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Full-time work has led to family hell.

Recently, I left school, just in May this year having completed my A-Levels, and since, I have been trying to get a part-time job somewhere local in my town just to earn a bit of money before I go to university, whilst at the same time not totally destroying my social life, leaving me time to see my friends still whilst I can before I leave. To no avail, I got no part-time job, and a few weeks ago, my uncle on my mothers' side of the family came to me with an offer, a weeks' work experience with an engineering company in London, full-time. I initially accepted the offer, presuming a week wouldn't be too bad and if I didn't like it I could always not continue if they offered me a job.

For context, my mum and my dad separated when I was 13, although this didn't affect me too badly, as they were both still local. I can never say I've had a great relationship with my parents, both myself and my mum argue a lot, and my dad is constantly under stress from work, so I try to not annoy him as much as I can, although my dad has been extremely helpful towards me at times when I have needed it, which I greatly appreciate.

I finished the work experience last week, and personally, I found it hell. I found the work incredibly tedious, I felt like a complete idiot as I was clueless as of what to do, and the travelling was hell, I was leaving my house at 7 and not getting back until half 6 every night. They did offer me a job halfway through the week, which I initially said I wasn't too interested in, due to the reasons stated above. When I got home and mentioned this to my mum, she fiercely questioned me as to why, calling me 'lazy', which I understand it might come across as to being lazy, although it was mostly due to how boring I found the work. The next day, Thursday, when I return home from another day, my mums' parents are round, my grandparents, as normal, and more talk goes on about how I should take this job, eventually leading to more arguing, and leaving the room, I eventually overhear my mum calling me an 'embarassment'.

When my parents eventually mentioned it would probably be a lot of money, minimum £10 an hour for working in London, my head began to turn, and even if it was boring, for £80 a day, I thought I could probably live, and took the job. I then receive an e-mail from the person I've been working for, stating my pay would be £40 a day, or minimum wage. Having already taken the job, I now find myself working for, what is including the travelling hours, around £3.60 an hour, for something I don't want to do and is causing me a hell of a lot of stress, leading to more arguments in the family.

Really, I only post this so I can get some sort of relief from posting it, I just don't really know, and am actually quite scared of, what tomorrow brings really, because this job has made me constantly stressed, with actually very small rewards, and whilst I understand the value of work and the potential experience it offers me, for the stress and arguments and the length of the day, I don't think its truly worth it.

Honestly, there are holes in this post, but I'm tired as in 12 hours I'll be slaving through another day, not anywhere near getting out of there.

Just really looking for advice as to a next move or as to any way to keep myself motivated to keep working for whatever reason...

Reply 1

hvh

As **** as this job may be, and as terrible as you may find the pay, I think you should continue until university with it. It's a a month or so work experience that can be valuable for your future career. Please do not underestimate the significance of work experience, in any field.

I am a recent graduate. I graduated in May with a 2:1. Within a week I had a job working for a bluechip organisation being paid over 30k a year. Why? Because I have worked since I was 13. I started in ****ty jobs I hated, I eventually worked to more reasonably paid jobs that weren't so awful and now I have a job I absolutely love.

They cared very little for my degree, they were far more interested in the work experience I had gained. Although I will not write my degree off completely, as I believe that definitely helped them to take my application seriously.

Ignore what your family say, get the work experience and continue to get work experience throughout university. It will pay off and you will be the one laughing at the end when you have a job you are truly proud of.

Good luck.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 2

doodle_333

I second the above... employers want experience and no one gets to walk straight into something they love, and every job at a level is tedious and badly paid, your parents might have put in a lot of work to get you the experience/job since that is the sort of things very few 18 year olds get to do and so are quite annoyed that you appear ungrateful for it, 7-630 might feel bad, and when you want to be spending time with friends I'm sure it is a long day, however many people have to work those sorts of hours and often still for bad wages! try and force your way through it, the start of uni will be full of fun times and time to do what you want (and enjoy the extra money you have) and you'll be back at xmas! in the meantime try and find some aspect you enjoy or think of something you might be interested in and see if you can become more involved or spend a few days shadowing someone or something

Reply 3

INTit

You might as well stick with it

If you don't they will nag you endlessly, resent you for not working and feel ashamed of you.
Their generation was brainwashed into believing work is all that matters.