Awkward questions you've always wanted to ask someone who works in a specific job...

[PinocchiosLeftNostril]

I thought this would be a good way for us to get answers to those awkward questions we would never dream of asking someone to their face in their place of work.

These are questions relating to my life that i would love honest answers to.

Hairdressers - When someone with bad dandruff/psoriasis sits on your chair, do you shrug it off, or do you quickly have a look to make sure it's not lice? Are you able to tell the difference right away or does it need investigating? And do you really want to know what my plans are for the day, or would you rather work in silence?

Teachers - do you get annoyed when parents write in homework diaries that a specific piece of homework was too tricky for their child? Do you take it as an insult to your teaching skills?

Waiter/waitresses - do you expect people to offer to clean up their children's mess before they leave, or do you just shrug it off as part of the job? If you're busy and haven't had chance to clean a table yet, and a new customer came up and asked for a cloth to clean it, would you be offended?

I'm a trainee SLT so not quite sure if I'm qualified to answer any questions regarding that line of work yet.

But i have experience working in a Subway sandwich store, a library, a gym and as a cleaner. So i can answer any cleaning, book or sandwich questions that are burning away inside you all.

By the way,I don't teach violin or singing. I perform and that's it.
Which is why I find it hard to explain how to do certain techniques i.e vibrato.
Obviously many of my colleagues do teach but it's not a talent I have.

MrsHoolie

A silly question but do you ever get tempted to freestyle? I love seeing Orchestras perform as a whole but do you have a devilish streak that makes you want to break out and add some extras to see what everybody does?

BoffinMum I used to be able to sing very well. I was in musicals, 20 or so years back, professional ones. But now my voice has gone to shit probably due to years of booze and fags. And I know it's the booze that is the voice killer. Can I ever get it back or is it too late now? I just want to sing for fun without DP and DS covering their ears and telling me to shut up

Thanks fabsmum. I've given birth twice, in two different countries and the care I got was shocking both times (in different ways). In fact, pretty much everything they tell you in antenatal class was out of the window the minute I stepped into the hospital (particularly the NHS one it won't surprise you to learn). There won't be a next time for me, but if there was I'd prefer to give birth alone I think, rather than risk going into hospital again. mind you I'd miss the gas and air

That's great Mignonette I am certainly no expert but if you want to discuss your approach please PM me. I am very happy to help x

DENTISTS
What toothbrush do you use?

I use a Braun Sonicare which seems loads better than my last electric toothbrush (rotating head).

Mignonette

Sometimes I have the urge to stand up and shout "bollocks" at the top of my voice. I've managed to avoid so far!

We often get the giggles which is really hard to stifle. You can see shoulders everywhere going up and down and the odd sniff. I play in a pit most of the time (opera) so we can get away with a bit more than when on stage.

Huevos Thank you for your help, I understand it all a lot better now.

Police. If Joe Bloggs was attacked or hurt by another person they would have the option to sue for compensation, seek injunctions etc. Do you have the ability to sue them or is it 'part of the job?'

Prison Officers. Are you always watching your back? Do you get attached to some of the offenders? My brother was in prison and was very suicidal. He said the PO's saved his life and never gave up on him.

Office Workers who sit REALLY closein front of their co workers. Do you generally chat through the day or avoid eye contact?

Airport Staff. Sorry to generalize but some staff seem very grumpy. Is this because the job is serious/stressful?

Love this thread - so fascinating!

I am a fashion stylist/fashion editor if anyone has any questions.

yy to chatting office workers :) although sometimes we were so busy that we just had to shut up and get on with the work

piping bags if you want them cheap. Make them from baking parchment

Cheap and good as with everything can be very different

Shockingundercrackers

I raise the subject of homebirth in the session by way of sowing a seed for the second birth (if there is one). I always acknowledge that for women having their first baby, a homebirth is going to be a fringe choice, but I know that it's quite likely that there will be women who won't want to repeat the hospital experience ever again.

I totally understand the urge to have a baby without anyone present because of a lack of trust. I felt like this with my second birth. Luckily one of my friends and colleagues is an independent midwife, and she looked after me at home, which got around the problem.

I think part of the problem is that people who attend my antenatal classes have usually had little or no experience of being in a hospital. They also tend the think the world revolves around them and are sometimes quite surprised to find that it doesn't.....

This is a fascinating thread. I am a tv journalist if anyone has any questions (name changed so I can be as honest as possible without being outed!)

If there are any mechanics / plumbers / builders / other tradespeople, I'd like to know how often you exaggerate work that needs doing to make more money? And will it really take you to a week on Tuesday to get that part?

Beauticians/Hairdressers: Similar to the above question in a way do you like if it a client asks what style you think they would suit? That way, you can be creative or would you rather they chose the design themselves?

I like if they have some idea, a lot of things can be modified to suit a lot of people so a helpful hint of the things you like is very welcomed. (More so than 'I want this bit of hair to lie exactly here and such; let's say a happy medium is my favourite.

Taxi Drivers/Hairdressers; When you make small talk and we talk about our lives, are you generally interested or are you just doing it because you think that is what we want to do?

I LOVE hearing about people's lives and jobs etc - this thread is a little like work, I just like a good natter and finding out about things I wouldn't otherwise. I went mental on maternity as my OH is rubbish at chit chat. Often find myself sat in a taxi at my destination still chatting haha

Foamy Need an MUA? :D

Re the question about airport staff - I did a project once on an aspect of border control and shadowed various immigration staff for a couple of weeks. My observation was that if you work on immigration control you do see a lot if people lying about why they want to enter the country. I definitely don't mean that everyone trying to get in is lying, but that naturally they pull out the people who look like they might be and focus their time on them. I think it made them develop the attitude that everyone's highly likely to be a liar. Which would make anyone grumpy.

What a fascinating thread - I've learnt so much! MN at its best :)

office workers: do you chat all day or avoid making eye contact. Neither. There's usually a bit of chat in the morning and on the way to and from meetings. But mostly it's heads down working as we're busy and people need to get the job done. In an open plan office, everyone needs to concentrate so talk (work or otherwise) is quiet anyway. Most conversations I have at work are about work.

Fanny, have you all got similar backgrounds in the TV journalism world, i.e. from south east or posh areas of major cities, good schools, Oxbridge, and so on?

Foamy, do you ever do fashion spreads based on what advertisers want to flog rather than artistic considerations?

Olympic, I think it is most likely to be the fags, but if you stopped, then very rapidly things would improve. How much training have you had?

Doctors, do you mind putting your hands up people's bottoms etc?

Lol, Boffin, have you been pondering this overnight?

Boffin, I know someone who had her hand up someone's bum when she went into early labour!

MrsHoolie, I was in a professional production of the uncut version if the Messiah once, and it was three blardy hours long. The chorus ended up having a jelly baby food fight secretly at the back, they were so bored. VERY NAUGHTY!!!!