some tend to look down on you.

Well done OP for doing what you must. People who look down on you for what work you currently do are not worth associating with. Years ago, when money was tight, I delivered pizza in the evenings as well as doing a full time day job, my wife worked alternate evening shifts in a chicken processing factory, needs must when our Triplets required clothing and feeding. When the children grew up, my wife went on to get a degree and I was, and still am working in the IT industry.

I've had jobs everywhere and I have come across people that had to jump into sewage to clean the tank out by hand, tread clothes mixed with urine to ensure the dye gets in the clothes, people that use human fertiliser to spread over crops of tomatoes and other crops for export and real labourers that earned £8.00 per week.
I have been looked down by all and sundry but with the satisfaction that I either had and earned more than them or was happier. I worked long hours when I was young and fit and became comfortable. i have earned from 17p per hour to £200.00 per hour and i've looked down on anyone as i've been there. Every job is special as each one is necessary. Just be the most professional worker that you can be.

I'm earning under £9/hour working part time in a supermarket, counting down to my state pension in 2022. I'd love to earn £10/hour, I'm not likely to get there in this job, and I'm rubbish at cleaning so I wouldn't deserve £10/hour to do your job. Good for you OP!

My friend at work meets with the same kind of attitude from some of our colleagues. As far as I'm concerned she's a very important member of staff. Without her we would work in a very unhealthy environment indeed. She comes to work in a car shes paid for and now lives in her own unmortgaged house. Shes worked hard all her life to get where she is and feels that when she states she owns her own home people are surprised and question how she can afford it. People do look down on others for many things , if it wasn't your job or earnings it would be something else. Good luck to you, you're doing a much needed job which the vast majority of people do not appreciate but when you're not there to do that job believe me they notice.

I'm a cleaner... Part time alongside my other job which is running my own business. It's a new business and I need definite money while my business is starting up. I clean 1 day a week and I love it. It keeps me fit, I get such a huge sense of achievement at keeping my clients homes sparkling and I work for myself (I'm above board, I do declare my income)

I've been cleaning for 4 years now. Also alongside being a professional dancer. One night I'm onstage dancing in a theatre all glam in feathers, next day I'm cleaning toilets in my duds. Hey ho. A job is a job. That's all. Does not define you.

There are some horrible people in this world, OP. I’ve been looked down on by some city workers for being a teacher-‘goodness, I wouldn’t want to do that, the money is dreadful!’.

You earn more than all our TAs. Who has the right to decide what’s worthy or not?!

If someone looks down on you, you need to be looking down at them for their small minded mentality. No one on this earth is important enough to judge you unless you have committed a crime apart from a judge.

I voted YABU because you are being U- to yourself! The only 4 words that kept my attention were 'to support my family'.
Don't be so hard on yourself, hell, I couldn't care less if you were a stripper! At least you're paying your way! Whether it was a friend, family member or an acquaintance that looked down on you, the only response you need is "I hope you don't need a cleaner if that's how you treat them".
Keep your chin up and be proud of yourself!

I`ve done cleaning jobs as second jobs and even third jobs when my family have needed more money. At least you aren't sat around in your pjs every day reliant on other people's money OP. Be proud of it! It shows you have a good work ethic.

I thought you were going to say you work for The Sun.

If people look down on you, that says more about them than you.