Do you "look down on" people for their job/career?

Not conciously - and I definately make an effort not to.

However, I was brought up by my parents to value academic achievements, and to try to do well at school so as not to 'waste' my talents by ending up with a menial job or working in retail.

As a result, I'm sure I do have an assumption that people working in restaurants or outdoors do so because they can't get something 'better'.

I feel quite bad about it, actually.

No I don't I am grateful that people do these jobs, as I couldn't. Also many are underpaid for what they do.

As long as you are happy with your life choices what does it matter what others think. Though moving to retail is not my idea of fun - dealing with the public??

ETA - I am more likely to think how do you live on so little.

Certainly I have come across people looking down on me for being a SAHM - I met a partner in a law firm (female) at a party and when I told her what I did she turned on her heel and walked away from me.?

I remember working as a waitress when i was at Uni and some smart arse said to me that if I tried harder at my job, i would improve and i could even end up being an air hostess.

Idiot. I replied that the medical degree I was studying would be wasted.

(white lie as my degree was actually something far easier ?)

No, of course not. My friends are my friends because of who they are, not what job they do. Of course, I have lots of friends in 'the professions', but that's because I've met them through uni, work or business- I haven't actively sought them out because of the gravitas of their positions. Of course, some of them are massively fascinating people, but I find that for every person with an impressive job who is fascinating , there's another one who's dull. Also, in terms of intellectual 'matching', my favourite 'bottle of wine and debate' partner is not another lawyer, but a hairdresser (who is, interestingly, considering ditching hair and doing a law degree next year. Yes, I do realise that that somewhat undermines my argument. ?)

If your friends think you'd be thick working in retail then they don't understand how demanding it is (I don't think I could hack it), plus they'd be total tools and you'd be better off without them.

She was probably jealous of you and couldn't contain it, believe me! ?

Is anyone really likely to answer in the affirmative here??

PS Dolly- are you named after the Australian Band? I loooove them.

You are lovely. Actually I don't feel too badly as I am much better than her at taming my facial hair. (sorry, that is nasty isn't it, just have to make myself feel better some how)

No, and I have little time or respect for people that do. It says far more about them (and not in a pleasant way) than it does about the person in the 'menial' job.

Actually, I think it shows someone up as insecure and affected.

God no. i ve got friends in all kinds of jobs, from postman to business leader.

however, i do look down on people who are in jobs they dont like, but dont have the balls to change things/do something about it.

I don't think that I do. I have done a wide variety of jobs, many of them crappily paid, mainly while I was studying. I find that other people do treat me differently, depending on what job I'm doing.

I sold makeup part-time a while ago alongside my full time job in IT and people would speak to you like sh!t because you did home sales parties (and I've seen examples of Hitchers with highly regarded jobs posting about doing this and it made my blood boil. We all have to earn a living).

I hate being judged so quickly and find people are surprised that I have a degree & am studying for a postgraduate qualification. I must look thick I think ?

I can't believe someone did that to you! At least you didn't waste any time talking to an incredibly rude person and could then go and talk to someone else.

I am conscious of not doing it but I am also conscious of people doing it to me sometimes. I am also conscious even among my friends of them looking down on me because of what I do now but then maybe it's not so much them as me worrying about what people think, if that makes sense.

No I don't. Although I can see how it is from the other perspective.

I'm an office manager for a private hedge fund company in Mayfair. When I joined I was still pretty "common" in that I'm a South London girl who grew up on a council estate. The guys I work with are privately educated to degree level. So when I invited my husband to join us one year for a Christmas Party, he was really nervous and anxious about meeting people who would look down their nose at him as he's "just a mechanic". It took a while for him to get over his issues with the guys and now he's good mates with a couple and even fixes my bosses 3 cars and the cars of some colleagues. ?

I would look down on the friend of yours who said they worked in an office at the uni, when really it was the kitchens. if they are embarrassed or whatever, then surely you do something about it?? That annoys me. But i dont care what people do for a living, friends or not.

maybe some of us have done some pretty crap jobs in our time, and therefore know what its like so wont look down on those now doing these and similar jobs?

The jobs have to be done, bins have to be emptied, toilets have to be cleaned, sewers kept clear, and coffee served with a smile - well maybe not!

Yes, I see your point. Rachel has *sort of* raised her hand, but I know exactyly what she means and I sympatise a lot with that kind of upbringing and paternal influence. Perhaps a better way of framing it would be:

a) Do you make judgements about people based on what job they do- erm, most likely, yes; and

b) Do you allow those judgements to colour your feelings or behaviour towards them- no.

I think even with the best will in the world people-rightly or wrongly- make certain judgements based on occupation in the same way that we make judgements about all sorts of things which allow us to gain a feeling for the overall character of a person.

I kind of did. I do sometimes have to self-censor and talk myself out of making assumptions, due to the values instilled in me by my parents.

Absolutely not.

My mum worked in Boots for 25 years and before that she was a hairdresser, I have never once looked down on her.

H started working for his company under a appenticeship scheme 10 years ago aged 19, he now their youngest ever manager. Apart from work based training, he only has a BTEC in computing so it is more than possible to make it "up the ranks" without degrees etc.

Our country couldn't survive without the ranks of the under paid, who (mostly!) do a fantastic job.

Hi, no I'm not and I've never heard of them but I'm going to Google them now!

No I don't, or at least I hope I don't. As someone else said, I've met as many intelligent fascinating people with "menial" jobs and dull people with "clever" jobs as I have the other way round. As an undergraduate I worked in a newsagent for four years and the amount of times I was treated like I was thick for working in retail was quite astonishing. I truly hope that I never judge someone in that way based only on their job.

Lou, that's exactly what I was trying to get across, only far more eloquently than I could manage!

So... Child of yours brings home their latest beau/belle and tells you 'this is the one'. They met in Kentucky Fried Burger Hut when (s)he was on the serve.....

Welcome to the family is it?

completely depends on context ONE, as you very well know.

Dolly- the band are called the dolly rocker movement. I also love your name because I have a very fabulous dog called Dolly, who rocks!

To Old Saint Nick Esq: yes, I think people may do that.

To my knowledge none of my friends look down on me for being a cleaner in my previous job and if anyone looked down on me if I subsequently take a low paid job/retail/whatever I would cull them.

Claires: yes I think I do slightly look down on her after she told me that she did that because I feel people should be able to state what they do without shame and if they don't like it then get a different job.

Yes, definitely. I could have brought home a street sweeper or a barrister and is long as he was "the one", was polite and didn't have a criminal record, he would have beenn very welcome. The same would apply to my children.

If she is happy and he treats her well, and makes her smile then fine. As a mother I would also want someone who can give her the material things in life, but thats my issue not hers.

LouM, thank you!

Old Saint Nick Esq: As LouM says it depends on context. I'm quite happy for people to work in that kind of job if it makes them happy. If they're not happy then no I think they should look for something else. However, if the person was working in KFC or McDonalds I would wonder how someone could work in a place that serves food that tastes so flippin awful and still sleep at night.

that's how my parents met, they both worked in Mcds.

I completely agree. I do understand that not everyone is in a position to just quit their job and do something else but it doesn't have to be that dramatic / sudden a change.

I also struggle to deal with people who have no ambition.

fuck no! ? i d be getting my shotgun out ?