To feel embarrassed about your occupation?

[Poppets14]

I’ve been a medical receptionist for 14 years. I really enjoy my job and consider some people I work with as friends.
It’s super flexible around childcare. I can also do my job blind folded.
The money is crap! Minimum wage.

Ive not got any skills or any qualifications to write home about so it’s not like I can just do something much different. I’m not the bread winner - it’s a part time job that fits in with the school run!

When people ask what I do I suddenly start feeling really embarrassed to tell them. Almost ashamed I’m not a’professional’
Some of my mum friends have been to uni and seem to have super flash jobs and I’m worried people look down on me for having a job so simple.

Anyone else feel embarrassed by their job? AIBU?

Know your worth! Your colleagues can't manage without you doing your job and neither can the patients.

There are certain jobs for which I wouldn't look down on the person as such, but I would wonder how they square it ethically or morally as a good use of their skills- working in tobacco sales or arms trading for instance.

There is no such thing as a job that deserves to be looked down upon just because it doesn't pay astronomically or require years of training. I think we have seen during covid that many of these jobs are extremely valuable key to a functioning society and infrastructure.

What you do helps the running of the healthcare service you work for and ensures people access the help they need. If you want to do something else in time with scope to move up, admin/ reception is a great source of a lot of useful skills that will stand you in good stead, for the civil service for instance.

Are you really embarrassed or just starting to think it's time for you to move on, and maybe not sure where to start looking?

Patients are actually really nice most of the time and if they’re not it’s usually for good reason!
It’s the nurses and some doctors that make our life so difficult and make us feel a bit worthless.
We’ve got one doctor that will not socialise with any of the receptionists as she has told us she only socialises with professionals. She says it’s because our levels of intelligence doesn’t match and she would bore us all!! She wont even have us as friends on Facebook. Makes you feel a bit crap

I have similar experience. Have a degree and doing a slightly similar type of job and different sector. Yes people around me and other parents are mostly professionals and do look down / it's more a case of when they ask you what you do - and you say coordinator/ administrator for...... and their faces go blank almost a bored look.

You have a really important job. I think it’s also one where a bit of kindness is really appreciated.

Are you really embarrassed or just starting to think it's time for you to move on, and maybe not sure where to start looking?

Maybe this? Maybe I’ve been there too long!

I work as a medication dispenser in a pharmacy. A lot of my job involves dealing with patient/surgery/hospital queries, dispensing and lanellong a mountain of prescriptions for the pharmaxist to then check, set up compliance aids for patients and do a lot of legwork with our local surgeries, talking to receptionists, GPS.

I earn minimum wage and after the horror that has been dealing with covid and the increased workload while surgeries were unable to see patients, I really feel undervalued and although the job works well with family, I do feel embarrassed if the topic of money ever comes up as I earn such a pittance despite all the things my job involves.

Also these jobs tend to be not very well paid for the demands of the job itself. Not necessarily minimum wage but not what they are worth so people tend to think you don't really need much to do the job.

Excuse my spelling, I'm still half asleep.

We’ve got one doctor that will not socialise with any of the receptionists as she has told us she only socialises with professionals. She says it’s because our levels of intelligence doesn’t match and she would bore us all

Christ alive she actually said that?! I mean, sounds like she's doing you a favour but what a twat! Please don't pay her any attention.

People who judge you for an occupation have some seriously unattractive character traits.The thing I remember about someone is if they are kind and I also like to hear about what other people do.It might not seem interesting to you but I like to hear about other people’s work.

@Poppets14

Patients are actually really nice most of the time and if they’re not it’s usually for good reason! It’s the nurses and some doctors that make our life so difficult and make us feel a bit worthless. We’ve got one doctor that will not socialise with any of the receptionists as she has told us she only socialises with professionals. She says it’s because our levels of intelligence doesn’t match and she would bore us all!! She wont even have us as friends on Facebook. Makes you feel a bit crap

That wouldn't make me feel crap at all. I'd laugh my arse off if someone said that to me and thank my lucky stars that I wouldn't have to socialise with such a pompous twat.

I’m a nurse, I don’t think I’ve got any drs from work on Facebook but it’s job and they are people like anyone else, I wouldn’t look down on anyone because of their job. I would think differently if someone was rude/nasty not a kind person etc but their job wouldn’t come into it. I think the majority of us do normal jobs we just do them to keep a roof over our head. Yours is important as I couldn’t do my job without you.

Yes I get it. I work in a call centre (not sales, actually providing a critical service for people in vulnerable situations) and I constantly feel like I’m being looked down on- even by people in my own family! Safe to say I don’t associate with them very often

the type of people who judge you on your job are not people you want as friends.
Also and I hope this doesn’t come across badly but I work in a professional job which is facilitated massively by people doing our business support in similar roles and I’m fully aware I couldn’t do my job without those people doing theirs

Same here… I’ve worked my way up the ladder a little bit but didn’t go to uni or college. I hate when the questions come up as where you studied. I feel like I’m an uneducated cow and people judge. And they ducking do don’t they… although I don’t know how it’s better that the majority of folks who have a degree are similar levels as me 🤷🏻‍♀️

Chin up. You can only work with what you got and you must be proud for your achievements. Well done for having a job that you can do blindfolded. I hope you are happy ☺️ At least you don’t take your work worries home. Look at the folks who are working their balls off and take their work stuff /worries home. For more money-yes… but would you want to live to work ?!

Fwiw op, I've been to uni and am highly educated. I'm a sahm but I've only ever done bog standard receptionist or admin jobs. If I got a job now it would be minimum wage. Being a mum has fucked me over massively

I work in a technical support role in a school, 2 schools I’ve worked in I feel/felt respected. 3rd school I was a second class citizen…..

I am embarrassed by the “level” of job I’ve taken, Have 2 degrees and work PT for a pittance. But I work AND have the family time I want.

I have friends who work FT or PT(ish) who’s professional jobs stress them out and can’t turn off.

We both have important jobs that those we support couldn’t do theirs as easily without us.

No I think you have a good job! Very important skills. Also you an say you're a mum! Be proud of that too! ☺️

Jobs I personally judge (yes I'm a judgmental cow):

• Gambling industry - hate gambling, gets people into problem debt.
• Tobacco industry (pretty obvious)
• Cosmetic surgeon. Could be saving lives but no! Let's do butt lifts all day.
• people working for payday loan companies- evil, predatory.
• parking wardens. Just why.
• recruitment consultant. An ex did this- such a bullshit job.
• working for the political parties I think are shit.

I could go on

@PurpleEchoLamp go on tells us! If you can making a living from being a musician you are doing awesome!

I'm a TA so 'too thick to be a teacher' even
(No I'm not, have a good degree actually but being a TA suits my life, interests and stress levels!)
My oldest friend is a very very senior civil servant...huge salary huge responsibility.. doesn't look down on me :)

You do a perfectly decent job..be proud!

I'm a nursery nurse.and I hate telling people. I really feel they look down their nose. I have a degree in early childhood and 20 years experience but the money is shit and I often feel that people think I'm lesser.
My friend will often say How's your little job?. I work 45 hours a week!

@Poppets14

I’ve been a medical receptionist for 14 years. I really enjoy my job and consider some people I work with as friends. It’s super flexible around childcare. I can also do my job blind folded. The money is crap! Minimum wage.

Ive not got any skills or any qualifications to write home about so it’s not like I can just do something much different. I’m not the bread winner - it’s a part time job that fits in with the school run!

When people ask what I do I suddenly start feeling really embarrassed to tell them. Almost ashamed I’m not a’professional’
Some of my mum friends have been to uni and seem to have super flash jobs and I’m worried people look down on me for having a job so simple.

Anyone else feel embarrassed by their job? AIBU?

You do have skills. Please do not feel embaressed. There is NOTHING wrong with your job!

I have what you would probably consider to be a high powered job and I don’t look down on you or anyone in a support role in my industry - they’re vital. For what’s it worth, I’m sure just as many mums at the school gates judge me for rarely being there at drop off and pick up and working long hours. There is no having it all.

I'm a pharmacist. I used to work in the NHS and was always respected as I worked in cancer services. I now work in a retail pharmacy and it is embarrassing. I'm looked down on by relatives and friends, I'm treated like shit by customers and the comments on MN about us are really hard to read. As @Cervicalflop says, we've had a horrendous year and the only upside from my POV is I get paid more than her. I tend to avoid the question when meeting new people as even though I have a Masters degree and 2 PGdip people only hear retail and assume I'm a shop assistant.