# List All the Jobs You've Ever Had **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 23, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-the-jobs-youve-ever-had/150551 "2003-01-23T22:07:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![\_etalhea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/779978/32.png) [@\_etalhea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_etalhea)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-the-jobs-youve-ever-had/150551/61 "2003-01-25T15:51:13Z")
OK, here goes: from age 14: - Sold Xmas cards door-to-door - Landscaper/Lawn Mower - Farm Hand - Data processor for Home Shopping Network - Returns Dept. for HSN (scary) - Ran mainframe master workstation, shipping, HSN - Design drafter for Grumman Aerospace/fire truck division - Guinea pig for college psych. dept. experiments (not joking, I was poor) - Carpenter (still in college, still poor) - Design drafter - magnetic levitation bearings - Engineering Intern - Elizabeth Arden cosmetics (big left turn there) (Graduation!) - Manufacturing supervisor - EA - Project Engineering manager for a company that built coneyor and other material handling systems - Industrial Engineer for a third-party distribution company Currently, I’m General Manager of a company that packages cosmetics on a contract basis for various cosmetics companies. ---
**Author:** ![Treviathan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/838e76/32.png) [@Treviathan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treviathan)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-the-jobs-youve-ever-had/150551/62 "2003-01-25T17:02:52Z")
Highschool: -Recorded stats for a local minor league baseball team As an undergrad: -Shabbat custodian at our town’s synagogue -Dishwasher (for six whole hours!) at a pasta restaurant -Dishwasher in a bakery for the nicest woman on the planet -Client service representative for a health insurance agency As a grad student: -Tutorial leader for a first-year English 110 class -Columnist for the university’s “official” newspaper (which is my current job) As I’ve mentioned on other threads, I also host a radio show on our community station, but since I’m not getting paid I consider that to be volunteer work rather than actual employment. But I invest so much of my time in the station that sometimes it _feels_ like real work. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-the-jobs-youve-ever-had/150551/63 "2003-01-25T17:30:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Smashed Ice Cream \* > \*\*:eek: > > **BASS** player. BASS! \*\* In my next life, I plan to hold auditions for jazz bands. 😃 Printer’s assistant for a place that did party matchbooks, napkins, etc. I operated a hot stamping machine in the basement. Gardener’s helper for older ladies. ( Be nice. 😃 ) Camp Counsellor at jewish youth camp in the Poconos. Dishwasher at an IHOP. Nursing Home Aide. Documentarian shooting school board meetings at the age of 17. ( First paying job as a cameraman ). Projectionist. Freelance Steadicam Operator / cameraman. Substitute Teacher. \*\* DADDY 🙂 \*\* Per Diem E.M.T. Video Editor ---
**Author:** ![Tir\_Tinuviel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tir\_Tinuviel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tir_Tinuviel)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-the-jobs-youve-ever-had/150551/64 "2003-01-25T21:25:46Z")
Cant remember the order… Various crap banking/fraud/mortgage/office jobs Voluntary work in a cats home Sculptor/Bronze Caster “Actress” TV-X, The Fantasy Channel Lurking in Shadows and Scaring the Crap out of People in the London Dungeon Mortician/Embalmer Web Designer General Lazy Good-For-Nothing Done all the teen jobs, like baby sitting, paper-rounds, etc, and loads of temping in factories, warehouses, offices, blah. Probably more stuff I forget. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-the-jobs-youve-ever-had/150551/65 "2003-01-26T23:25:32Z")
Babysitter Chicken mover Corn Detassler Saw Blade grinder, tipper, polisher CRT assmbler Gift type food packager Insurance Rater Rating Supervisor Purchasing expediter Insurance Rater Personal Lines Data Technician Actuarial Data Specialist Queen of Everything ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-the-jobs-youve-ever-had/150551/66 "2003-01-26T23:41:43Z")
In order (some of these didn’t last very long): Photographer (when I was 9 I took photos on a school trip and sold them to my classmates) Paper boy Lawn mower Rubik’s Cube solver (5p to do it for you, 25p to teach you how) Author (I wrote a short book on how to do the Rubik’s cube and sold it at school) Warehouse assistant Sandwich delivery driver Waiter (fired after 3 hours) Barman (fired after 10 minutes) Electronic circuit designer Hardware store guy Software tester Van courier Actor Mandolin player (at a museum in Japan) Journalist Advertising copywriter Marketing executive Magazine editor Typesetter Website editor Webmaster Communications manager ---
**Author:** ![BadBaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71c47a/32.png) [@BadBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BadBaby)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-the-jobs-youve-ever-had/150551/67 "2003-01-27T01:48:00Z")
Babysitter Stable girl-- not that I was sane; I shoveled horse poo Teaching assistant Truck stop waitress Cocktail waitress- only job I ever just plain quit. It was that or rip the arm off the next guy who tried to feel me up and beat him to death with it. College duplicating center invoice processor/whipping girl English tutor Gas station attendant-- picture Clerks but with a lot of guns College photo lab tech-- best job ever since I was paid to hang out with friends, and use the darkroom for my own work whilst occassionally preventing beginners from poisoning themselves and/or others Substitute teacher Teacher ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Magic8ball](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Miss\_Magic8ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Magic8ball)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-the-jobs-youve-ever-had/150551/68 "2003-01-27T01:55:58Z")
Library helper at school filing at a tax place babysitting Putting up fences on my anties farm (barb wire. NOT fun. Bulls and cows shitting and splasing near you. Not. Fun.) “sales associate” (cashier) at Reddi-mart “sales associate”(cashier) at Shell Canada I’m currently working the till at both reddi-mart and Shell… I get a measely 7 50 at reddi-mart and 9 00 at Shell… I’m begining to think that its not worth it to not get one day of sleeping in… ---
**Author:** ![TVGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@TVGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-the-jobs-youve-ever-had/150551/69 "2003-01-27T04:36:01Z")
Oh goodness … this’ll pull some cobwebs apart. OK. Let’s go back to 15 and work from there - anything before that was mowing lawns and stuff and I would have been paid out of the goodness of people’s hearts, not like a regular job. Jobs I collected real paychecks for - in chronological order: Grocery stock boy Bag boy Fire department hose cleaner / hanger Car washer (dealership) Stagehand Painter Stage lighting and sound tech Follow Spot operator Trade show booth rental and set up Stagehand again (IATSE this time) Overnight radio operator and announcer Painter again Forklift driver Stage & House sound tech Stage actor (I got paid a whole $750 for one eight show run…) Tent rental and setup (you know, for big outdoor weddings, trade shows and such) Automotive soap, shampoo and cleaner manufacturing - mixing tech Home appliance delivery truck driver Painter, still again Radio apprentice engineer Rope making - twisting room operator Roofing and framing carpentry - apprentice Rope making - finisher and forklift driver Painter - one last time Cable TV installer Cable TV producer / editor Security guard Computer plotter and mainframe manufacturing - test tech R&D machinery tech - capacitor manufacturer Security guard again TV master control operator TV editor / producer / writer TV News videographer TV satellite uplink operator Trade show “Video Wall” tech TV staff engineer TV maintenance engineer TV engineering manager TV Director of Engineering (currently) and next … ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-the-jobs-youve-ever-had/150551/70 "2003-01-27T05:04:08Z")
Starting at age? (now 46) Landscaper flunkie Gas station attendant Photographic lab assistant (flunkie) Newspaper sales solicitor Newspaper circulation territory manager Wedding photographer Auto body shop flunkie Foreign car mechanic School photography person Emergency room technician Paramedic Electronics store salesperson Electronics repair technician Forklift operator and truck driver Bank equipment manufacturer service tech Manager of above firm Automotive diagnostic equipment salesman Commercial security equipment salesman Construction framer Owner of construction/security/consulting business I also teach adult evening education, have been a firefighter/hazmat technician for 30 years, and was perhaps a Cambodian prostitute, but cannot locate the W-4 form. ---
**Author:** ![Stinkum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Stinkum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stinkum)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-the-jobs-youve-ever-had/150551/71 "2003-01-27T06:06:24Z")
Apple picker and watched the store at Grandpa’s orchard. Babysat perhaps 5 times and hated it. I’d rather pick apples, thanks. Learning center assistant (in college) Assistant to the English Dept. computer lab (college) Clerk in gourmet popcorn shop Worked for dad in flea market selling very strange stuff, I mean, merchandise Tarot card reader Freelance astrologer Interactive courseware specialist (for computer-based training) Writer/editor for a publishing company that published astrology forecasts (best job ever . . . company went out of business) Temp jobs as “administrative assistant” for a few companies Proofreader and editorial assistant for a major publisher Publications designer for a nonprofit Freelance editor and proofreader (current) Soap and candlemaking business owner (current) And I’ve applied at a local florist for a delivery job I’m only 41, but damn, I’ve had some fun! I am not cut out for corporate life. ---
**Author:** ![sunstone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunstone/32/3372_2.png) [@sunstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunstone)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-the-jobs-youve-ever-had/150551/72 "2003-01-27T15:56:49Z")
In chronological order: - Snail collector - Dad gave me 1 cent for every dozen captured. - Fruit harvester - Roofer - illegally employed; I was too young - Janitor - this convinced me to work harder in school - Punch press operator - the only job I quit out of boredom - Water Safety Instructor - teaching people from age 2 to 81 how to swim - Life guard - nice work and it put me through 4 years of college - Field Biologist - Air Force Officer - Tuneup man - while getting advanced education - really quite a fun job - Teacher - in the sciences - Science Project manager - fancy title for a volunteer position ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-the-jobs-youve-ever-had/150551/73 "2003-01-27T16:04:56Z")
It’s been a busy life… Fast food cook Bus Boy Intern (I got paid!) Courier Disk Jockey (on air and clubs) Waiter Research Assistant Beta Tester Acquisitions Technician Lineman in an auto plant Receptionist Fulfillment Supervisor Circulation Manager Circulation Manager/Webmaster Circulation Manager/Webmaster/Network Admin (Help!) Publications Manager Marketing Director Circulation Director ---
**Author:** ![Snowcarpet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowcarpet/32/257_2.png) [@Snowcarpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowcarpet)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-the-jobs-youve-ever-had/150551/74 "2003-01-27T16:38:31Z")
This is fun! Roughly chronological, starting in late high school, through undergrad and grad school to present) Babysitter (well paid and liked the kids, scary but true) Pizza Hut hostess and dishwasher Grocery store cashier Flower shop attendant Garden center cashier (also, through the 5 years I was there, greenhouse chick, gift shop cashier, and just about everything else) Personal care attendant through disabled student services at university (very good pay for doing such things as laundry, light cleaning, and getting folks dressed and showered in the morning) Note-taker in university for a visually-impaired student (not as bizarre as it sounds, she magnified them to read them) Interniship (unpaid) at a large library for grad school Library assistant at a consumer health library (although I’m the “real” librarian w/the degree, there is no other staff) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-the-jobs-youve-ever-had/150551.md?page=3)