My time working at the bookies is coming to an end this week. It has been quite the experience, I must say but I'm glad that I'm moving on to something else.
The ambient mumblings indicate that there's going to be a nationwide clamp down on bet shops. So, from the bookies' perspective, I reckon closing some shops will be the way to go.
There hasn't been any word about shutting down our shop but there have been some redundancies for people in higher earning roles. There's been an increase in everyone's workload and hardly any increase in wages.
The redundancies in top level positions means that there has been some reshuffling of responsibilities and since there weren't any new highers or promotions, it gives an idea of where the industry is headed.
On top of the top level positions, there has also been some lay offs in smaller roles, which, once again, indicates that all might just not be well.
It is quite surreal that I'm leaving this role as early as I am. I'm typically not the type to jump ship but with loyalty so hard to come by from companies, I have to constantly be in my toes.
I think the alarm bells started ringing when I heard rumors of some shops getting shut down. This is still some way down the line but the looking threat was enough to spook me.
When I got the job, I thought it was a place I could work at for a few years but I started feeling very insecure in my position and it sort of reminded me of my days living of crypto in Nigeria. However, the stakes are much higher since I'm in a different country.
Another thing that rattled me was seeing a number of my colleagues getting the boot. I'm not going to lie, seeing someone that's been with the company clandestinely being made redundant didn't strike me the right way.
So, I'm looking forward to my next role and what opportunities come with it. I'm also looking forward to the challenges and what I could learn from them.
For what it's worth, I think working in the bookies is very easy. Unlike traditional customer service roles, you have to be on your guard 24/7 and never trust, even if it is a regular customer.
Dealing directly with cash enabled me to adjust to the currency in the UK. I originally use to struggle with identifying coins but now it's second nature.
It is usually calm for most of the day and then suddenly gets busy when the horse and dog races start. At night, it is usually quiet and you could go hours without actually doing anything.
I'd recommend working in the bookies if you're looking for quick work with less physical strain. If you're new in a country like me and looking to do any job for some money while figuring your life out, this is the job. It is not a role that you have a career in but there are bits of it that you can use in a resume to get better jobs.
