Comments (5)

By Little Mummy, November 25, 2009 11:26 am

Excuse me if I’m getting a bit philosophical at the moment. My studying is throwing up a lot of interesting thoughts and ideas.

Last week I posted about the best job I ever had, I lightly touched on the things I believe that made that job so enjoyable, most aspects were connected to the ‘culture’ at the office. That post got me to thinking about the other jobs I’ve had, and I realised that I’ve had jobs which others may be perceived by others as far better than the job I mentioned.

Which brings me onto the question “Is there a difference between a ‘good job’ and a job that’s good?”

For me, when I think of a ‘good job’ I consider things such as prestige, pay and seniority. When I think of a job that’s good I think about fulfilment, social and cultural aspects of the workplace and perhaps a little autonomy and responsibility. The best job I’ve ever had would not be the best job in other people’s eyes. So yes, I think there’s a difference.

Do you think there’s a difference?

Also, which job is truly the best job?

I think it depends on the person and what they want to achieve in life.

Your thoughts?

Comments (19)

By Little Mummy, November 18, 2009 1:11 am

I’ve had lots of jobs, for 26, perhaps too many. Some have have been good, some have been bad, and yes, some have been downright ugly. I’ve been promoted, made redundant, worked temporary, and recently I’ve even gone a little freelance.

The best job I ever had…and you probably think I’m about to go mummy blogger mushy and say parenting, no, maybe another day. The best job I ever had was a temporary job working in an all male team. I was an administrator of sorts but it involved a lot of adhoc stuff. Each day was a bit of a challenge, something new would come up that would spark my interest, y’know gas can be very interesting. There was no office politics, no bitching, no trampling on the bitch next to you to get to the next level only to rinse and repeat. They told rude jokes. We ate sausage butties and cherry scones. I was paid a lousy £6.50 an hour and I had no benefits. It was the best job I ever had.

Your best job?

Comments (10)

By Little Mummy, August 13, 2009 10:27 am

So it’s been a strange year, and post miscarriages I finally decided to rejoin the workforce. I set about finding myself a job about six weeks ago, and what can I say, I’ve never found it hard to get work but it’s tough out there. Very few jobs, poor wages and a zillion applicants, it’s all very depressing. In a eureka moment I suddenly thought that I may be able to apply for jobseekers allowance to make life a little easier until I found something, it’s only temporary as I plan to apply for Uni in December. I rang the number and they seemed convinced I was entitled. My husband ribbed me a bit, we’ve been fortunate that we haven’t had to take benefits but I figured if I’m entitled then why not?

I duly attented my appointment at the jobcentre where I waited for nearly an hour to be seen before they realised that I’d been sat in the wrong area, apparently some new receptionist had been left to man the desk whilst the more experienced member of staff went on her break. I was hurded to the next enclosure where I waited patiently, the first lady took my details and then I was asked to wait again to see the next person. At this point I had been in there for nearly two hours and am getting a bit anxious, I waited about 15 minutes before checking with the experienced receptionist that I was definitely in the queue waiting to be processed, turns out my application was being used as a training exercise with a new member of staff. I was finally called over and after providing further details, bearing in mind this was the third time I’d provided details that I may in fact, not be entitled as I left my last position ‘voluntarily’. I tried to explain that I left my last position after two miscarriages and a flare up of crohns and that I was physically and mentally unable to do my job. My explanation fell on deaf ears, this part of the application had to be processed elsewhere. Two and a half hours later I was on my way understanding completely how people become depressed when faced with this sort of treatment.

A week later and still no payment in sight I returned to the jobcentre to ‘sign on’, it has such negative connotations that anyone with any self respect can’t help but feel low even saying it. I begun to be processed, sit in this area….I took out my mobile which was on silent mode and was swiftly told off, not allowed to use mobile phones at all as I could be taking photos?? I was finally called over to another employee who I’d never met who told me that my ‘signing on’ time was changing, she assured me this would happen several times during my time there. She barely acknowledged my ‘jobseeker diary’ which I’d completed with dilligence and didn’t bother to enquire nor encourage about any job seeking activity I may, or may not have done. She wasn’t interested, didn’t have the time? I was on my way in under five minutes. It occurred to me how easy it would be to just remain on benefits if you wanted to. I begun to wonder if job’seek’ers allowance was only really for a certain segment of society.

A week later, still no payment. I chased. “You’re in the system, won’t be long now”. My brothers fiance, a recent graduate and ‘to-be’ police officer in January had been turned down for jobseekers allowance, I started to wonder if any genuine job seekers actually receive this benefit. A day later and the answer to my question arrived. I too, had been refused on the basis that I did not make enough contributions in the tax years 2006/07, the only two years in my lifetime that I did not work, I was at home putting every ounce of energy I had into bringing up our daughter, my husband supported us entirely throughout.

It seems to me that it’s pretty difficult for genuine job seekers to get job seekers allowance, but very easy for people who are not interested in getting a job at all to remain on jobseekers allowance for a very long time.

And the cheek of it all? After being refused after nearly a month and a fair bit of commitment from myself they have they contact me by letter to accuse me of missing my signing on appointment. So either they still expect me to attend even though I get no help at all, or the left hand doesn’t know what the right is doing. Either could be true but I know something for sure, I will never step inside a jobcentre again, I’ve never had such a demoralising experience in my whole life. The office and it’s staff are unprofessional and not really interested in helping genuine people get jobs. You are treated like a second class citizen from the moment you enter their ‘system’. I feel for anyone that has no other choice but to go through that every two weeks.

Comments (0)

By Little Mummy, December 19, 2008 4:29 am

Raisngkids has identified a new kind of family unit, the ‘relay parents’.

Relay parents take turns of working and looking after the kids, working in ‘shifts’. They report that research shows that parents are spending more time with their kids but less time together or as a family unit.

How it works for us…

Over the past six months what was a part time job for me sometimes exceeded twenty-five or thirty hours. My husband works shifts and I slotted my shifts around his, we took turns of looking after our daughter. Occasionally, family stepped in when our shifts overlapped. We are a new breed of ‘relay parents’, we liken it to a conveyor belt that never ends.

The Pros

As the report identified, less money worries, more hours worked equals more money.

Little, or no requirement for costly childcare, meaning you keep more of what you earn.

A feeling that everyone is contributing both to the financial and childcare aspects of the home.

The Cons

After a while you feel your sole purpose is to be at work or assuming the role of primary child-giver.

Less time to spend/enjoy the money you’ve earned.

The requirement to ‘synchronize’ diaries constantly, and then there’s the housework which needs to be slotted in somewhere.

Eventually becoming ‘ships that pass in the night’, also a feeling of constantly ‘going through the motions’ rather than living life.

The Future

As parents and families we are constantly looking for that happy balance of working and earning, and enjoying life and our family. Relay parenting may have been better than both working full time, but what’s better than relay parenting? Multiple income streams, read my article here…