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Looking back to some of the jobs I has before this one!

(8 Posts)
phoenix Wed 04-Apr-18 19:51:39

Evening all, and sending every good wish.

Went out to lunch today with a very good friend, and we were talking about jobs, work ethic etc.

It made be think back to some of the bloody awful jobs I had between being made redundant from a pretty high powered "suited and booted" role (looking at the high heels in the wardrobe, no way could I wear those now, plus I think my eyebrows might frighten any potential clients as I can't see well enough without my glasses to pluck them blush

So, in no particular order:

A job advertised as Office Manager & Head of House Keeping at a place that does fishing holidays.

Well, I've seen some different filing systems in my time, but this one was a beauty! Each villa/cottage/ lodge had a name, for example Anglers Rest, Lakeside, Cosy Retreat etc.

So, was the filing system alphabetical? No, of course not, it was based on the order in which the villas were built confused The abundance of knick knacks around each place meant that dusting took much longer than it should have done, but when I mentioned this to the owners wife, she said that guests liked them, because it made it feel homely.

Perhaps it's only me that can perfectly enjoy a holiday without a ceramic ornament of a gurning frog, lying with legs akimbo beneath a toadstool on the dressing table. confused

Add to this that the owner didn't know how to send an email, but wouldn't let anyone else do it, so stood over my shoulder and dictated his words of wisdom, and I soon realised that any talents that I may have had, would wither and die there!

Another that comes to mind was working for someone who must qualify for the meanest man in the county award!

The " office" has never been signed off as such, as far as building regulations were concerned it was a "storage area".

Well, that must have explained why the only place available to wash up was the wash hand basin in the disabled toilet, the door of which opened straight into the "office" area, right next to the kettle, microwave etc that was the catering facility for staff! shock

The heating/air conditioning was policed to a degree that you wouldn't believe, and the fridge was turned off at night to save money! shock Of course, one morning the milk was off, and when I offered to go and get some, I was told "we are not supposed to go out unless it's our break time" The daft thing is, that the company concerned supply, install and fix chilled and frozen foods cabinets! confused

I will not even go into my miserable time working at the caravan park, thank goodness it was short lived!

Anyway, although my job is no longer high powered or even well paid, I am fortunate to have a job that I enjoy, and feel respected and valued ( most of the time!)

Please GN members, love to hear about your experiences! smile

annsixty Wed 04-Apr-18 20:21:11

Sorry phoenix that you have had such a miserable work experience but pleased you are happy now.
I have no experience as I feel guilty to say that after working for 8 years after marriage I was lucky enough to be able to be a SAHM, and haven't worked since my children grew up.
I now am a full time carer for my H and that is the hardest job of all so I feel I am now paying my dues.
We did of course pay a financial price but felt it was worth it.

Smithy Wed 04-Apr-18 20:55:32

When I left school after GCEs, I was applying for office jobs. My mum was nagging a bit that it was taking a while to get what I wanted, so as a local food shop was wanting an assistant, I offered my services on a temporary basis. I remember having to slice meat on a lethal machine, not much training but an older lady showed me, then put all the raggy bits of meat in the greaseproof paper and handed it to the customer. She brought it back and complained and they blamed it on me being a "new starter ". I tried to please but couldn't, I was too slow at sweeping the floor, I "flirted"with a sales rep (just being friendly), and so on. After 3 weeks I got the job I wanted and thankfully put my notice in. They couldn't believe I didn't want to stay on!

Cherrytree59 Wed 04-Apr-18 21:07:39

Bagging up mountains of sphagnum moss
Mind numbing!

M0nica Wed 04-Apr-18 21:49:18

Pricing Christmas cards in the sub-basement at Selfridges. I caught the tube from Southgate at 8.00am every morning and went from tube to sub-basement. Five days a week I barely saw daylight between 8.00am to 6.00pm. We could get no radio reception and 3 of us sat quietly with a pile of cards one side, envelopes the other and a pencil and box of paperclips: write price, pick up card envelope and paperclip together, put in box; write price, pick up card envelope and paperclip together, put in box all day. To describe it as boring makes it sound too exciting.

merlotgran Wed 04-Apr-18 21:55:48

I had a holiday job as a receptionist in Ventnor laundry when I was 17. The old farmers who kept a few cows/sheep/pigs on their smallholdings would come in to pay their bills and empty their pockets of change on the counter.

I was expected to scrape off all the dried on mud from the coins before putting them in the till. hmm

Fick1995 Sat 16-Feb-19 09:34:07

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starbird Sun 17-Feb-19 15:09:50

I have been lucky with all my jobs, starting with a Saturday job at 13 in a small local shop that sold amongst other things, sweets in jars that I had to weigh and bag for each customer. On my first day there was snow on the ground and I was asked to take the dog out - very happy to do that.
Then a civil service office job, not too taxing, but not boring either - remember a food trolley twice a day - buttered buns am and choc bars pm with tea/coffee. Returning after marriage and children (who were still small) I worked at a drop in centre whose purpose was to give unemployed a place to go and help them find work. There was a regular clientel for the pool table, cards and scrabble and very cheap burger and chip lunches. It was the days of leather and chains and mohican hairstyles. Although they looked threatening the homelife of some of these youth was heartbreaking. Highlights included my arriving at work to find all the staff had locked themselves in the kitchen because one of these leather clad users, over 6’ tall, was holding a rifle. When I walked into the common room where he was none of the other users were fazed and he was standing nonchanently with it hanging at his side, wondering why the kitchen was shut. As one of my sons had at that time been given an air rifle I recognized it for what it was and went up to the user and suggested that I put it away until he left as some people (ie other staff) were frightened of it. He handed it over without demur.
Some of us were concerned about the fact that some of the youth were sleeping rough. I gave my address to one of them, (known as Parrot due to his pink mohican) , and on a cold wet November night he turned up at my house soaked to the bone. After a hot bath, a hot drink and some food, and wearing some old joggers and shirt of mine we settled down to play scrabble to the sound of Siouxsie and the Banshees, (the record being of his few possessions) - I am good but he beat me! He stayed for the winter, and one night found me mending the torn sleeve if his leather jacket after he had been chased by a police dog for urinating in a doorway in town!