Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is my job looked down upon

149 replies

CoffeAndCakeAddict · 26/04/2022 16:09

I’m a receptionist in a veterinary surgery.

It’s stressful and money is rubbish but I love my job.

When people ask me where I work and I say the vets, they say ‘are you a vet?’
When I tell them I’m a receptionist I’ve had some funny responses.
do you want to be a nurse or vet?
only a receptionist?

it makes me feel a bit rubbish.

honest opinion please.
what do you think of this job? Is it a type of job that’s looked down upon?

OP posts:
Moonface123 · 26/04/2022 16:45

Each and every job is important, but to some that only becomes apparent when nobody there to do it. l would never look down on anyone, be proud of your job, why you do really does make a positive difference.

Moonface123 · 26/04/2022 16:46

What, not why.

RightOnTheEdge · 26/04/2022 16:48

I definitely wouldn't. The receptionists at my cat's vets are great.
I've always thought that I'd like to do that job.
You Mum was rude.

TheProvincialLady · 26/04/2022 16:50

’Admin’ is not more professional sounding than ‘receptionist’. They are both valid, useful jobs.

Panicmode1 · 26/04/2022 16:51

I'm currently working in a very part time low paid admin job, but I have a professional qualification and a masters degree. It's fascinating how people treat you once you tell them what you do - it says a whole lot more about them than you.

I'm doing it because after having the big career and the salary, I had my fourth child and a high earning husband and we agreed I would be the SAHP - I love my job because I work for a charity which does a huge amount of good and because I feel useful, and I know they value my contribution.

My dog is a 'frequent flyer' at our vet - the receptionists have been utterly brilliant all the way through and I consider them to be as much a part of our experience of the treatment/journey through each appointment as I do the vets and the vet nurses, and just as integral to her (and my!) care. Anyone who treats you differently or thinks otherwise isn't worth bothering about. I bet you do a brilliant job and are valued by the people who matter - ie the pets and owners you look after.

AryaStarkWolf · 26/04/2022 16:52

Nothing wrong with a receptionist job, odd they'd ask that though, do they ask Doctors receptionists if they wanted to be Doctors? I doubt it

WhenISnappedAndFarted · 26/04/2022 16:52

My dog was PTS a week ago and the veterinary nurses were fantastic, I don't look down on jobs because everyone's job is valuable in some way.

Keekabooyou · 26/04/2022 16:54

Totally agree with zingally. And anyone looking down on you isn’t worth speaking to.

tobedtoMN · 26/04/2022 16:56

Despite occasionally having to deal with arseholes you say in your OP 'I love my job'. Not many people can say that so you are very lucky.
Ask your Mum in future not to say 'just the receptionist' as it demeans your hard work.

TortugaRumCakeQueen · 26/04/2022 16:57

I would think that was quite a complicated job. People are weird. I work with animals, and most people assume it's low paid. It really isn't. Most of the time I know that I earn more than them. I just smile and wave.

tortadicarote · 26/04/2022 17:05

It's a perfectly normal job serving a very useful purpose (and gives you the opportunity to meet cute animals every day). The only "jobs" I look down on are things that are either illegal or immoral.

tsmainsqueeze · 26/04/2022 17:11

I'm a vet nurse , from my perspective no way are you looked down on !
Your role is the first point of contact with the client , you have so many situations to deal with - you know how much variety we have in a day ! , no other field of work compares to ours .
Your role has a lot of responsibility any body who looks down on you and your job is ignorant, i bet they wouldn't have the foggiest idea where to begin if you asked them to spend a day in your role.

Foilist · 26/04/2022 17:13

Hold your head up, it’s a good job. My vets receptionists (3 women) are some of the nicest people I’ve met. So kind and efficient over the years with various emergencies and deaths. It’s a great job, enjoy it and forget your mum’s comments.

OneTC · 26/04/2022 17:17

The responses are very familiar to me. Me and my oh run our family business. It's our life and livelihood, and it's a good one, albeit hard and long work. Alot of people assume we're doing it while we work out "what we really want to do"

Mondaymanic · 26/04/2022 17:20

No I am so jealous of people who do that. What a nice job. 😀
People can be arse holes though

Misskittycat16 · 26/04/2022 17:29

I get it op, I've been a vet nurse for 20 years and I still get it now "oh so are you going to be a vet?" 🙄

For what it's worth I am in awe of our receptionists, I find a stint on reception far more stressful than being out the back!

ByTheSea · 26/04/2022 17:32

The receptionists at our vet are lovely and I wouldn't dream of looking down on them.

MiniatureHotdog · 26/04/2022 17:49

I absolutely love the receptionists at our vets! They somehow manage to be organised and efficient at their jobs whilst also making a huge fuss of our pets as if they're the most special patients 😍
Anyone who calls some "just" an anything is an idiot who doesn't deserve any respect imo

Walkingalot · 26/04/2022 17:51

It's in the delivery - say 'I'm a receptionist at a Vets' instead of 'I work at a Vets'. I think it's only natural for people to ask exactly what you do. Of all the places to be a receptionist, at a Vets would be my top choice. I imagine it's so interesting and meeting all the animals, my idea of heaven goes off to google vets receptionist jobs.

ineedsun · 26/04/2022 17:53

I have huge admiration for the receptionists at my vets. They’re so skilled at organisation and multi tasking, I’ve told them more than once that I’d have a breakdown if I did their job. It’s bloody hard!

CoralDaffodil · 26/04/2022 17:56

Nope I wouldn’t look down on it. I think anyone that makes the effort to work shouldn’t be looked down on. Bring a Receptionist is an important job- the place couldn’t function without you. Plus you are always on the go and the ‘frontline face’ of the business.

FriedTomatoe · 26/04/2022 17:56

In a nutshell, some people do. I used to be a secretary. Some people were real snobs about it. However, It was so much better paid than what I do now and good hours. I'm a teacher now. The money is shit and the hours are long.

FAQs · 26/04/2022 17:56

Our vets receptionist is legendary, everyone loves him, he makes up the most random stories about the pets, especially random dreams he insists animals have when waking up from a GA depending on how they react.

The last time I took my dog in for her annual jabs, he said to her, hold in that girth girlfriend, we all gotta do our bit 🤣

Marblessolveeverything · 26/04/2022 17:57

It is a public facing job that demands for a lot of technical knowledge to support the vets, accompanied by practical administration skills , excellent communication skills and the patience of the saint. In my experience the title of the job doesn't capture the full picture. The person I know who is front of house in the vet works very hard, and can regularly be found fostering kittens, organising puppy classes, raising awareness about campaigns - and most importantly being a rock solid support to people having one of their worst days of their lives.

seensome · 26/04/2022 17:57

It's a responsible job, people will quite often ask you advice and if they need to come in urgently or not, you are the front of business and there to reassure them when there're worried, it's not a job to look down on.