Went for a job and got offered a cleaner job instead I feel miserable.

[Aw4foxsake]

I applied for a job working checkouts and everything went well they asked me if I would be interested in a cleaning job and that I could sort of have a dual role where I could clean and do the tills but the starting pay would be less but it would allow me to have extra hours when I'm free.

Went to the contract signing and it's just the cleaning job that has zero chance of extra hours and I will not be put on checkouts.

I have to take this job as my hours have been radically cut from my previous job so I'm left with no choice right now.

I feel like this is a step backwards as for the last 2 years I've been working tills. Which was a step backwards from my previous job as a graphic designer.

To make it worse I feel like I'm being discriminated against because I have a child since they said " we feel like this job would provide better flexibility with your commitments"

My availability is during school 9-3pm and 5-10pm and weekends are fine. I also share custody with my son's father who works 3 weeks on and 3 weeks off so I have him when he is away working and he has him when he is home. So I can work any hours when my son is away. I can't find a job that is willing to work with my availability which I think is pretty reasonable.

I've been trying all of the shops but no one is willing to hire me. All of the office jobs in my area start at 8am and finish 5/6pm but I would have to pay for a childcare space that would go unused 1/2 the time.

I'm miserable and I will have a really really low income with no opportunity to even make more.

Am I just overreacting I've been crying ever since I signed the contract. I wanted to learn how to drive I will not make enough money to even learn it will cover the cost of our food without much left over. I feel like once people see I've been cleaning on my CV they will not hire me for anything more.

What do you think ?

Why can't you back to being a graphic designer, loads of jobs are hybrid/remote now and you'll make more money? Loads of my colleagues do drop off and pick ups to like me, but use their lunch hour then.

And just seen the hours, you have to build up goodwill to negotiate hours. I work 8-4. Some colleagues do 9-5. I did 9-4 the other day (and worked extra hour on different day) due to long meeting. You can also get promoted and earn more money. You're better of putting energy in a corporate job, building a good reputation and goodwill then putting a request in for flexible hours to accommodate childcare.

As you're right once people see cleaner etc on your CV, it will be hard to get back into Graphic Design/Corporate world.

Also, your kids will be at school soon so that will be free. Short term pain for long term gain!

Would you not be better paying for child care and working in your chosen field of graphic design?

Yup, this was my first thought and the amount of hybrid/remote working options.. Alongside promotion then ability to ask for flexible hours/working once established and with good reputation!

Hi OP, I am currently training (at no cost) to get into web development.

The web development teachers I've had have been playing favourites with the other trainees who have graphic design skills - graphic design experience gives them SUCH a big advantage, it's unreal.

I have small kids and the jobs I will be going for at the end of the training start at £35-40K for juniors, and are very flexible hours and mostly WFH - with initial grants to cover the cost of the home office IT equipment... I'd hope to be on double that in 5 years. And tech is one of the most in-demand industries, once you have your foot in the door.

This is where I started: https://codefirstgirls.com/courses/
I'm interviewing next week for one of the Degree places, but started about 4 months ago with a couple of MOOCs, then 8-week web dev Kickstarter course after that.

You should have a good look to se if this is something you can do. Don't be daunted about changing track - I have a totally unrelated arts degree and zero relevant work experience, but I'm competent and committed and really think this will work out.

Really well paid flexible jobs that fit around your childcare commitments are within reach for you, and it will lift you and DC right out of the downward spiral.
Wish you all the best.

Don't cry OP. This too shall pass. You have a job and that's the most important thing right now. However if you're a graphic designer keep applying and it'll happen.
Hold your head high. Cleaning is a decent job and it's done by decent people. It's a necesary job and not one to be looked down on. Most businesses wouldn't run without somebody to do the cleaning, so stay strong and take pride in what you do. It's an honourable job.
I'll go into a shop with empty shelves but I won't go into a dirty one. Stay strong. It'll happen.

*necessary

this.

My now 85yr old mother was a cleaner and very embarrassed about it. Worked her fingers to the bone, days/nights. She sent both kids to Russel Group universities and bought a rental property to for her pension. I'm very proud of her! I certainly don't have that grit.

If you can afford to, refuse this job. Honestly - it’s like a relationship. Once you are onboard it can be hard to get out. And this job is showing you who they are and how they ll treat you. I’ve been a cleaner - it’s not the cleaning that’s the problem. It’s the last minute change to contract, less pay and not living up to promises. Kick this one to the curb, if you can!

Consider setting up as a self employed cleaner as a temporary earner while dc are young?

After leaving teaching I did this- minimal start up costs, advertise on local social media. There is huge demand in my area, I’m turning clients away.
I charge £17.50 an hour and can fit the work around other commitments.

Check the going rate for independent cleaners in your area if you’re interested.

And to emphasise the point!!!! There is NO shame in cleaning. I’ve been a cleaner. I’m friends with cleaners. It’s bloody hard work! I know some people enjoy it (flexibility etc). You have NOTHING to be ashamed of.

If it helps - I am an academic. Cleaned after my PhD when it was that or go hungry. I most certainly do not judge cleaners. At ALL. Ever!!!

This is one of the reasons why I'm very wary of going to freelance/self employed route because have to wait for contracts and search. Loads of people still need Graphic Designers (the company I work for definitely does).

Better of staying in house with an employer, building up network/connect/experience and reputation.. Stable pay check and don't have to worry about finding contacts.

You have loads of experience, have you thought about going in house?

Having worked in retail I would much prefer to be the store cleaner than work on the checkouts.
Is the wage enough for your needs? If not can it be topped up with UC?
Nothing wrong with being a cleaner.

Not sure where you are but self employed cleaning is very lucrative here, £20 an hour is normal. Obviously that means travel time, insurance but if you need school hours it's worth considering.

I would recommend looking at wraparound childcare, you may even get some help with the cost if you are on uc. Many children go to childcare

If you are happy to do a cleaning job as a stop gap ( I’m assuming it’s minimum wage) have you thought about private house cleaning ? I pay my cleaner £16 an hour. You can set your own hours so no childcare. Honestly if you are reliable and thorough you will be turning work down there is such a demand.

Most supermarkets seem to be cutting costs by reducing staffed checkouts and increasing "self-service". Most of the machines go wrong a lot, and there are staff supervising that and other work. I can't see why cleaning would be more flexible but maybe at the time of cutbacks existing staff are getting priority and newbies are being asked to take the less popular work. I suspect they are exploiting your need for flexibility by pushing you towards lower paid cleaning work.

You could take it and look for opportunities to take on work other than cleaning. You might be able then to apply for internal vacancies. And if there are other supermarkets and retailers in your area you could continue to apply for other jobs.

Also worth asking about flexibility of school wraparound care. I am governor at a primary school which has had to cut a lot of the wraparound for lack of take up of any kind but I believe it was relatively flexible.

If you need the job I would take it, it's much easier to get better roles once you are in.
My son started as a Christmas checkout and was kept on, he's since been trained on stock control, customer services, petrol station and deliveries.
Because he will do anything he is seen as a valuable resource- it's got him a job when he moves to uni in September

@Aw4foxsake
You are looking to work the same hours as many parents with school age children, and you are looking for low wage jobs that require little to no real skill sets .

The competition for those same hours are great, and almost anyone with a pulse can do or learn to do either of those tasks. The employer has no real incentive to choose you over anyone else . Your skill sets have little value in the sector in which you are seeking employment. As long as you are restricting your availability to school hours, you are going to be looked at as one of the multitude of moms looking to work during school hours and who are willing to work in a low wage sector and someone who will likely need to be off work whenever your child has a sniffle.Your hours of availability and the jobs that you are applying for shout out desperation. The employer knows that if you don't accept the job there will be a number of others who will.

If you want to increase your chances of getting a job , you need to be available on a full time schedule or during part time hours that are difficult to fill.

Agree 100% with this.

If you wanted to be a cleaner you would have applied to be a cleaner and can apply to be a cleaner elsewhere.

I think the issue with checkouts is that in the supermarket I work in the checkout shifts are 7am-1/2pm and then 1-8pm/2-9pm and 3-10pm maybe

I work checkouts at Tesco and do 2-9pm Tuesday and 2-7pm today and then 1-8pm Thursday and Friday.
Thursday is always an extra hours day and there are always shifts for Saturday that no one ever wants

And it's only the people who have been there years and years that seem to have the nice hours like 10-4 or 9-3 shifts but they are often shop floor and not checkouts

Im confused cleaning is usually muvh better paid than the checkout? If you have experience cleaning I would just do that on a self-employed basis and charge £30+ per hour

I don't think people are trying to be disrespectful of cleaners. The OP is restricting herself into a limited range of roles due to not getting childcare (and facilitating the ex's job) and some of us are saying this isn't the best/only way forward.