Did any of you have a Saturday job while you were at school or college? Did you enjoy it? Was it a pleasant experience? Or was it pretty grim?
A lot of the kids I knew when I was growing up had weekend jobs anyway but in the lead up to Christmas, loads of kids were trying to get seasonal work in order to raise some much needed cash. As my parents had their own business, I had a Saturday job whether I liked it or not! But my own Saturday job horror story isn't about my own Saturday job but rather was caused by the Saturday girl who worked at the branch where I got my first job in retail management after graduating.
Some money that should have been banked went missing, and as one of the two people in charge of banking, suspicion unfortunately fell on me - until it was realized I wasn't in that day (phew!) And after a short investigation, they discovered it was - you guessed it - the Saturday girl. But the really horrific bit was that she couldn't be fired. The area manger said it's because they didn't have concrete evidence but I reckon it's because the Saturday girl's mum was the manageress of another branch and this whole incident would have made things highly... awks! Perhaps SG should've thought about that before taking what didn't belong to her and allowing other people to take the blame. But I'm very happy to say that Karma did their job very well when SG was eventually fired after getting caught red-handed!
What are you memories of having to work weekends as a teen/young adult?
I used to work at a hairdressers. Just washing hair, sweeping up, making teas and that. I had no great desire to get into hairdressing (nowt wrong with it. It just wasn't me.) But it was good to get a bit of money for the usual teenage stuff. I don't have any disasterous tales but then that's because I weren't the one doing the hairdressing!
I started waitressing when I was in high school, and continued throughout college. There were no major dramas but anyone who's waited on tables will know the usual encounters I experienced: dine n' dashers; low-to-no tippers; major league complainers etc.
All in a day's work!
I just did what a lot of kids in my year did when they turned fifteen and worked in a supermarket. Mostly on Saturdays of course but sometimes on Fridays and Sundays too. I have the usual tales of shoplifting, difficult customers and parents who used to think that the sweets at the checkout were free for their kids to help themselves too! Other cashiers would say something but I was always too timid and would just turn a blind eye - but I did get told off for not being vigilant enough.
My time working at a supermarket for Top Shop and make-up money all those years ago has told me why so many businesses are going online. Who'd want to work with the general public today? Things have got a lot worse and I really applaud those who are doing a job who many people don't realize is hard work until they have to do it themselves.
My first job when I was in middle school was as a pet sitter and dog walker. It wasn't strictly speaking a 'Saturday job' but I did of course work a lot of weekends. I love animals - I currently work with dogs - so it was a great job for me. The only problem was when the dogs wanted to pee in the middle of someones lawn! 😂🐶
Ugh, my first Saturday job was a bit of a disaster and almost caused an issue with a family friend!
A friend of my mum's was opening a cafe and was looking for staff. I was pleased when she offered me a job there which was to be Saturdays and holidays. It was my first real job so didn't know what to expect or any of the practicalities and so on. I was just excited to be earning a bit of money to splurge on things I wanted!
At then end of my first day, I didn't get paid so figured maybe I got paid monthly (I was a bit shy about asking!) But I'd worked there a few Saturdays without getting paid so I plucked up the courage to ask, thinking she'd just forgotten. But it was her who was shocked - she thought I was just helping out! She didn't think I was expecting to be paid (that explains all the bacon sarnies I went home with!) My mum was very annoyed that I'd worked so hard for nothing but it was all down to miscommunication. Needless to say I quit 'my job' and was careful in making sure that all jobs I applied for after that were definitely paid roles!
I did have a Saturday job at an art supplies shop in town when I was about 15. Most of the time we were quite quiet but back to school time was always our most busiest time. I don't recall any major incidents that occurred during my time there although we did get our fair share of difficult customers but then who hasn't. All I remember is how grown up I felt when I got the job and started working there. And when I got my first pay packet it was like I'd won the lottery. 😃
Mine was just a Saturday job at the local bakery which was pleasant enough. It was just the early starts I didn't really like. But getting to take home whatever we didn't sell more than made up for it! 🥐🍞🥖🍩 And of course when I had money to spurge at Top Shop or Dolcis, I certainly wasn't complaining 😀