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(edited 9 years ago)

Hello!

I was recently promoted to the position of Variable Manager, meaning that I become the Manager whenever the existing Manager/Assisting Manager can't or don't want to come in. So I'm basically working on-call - I'll only know around a week in advance that I'm working the next. I'm very excited because it's a great opportunity for me, managing at the age of 19 (I'm not in education, btw), but at the same time I'm very aware of the fact that I can't make a living out if it. They're not going to need me very often, and when they do, I'm only going to be working an 8-hour day, and at minimum wage that's £40/day (which could be £40/month if they only end up needing me once during one :eek:

).

I recently attended an interview for a part-time position, and before I'd even had a chance to sit down the interviewer mentioned this position, and asked why I'd even bothered coming if I knew that I couldn't commit to the job. This was my very first interview in life, and I thought that maybe I could find a way to manipulate shifts so that I could work both jobs at the same time. I've heard of plenty of people having more than one job (my mum has three)! But he was very angry, and it made me think - was I foolish for thinking that I could get away with it?

I don't know. I'm not giving up this position as a Manager for anything, but I need another one. Should I just accept the fact that it's downright impossible for someone needed to work a full day at the drop of a hat to have any other job? I feel terribly scared for my future ... :frown:

Please help (esp. if you know of anything I can do whilst working on call)! Thanks for reading. ♥

Whilst working as a manager at the age of 19 is brilliant, it does seem true that you can't work a living out of it. Assuming it's minimum wage (which it might not be, seeing as you'll be in a senior position), it is £40 per day as you said. Working a 5 day week, that's £200.

I would normally suggest jobs in retail, but some of these want regulated hours per week plus overtime (I remember going for an interview last year when I tried to switch jobs, and was told I couldn't take time off to study for my A level exams!). As such, I stuck with my current, minimum wage job seeing as I've been there almost 3 years, would've become supervisor/full-time had I not gone to uni last year, and can always work during the holidays between uni. Even on my minimum wage, taking out commission and any time-related bonuses, I can earn slightly more money than you but then I'd do more hours per week.

If you want to go for this management position, then do it! Not a lot of people can say that they've managed at the age of 19 (I've done it a few times at 18, but then it wasn't an official job position or anything). However, the consequence will be the lack of hours and therefore money, plus the lack of hours you can get in other jobs. My recommendation would be to find a job where you work early in the mornings doing a delivery shift or something similar - supermarkets normally pay well for this, and you can earn another £130 roughly (dependent on hours and wages) per week. Whilst you gain a lot of money through this, your consequence will be the extremely long days and possibly a lack of sleep and/or social life too.