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?

I think I understand what you're asking.....

I currently have a small, minimum wage casual hours job which is 'practical' in nature rather than 'intellectual'. I have had some raised eyebrows if I tell anyone.

I have a degree and post-grad qualifications, years of experience in an entirely different field and have held management positions in the past, in jobs that paid masses more than I currently earn.

However, I am now older. I do not want any responsibility at all, I do not want to be sat in front of a computer all day, nor be responsible for making any decisions. And I want something local, where I can turn up, work, and leave at the end of the day without having to think about the job until my next work day.

Suits me fine for my work-life balance at this stage in my life, but if anyone asks what I do, I almost feel like I have to explain myself when I tell them what my job is...

That doctor in your practice does sound like a rude self important cow but one thing you should do is try to separate the idea that respecting your job and wanting to socialise/be FB friends with you are one and the same. I work with lots of people whose skills I respect, value and rely on, but I don’t fancy a night down the pub with them, for all sorts of reasons, none of which are related to how intelligent I think they are compared to me.

On a separate note, I’ve had a few private appointments recently with a number of consultants, and all the arrangements go through their secretaries (generally they call themselves PAs though). It’s clear that the consultants really respect their PAs and rely heavily on them to keep them on track. I don’t detect and looking down or snobbery there.

@Rowgtfc72

I work in a factory packing fish, minimum wage. I work with lovely people. I've never paid for childcare as my dh works opposite shifts to make sure she's ways had a parent there at either end of the day. I have a lovely home with a small mortgage. No debt.Have holidays and days out. At the end of the day my lifestyle suits me and my family. So I pack fish? Who doesn't eat fish fingers

Op. You need to get yourself to a place where you're happy with your lot. Your job is as important as the next person's. Only you can do the job the way you do it. Be proud of that.

My husband used to work in a fish processing factory. He had to fillet the salmon. It was pretty good pay, but he stank! Salmon doesn't smell bad, but it does smell strong and the smell really clings!

I can't honestly think of a job which would make me look down on someone (well, maybe gamekeeper, but that's more because the only ones I've met have been utter cocks, so probably not even then). There is dignity in going out and earning money, or indeed in staying in and earning money!

I don't care at all about status, so I don't tend to "sort" people according to their jobs. My doctor really does though, and it really irritates her that I don't acknowledge her superior status. I have literally never had a conversation with her that didn't include a pointed reference to how important she is (in particular how important she is compared to me). I'm perfectly polite and pleasant to her, but I do think that she's a twat.

I always hated being asked about my job. People were never content with “I’m an administrator, I work for x organisation” “But what exactly do you do?” It’s very difficult to make admin work sound interesting!

@Labracadabradoodle - I have a cleaner help me out once a week and I honestly could not cope without her. She's a bloody marvel and it really annoys me when she says she's "just" a cleaner.
You all work blooming hard and that is nothing to be embarrassed about x

@QueeniesCroft

I actively avoid telling people what I do for a living- I sell "stuff" on eBay and Amazon. It's a fairly niche range of "stuff" and I do fairly well (turnover around £75k), but I feel really embarrassed about it. I also have a smallish farm, so sometimes I just say I'm a farmer, but my main income is the online stuff.

I sometimes feel like what everyone else does is a real, gownup job, but what I do is just pretending and one day I'll be found out.

I sell stuff on Etsy and Amazon. Again niche and similar turnover. I might make VAT threshold next year (but after fees - and I send my stuff to be Fulfilled by Amazon so fees are high - it's above minimum wage but not by a lot)

People are so sneery about Amazon (while those little boxes keep arriving at their houses) but there are a lot of small scale individual sellers on there, they even have a handmade section. But you can't argue with the sneer.

I used to be a nurse, thought about going back to it as my children got older, but this is so much better on work/life balance.

OP just to put this into perspective: I have a job which some people consider “glamorous” and which is quite well paid. I generally enjoy it and on paper I am very lucky

But that doesn’t stop about half of my friends looking down on me because they think it’s too greedy and capitalist. They would value what you do far more. In some circles I have to lie about what I do and I have been told by someone who professes to be a friend that I am “basically no better than a prostitute”. (My job has nothing to do with sex for the record).

I try not to let this get to me.

My point is there will always be arseholes who judge people for doing any job. Life is too short to spend too much time worrying about this.

Your significant post is at 920. I’m very happy that’s what matters
Not the superficialities of other people behaviour or attitudes
Medical reception they know stuff,they know where the forms are,the passwords,the effort that goes into keeping a MDT working when there are competing personalities and multiple demands.

Yabu. You. are. awesome. You are obviously really good at is as you have been working there for 14 years. You should be proud op. Really. You. Are.amazing. without you, your colleagues would be lost. Remember that x

I'm a Behaviour Mentor in a challenging secondary school. I get a lot of 'your job must be really rewarding' but in reality the pay isn't great and I do a lot of unpaid overtime. However, I enjoy what I do and I think that's the main thing.

You should feel proud to have any job!

I'm in a more professional role but I'd be happy to say I'm a medical receptionist. In fact I'm at constant risk of redundancy due to the volatile industry I'm in and will probably be redundant next year, I'm not too good for any job and I'd never look down on someone for their job title. Having a job you like is a great achievement to be honest.

I have a degree and used to work in financial services as a compliance monitoring officer. I hated it, I hated the whole corporate 'scene' and the office culture and I was desperately unhappy. Four and a half years ago I left to go and work as a receptionist in a GP surgery. It more than halved my wage but it was 100% the right thing to do and I've been so much happier for it. I now work as a medical secretary and love it. I work harder than I've ever worked and over the pandemic I've done a lot of unpaid overtime to try and keep up, but I work with lovely people who are genuinely trying to do good and make a difference, and I go home at the end of the day feeling like I've contributed to something worthwhile. I think your happiness is much more important than the status of your job, and anyone that looks down on you for having a "lesser" job isn't worth knowing.

I am not embarrassed, but some of my family don't know what I do, and my mother lies to her friends when they ask.
Which is somewhat annoying, as I have to keep up the conspiracy for her as she doesn't want my sister to find out or her friends.
My OHs family know what I do as do my friends and all very supportive.

@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?

There's nothing wrong with your job. It suits your life. I have been to Uni and aged 42 work 40 hours a week and earn 20k. My colleague is 36 with a degree too earning the same.

OP anyone who looks down on you for having a good stable job isn't worth knowing.

I completely agree.

I’m the opposite.
when I was a cleaner I would tell people without embarrassment, now I am a teacher I just say I work in a school.

Waxonwaxoff0
Totally agree, I work in a warehouse in retail, just above min wage. No stress, fits in with the children’s school 9-3, 10 min drive from my house. Never really been ambitious. I wouldn’t associate with anyone who looked down there nose at me.

For me other people see what I do as very dangerous- I know close family members would take active steps to try to stop me.

I’m a psychotherapist and people never seem to know what to do with that. Especially as I specialise in children, I think some people assume I’m drawling conclusions about their children and how they are parented.

Which is completely not the case, I don’t apply any professional thinking outside of work unless I’m specifically asked to, and even then I’d keep advice board e.g. talking about developmental stages not a particular child.

I love my job and it’s a shame none of my friends want to talk to me about it but I could only talk in general terms anyway due to confidentiality so I basically just never ever talk about work.

OP I have what you might call a very fancy and highly paid job but I have the utmost respect for any woman who manages to hold down ANY kind of a job whilst also running a house and looking after a family. That is no joke. I have so much respect for the people who help me to keep all the plates spinning in my world as I simply cannot do it by myself - I'm talking about my lovely cleaner for a start - I won't even let her clean my DGS's room - if he can't respect her enough to tidy it ahead of her visit I most certainly don't see why she should bother cleaning it!! Please value yourself OP you are doing a very important job all round.

I used to be in a "professional" job. Took VR a few years back and started my own business. It's the most basic of jobs and people assume I do it for pocket money. They have no idea that I make 3 times as much now. I just smile and wave.

I have a job in quality assurance but it's basically just admin. The money is ok for a part time job but even then I do sometimes feel a bit embarrassed that my job is nothing more challenging or demanding or highflying. The problem with admin is that there aren't many options for progression if you don't want to go into management. Lot of people don't understand when I tell them that I don't want to progress into management. It's an odd thing but I think it's more about my perception than anyone else's. Nobody has ever been rude about my job, I think it's just that I personally feel like I should or could be doing something else with my life. But then again my job is so secure and with a great pension......

Why you ashamed about your job....my friend is vvv proud of the same job you doing ...it's a vital important job and fits around her DC. I know other mums who love her job.

I think having any job is something to be proud of. It means that you are contributing to society and you should hold your head high.

Your job is really important and valuable. Well done you for finding something so positive which also works for your family