How much work is too much???

[traineewoes]

Hi. I’ve just started my new graduate trainee job. My timetable this month has been very busy with lots of working days in a row. For example I’m due to be working 9 days in a row with 1 day off, then 7 days in a row with 1 day off, then 2 days in and 1 day off, then 6 days in and 1 day off etc etc. That type of pattern. My hours are fixed which makes it slightly easier- I do 8.30 until 5.15. These are contracted hours not overtime. I know that for trainee jobs part of it involves working long hard hours and it’s sort of a rites of passage I suppose and others have done so long before I am, but I guess I’m just wondering, how many days in a row is too much? I don’t think there’s a legal limit really but I suppose at what point should I suck it up and at what point should I flag it up? I don’t want to flag it up and seem precious if it’s just something that comes with the trainer territory and I need to suck it up a bit. And for others who have worked similarly long periods, do you have any advice to make it more manageable and easier all round? Any advice or knowledge would be appreciated!!!

In my first couple of years of management consulting I worked 60-80 hours a week, often working through weekends, with no overtime and rare,y finding time for holiday. It is the norm for my industry, and the positive side is the amount of experience I crammed into a relatively short time period, which directly translates into pay rises. Coming on 20 years into the industry and both my husband and I rarely work more than 45-50hours but are on extremely high salaries. I do feel like I invested in my esrly years (lower average hourly wage ) in order to climb he ladder quickly and find opportunities to earn a very healthy wage at more minimal personal sacrifice.

different careers have different expectations and trajectories. There is no point comparing career paths without also thinking through cost/ impact of making a change

Okay, good luck. You asked if it came with the territory but no one can really answer that unless you're prepared to say what industry.

Here you go. 24 hours rest in 7 day period.
https://www.acas.org.uk/rest-breaks

But there's probably no point in complaining. Just move on if you don't want to live like that. (I wouldn't)

All the advice is really appreciated. I just don’t feel comfortable explaining in too much detail just in case but yeah, it’s finance related, that’s about as much as I feel comfortable saying apologies. But all the perspective is really appreciated. It’s definitely a career that has good prospects if I can stop being so utterly useless at it. it’s only been a month so hopefully I find my feet and start improving soon and then it won’t all seem so bad. In the meantime I think I just need to splash my face, put on my moisturiser and have a good nights sleep and I’m sure I’ll feel more positive about it all in the morning :)

Look on www.gov.uk about how many paid holidays you are due per year if you are employed

In UK it is 20+ ( can't remember exact) Some companies offer more

Secondly, if you work extra hours, you are supposed to receive more days holiday

Does your contract of employment specify how much holiday entitlement ?

Friend of a friend said that, you get the $$ but they want the work for it

That's understandable, when your a grad the usual expectations are clocking in many hours as possible based on friend of a friend.
At some firms it's been set that dinner is at the office and clocking out is around 9pm start at 8am

I guess are you hungry enough for the role and the success you hope to achieve.

My parents worked 28 days then had 6 days off. And when they were working they were effectively on call 24/7. Lived where they worked. Lots of jobs are like that

I'm contracted for 5/7

Sometimes I end up doing 9/10 days straight, depending on where days off fall

It's very normal imho

The 48 hour maximum per week is averaged over 17 weeks.

I disagree with this. I think you're a mug permanently working 70 hour weeks to prove your worth. It's dangerous and damaging.

I thought it was 14 days max in a row

What you need to remember OP is that while this is a good graduate scheme and this working pattern is considered the norm, that doesn't mean you need to suck it up and enjoy it.

I had a 'big job' after finishing uni and despised every minute of it. I left after nine months (and others left before me!). I learned that the sector and that pace of life was not for me. I now work in the public sector. I do get paid less than i would in the private sector. But the pace and lifestyle balance is right for me. And I get the perks of flexibility, relative security and dare I say it my pension.

There is no shame in accepting some roles are not for everyone.

I did anything from 45 to 80 hours a week after graduating. Just doing the basic hours was a massive transition from uni it felt just like work, sleep, work, sleep for a while and then I got use to it. But I was doing what I loved (and still do) so for the most part enjoyed the hours and am now very successful in part thanks to them

IMO your 20s are either for mucking about avoiding work for as long as possible, or really putting yourself into work and building a career. Then once you get to your early 30s you either start building a career on turbo speed if you did the former, or reaping the rewards of your success and slowing down if the later

I'd say this isn't unusual. Depends on the type of job but like other pp, I think every job I've done waives the 48 hour rule.
In hospitality it wasn't unusual to work 10 days without a break.
When I was in education in a more senior residential role, we worked 24/7 and only had 24 hours off, we were often on call overnight (and were woken up and had to deal with issues) straight after doing 24 hours previously. At one point I was working 84 hour weeks, which was 'justified' because we got school holidays.
We just got on with it....and I did that jobs for many years.

Do you know if it's company specific or industry specific?

Why? I've done both and have a great career and have enjoyed it.

Not meaning to sound harsh but it ain't that bad as long as your not under the minimum wage with all the hours. As you stated it's finance related guess you have already worked that out.
I would be more concerned about why you feel your useless at it.

I’m doing atrocious at it since starting last month.

OP, a big part of working in a professional role is having to cope with feeling out of your depth. I never feel settled in a new role until I've been there for a year.
One month in, all I'd expect you to be doing is absorbing what information you can about the company and services/products they provide, and meeting key stakeholders to introduce yourself. You certainly shouldn't be expected to be any 'good' or even neccessarily 'capable' at anything yet.

@ThisIsACoolUserName Because not everyone has the stones for it, not necessarily in a negative way, some people want to promptly leave the office at 5pm even if they have a full inbox. Others wouldn't think twice before making themselves another coffee at 5pm to go back to their desk to tackle their inbox. I'm in the former camp now but when I started my career I was both feet in the latter group. Not everyone wants to set themselves on fire daily for their job.

You think disclosing a whole industry is going to out you? Of all the ridiculous “don’t want to out myself” posts this has to be the most ridiculous.

I have had a long career in finance. Your hours on a daily basis are pretty light compared to what I recall. But a shift pattern is not normal in any finance role I have come across, it generally is Monday to Friday but with some weekend working some times of the year.

The rule is at least 1 day off per week if you have not opted out of the WTD. So you could have Monday off in the first week and Sunday off in the second week meaning that you have worked 12 days continuously.

I was going to say as a pp said it sounded like aldi. Its known for high starting salary but bloody awful hours.

I wouldn't personally touch retail with a bargepole but know others who've survived it and done well.

Ha big four is nowhere near that bad in the first couple of years, i did mostly half 9 - to 7 (but less when in college) and never worked weekends!!