Thursday 25 August 2022

Did I tell you about the time I worked at a Funeral Directors?

I've had quite a variety of jobs and work experience in my first 50ish years of life and had my first job aged 7.

I helped out with the milk round, which was a cart led by a shire horse. I was given 50p per weekend and would dip a metal cup into the unpasteurised milk churns at the end of each morning and drink the milk.

My next job was a paper round in my teens, followed by bag packing in a supermarket as well as working on a fun fair, in an arcade, a night club and pulling pints.

I then moved into care work, a nursery school, a teaching assistant and a youth worker as well as helping out with a local scout group.

I've worked in a chip shop, in a golf club, a shop and as a lecturer, a safe guarding officer and a FS1 teacher. I've taught and assessed NVQ child care assistants. I'm currently working as a Teaching Assistant.

I've volunteered in townships in South Africa, fundraising, delivering Christmas gifts, sourcing donations, painting shacks, digging long drops, collecting water, building schools and entertaining and educating children and adults.

I've driven camera crews round a golf course, have marshalled crowds and recorded golf scores, directing the on site studio to live camera shots for TV. I've also recently volunteered at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

But my most unusual job I've had was when I was lecturing at the local college and supporting my students with their work experience and one of them went to a Funeral Directors and had to be supervised for one day a week for a term. I went with them and learnt almost everything there was to know about what happens after you die, from the collection from the morgue/home and through the full process and behind the scenes at a funeral.

I wouldn’t say I enjoyed every aspect of every job, but I’ve enjoyed the variety of work and can certainly back up my claims on my CV for being flexible, willing to adapt and learn new skills and giving anything a go. 

7 comments:

  1. Oh wow! You have had a lot of jobs and a huge variety too! Working in a Funeral Directors does sound interesting. x

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    1. It was fascinating, but couldn't do it full time

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  2. oh what a lot of jobs! When I was a kid I wanted to be a librarian, but started out in a care home for blind adults, then I was a bingo caller throughout my teenage years, the pay was crap but we had so much fun it was hard to leave. I went to work in a care home and then we moved house and I worked in a petrol station for a while. I had my kids then went back to work in a care home but after a few years I decided I'd had enough. I left and got a part time job in a local library (finally) but because the money wasn't enough I also worked part time in a jewellery shop and weekend evenings in an off licence. This was all while I was a single mum. Then my library job was offered as a permanent position and despite my working there for two years I had to be interviewed, The boss never really liked me (he was deeply religious and resented the fact I was a divorced single mum) and the job was given to someone else. I was asked to train them before I left but I declined. I was devastated but it turned out to be a huge turning point for me. I ended up getting a job as a librarian at the university with pay I could have only dreamt of before. And now my comment is as long as your post, lol.

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  3. What a varied resume You've had!

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  4. I always think that having had a lot of different jobs gives you a better idea of how the world works. I have only really had my career, but my other half has worked in so many different places, and I do think it has made him a little bit wiser in a way!

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    1. I've had such a variety with being the primary family care giver and moving around so much, that I've changed jobs too many times

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