Job hunting

[debih]

I am dead proud of S.

She has been working at a little village pub since April 2014 (the landlady there is a friend and was happy to take her on at age 13 to do a little waiting on and veg peeling). She worked all through last winter but this year has become really quiet and when she went into work last Saturday Collette told her that she was going to have to let her go as she just couldn't justify keeping her on. She said she would give her a reference and if she was still looking for work next March then she would be happy to have her back.

S was really upset - she loved the job and liked the £5 an hour she was getting (3 hours every Saturday) but she asked me to help her put together a CV and a list of places to send them out to. I send about 30 letters out last Tuesday but told her not to expect too much.

On Saturday she had a phone call from the café in the mill where our office is based. She went to see the woman yesterday and starts work next Saturday (we are away this Saturday)! Its longer hours and less money per hour (minimum wage which for her age is around £3.70 per hour) but its a job.

Then on Sunday she had a phone call from the local Italian restaurant, the local Boutique hotel and the local large Christian Guild hotel! She was out so hasn't spoken to any of them but is to ring them back today. I spoke to the Boutique hotel lady and she said that she didn't have any regular work but she was so impressed with S's letter she would like to see if she can give her some casual work when they have family parties in and that next summer she should probably have more regular work.

S is quite keen on the Christian Guild hotel as she spoke to a friends son on Saturday and he used to work there a few years ago and said it is a lovely place to work so she's hoping something will come from that.

But at least she has found herself a job after only a week of losing her other one. She has accepted the café job but I said if another better paid one comes along she can always tell them a little white lie that she was offered a job at the vets and that will be good practice for what she wants to do at college.

L is now hoping that the landlady at the little pub where S was working will give her S's old job next year - its a nice place to start off as your first job. Only 3 hours a week, earning £15, with a really nice and caring (but firm) boss and generally really lovely customers.

[Ally]

That's lovely Debih.

Craig had a paper round from 14 and has always worked since..it does them the world of good!

[Kaz]

She's a grafter with a strong work ethic - that counts for so much in life!

[meriad]

Totally agree with Kaz - good on S for asking you for help with the letter etc; many kids would just rely on the parents to either pay the pocket money or find a job for them

Good luck to S, I really hope she finds another jobs she loves

[saundra]

Well done to S and you for helping her
I had a Saturday job in a butcher's whole at school. Absolutely hated it but liked the cash and a paper round twice a day

[Weka]

Good on her!!

[jenniren]

Well done S

[Diflower]

That's really well done, good for her - and you too

[tonicha]

Very well done her - and you xx You must be proud of her

I also had a part-time job, after school and at week-ends, washer upper in a cottage hospital kitchen. Put me off cleaning chip pans for life

[debih]

I always had a part time job.

I worked on the fruit and veg stall at the market for a while though I didn't last long as I kept charging people wrong - my mental arithmetic was (and still is) rubbish.

Then I went to work at Gullivers Kingdom theme park - god I hated that job. But I stuck it out for 2 seasons. I don't remember how much we got paid but I do remember that the wages were so bad for a weekends work (10am to 6pm) that we used to walk the four mile round trip to save on the bus fare!!!!

Then I got a job in a local hotel and I was there for about 4 years, all through the rest of school and college.