to not want to work in a supermarket ..

[Lola528]

Yes, it is very snobby of me I know, and especially right now it’s a “needs must” situation when so
many are being made redundant and don’t have much choice. The only jobs where I am right now seem to be in a supermarket or cleaning houses or offices (I’m a rubbish cleaner).

It may be petty, but I don’t want it on my CV amongst the other jobs I’ve had (aviation/travel working with major players of the industry) to then have “Asda” or equivalent as my most recent job. I just feel I have so much more to offer but nobody in my industry of choice is hiring right now (understandably).

AIBU to think this will go against me for future job opportunities? Or will future potential employees understand this is a blip of “COVID times” and not see it as a negative? Am I just being stupid?

Good luck with your new job OP!

@Lola528

Thanks everyone.

If I offended you I apologise, it was not my intention.

The industry I know and love had been decimated so I guess I’m in mourning for that too. I promise I don’t see myself as “above” working in retail, it’s just such an unexpected diversion after 30
Years.

I’m taking the job and I’ll out it on my cv with pride :)

Good luck and best wishes.

I quit working in a supermarket. Dealing with endless petty customers all day being abusive and rude. There is only so much you can take.

You are being silly. OP please take the job. At the end of the day a job is a job. Who really cares?

Me and DH live in a very posh place and by some miracle and a little bit of savvy house moving we have found ourselves living in a house that is usually way beyond people earning our kind of income. We have just moved house. The first thing our new neighbours asked us was, 'and what do you do ?'. The look on their faces when I told them I worked part time in a call centre was priceless.

Don't worry about it - who cares what judgy people think?
Don't be one of them.

@gavisconismyfriend

having this on your CV will demonstrate a willingness to work and do whatever you need to in order to support yourself/your family. Future employers will look kindly on that. you’ll also be able to demonstrate having gained/enhanced some transferable skills, there are bound to be some. Sell it as a positive and others will also see it as such - people prepared to roll their sleeves up and crack on are welcome in most industries!

This.

Dare I say you might not even get a role at a supermarket. Lots of competition at present and some of them do psychometric tests and things to select the right kind of person. I suspect an aura of thinking yourself above the job won't help your prospects.

If you don't want to apply then don't, but if you're desperate for money you may have to reconsider.

I wouldn’t want to work in a supermarket because: it’s hard work, I don’t want to deal with customers and work unsocial hours and the pay is low.

Just as I’m sure people would think my office job is boring!

@Iamthewombat

Not to belittle supermarket staff, but if I were hiring a senior member of my finance team I’d find a stint working for Asda less appealing than someone who had up to date skills. So I’d still advise leaving it out. The ‘evidence you are a grafter’ thing is OK for graduates, but is less meaningful for senior professionals.

This!

There are lots of medical admin jobs advertised where I am, if I had to look for a new job with nothing available in my own area, that's where I'd go to tide me over.

I wouldn't work in a supermarket, I've seen customers behave in ways towards staff that would have me firing a tin of beans at their head. People who work in retail have a lot of patience and self control. It's a hard job. I have a lot of respect for people who do it.

take the job, but keep looking
or as said plenty of care work

can you do cafe work? they might not be available

I’m a senior HR manager for a supermarket group. Most of my college friends looked down on my choice of career path, they are generally in the financial sector. Supermarkets are not sexy or glamorous and I get lots of snobby comments in my direction.

I have seen it all over the years from a recruiting prospective. I am so eternally grateful for my job and that I can provide for my family. I also have seen people enter the industry having no clue how much hard work it is; physically and mentally and either they aren’t able for it or they love it and succeed. I get great pride in someone performing well and taking on additional responsibilities and getting rewarded financially for it. Good luck, smile and remember the customer is always right 😊

Frankly, you are only thinking like this because you have “options”. You don’t get to the needs must stage until you realise there is no money to pay the mortgage and hardly any food left in the cupboards.

I can assure you that there are not many people around who enthusiastically chose stacking shelves as a career path.

Working with the public in any capacity is hard work. I worked in a chip shop when I was 15. I then went on to gain several degrees and run my own business.

When you face an employer at a future interview rather than hiding it I would draw it to their attention as evidence that you are a grafter who has a strong work ethic, and a wide range of skills. I would hire someone like that in a heartbeat.

@Wrigleys123

I went for a supermarket job recently, work in an office usually, and I didn't get the job! I have worked in a supermarket before my degree as well. If you don't want the job due to how it looks for you then make room for someone who actually needs and wants it! No offence meant either but for a lot of people supermarket work is important and valid.

This

Wow!! You are being snobby and ridiculous. I've seen TV a news item recently about a pilot who is currently working in a mail sorting centre - it obviously didn't bother him who saw it - and articles about other professionals stacking shelves or fruit picking. Tbh you don't deserve a supermarket job with your attitude

@Iamthewombat - all I can say to you is you may well miss out on employee of the year with your stupid attitude, and I would never want to work for someone like you.

Sorry OP - I've just seen your update, and good luck.

This thread just shows me how different attitudes can be, and in my country I don't think people are quite as precious when it comes to work.

Honestly take it. Money’s money. I’d see it as a positive on your CV truth be told. It’s a pandemic, things in recruitment are different now.

Unless you were a pilot, (and even then I still don’t understand) I think you are definitely being ridiculous.
A gap on your CV will undoubtedly look much worse than ‘sales assistant’.

Plus I’d worry about it when and if you are actually offered the job.

“Not to belittle supermarket staff, but if I were hiring a senior member of my finance team I’d find a stint working for Asda less appealing than someone who had up to date skills. So I’d still advise leaving it out. The ‘evidence you are a grafter’ thing is OK for graduates, but is less meaningful for senior professionals.” that’s just ridiculous....

Take it, you can always resign if something better comes along.

I've done plenty of "menial" jobs and enjoyed them (bar work, waitressing, care work - I am a people person, and like being busy). I'm not ashamed of having done them, and would happily do them again if I needed to. But I wouldn't put them on my CV for a career job - they don't add anything to my skillset for my "career".

If the application asked me to list every job I'd done for the past X years, then of course I wouldn't lie, but I worry that using a few months of shelf-stacking as evidence of great logistics skills or whatever sounds a bit too close to "Mummy CEO" CVs, where getting your kids into bed demonstrates you are a great negotiator.

Are there any qualifications or voluntary work you can do that actually would add CV points? Or any sideways career moves that you could work towards while you are at the supermarket?

And the opinion of anyone that would belittle someone for doing a day’s work of any kind is not worth any consideration. Just seen your update. Good for you OP. Nothing at all to be ashamed of in doing a day’s hard graft.

Good luck with the new job OP, every change is a learning experience.

If I were you I wouldnt go for it. You will get eaten aliv by colleague if they know you don't want to be there.... Retail is a job with. Huge work load and not enough hours to complete it.... Departments can't afford to carry people who don't want to be there in the first place...

Sorry just seen the update.. Good for you just make sure you give it your all while you are there it is not any easy job... Saying that I have lost 2 stone since working there so I'm loving it at the moment.

Glad you're taking the job - I don't mean this rudely but you would be stupid not to with the way things are going right now.

With regards to your CV, I would cross that bridge when you come to it. Sounds like you could be waiting a long time for a new job in your field, given it's travel and aviation. So you have some time to think. Personally I would put it on there because long gaps in employment look bad and are harder to explain than "irrelevant" jobs, plus I think most people would understand that your industry took a huge hit so it makes sense that you took something different. However, if you decide it will look better to leave it out, you can do that and probably won't be found out, plus you still have the income from this new job in the meantime.

Just be glad that you can still pay your bills and worry about your CV when the time comes.

Departments can't afford to carry people who don't want to be there in the first place...

When I worked in retail nobody wanted to be there, and they never pretended otherwise. Perhaps it is different depending on individual company culture.