# Any job that you will not do/are above doing? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 4, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506 "2014-02-04T19:31:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/21 "2014-02-04T21:02:27Z")
Skyscraper window washer. Hang gliding instructor. Cottage cheese tester. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/22 "2014-02-04T21:05:25Z")
Secretary. I spent a number of years working as a secretary, and the one thing I swore when I left that job was that I would never, ever be a secretary again. I just couldn’t take the constantly answering to someone’s whims – I think I would have the same problem being a personal assistant, or a maid or valet in the _Downton Abbey_ style, who just has to obey every order given by a master. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/23 "2014-02-04T21:09:06Z")
I won’t do Charlie Work anymore (cleaning up piss/shit, killing vermin, dealing with superlatively-gnarly messes). I cleaned bathrooms when I was a bagger in a grocery store and I vowed to never again be responsible for removing anything resembling human excrement. The only job I ever walked out of was at a student dining hall back in college. Some douchebag assigned me (a very short, friendly girl) to clean the grease hoods without gloves, when there were plenty of stronger-stomached guys around who could have been assigned to do it. I’d been doing the job for a few weeks by then and enjoyed the other aspects of the job. But I was so disgusted by the request that I left without clocking out. ---
**Author:** ![PaperBlob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58956e/32.png) [@PaperBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaperBlob)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/24 "2014-02-04T21:10:59Z")
> [@cher3](#): > > Any kind of cold sales. This! Phone sales, door-to-door, car sales, etc. I’d raher clean a bathroom with my tongue. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/25 "2014-02-04T21:18:21Z")
Are we talking things we think we’re too good for in general, things that wouldn’t help our careers, or things we’re just flat out unsuited to do? I don’t know that if the chips were down, that there’s no job that I couldn’t or wouldn’t do to support my family. However, there’s plenty of stuff that would be backward career-wise, and I avoid that like the plague- getting stuck in entry-early career type tasks doesn’t look good on a resume, even if it’s what the company needs you to do. I’m unsuited to doing most any job that’s either very repetitive/rote, or that requires extreme attention to detail without any abstract thought. For example, data entry is not my thing, and neither is proofreading. It’s a personality type thing- finding detail errors is just something I’m not good at, and I get bored really really easily with doing the same exact thing over and over. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/26 "2014-02-04T21:23:53Z")
If faced with the choice between cleaning hotel rooms and being homeless, I would have to think her over. I’d choose the job, of course, but for some reason cleaning hotel rooms has always struck me as being one of the more unpleasant jobs there is. Also, working in an assembly line. Loud noises kill me. ---
**Author:** ![jrsone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jrsone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jrsone)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/27 "2014-02-04T21:26:32Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > If faced with the choice between cleaning hotel rooms and being homeless, I would have to think her over. I’d choose the job, of course, but for some reason cleaning hotel rooms has always struck me as being one of the more “unpleasant pleasant” jobs there is. > > Also, working in an assembly line. Loud noises kill me. Cleaning hotel rooms is no fun. I’ve managed hotels before and had to do them on the fly helping out and I give the people working that job full credit. It’s hard, sometimes very nasty work for not much pay. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/28 "2014-02-04T21:32:13Z")
As opposed to not eating? Nope. I once went from an executive job that paid over $150,000/yr plus perks to selling RVs on commission when I got laid off. Enjoyed both jobs. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/29 "2014-02-04T21:39:22Z")
I’d have to be really, \*really \*desperate to take a job in retail or food service. I don’t consider myself above such jobs, I just don’t want to do either. I’d clean houses or go back to mindless clerical stuff (oh how I hate filing!!!) before I’d be applying at a store or restaurant. Unlike most of my peers, I never worked fast food or waiting tables in my youth. Frankly, I don’t think I missed out on a thing!! ---
**Author:** ![CT\_Damsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CT\_Damsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CT_Damsel)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/30 "2014-02-04T21:52:35Z")
When I was in HS I worked for a few months in a burger joint and many months in a pizza place. I would NEVER do burger joint again. I hated smelling like grease even after multiple showers. Smelling of pizza was great! ummm oregano No day care or baby sitting. I do not like kids enough. I could not do office cleaning. I did while in college and always felt hit by a truck afterwards; and I was young then. I sew; but I do not believe I would be able to sew fast enough to work in clothing assembly. I would not want to be in health care; do not want to touch strange bodies (I guess hooker is out too then.)😃 ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/31 "2014-02-04T22:16:15Z")
There are a few jobs that personality-wise I wouldn’t be a good fit for, but as for jobs I am above there are only two. 1. Working with large amounts of piss or shit. I can clean up where a kid peed in aisle three (ah, memories from working at a toy store) but cleaning out a porta-potty is high up on my never going to happen list. 2. Scam artistry. Those people who work for card holder services who call you and try to steal your credit card information? I am above that. I could not ever steal for a living like they do. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/32 "2014-02-04T22:35:20Z")
I got a job telemarketing when I was in grad school, which I’m certainly not above. Once I was out of training, however, it became clear that the preferred phone technique was to slam sales, especially on customers whose English was limited. I walked out with no regrets. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/33 "2014-02-04T22:49:10Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I’ve been an office worker for about 17 years now, and I learned early on that answering phones for a living is not for me. I’m not above it; I just really, really hate having the ringing phone interrupting my work constantly (even when answering the phones IS my work!). I also wouldn’t want to do a job where I have to do a lot of talking on the phone, but my reason is that I’m really socially awkward and shy and I hate talking even to people that I like on the phone (it makes me nervous.) ---
**Author:** ![compositejoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/compositejoe/32/7232_2.png) [@compositejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/compositejoe)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/34 "2014-02-04T22:51:25Z")
Working with elderly people in a care home. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/35 "2014-02-04T23:07:02Z")
Sales - it’s just not my bag, as we used to say. I don’t have the personality for it. Talk radio personality - While I can be chatty, in the right circumstances, I really don’t know how these guys just talk for hours on end. This last one is a little subtle - working for a big 4 accounting company. The job I do is system consulting. The small company I was working for got bought by a big 4 (6? 8?) accounting company. Even though we were still doing basically the same job, the expectations of being an employee of the big company were way way way over the line. I couldn’t stand going into the office and seeing all of these young business degree graduates trying their darn-dest to make Partner. It really made my skin crawl. So, I quit. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/36 "2014-02-04T23:16:20Z")
I walked out of a temp agency assignment sorting refuse at a recycling depot. There was just too much dust in the air and I was having trouble breathing. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/37 "2014-02-04T23:27:23Z")
> [@CT\_Damsel](#): > > I would not want to be in health care; do not want to touch strange bodies (I guess hooker is out too then.)😃 How could I forget healthcare. I read a book about candy stripers in high school and went to the orientation at a local hospital. One hour was all it took for me to know that not only would I never be a candy striper, I would never be a doctor, nurse, or any other type of healthcare professional. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/38 "2014-02-04T23:32:34Z")
Retail pharmacy. Do we have a vomit smiley around here somewhere? I burned out on that prior to Medicare Part D(isaster), and that went online in IIRC 2006 and the kinks STILL haven’t been worked out. :mad: :smack: ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/39 "2014-02-04T23:34:42Z")
I don’t think I’d be a suitable waitress. I am way too clumsy and my short-term memory isn’t good at all. I hear words and numbers wrong, in a dyslexic fashion. I also get way very nervous under pressure. So this is one job I wouldn’t bother applying for. But I can’t think of too many other “low level” jobs that I couldn’t force myself, given enough desparation. I mean, I would definitely hate cleaning up human shit. But if that is the only job available, well, I’m not going to starve. I’ll do it and then go home and cry. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/40 "2014-02-05T00:00:16Z")
I did once last only half a day at a job where I was supposed to put door-hanger-ads for an air duct service on every person’s door along many streets. So I was essentially paid to put garbage on people’s doors. Didn’t like it. Only lasted half a day, like I said. Still, I got $20 out of it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506.md?page=3)