Your first ‘real job’.

Here you can post stuff that is not related to Christopher Ward
User avatar
jkbarnes
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 7852
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 8:39 pm
CW-watches: 3
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: Your first ‘real job’.

Post by jkbarnes »

village wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 6:28 pm I’ve never really understood the thing about ‘never having a sick day in my life’ or whathaveyou.
It’s great if you are actually never ill but I just don’t understand the point of dragging yourself into work if you are genuinely ill
I view it as gaslighting. Employees are conditioned to put the interests of the employer ahead of their own as a sign of commitment and dedication. I see the same thing in school with students and the obsession in perfect attendance.

I rarely take sick leave because I’m rarely so ill that I can’t do my job. My general rule of thumb is if I feel so bad that I would just park myself behind my desk while the kids do seat work, then I’ll stay home. After the pandemic, I’m definitely going to be making a point of taking mental health days when I really need them. Mental health is just as important as physical.

I get three personal days a year that roll over as sick leave if not used. I make a point of using those days each year. They’re mine to use, so I use them! And they won’t cash out as sick leave anyway when I retire.
Drew
Bungle-ator
Senior Guru
Senior Guru
Posts: 483
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2018 2:17 pm

Re: Your first ‘real job’.

Post by Bungle-ator »

jkbarnes wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 8:38 pm
village wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 6:28 pm
I view it as gaslighting. Employees are conditioned to put the interests of the employer ahead of their own as a sign of commitment and dedication. I see the same thing in school with students and the obsession in perfect attendance.

I rarely take sick leave because I’m rarely so ill that I can’t do my job. My general rule of thumb is if I feel so bad that I would just park myself behind my desk while the kids do seat work, then I’ll stay home. After the pandemic, I’m definitely going to be making a point of taking mental health days when I really need them. Mental health is just as important as physical.

I get three personal days a year that roll over as sick leave if not used. I make a point of using those days each year. They’re mine to use, so I use them! And they won’t cash out as sick leave anyway when I retire.
This, along with those that think they're heroes for coming in and infecting half the people around them. I used to have a higher threshold and would be off a couple of times a year with a heavy cold or so. Typically with an ear infection thrown in for kicks. Then we had kids and I feel battered much easier. Along with getting older, things like hernias and a banjoed back comes into play now. I quite honestly only take the time I need though as I want to be able to look my colleagues and managers in the eye. I took Wednesday off (unpaid) to look after our little guy because he really wasn't well. It didn't even cross my mind to pretend I was sick myself despite having 6 months full pay followed by 6 months of half pay at my disposal.

Did you actually say that you have 3 sick days per year? That's horrendous!
User avatar
jkbarnes
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 7852
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 8:39 pm
CW-watches: 3
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: Your first ‘real job’.

Post by jkbarnes »

Bungle-ator wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 8:58 pm.
Did you actually say that you have 3 sick days per year? That's horrendous!
I get 7 sick days (accrued hourly starting at the start of the year as opposed to all at once; not an issue for me, as I have so many banked) and 3 personal days. Sick days can be taken when I’m sick or to tend to a sick child. Personal days are just that, personal. New this year is separate leave for teachers to attend necessary meetings or recognition ceremonies at our children’s schools. That’s a nice perk fir the school system to offer.

Unused sick leave rolls over from year to year. I currently have enough banked leave to cover me for a medical catastrophe. I will occasionally donate leave to other coworkers facing their own medical emergencies.

Let me clarify, I’m not berating anyone for NOT calling in sick. That’s admirable. I myself rarely if ever call in sick, as evidenced by my insane stockpile of sick leave. If, however, I’m sick to the point that I can’t effectively do my job, I stay home. I have coworkers who seem to call in sick at the drop of a hat, and it infuriates me. Do your job!

EDITED TO ADD: I’ve also never used sick leave for anything but either myself or my child being sick.
Drew
kiter65
Trusted Seller
Trusted Seller
Posts: 3959
Joined: Sun Feb 16, 2014 2:45 pm
CW-watches: 0

Re: Your first ‘real job’.

Post by kiter65 »

I have 7 weeks paid holiday a year.... I can’t fit in sick days :lol: :lol:
User avatar
jkbarnes
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 7852
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 8:39 pm
CW-watches: 3
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: Your first ‘real job’.

Post by jkbarnes »

kiter65 wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 9:37 pm I have 7 weeks paid holiday a year.... I can’t fit in sick days :lol: :lol:
Another reason I rarely take sick leave - I have summers off, two weeks at Christmas, and a week around Easter. The least I can do is show up to do my job when I’m supposed to do it. The births of both my kids was timed, in part, around my time off!
Drew
User avatar
village
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 5554
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:10 pm
CW-watches: 4
Location: any further South and my feet would be wet...

Re: Your first ‘real job’.

Post by village »

Thermexman wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 7:27 pm
village wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 6:28 pm I’ve never really understood the thing about ‘never having a sick day in my life’ or whathaveyou.
It’s great if you are actually never ill but I just don’t understand the point of dragging yourself into work if you are genuinely ill (as opposed to being a bit under the weather). Surely you are not doing your job properly and/or safely,plus you are spreading germs around the workplace and very kindly making friends & colleagues ill?
I have a job that is safety critical and it amazes me when colleagues turn up for work clearly ill and not fit for work but going on about never taking a sick day as though it’s some badge of honour.
Wow!!!

“Surely you are not doing your job properly and/or safely,plus you are spreading germs around the workplace and very kindly making friends & colleagues ill?”

A tad presumptuous of you! You don’t know me, yet you’ve just made a rather personal attack on my ethics, based on one sentence? Thanks.
Ok. Well I was making a general comment about sick leave ,but feel free to take it as a personal attack if it makes you feel better.
If you can read this you are too close to your computer screen....
User avatar
Bahnstormer_vRS
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 35163
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:06 pm
CW-watches: 34
LE-three: 1
LE-foura: 1
LE-fourb: 1
LE-six: 1
Location: Hertfordshire, UK

Re: Your first ‘real job’.

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

I worked my up through my pre-teen and teenage years during the school holidays as a Paper Boy, then Farm Labourer including plucking Turkeys pre-Christmas.

Having left school after A-levels, I tried my hand as a Waiter for six weeks in a Hotel in Sherringham on the Norfolk Coast, graduating to the Hotel's Wine Waiter after 10 days (although being under age to drink what I was serving).

This all led me to what is arguably my first 'proper job' in the Army where, after training, I joined the Royal Corps of Transport.

In my early years of service I too have an indelible memory of an encounter with Concorde when, during 1975 on Military Exercises working at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, Concorde was carrying out its final testing flights prior to entering Commercial Airline service in 1976.

The sight, and more noticeably sound, of Concorde powering up for Take Off, seen and felt from only a few hundred metres away was awe inspiring.

Guy
In small proportions, we just beautie see:
And in short measures, life may perfect bee. - Ben Jonson (1572 – 1637)

Inscription on the Longitude Dial
Hatfield House, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 5NB, England
exHowfener
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 1018
Joined: Thu May 28, 2020 6:26 pm
CW-watches: 1

Re: Your first ‘real job’.

Post by exHowfener »

My first paid employment was a summer job with a local firm of specialist coach , builders, Coleman Milne. If you've ever been to a funeral in Britain, then you've seen some of their products, they make limousines and hearses I started in stores, which was both boring and incredibly noisy being next to the section that cut up the incoming vehicles. After a brief spell stocktaking (believe it or not, we were counting by hand hundreds of nuts and bolts among other things) I was moved to the 'vehicle refinishing' team Basically valeting the cars before delivery.Despite spending far more time in the back of a hearse than most people will ever do, I loved it! There were some very skilled tradesmen there. One guy used to paint, with a paintbrush and by hand the pinstripes down the sides of the cars. That still amazes me.
I started out with nothing and I still have most of it left
User avatar
nburgess
Guru
Guru
Posts: 397
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 1:42 pm
CW-watches: 4
Location: Surrey, UK

Re: Your first ‘real job’.

Post by nburgess »

My first real job after leaving college was working for a local signage company. Designing, making, painting..all sorts. It was actually quite a fun job (apart from when I splashed acid in my eye one time when using the acid etcher machine, which resulted in an afternoon in A&E)
But I was forever working (part time) during my my school and college years...ranging from working in the kitchen of a local cafe, a garden centre and at local clay pigeon shoots...which were always good fun. Especially when we were tasked with collecting up & carrying back any clays which were still intact. At which point we used to ask the friendlier shooters to shoot at the pile of clays we'd just stacked up, to save us the agony of carrying back to the van!

This thread makes me wonder who was 'lucky' enough to work in their chosen field or even do their dream job ?
I trained to be a Graphic Designer - but ended up in Computer Aided Design, and kind of just stuck with it.
I'd say the vast majoirty of people I know have similar stories.
Neil
User avatar
mvlow
Senior Guru
Senior Guru
Posts: 743
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 7:29 pm
CW-watches: 2
Location: Oregon

Re: Your first ‘real job’.

Post by mvlow »

The first job I can remember was in the 60's when I was about 8 years old, working for the pig slop man. He used to go around houses picking up table scraps for his farm animals. It was a smelly job, but made for a little pocket money. Recycling 1960's style. After that I worked in a butchers shop as a teenager and in a laundry right after leaving school at 16. I even got promoted to my own set off tumble dryers after a couple of weeks :) My first real full-time job was joining the Royal Marines 4 months after my 16th birthday. It ended up being 8 of the best years of my life.
Malcolm


CW C60 Vintage Hamilton Khaki Field Sinn 104 CW C65 Vintage GMT Monta Oceanking Elliot Brown Holton
User avatar
malvern_man
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 1218
Joined: Sun Jul 28, 2013 9:48 pm
CW-watches: 4
Location: Derbyshire, UK

Re: Your first ‘real job’.

Post by malvern_man »

I started at Rolls Royce (Aero Engines) as a 16 year old apprentice and I retired in 2020 after 44 years.

After 25 years service one of the 'perks' was you could have 2 years off sick with full pay (they've changed all of that now though) I never took them up on the 'offer' :lol: I did have just over 3 months off when I was in hospital with sepsis, e.coli and a blood clot, all at the same time. When I went back on short time I milked it for as long as I could :lol: :lol:
CWL - C60 Trident Pro ~ Orange Bezel - C60-TRI-SKCSI
CWL - C60 Trident Pro 600 ~ C60-42-AUTO-SKRT
CWL - C11 Makaira Pro 500 ~ C11-MAK-SKOSI
CWL - C11 Titanium Extreme 1000 Limited Edition ~ C11-COSC-EXT-TKV-SI
User avatar
jkbarnes
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 7852
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 8:39 pm
CW-watches: 3
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: Your first ‘real job’.

Post by jkbarnes »

nburgess wrote: Mon Sep 06, 2021 11:53 am This thread makes me wonder who was 'lucky' enough to work in their chosen field or even do their dream job ?
That’s a great question. I consider myself lucky to have spent my entire career doing exactly what I went off to school to do - teach history. Despite the (more than) occasional moan & groan over on the Curmudgeons Corner, I consider myself lucky to be doing what is a passion. As I told my students this year, I’m not a teacher because I choose to be but because I have to be. I can’t imagine doing anything else.

And I also can’t imagine having a career that was more or less chosen by happenstance as is the case with so many of my friends. That’s a completely alien notion to me.
Drew
Jkpa
Senior Guru
Senior Guru
Posts: 588
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2020 7:08 pm

Re: Your first ‘real job’.

Post by Jkpa »

Went to University for a bit but then that “familiar old story” happened to me - fell in love with a girl on the other side of the world, went to see her, got married within 7 months of talking to her and here we are almost 20 years later. My first job after that was found in the local newspaper as a driver for a local shipping company. Now I work in business development for one of the largest freight forwarders in the world. It wasn’t what I had envisioned two decades ago back in Europe, but it certainly worked out better than I could ever have hoped for, especially with the girl ;)
Timishere
Expert
Expert
Posts: 241
Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2021 6:21 am

Re: Your first ‘real job’.

Post by Timishere »

Shamefully, I never had a proper job until summer holidays at university. I worked for for a 'start up" trying to create an online market place for building materials. The idea was to sign up a bunch of builders merchants, list their inventory online and then have a slick website for builders to use. Only problem was that this was 1999-ish and no builders merchants had online stock systems and no builders used computers.

Still it was a good experience in cold call sales and fighting against the odds. Plus, the business model is basically the same as Amazon Marketplace which is a 100bn dollar busing these days.
User avatar
Richard D
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 3448
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2018 5:59 pm
CW-watches: 0

Re: Your first ‘real job’.

Post by Richard D »

nburgess wrote: Mon Sep 06, 2021 11:53 am This thread makes me wonder who was 'lucky' enough to work in their chosen field or even do their dream job ?
Good question, I can honestly say I have throughly enjoyed every moment of my eclectic career. No day has been the same, the challenges have been many, the highs have be great and the people have been amazing. The only downside is, I figure that I have 6 years left in me before the batteries run out.
Richard


‘A gas station owned by Harland Sanders was the site of the first KFC in 1930. Motorists were served fried chicken at his own dining-room table.’
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post