# Jobs I have had **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 20, 2008, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915 "2008-05-20T00:17:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/1 "2008-05-20T00:17:36Z")
1980-82 Worked on a dairy farm,Johnson Dairy Farm 1982-86 Ran the snack counter at my High School,Big Rapids High School 1982-86(except summer) Kitchen Help at a camp for kids,Spring Hill Camps. 1982(summer) Maintenance Worker at a camp for kids,SHC 1983(summer) Archery Instructor at a camp for kids,SHC 1984(summer) Soccer Instructor at a camp for kids,SHC 1985(summer) Riflery Instuctor at a camp for kids,SHC 1985-86 Volleyball Ref(City League) Soccer Ref(Kids),City of Evart 1986-Video Arcade Attendant,Bally’s Alladin Castle 1987-Music Store Clerk and Fast Food Worker,Belive in Music and Burger King 1987-1990-Pool Hall Attendant,Fireball Arcade The 1st year of this job was concurrent with the two above. Thursday and Friday, for about two months,I worked Bk from 6am to 2pm,went straight to the record store a block away and worked til 7pm,punched in at the Pool Hall at 8pm and worked til closing, usually around 2am. 1988-1990 Salesman,Midwest Publishing Inc. 1990-91 Driver,London Fabrics 1991-2000 Salesman,Midwest Publishing Inc. 2000-2004 Owned and operated Pool Hall I previously worked at.(Changed name to Rack 'Em Billiards) 2004-05 Valet,Avi Casino 2005-Valet,River Palms Casino 2005-Driver,Aaron’s Rent to Own 2005-06 Bartender, Golden Nugget Casino 2007-Present- Property Manager,Wind Power Services 2007-Present- Leek Digger/washer,Pine Bough Cutter,Found in the Woods(Seasonal) 2008-Present- Outdoor Cook,SHC I hope I settle down soon. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/2 "2008-05-20T00:48:10Z")
I’m just too lazy to provide all the dates. I started my first job in 1982 [ul] [li]Garden Nursery[/li][li]Deli clerk[/li][li]Ran a Country Club Snack Bar [/li][li]Clerk at a different deli[/li][li]Art School gopher/lackey[/li][li]Yet another Deli[/li][li]Custom picture framing - which ended up being my career, more on that later[/li][li]Mother’s Helper [/li][li]Worked at Hardee’s for exactly TWO days[/li][li]Caterer[/li][li]Security Guard[/li][li]Library Desk Help (not skilled enough to call myself a librarian)[/li][li]Dorm RA[/li][li]Office Temp [/li][li]Customer Service rep in a wholesale company.[/li][li]More custom framing - Since 1983 I have worked for eleven different frame companies at 16 different locations in 4 different states.[/li] [li]Most recently I am a small business owner - still framing but it’s a very different job now. [/li] [/ul] ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/3 "2008-05-20T00:50:14Z")
How do y’all remember all that? 😛 I started working in 1974. Unless you count baby-sitting, which I probably started a couple years before that. ---
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/4 "2008-05-20T00:56:44Z")
Hmmm. I wonder if I can remember everything. CNA in a nursing home during college. Arby’s. Teacher’s aid in a summer program. Special ed teacher, LD, MiMH, SEH, grades K-12 in Hell, 1 year. Special ed teacher, SEH, grades 5-12, 1 year. Special ed teacher, LD, MiMH, SEH, grades 6-12, 8 years. Freelance proofreader. Soap maker. Candle AND soap maker. Catering kitchen. Newspaper carrier. Nurse tech in Surgery. (Not nearly as glamorous as it sounds, and requiring not nearly as much talent as one might expect.) Catering kitchen, again. Caregiver for elderly. I’m still doing the last 4 jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/5 "2008-05-20T00:58:41Z")
My list is incredibly short. June 2004- June 2006: Technical crew/lighting designer/stage manager (depending on event) for theatre rentals at my high school. Summer 2006, 2007, 2008: Set-up/tear-down, focusing the projector for movies, and “crowd control” (give everyone bottled water! Tell kids to get off the fake rocks!) for Parks and Rec summer entertainment events; in 2007 and 2008, also sound board operator. Occasionally includes fun tasks like face painting and playing Sharks and Minnows. Autumn 2006 through early May 2008 (except summers and winter breaks): Various food service tasks at my college’s food court- everything from cashier to dishroom to sandwich making. ---
**Author:** ![threnodyangelfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@threnodyangelfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threnodyangelfire)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/6 "2008-05-20T02:05:04Z")
- Checkout chick (high school job/Uni) - Dr’s receptionist (high school job/Uni) - Checkout Chick (high school job/Uni) - Factory worker (put plastic tags on clothes with a needle gun) (high school job/Uni) - Admin Assistant - around 1992ish - Marketing Coordinator - Marketing Assistant - Marketing Executive - Assistant Editor - Researcher - Website Developer - PR Person - Website Producer - Website Producer - Online Editor - Marketing Solutions Specialist - Creative Services Manager - Interactive Studio Manager - Senior Interactive Producer (now) - Author (now) All in all, that’s around 18 years in the workforce from my first part-time job in 1990ish) ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/7 "2008-05-20T02:17:54Z")
High School: - Movie theater (concessions, box office cashier, usher) - Theme Park (guest control cast member) College: - Dorm Cafeteria (dish washer) - Media Library (clerk) - Student Store (stock boy) - CD/Record/Video shop (clerk, supervisor, buyer) Post-College: - Entertainment Retailer (import/export buyer) - [Dot.com](http://Dot.com) company (systems engineer) - Publishing Company (writer/editor/trainer) [current job] ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/8 "2008-05-20T02:26:22Z")
Let’s see what I can remember: College: Drove the recycling truck Retail sales for Campmor Canvassing for VPIRG Intern for an engineering firm Post-college Generica for EPA contractor (legal malarkey) Office temp Hotel clerk Bookstore clerk Administrator for small nonprofit Current - GIS Dept for small county It all seems so random now. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/9 "2008-05-20T02:29:10Z")
[ul] [li]Clerk in my father’s store[/li][li]Medical assistant (drew blood & did EKGs)[/li][li]OTB Betting parlor assistant manager[/li][li]TV technician[/li][li]TV call-in show host[/li][li]Radio advertising sales[/li][li]Assistant manager of a Spencer’s Gifts[/li][li]Editor of a human services directory.[/li][li]Worker at an information and referral service[/li][li]Assistant editor of an energy newsletter[/li][li]Assistant at a volunteer center.[/li][li]Software technical writer[/li][li]Freelance technical writer[/li][li]Tech writer at GE[/li][li]Administrative assistant for the managers of a dam building project in Egypt[/li][li]Technical writer (again)[/li][li]Computer graphics specialist[/li][li]Technical writer (again)[/li][li]Teacher of college continuing ed courses[/li][li]Desktop publisher for an investment firm.[/li][li]Supervisory stock analyst[/li][li]Once more, a technical writer.[/li][li]User services specialist[/li][/ul] And, of course, science fiction writer. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/10 "2008-05-20T02:40:24Z")
Salesperson at Hickory Farms Clerical worker (?!?) at the state gov. agency where my dad worked (summer) Clerical worker at the Department of Motor Vehicles (summer) Summer conference worker at the university I was attending Box office manager (undergrad/grad assistantship) Assistant stage manager at Unto These Hills, an outdoor drama in NC (two summers) Some nebulous title with a state arts agency. I eventually became assistant director. Alumni volunteer coordinator then admissions counselor then alumni mag editor for a small college Freelance writer Account exec for a marketing/communications/ad agency PR person for part of state university (now) Jewelry artist (can’t give up my day job yet) ---
**Author:** ![bat312](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c77e96/32.png) [@bat312](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bat312)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/11 "2008-05-20T03:27:11Z")
Bicycle delivery boy before I was legally of age to have a job Dish washer/Busboy Waiter Food delivery Waiter again Bartender Dining Room Manager Special Events Manager Special Events Sales Waiter again Bartender again Assistant Food & Beverage Manager Doorman/Bellman Assistant Food & Beverage Manager again Concierge Assistant Food & Beverage Manager again Bartender again PT Chef Concierge The most of jobs were at two companies that I was employed for ten years (or more) and held several different positions. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/12 "2008-05-20T04:40:55Z")
High School: Lawnmower Construction laborer (hooray for having 14 year olds (me and my cousin) work hard labor under the table for less than minimum wage for our uncle.) Hardware store clerk/stocker College: Construction laborer again. (at least by this point it was legal and for $10/hour.) Asbestos air monitor Work-study for admissions office Wal-Mart associate (for about a month.) Lab assistant After college: Construction yet AGAIN (basically, it was guaranteed work for whenever I wanted, so I just used it in-between semesters and before I got a “real” job.) Biomedical technician Factory line worker at a lip balm company (I eventually got “promoted” to implementing a new inventory system…which meant I went around to every “bin” in three warehouses and took stock of what was there, compared it to the old inventory software, and updated it and put it in the new inventory software.) Line cook Server Good thing I spent all that time and money on a degree…comes in really handy when I have to bring people a Coke refill… :rolleyes: ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/13 "2008-05-20T04:54:54Z")
Cleaning fish–“slime line” Ketchikan (note to self: Go to College) Lumber Yard grunt State Law Library intern intern at law firm counselor at residential treatment center for maladjusted teenagers counselor at residential treatment center for emotional disturbed children intern at law firm variety of law related jobs in law school, some pretty interesting Intern for Senator Ted Kennedy (remember him?) Public Defender Anchorage Public Defender Seattle Private law firm hemp importer, manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer another private law firm ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/14 "2008-05-20T05:26:05Z")
Newspaper boy Supermarket checkout clerk Doorman on Park Avenue, NYC Elevator operator, NYC Field assistant, California and Trinidad (hummingbird wrangler) Deliveryman Teaching assistant Botanical artist, Panama and Madagascar Mover Data entry clerk Day laborer Quality control inspector in a computer factory Environmental technician, Wyoming and Montana Wildlife Service Officer, New Zealand Tour guide Exhibition assistant Free-lance exhibition consultant, Washington DC Liaison Officer Tropical Forest Research Program Director Biodiversity Survey Team Leader, Panama, Peru, and Gabon Science Writer Ornithologist Curator of Exhibitions ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/15 "2008-05-20T05:34:11Z")
I haven’t had many really: Supermarket shelf stacker Maths tutor Singer Actuary ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/16 "2008-05-20T06:46:35Z")
Pre-2002: Babysitting jobs, mostly. 2002, for a couple of months: Music store employee. 2003 (I think) in the summer: Daycare assistant. Summer of 2004 - summer of 2005: grocery store worker. Summer of 2005 - summer of 2006: convenience store worker. 2006 to 2007: video store employee. 2007 to the present: movie theatre drone. Also cat caretaker, plant waterer, mail gatherer, errand runner, volunteer editor, Sunday School assistant, and Supreme Grand Empress of the Universe, in no particular order. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/17 "2008-05-20T07:21:05Z")
Wow, you guys have had a lot of jobs…I only have a handful, and I’m pushing 30… - Stock/cashier at a grocery store - Catering/restaurant kitchen worker - Movie theater grunt - Webmaster for college newspaper & magazine - Paid internship at [cleveland.com](http://cleveland.com) - Web designer for my own business So far I’m most intrigued by **RealityChuck** ’s “TV call-in show host” and **gwendee** ’s “custom farmer” which I misread 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/18 "2008-05-20T08:58:03Z")
Here is my sordid tale: warehouse volunteer for a food bank type operation dishwasher at a shitty food court restaurant (I was happy when they went out of business after they laid me off) night janitor and occasional busboy at another restaurant inventory counter at a fabric store McDonald’s (note to self: go back to school, this sucks) sales guy at the Used Computer Store in Berkeley (don’t shop there, they’re assholes) Domino’s Pizza cook book packer at a distribution warehouse video game tester video game tech support at a couple different places data archivist (AKA tape monkey) tech support for a GPS company IT field technician assembly technician/production manual writer for an A/V manufacturer video game tester again game designer (w00+!)… for about 6 months (+eh 5ux) until they axed my whole department amateur web designer/game demo maker/layabout/hater of Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer-Incentives ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/19 "2008-05-20T09:04:48Z")
Oh, I left out student producer on my college art journal, which was in between shifts at Domino’s. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915/20 "2008-05-20T09:18:03Z")
Mid-late July, 1996 – video delivery boy 2003-present – “semi-professional” poker player Please, hold your applause. Great though my contributions to society have been, I must admit I was in it for the money. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-i-have-had/449915.md?page=2)