Unthoughtful people!

[Shirleen]

Dear nearly every single one of my parents' friends, and older relatives,

When I tell you where I'm working, please stop responding with "what do you REALLY want to do?" I know you're just taking an interest, but honestly, it makes me feel completely worthless. I'm proud that I'm working at all and if I wanted to stay where I am forever then it would be my business, if it was my true passion then you would have basically just completely insulted me, so have a bit of tact please.

This is a major problem in this country. Jobs like waiteressing/shop assistant/carers/labourers/cleaners are all seen as temporary jobs and stop gaps and given no value. So the people that do these jobs feel no sense of permanence. We need to start valuing these careers and the education system needs to recognise not all kids are academic and help them to be successful in whatever way they excel!
When my house needs repairing I want someone who is good at the job, feels a sense of pride in it not someone who can philosophise on it!

Ok soap box moment over!

 

[kingleds]

This is a major problem in this country. Jobs like waiteressing/shop assistant/carers/labourers/cleaners are all seen as temporary jobs and stop gaps and given no value. So the people that do these jobs feel no sense of permanence. We need to start valuing these careers and the education system needs to recognise not all kids are academic and help them to be successful in whatever way they excel!
When my house needs repairing I want someone who is good at the job, feels a sense of pride in it not someone who can philosophise on it!

Ok soap box moment over!

I need a soapbox smilie for Shirleen. Mods - please pretty please can i have a soapbox smilie

Btw - you're spot on Shirleen. I never understand why we persist in thinking a good academic grounding is the be all & end all. It really isn't! And thats coming from someone who supposedly has one!

 

[ellierose988]

You're so right. Even my colleagues have said to me, upon finding out I have a degree, "So, you're just working here in Tesco then..." We need more pride in our jobs!

 

[interested92]

found a soap box smilie on google lol

and if you enjoy the job, do not be ashamed about it and don't let anyone else be a knob about it. a career in retail is no less valid than being a professor at oxbridge. and hey, you're lucky. you HAVE a job lol.

 

[moonwatcher]

This is a major problem in this country. Jobs like waiteressing/shop assistant/carers/labourers/cleaners are all seen as temporary jobs and stop gaps and given no value. So the people that do these jobs feel no sense of permanence. We need to start valuing these careers and the education system needs to recognise not all kids are academic and help them to be successful in whatever way they excel!
When my house needs repairing I want someone who is good at the job, feels a sense of pride in it not someone who can philosophise on it!

Ok soap box moment over!

I so, so agree with this. I've had a variety of jobs over the years ranging (not in order) from temporary management of a fish and chip shop, admin work, receptionist work, managerial roles, green-grocers assistant to a training manager for a massive national company. Supposedly only the last one in that list 'used' my education and my qualifications 'fully.' In reality all of them used my abilities (not my exam passes!) in different ways. I now work in a school and see how different the kids' abilities are, and it is so important that we do recognise that academic qualities are not the 'be-all-and-end-all' and that regardless of someone's academic qualifications the job they choose to do has value. Every job has its value and that should be recognised.

I will never forget when I worked in the green-grocers and was chatting to a customer one day about his holiday. I made a comment about going on holiday to experience the culture and the diversity of different countries and he said..."Oh, 'culture', 'diversity' - they're awfully big words for someone who works in a fruit and veg shop!" Ignorant git! I was tempted to stick his half a cucumber where the sun doesn't shine!

 

[bevhunter1986]

Dear ex bf

You're a rat!! Ha ha

I love my current bf so don't flatter yourself! That is all

Karmas a *****, over and out

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins

 

[Wannabe-a-minime]

Dear friend

I didn't appreciate you complaining loudly that there are no eggs left in the salad when you were helping yourself to it. The eggs were prepared separately for me by our lovely friend as a filling (sort of) accompaniment to the salad that was made just for ME, whilst you had lasagne, chips AND garlic bread. Thank you for eating my salad as well and making me feel bad because I ate both the eggs!!!

Much love

Me

 

[Rach*B]

Dear friend

I didn't appreciate you complaining loudly that there are no eggs left in the salad when you were helping yourself to it. The eggs were prepared separately for me by our lovely friend as a filling (sort of) accompaniment to the salad that was made just for ME, whilst you had lasagne, chips AND garlic bread. Thank you for eating my salad as well and making me feel bad because I ate both the eggs!!!

Much love

Me

 

[Snakes and ladders]

I so, so agree with this. I've had a variety of jobs over the years ranging (not in order) from temporary management of a fish and chip shop, admin work, receptionist work, managerial roles, green-grocers assistant to a training manager for a massive national company. Supposedly only the last one in that list 'used' my education and my qualifications 'fully.' In reality all of them used my abilities (not my exam passes!) in different ways. I now work in a school and see how different the kids' abilities are, and it is so important that we do recognise that academic qualities are not the 'be-all-and-end-all' and that regardless of someone's academic qualifications the job they choose to do has value. Every job has its value and that should be recognised.

I will never forget when I worked in the green-grocers and was chatting to a customer one day about his holiday. I made a comment about going on holiday to experience the culture and the diversity of different countries and he said..."Oh, 'culture', 'diversity' - they're awfully big words for someone who works in a fruit and veg shop!" Ignorant git! I was tempted to stick his half a cucumber where the sun doesn't shine!

This happened to me too when I was working in a grocery shop to pay for my postgraduate study. A customer was being really patronising when I made a mistake in weighing out his ham. There was a queue out the door and it was stressful, so I typed the wrong kg price into the scales. He then huffed and turned to the customer behind him, saying loudly: "if she'd bothered to attend school for her GCSEs she wouldn't have to work in a shop". I was so cross, as I actually really liked the delicatessen where I was working, and felt he was making offensive assumptions. I wanted to inform him that I actually hold a good degree from Cambridge and that he can go get stuffed, but in the end I couldn't be bothered and just apologised for the error...

 

[ellierose988]

This happened to me too when I was working in a grocery shop to pay for my postgraduate study. A customer was being really patronising when I made a mistake in weighing out his ham. There was a queue out the door and it was stressful, so I typed the wrong kg price into the scales. He then huffed and turned to the customer behind him, saying loudly: "if she'd bothered to attend school for her GCSEs she wouldn't have to work in a shop". I was so cross, as I actually really liked the delicatessen where I was working, and felt he was making offensive assumptions. I wanted to inform him that I actually hold a good degree from Cambridge and that he can go get stuffed, but in the end I couldn't be bothered and just apologised for the error...

Gosh that makes me so angry just reading it, I really relate to this.

I have a degree too and I'm by no means stupid, but quick maths isn't my strong point (despite having an A Level in it...!) so sometimes I do struggle at first with change, especially when the customer changes their mind suddenly and decides to give me different coins. I obviously do work it out quickly 99% of the time, having worked in retail a long time, but there is still 1% left (see I can do maths! ha) sometimes when my brain just struggles with it. It's humiliating when I know they might be thinking something like that.

I'm good at my job and I enjoy serving customers, people watching, observing different types of people skills and social interactions (I find it all fascinating) so I do enjoy it. Sometimes there are customers that make you want to just give up and cry. But I think there are things like this in all jobs, there must be! I mean just look at this thread! Hehe

 

[chiefbridesmaid]

I'm sick of the assumption that people that work in retail are stupid I have a business degree and a diploma in leisure management YET I love my Job as a retail assistant manager & I'm sick of people looking down at their noses at me!!

My favourite job of all time was when I worked in tesco throughout school and college and it was paid bloody well too! Should have stayed there and done the management program grr

 

[icklerockchick]

Nice to hear of other people in same situation. I work in retail despite having a law degree, bills & rent aren't going to pay themselves sadly! Customers speaking to me like I'm stupid drives me crazy! x

 

[MissSlinky2011]

I worked in Tesco whilst I did my A levels I enjoyed it, it was easy money for a relatively no hassle job and meant I had money banked for uni!

Then at uni I was a butlins red coat, a pontins blue coat and a Haven funstar and we all know what people think of those jobs (its all true lol) but I had the time of my life! People often assumed I had dropped out of school at 16 I was like no this is my summer job between uni! I get to be on stage (my first love) behave badly (my second love - back then) and live for free so I paid back my overdraft every year!

And I tell you what master degree or no master degree I would be a red coat again in a flash! Lol

X x x

 

[ScarlettStar86]

Then at uni I was a butlins red coat, a pontins blue coat and a Haven funstar and we all know what people think of those jobs (its all true lol) but I had the time of my life!

You have no idea how jealous I am! It was my dream from the age of 5 to be a redcoat, finally got an auditon 3 years ago and wanted to do the kids club kinda things and the general mingling with the public, getting people up to dance, presenting, etc (qualified in childcare and now a nanny) but the auditon panel were only interested in those that could sing rather than have a personality that could be used elsewhere than on stage

 

[Shirleen]

I think it's also the often erroneous thought that it's an easy job, I never found it easy, I admire the girls who work in Supermarkets because I did four months and Tesco and it was seriously the worst job I have ever done, horrible place! Actually the Post Office Manager job was worse but I loved the PO it was my staff that were the problem I should have stayed at counter clerk lol

I think it's America that has exams and pay scales for store clerks? That seems better to me, reward your staff for being talented and good at their job!
What is wrong with being a shop assistant anyway I mean as a career, not as a stepping stone but as the job you're good at and enjoy?

Same with Waitresses, Cleaners, labourers, dinner ladies etc!

 

[interested92]

i worked in ladbrokes before starting uni. crappy job, but it beat the co-op across the road that i'd worked for too lol.

 

[interested92]

also another unthoughtful person.... the one who opened a new domino's in basildon.
1. I am lactose intollerant.
2. i am slimming.
3. I have very little will power so am now having to avoid the food court in the shopping centre all together lol.

 

[MissSlinky2011]

You have no idea how jealous I am! It was my dream from the age of 5 to be a redcoat, finally got an auditon 3 years ago and wanted to do the kids club kinda things and the general mingling with the public, getting people up to dance, presenting, etc (qualified in childcare and now a nanny) but the auditon panel were only interested in those that could sing rather than have a personality that could be used elsewhere than on stage

Yeah they do like to have actor/singer/dancer/presenter plus cleaning, childcare, bar work - they like to be able to get you to do anything basically.

I also worked for Thomas cook as stage presenter/show team in Cyprus and ibiza and when I auditioned I said I don't want to do the shows just present as I was a size 18 I was more self conscious about dancing by then but I still had to do the dance part of the audition and they begged me to present and do the shows because they thought I was one of the best dancers they had auditioned and when I expressed concerns about costumes in my size they said do you think a man wants to watch a size six doing a show or see a curvy girl dancing around so they had costumes designed for me.

Totally sexual exploitation but it was true lol

X x x

 

[laura2481]

Dear Husband
I love you, and I think I am very tolerent of your two quite expensive and space consuming hobbies that currently take over one large bedroom and a more than generous sized shed in our small terraced house, and teeny tiny back garden.

However,when you tell me you also want to take over the small (tiny) front bedroom which is my officey/crafty/keep my books in space it makes me want to hit you.

While we are discussing this, I am non too appreciative of the way you rearranged our bedroom while I was at work in your favour so I now only have 1 wardrobe and you have 2, and twice as much floor space..

Would you like me to move out so you can have even more space

Your (cramped in an ever decreasing space) loving wife.

xx

 

[Shirleen]

Dear Husband
I love you, and I think I am very tolerent of your two quite expensive and space consuming hobbies that currently take over one large bedroom and a more than generous sized shed in our small terraced house, and teeny tiny back garden.

However,when you tell me you also want to take over the small (tiny) front bedroom which is my officey/crafty/keep my books in space it makes me want to hit you.

While we are discussing this, I am non too appreciative of the way you rearranged our bedroom while I was at work in your favour so I now only have 1 wardrobe and you have 2, and twice as much floor space..

Would you like me to move out so you can have even more space

Your (cramped in an ever decreasing space) loving wife.

xx

Bliddy heck what a cheek! Next time you get the house to yourself swap the big bedroom for your office just dump his stuff! Or tell him to put it all back or you will start listing his stuff ob eBay!