To think it is not that easy to 'get a better job'

[EuclidianGeometryFan]

Seen a few threads lately about people with money issues, and on low wages or minimum wage.
Then some posters say things like 'why haven't you got a promotion in the last X years?' 'Why don't you re-train / upskill?' 'Why don't you get a better job?'

As if anyone stays in a minimum wage job for years just for the fun of it!

The job market is a pyramid - there is not enough room on the higher levels for everyone. Even as you age you can't automatically expect to climb the ladder and move up - the maths don't stack up. Not every field of work has a 'career ladder'.
Some people are stuck on minimum wage or not much more, for life. They may not have the ability or skills or aptitude to re-train or get promoted, let alone the time and energy.

It smacks of blaming the OP for not being ambitious enough. Some posters seem to have no conception of what life and the job market is like for minimum wage workers.

Cleaning something that is already clean is hard. Well I found it hard.
There was no progression other than to supervisor which needed a lot more skills. People skills for starters and I do not have them. Or organisational skills. There were 4 supervisors to around 90 staff. Supervisor jobs did not come up that often.

But thank you for making me feel like shit for even failing at the jobs you look down on. My self esteem is already on the floor. I dont need someone like you making me feel even worse. I am trying my best and right now that is keeping myself safe and in ok health.

You are so thin skinned it’s incredible

Your were working in a hospital as a cleaner. You say you’re a rubbish cleaner and have the mentality that Cleaning something that is already clean is hard.

And even possibly considering that this might be a substantial reason why you didn’t progress in this position seems utterly utterly impossible to you

Yes I am thin skinned. That is not something I can help.

Again the only possible progression was to supervisor and I am not the sort of person that can supervise other people. I say possible because it is not a natural progression. Cleaning is a dead end job. You dont get promoted just becasue you have been doing it a long time. Most of the people I worked with had been doing it for years and years. There is nothing wrong with that. They did not want the hassle of being a supervisor and like them neither did I. I lack the skills needed to be one. I didnt progress because there was nowhere to progress to for me
Not everyone can be a supervisor.

They are still doing a very important job yet you seem to think we are all failures for not progressing. See how a hospital copes without cleaners.

yes i find it hard to clean something that looks clean. You woul find it hard to apply white paint to a wall that is already white.

That is a bizarre analogy find it hard to apply white paint to a wall that is already white

i repainted a white wall a year ago. Spruce it up.

and I clean my house despite it being clean

🤷‍♀️ anyway we are off on a tangent!

I have always left jobs for better ones. I have never moved job and stayed on the same salary 🤷‍♀️

I think it can be a vicious cycle - the longer you stay at the same level, people might think, when applying for a promotion (rightly or wrongly) that you're not committed/motivated/interested enough in getting to the next level. so potentially someone with 2 years experience at min wage might seem more ambitious/keen/enthusiastic than someone with 10+ years, even though the person with more experience might have more knowledge or be more capable

If a floor is dirty then you know it needs cleaning. If it is already clean then why bother cleaning it? That was the clunky point I was making. In hospitals you still have to clean stuff that is already clean. I struggled with that. I did not know if I had cleaned it properly as it was already clean

There is not always a next level. Some jobs are dead end and dont have one.

A floor in a hospital that hasnt been mopped in a day isnt clean. It might not look dirty, but it isnt clean. People have walked on it. You mop the whole floor. It isnt difficult.

Minimum wage is just that - the absolute minimum, for people in their first jobs, training, low skills etc. Then you get experience and skills and get a better job, by applying for jobs which need more experience and more responsibility.

Obviously if you don't do that and stay in low skilled/experience work you won't get a pay increase - but then you shouldn't be either complaining or taking money off taxpayers to bump up your low salary

I know. But it was difficult to me. Someone tells me to clean something but my mind asks why as it is clean already. It will look no different after. But I know what you mean.
I found it hard to stay motivated to clean something that my head said was already clean.

As has been said a few times on here and I have given myself as an example. Not everyone is capable of more than min wage jobs.

People in min wage jobs deserve to have a life worth living too.

I never complained as min wage used to be enough to live on. Now due to the cost of living crisis and housing costs it is no longer enough. That is not the fault of people still doing the jobs that are vital for society to run.

So much snobbery on this thread

But minimum wage isn’t being used as that
companies are paying minimum wage and expecting experience and responsibility
or it looks like they offer more than min wage but it’s 8-6 every day so still min wage

I do also pay tax and I don’t take money off taxpayers as you so nicely put it

I also don't really understand the point of constant progression, unless you enjoy it. Usually it just equals more stress for the money.

So you’re in NMW position with zero intention of ever progressing at any point?

I’ve just pulled 3 jobs off indeed, all wanting previous experience, all min wage, none of these are first jobs

You are sounding really nasty now.

I have mental health issues and am autistic. Not everyone can do as well as you. Have a medal. I find being kind gets you more respected in this world. I guess you were not able to get promoted in that area.

There are retail jobs where I live that are min wage and they want 3 years experience.
It is really hard out there for job seekers right now.

Wow. How horrible can you be? What a nasty woman.

Quite frankly I would rather be on my bones of my arse and be kind to people than to try and progress.

You are horrible. What a nasty piece of work you are.

Thank you. She has made me feel awful. My own mum did that to me too.

I haven't read the full conversation but that comment What a nasty b .....

Don't let some nobody on the internet get to you.
You're worth better than that ☺️
Hold your head up high. X

Thank you. That means a lot.

this poster is not on NMW. They are on benefits and PIP
Spending time on MN arguing that taxes have to be raised to give UC and PIP right, left and centre