Secrets of your trade.

[Confusedfornow]

I have worked in my current area of expertise for the last 20 years or so. It's in Aviation, can't say exactly what or for who as it's a relatively small community (for my role) and it would be VERY outing. Before this, my only other "job" that I did for a few years was dancing (yes, that kind ). So I don't have massive experience of the world of work.

But I was chatting with some people in a bar over the weekend and conversation turned to jobs and then to my role. I was telling them about some stuff which is perfectly normal to me, but was absolutely news to them.

For instance . .

When a plane is "parked" and everything is switched off, the aircraft is referred to as being "Cold and dark".

If a helicopter has engine failure, it won't just fall out of the sky. The pilots are trained in a procedure called "autorotation" and can usually land safely even if the engine isn't running at all.

All British Airways flights use the call sign "Speed Bird". It's unique and no other airline in the world uses it.

Last one . .

Pilots can't wear polarised sunglasses. They make the electronic displays on the flight deck appear black, and you can't read any information from them.

So, what do you know from your jobs that is mundane for you but which most people wouldn't have a clue/be surprised by?

I work in the newspaper industry - ask me if you have queries

I have worked in many leisure centres and every pool (I have worked at) lies about the temperature. The board showing the temperature of the pool is written by staff and is no way connected to any thermometers. That includes a relatively new flag ship site for the largest leisure facility chain in the UK.

We have always used red file when visits go wrong - social services. We ring the office and ask for the red file....it means please send the police and back up straight away

Worked in politics.
I was surprised to find out that book endorsements written by a famous person is usually not written by them and they won’t even have read the book.
Few politicians write their own speeches.
When reports or announcements are published at a certain time (eg 3pm) the press will already have had a copy for a number of hours but with an embargo placed on them not to publish early. This is so they can read it through in advance. Most press though just use the press summary given out at the same time as the report.

Doctor here. We have also been known to talk to unconscious people and stay with the dying.
If I have elderly patients who are lonely I sometimes buy them little presents to try and cheer them up - books, treats - a little bottle of Prosecco for a lady dying of breast cancer recently, a takeaway curry that a couple of us sat down and ate on the ward with an old soldier who fancied one once.
There is no ‘critical list’ often referred to in the media.
The chocolates you bring for the nurses on the ward may be the only thing we eat on long shifts - doctors don’t get any scheduled breaks.
I keep all my Thankyou cards for a very long time and get very upset on your behalf if things go wrong.

You sound lovely @mypyjamasarebaggy

a little bottle of Prosecco for a lady dying of breast cancer recently, a takeaway curry that a couple of us sat down and ate on the ward with an old soldier who fancied one once.

That is really lovely to read. Thank you

GP here. Totally agree with ginburee- doing gynae examinations is so absolutely run of the mill that I don’t bat an eyelid. I do so many of them.
I never remember an individual woman based on how her bits look. The amount of times women have apologised to me about not having shaved/waxed or that their labia is really big/prominent. I don’t even notice. Seriously. And they do actually come in all shapes and sizes and that’s fine. All I’m interested in is making sure it’s all healthy down there.

Also, my reception staff talk to me. If you’re a shit to them I’ll know and I won’t be in any hurry to call you or accommodate you beyond the essentials of my ethical code. I do of course make exceptions for someone usually nice who is clearly just frightened, upset or very unwell.

Conversely we all go the extra mile for particularly decent, pleasant patients. Human nature.

I work at a British department store, I think it's fair to say it's widely considered to have the best customer service of them all! If the message, "Time check, the time is currently :" That means there's a suspicious threat or package & you're to report to your department to help find it!! But no need to frighten our customers needlessly...

FrozenMargarita17 and nevernotstruggling

Ours is a pink file

Senior IT Dev here who cut her teeth in financial IT.

The millennium bug situation was overhyped and was largely over by the time it hit the papers and panic, it was mostly running a few scripts and find and replace even on legacy systems.

Google, Facebook, Amazon are not secretly recording your conversations to target you with adverts.

Even with Adblockers, VPN's etc you still leave a large footprint.

You really should not be wanting more government intervention with the internet at all.

Your health visitor doesn't care if your house looks perfect when we come to visit! The most we will record is 'home conditions good, well heated, age appropriate toys available' for home conditions to be a concern things would have to be very cluttered, smelly and dirty.

We do have code words to use over the phone if we're at a visit and feel that we need some kind of help, I won't tell you what they are though incase it hinders a poor HV's escape one day!

It can be unnerving going into someone's home for the first time, we don't know you, you or someone else in your home may want to harm us. Of course that's all part of the job though.

Lastly, I think that it's brilliant that we offer a universal service for everyone. I struggle to label the emotion, maybe frustration? When I see people complaining that the HV is coming to 'check up' on them. In reality the HV service is there for the most vulnerable families, our role now is basically all safeguarding. We see some really, really awful things and It's exhausting, sometimes I just want to take the children home, feed them, bath them, and love them like my own. Before this role, I had no idea that people like this actually existed, it's like a whole other world I didn't know about. It's opened my eyes so much. So yes, we really do just want the best for you and your children, we aren't checking up on you so much that we are just making sure that all children are safe.

This is all fascinating!! I’m a bit gutted my lovely cake has been binned by school though. Is there anyone on here from a school who would eat scones sent in when jam and cream as end of term
Treat for teaching staff or cupcakes I spent ages on?! Head actually stopped me and asked for recipe of a tray bake I made - I’m now gutted but impressed at her acting skills! What a waste of cash!!

@Allergictoironing my DP is a long serving civil servant (37 years) and remembers when there was the tea trolley. He also remembers the departmental phone having its own desk!! Now he hot desks and WFH most of the week.

@babyno5 Never had a tea trolley in my department while I was there (started there 36 years ago, shit that makes me feel old!), I think that may have been only in the "old" ministries like Home Office & FCO. We didn't even get a fridge for our milk until about 1996/7, used to keep ours on the outside of the windowsill to stay a bit cooler.

I remember a few years ago when I was working for a consultancy, and the bosses had to explain to my workmates that if we accepted a cuppa when we were in the local government offices we should offer to contribute to the kitty. The other people at the consultancy who had never been public servants were shocked and horrified that the poor public servants had nothing at all supplied, especially when they realised just how much less public servants earned for the same jobs as them. At that time I was earning about 50-60% more than I had doing the same job as I'd done in central government.

I also used to be a
Dispensing optician.... the mark up on specs is huge.

You know those ray bans you
Paid £199 for? At cost they'd be about £30....
Your frames that cost £99? They actually cost £15.

The mark up on specs (frames) is extortion.

Lenses are
Not much better. A single vision easy rx can be 99p

They'll charge you £60....

Another Veterinary Nurse here - we all dislike doing /assisting euthanasias but most of the colleagues I have worked with will do ANYTHING and everything possible to make it as stress free and smooth as possible for the pet. If owners can’t bear to stay we will cuddle, kiss, sing and talk to their pets so their last moments are as soothing as possible. I have been known to feed gravy bones to dogs as the injection is being given...we do all care.
All the vets and nurses I work with really do care very much about your pet - above everything. Including your feelings- we try to be as understanding as we can but we are here for them primarily. Generally , we are not money grabbing or rich - vets have the highest suicide rate of any profession. The existence of the NHS makes it difficult for a lot of people to understand our prices and I am so fed up of spending 22 years always trying to explain and/or justify this.
Oh - and the Supervet is NOT REAL LIFE.

Oh I’m so pleased to read this. DH took our beloved cat to be PTS as I couldn’t bear it but then he just handed her over. This is comforting x

Almost every single veterinary person I know loathes the drama and thinks Noel Fitzpatrick is a twat....and his real name is Martin ;)

@Girlinstripedpyjamas my mum works in a school and while they won't eat anything made by the kids they will if it's obviously by an adult! They have a mum who makes amazing spring rolls and they all eat those..

Aw @Girlinstripedpyjamas I worked in nurseries and schools before going into health visiting and I'm sorry, but there's just no way!

I have no idea what your house is like, if you washed your hands or if you let your snotty child lick the spoon. I'm sure your cake would be lovely, and I'm sure your kitchen is lovely and clean! The gesture itself is lovely and much appreciated! But we just wouldn't eat them. Sorry

Girl - so sorry about your girl xx

Almost every single veterinary person I know loathes the drama and thinks Noel Fitzpatrick is a twat....and his real name is Martin ;)

He comes across as someone who is doing it more for himself rather than the animals e.g. look at this amazing thing I've made/I think this is the most revolutionary thing I've done etc.

There is a very very small profit margin on beer in pubs
Some pubs discreetly serve the beer that has overflowed into the drip tray

There is a huge profit margin on the on-tap fizzy drinks. Huge cases of the pre mix is hooked up to a carbonator. They’ll charge pounds for a soft drink and it probably cost pennies

I get it I really do. Just hadn’t really thought of it being thrown away! I take stuff to work all the time and it all gets eaten so I’ll stick to bought stuff for school!