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?

@Gooseybby

But you arent HIDING the supermarket job, you just arent putting it on a CV because it isnt relevant to the role; if specifically asked, definitely mention it and you get to whip out the grafter who's making ends meet line.

Any time gaps in a CV will raise an eyebrow. Even a one liner saying ‘temporary retail job due to redundancy’ is better than not putting it on.

I remember getting a CV seminar from a recruiter when I was being made redundant and she told us the one liner advice around temporary jobs, gap years or being a SAHM.

Otherwise any gap will be questioned with an assumption that you were in prison - no joke - I was shocked when it was said but that apparently is the automatic assumption she would make if the years didn’t add up

Can you add something in to your CV to say something like "stop gap job due to CV-19"

I wouldn't add a note like this. It sounds as though you're not taking the job seriously. Unless the person reading your CV has just arrived from Mars, they'll know people have been taking any job they can due to the pandemic. Just describe your responsibilities and achievements in the normal way.

You don't have to provide a P45, you can complete a P46 instead and tick the correct declaration (B) and HMRC will update your YTD pay. If you were made redundant in the current tax year you can say it is the pay from your last job. Either way if you are so ashamed you want to lie about it, don't take the job, let your superiority pay the bills. Alternatively, you could just put "temp role after redundancy due to Covid" and the dates.

Most of my friends who have senior jobs might live off savings for a bit, be supported by a partner, or just not put that warehouse job on the CV. The gap is not the poison its made out to be if you genuinely do have the skills for the role. Putting a supermarket job on a cv (unless you are stuck for 2 pages of material, which might be the real issue!!) looks silly.

The OP's been given a hard time for clearly thinking that working in a supermarket is beneath her after working with 'major players' in the airline industry. I'm glad she's had a change of heart.

And don’t call it it a “stopgap”. Even people who would judge you for getting a job in supermarket might judge you for ditching them as soon as something better came along.

I’m sure there are stressful times but I imagine it being quite laid back as long as you get your job done

You could not be more wrong! One of the (many) misconceptions about retail work is that it’s easy. I have never had so many targets to meet.

I think that in any future interviews , you would be able to know whether they're a decent employer or an uncaring one by how they view your work at Asda when they know it's due to the covid situation.

If, in two months’ time, the OP is going to be trying to get her CV to stand out to a recruiting manager or an agent or a HR manager, it is completely reasonable for her to think this job might not be helpful to her.

Don't be ridiculous, they aren't going to look at it and say well you should have just done fuck all instead of work a perfectly reasonable and valuable job that actually demands an array of different skills.

Yes I wouldn’t think working in a supermarket is laid back at all.
I know pickers are timed and even putting stock on shelves has to be done within a certain timescale.
Lots of heavy lifting too.

Well done OP I suspect that if you put your preconceptions aside you will find this is part of the next step whatever that is. Can't stand people who wait over 18 months for a job in their industry barely applying for anything to the detriment of the taxpayer and their own families.

Don't be ridiculous, they aren't going to look at it and say well you should have just done fuck all instead of work a perfectly reasonable and valuable job that actually demands an array of different skills.

I have been a recruitment agent and worked with hundreds of hiring managers. You’d be surprised.

Both in DD work in supermarkets, one a manager of one of the big three, the other a supervisor, their jobs are hard complicated,the manager long shifts, early late, very stressful at the moment, keeping things running. My first jobs were office based, secretarial, had a very unreliable ex, didnt pay the mortgage, (I didnt know, it was in his name, normal in the 70s. I got a job cleaing toilets, to keep the roof over our head, then they found out my qualifications, and offered me a job. I always sai as long as its decent honest,legal I would do anything, and its true.

I have been a recruitment agent and worked with hundreds of hiring managers. You’d be surprised.

I've sifted for many jobs, if people discount someone who has worked in a supermarket then quite frankly I wouldn't want to work for them anyway. Working to targets, dealing with members of the public (often de-esculating challenging behaviour), manual work on your feet all day, stock management for some, working the tills, adhering to health and safety, thinking on your feet- all skills I personally value. Fair enough if someone has only ever worked in a supermarket and then applies for a job that requires 3 years experience in a certain industry that they don't have, but that would be the same for any job.

OMG what a snob! Plenty people work in supermarkets. What makes you think your better than any one off them?

I dont think it matters if it effects your future options or not. Sounds like right now you really need the money and this is a job. Worry about the future once you're back on your feet.

Oh the work is clearly beneath you please do not come down from your princess castle. If a future employer asks about the gap in your CV just say your tiara was at the cleaners.

I've sifted for many jobs, if people discount someone who has worked in a supermarket then quite frankly I wouldn't want to work for them anyway.

Good for you. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.

I've often been the recruiting manager for professional roles and would 100% look more favourably at a candidate with a supermarket stint than a CV gap. Would look even more favourably if that person combined it with a bit of more specific skills maintenance through a course/training and/or voluntary work.

Please don't apply for care work. Having done both retail and care, it's every bit as demanding (if not more) and just as looked down on, and your attitude of that type of job being beneath you will show and impact on the people you're supposed to be caring for.
It will do so in retail too, be prepared to get a hard time from colleagues and customers alike, especially with an air of "I'm better than this" they'll sniff that out in minutes.
You'd have thought by now that society would have started to realise that the industries that carried on during the pandemic are the ones society relies upon, they were left open because they were essential, we couldn't really function at all without them. You'd all be hungry and at home looking after your own elderly and infirm relatives without these 'menial' jobs.
The only hope from this situation is that people like the OP will have a change of attitude and start to realise that the jobs that are so far beneath them are the ones that are essential, are the ones that deserve a bit of respect for what they do and the fact that society relies on them.
Not holding my breath though.

I think that when you apply for a job in a supermarket due to having been made redundant (during a pandemic) in 'Aviation' you take the job on the spot if it is offered - you don't debate about it on MN. Thankfully the 'snobby'..couldn't possibly lower myself to take the job posters seem to have disappeared. Don"t take the job OP you are clearly a bad fit - that is if this job actually exists.

Good for you. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.

Yes shitty agencies and recruitment firms seem to, thankfully this doesn't mean it's widely the case.

Yes shitty agencies and recruitment firms seem to, thankfully this doesn't mean it's widely the case.

It is the clients who say what they want and don’t want. I am telling you that clients have (and in all likelihood will continue to) failed to look beyond the top job on a CV many times. You can be snarky and blame me for that if you like. It doesn’t matter. This is about the reality for the OP.

I think everyone saying slap it on the CV are wrong, depending on the sector. I'm looking for academic hires and whilst many academics work in supermarkets, cleaning, restaurants, other temp work whilst doing their PhDs, it's not relevant to that type of job, so I wouldn't be remotely interested in these. Similarly if you are looking for a ,more senior job in many companies, they won't be interested in this.

That wouldn't stop me taking the job, but I wouldn't put it first on any CV! Only put the things you need them to see at the top/first page.

If there's a gap, you can mention if interviewed that you are doing temp work right now if asked, or include it lower down the CV if you want to.

It's not about a supermarket job being good enough, it's about whether you are trying to maintain a career in a particular industry, and putting your temp work in Asda isn't going to get your message across. Unless you are keen to access a supermarket grad scheme or work in retail in the longer term, in which case it is relevant and make a thing of it!

No need to lie though and fine to put your P45 from there as well.

@flaviaritt OP works in aviation, an industry which to be honest will likely face huge cuts even when things are 'back to normal'. It's not reality for the OP that it will make it harder to find work.