Is my job looked down upon

[CoffeAndCakeAddict]

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?

I look down on people who think a human being's worth is based on their job title.

Often the prospects are better for a vets receptionist than a vet nurse. Vet nursing is terribly under paid for the skill set, and while receptionists aren't earning more in many practices there are pathways into other more senior support roles depending upon the size and type of the practice and eventually practice management or management of a group of practices.

I would love to have your job. I would be extremely proud.

No it's not. What your mum said was absolutely dreadful. I would never belittle a child of mine like that.

You have a very respectable and worthwhile job providing a much needed service. As a long time pet owner, I remember with gratitude the receptionists who have given me efficient and compassionate help and advice over the years.

Out of interest, what job does your mum do?

Not at all. The receptionist at my dog's vet was the absolute kindest most compassionate person when my dog neared the end of her time, and at the end itself. I will never forget her commitment to her job and her kindness

The receptionists at our vets are great.

I think people like that will try to make people feel bad about their jobs no matter what the job is. Ignore them!! I would love to have your job.

It is not a job I would look down on at all. Anyone who does is an arsehole

Vet's receptionists are the first and last people you see when you take your pet to the vets. Sometimes, that trip is your pet's last visit. So much patience and compassion is needed. It must be hard for you to hand over a card reader for payment when you know someone has just had to say goodbye to their companion.

It also sounds amazing meeting lots of bouncy puppies everyday too.

The receptionists at the vets I take my dog to are fantastic, always so friendly and helpful. They're really busy, lots of noise, demanding customers, etc but they always seem calm and in control. It makes such a difference when you're dealing with a stressed or injured animal. Drs receptionists could learn a lot from them!

I wouldn't look down on anyone for their job. Vets receptionist sounds like a lovely job if you ask me.

seriously, who are these twats. It’s an Ace job to me
you have to be sympathetic at the right time and you get to play with puppies and kittens.

it’s a job I’d love to be honest!

Ignore them ! 💐

I think it sounds like a hugely satisfying and varied job.

and completely different to “admin” which does not sound “more professional” at all. Admin does not always mean customer facing and quite often means the opposite.

My mum answered ‘No, she’s just the receptionist’. It was how she said it- it made me feel really insecure.
After we walked away she said ‘I wish I could say you were a nurse - it sounds better’ — thanks mum

Horrible. I'd never say anything like that to my daughter.

Absolutely don't look down on anyone or their choice of job. All jobs need someone to do them

People look down on my job all the time-while I’m in the middle of doing it

my job is hard work,draining and mentally as well as physically hard

without fail,every single time,it’s the people who have never done a days work in their lives (while being able to work-they just don’t want to) and if the job centre told them it’s either do my job or stave,then they’d stave

my dp points out that these people are happy to take benefits-from the money I work so hard to earn

id love to work in a vets but I couldn’t be a vet-I don’t do blood or needles and I couldn’t bear to see an animal in pain

hold your head high-it sounds like a lovely job

I couldn't be a receptionist at a vets. I couldn't cope. It's a tough job!

Also to add, no job is only anything!

I would just love your job I think! I’m sure you have bad days along with the good but if you ever feel like swapping with a secondary teacher let me know. I’m actually thinking of retraining to work with animals, teenagers are just too terrible! 😤
I do have two of my own before anyone gets offended!

Of course not, vet receptionists are usually amazing people who love fussing animals, and are great at distracting or comforting sentimental owners like me who get distressed!

My friend is a receptionist at a PDSA branch, the amount of shitty traumatic things she's witnessed is unbelievable.

A good receptionist/ secretary at a doctor's, vets, school are worth their weight in gold.
Having had complicated health issues in our family, behavioural issues, and just general complications with our children and animals. It has been the administration staff who have made things easy to navigate, reacted quickly and kept communication open in stressful situations.
You guys rock. Be proud of your job it is appreciated.

People who look down on any job have no place in my world. Why would you even bother to care what other people think? I would far rather be a receptionist than a judgemental idiot. There's too much "oh you must have a career", (especially on MN) - I wonder who would be the first to complain if there was no-one doing all the jobs others look down on.

I wouldn’t look down on anyone’s job.
You have a job, that presumably you enjoy, you’re grafting to put food on the table and a roof over your head. 🤷🏻‍♀️
I pull pints for a living 😂 it’s not glamorous or high flying, but it’s honest work!
Working in hospitality as shown me that arseholes come from every walk of life, and what you do for a living bears very little weight on who you are as a person. At my work, I’ve met a Dr who was the rudest, most stuck up snob I think I’ve ever encountered - her bedside manner must be shocking if that’s the way she treats hospitality staff! We also have a bin man who comes in on the regular, and is the nicest bloke! He’s always smiley, always asks after my family, gives lovely, thoughtful Christmas cards!
Job is a job.

No I wouldn’t look down on you and I would presume you really enjoy your job.

i know two vet receptionists and they’ve both done the job for years and loved it. I used to do corporate reception and have some fab memories.

OP, I'm jealous!! I've always said that, if I had the money to leave my current job, I'd be a vets receptionist a few days a week.

Most people nowadays say Admin instead of receptionist. It sounds more professional too.

Utter rubbish - and why does it have to sound "professional"?