My worst job. EVER.

The worst job I ever had was only mine for two days. You'll soon see why!

For all those who have never been a temp, sometimes "temp" seems to equate to "dogsbody" with little, if any, respect had for you. Naturally, what the recruitment agency had neglected to tell me was, this company had used practically everyone on their books... I soon learnt why.

I was there to help clear a back-log of work. When I arrived there at the slightly gruelling time of 7am, I understood why there was this back-log - none of them did a bloody thing.

The offices were above the factory where you could peer down and see them make... shower bases. That's right, shower bases. I had never imagined someone actually made things like this but, then again, I had never really given it that much thought.

"What's that smell?" was my first question. There was no point in asking where the kettle was after I was immediately told that you NEVER leave your seat. If you did have to go to the loo, you had sixty seconds.

"You'll get used to it," was their reply.

By which they meant I would spend my sixty seconds throwing up from the over-powering resin smell and admiring the rash it induced in me. Admittedly, other than the sick feeling, the first morning wasn't that bad. I was only there to process invoices, which was pretty straight-forward, and I happily agreed to cover the phones and take messages whilst the girl who comprised the sales team took her lunch.

"Hello, X company."

"Can I speak to Sam?" a gruff-sounding man asked me.

I had no idea who Sam was, I hadn't exactly been given the grand tour, so decided a message was the safest way to play it. "I'm sorry, but he's away from his desk. Can I take a message, please?"

"Don't f-ing lie to me. He owes me money. Put him on the f-ing phone. NOW."

"I'm sorry," I cautiously replied, ears burning at the swearing. "He's not here."

"Well, you can sort my money out then, Laura."

"No, it's Elle. I'm the new temp. Everyone is out at lunch at the moment."

"Stop f-ing lying Laura. You amazingly have a f-ing new temp every other day. I want my money."

"No, really. I am the temp. It's my first day, and I'm sorry I can't help, but-"

"Stop f-ing fobbing me off Laura. How many more messages do I have to leave before I get my bloody money?"

And on it went. His tone getting more and more aggressive but, the problem is, I'm really polite. Stupidly polite. I sat there and took the abuse meant for someone else...

After the third phone call of this nature, I realised the company owed a lot of money. When the others came back into the office, I was told to continue answering the phones, take messages, and not put through the calls to the relevant people. Fun.

Day two was worse. At noon the office staff disappeared and told me I could go for lunch when they came back. They came back at 3.30pm meaning I'd just worked 8 1/12 hours solid without a break - not exactly legal, but they didn't really care. At this point, I was beyond hunger and feeling violently sick from the smell. All I wanted was some fresh air, but their office locking system meant if I left the office, I would need a key or someone else to let me back in. Neither of those were options for me.

When I finally got to leave for my break, all the local shops were closed, and I just wanted to cry. I mean, I’d spent the morning been abused on the phone whilst they went to the pub. Nice. On my return, I found them reading Closer magazine and a new pile of work on my desk, their work.

Unsurprisingly, after I got home and threw up some more from the toxic smell that seemed to be embedded up my nose and admired my ever-spreading rash, I didn't make it back for day three. The agency weren't surprised. My two days had been a record...

That experience was definitely my worst job ever, especially since they didn't even pay me all the money they should have. I hope I never suffer such levels of abuse, lack of respect, or that sort of physical reaction from my working environment ever again.

Have you had a horrid job? x