# What jobs can most people do? (no freelance, artist, part time stuff) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 22, 2019, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369 "2019-05-22T18:57:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JakeRS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ab097/32.png) [@JakeRS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JakeRS)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/1 "2019-05-22T18:57:20Z")
What are some jobs that most people can do without any specific education needed? For example if they don’t want to do the job they are skilled for or just want to try something different. I only mean real long term jobs, like a factory worker, not some part time freelancing, writing articles for blogs, youtube, walking other people’s dogs,etc. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/2 "2019-05-22T19:01:09Z")
Stocking shelfs and roustabout were the first two that came to mind. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/3 "2019-05-22T19:31:48Z")
Call centers Retail Sales Casual Labour Warehouse work ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/4 "2019-05-22T19:33:18Z")
Driving jobs. Data entry, perhaps. Front desk clerk/assistant/receptionist. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/5 "2019-05-22T19:57:13Z")
I’ve often seen air traffic controller on lists of high paying jobs where a 4 year degree is not needed. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/6 "2019-05-22T19:58:35Z")
Prostitute. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/7 "2019-05-22T20:00:50Z")
Pretty much any low-wage job; that’s \*WHY \*they’re low wage in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/8 "2019-05-22T20:21:53Z")
Chimney Sweep? ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/9 "2019-05-22T20:40:18Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Chimney Sweep? Naw, need at least some singing and dancing ability for that, though the required accent’s pretty flexible. Regarding the OP, round here care work seems to be one of the biggest hirers of unskilled people (note, not the biggest employers- the turnover rate is really high) for long term jobs. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/10 "2019-05-22T20:52:32Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > I’ve often seen air traffic controller on lists of high paying jobs where a 4 year degree is not needed. That may be, but I’d imagine that the demanding nature of the job, and the level of stress that the job entails, would make it something that “most people” probably couldn’t do. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/11 "2019-05-22T21:39:32Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > That may be, but I’d imagine that the demanding nature of the job, and the level of stress that the job entails, would make it something that “most people” probably couldn’t do. Also, while it doesn’t require a degree it certainly does require a high level training. So I’m not sure if it would meet the OP’s requirement of “without any specific education needed”, which I took to mean the sort of job where you can basically start working on day one. I’ve also heard a lot of people wash out of ATC training before even setting foot in a control tower (or TRACON, etc.). And at least in the US you have to be under age 35 I think (The reasoning being that if they’re going to provide all that training they want someone who will be around a while). ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/12 "2019-05-22T22:44:37Z")
POTUS US Representative Senator Governor Mayor You can learn on the job for probably all of these. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2019, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/13 "2019-05-23T00:03:21Z")
Both in Taiwan and Japan, gas is pumped by an attendant. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2019, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/14 "2019-05-23T00:38:32Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Driving jobs. Data entry, perhaps. **Front desk clerk/assistant/receptionist.** A friend of mine was trying to make some money by getting a job as a PA/Receptionist and everybody she looked at was looking for a Bachelor’s degree in something, so that probably doesn’t qualify. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2019, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/15 "2019-05-23T00:41:12Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > Both in Taiwan and Japan, gas is pumped by an attendant. Also in Oregon and New Jersey in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2019, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/16 "2019-05-23T13:39:19Z")
Any one who says retail is an unskilled job never was a store cashier. Ringing and bagging items, handling money and credit cards, and dealing with the public in general requires some skill. And constantly moving your upper body while standing on your feet is very hard physically. Try doing that for an hour or more. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2019, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/17 "2019-05-23T14:55:20Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Any one who says retail is an unskilled job never was a store cashier. Ringing and bagging items, handling money and credit cards, and dealing with the public in general requires some skill. And constantly moving your upper body while standing on your feet is very hard physically. Try doing that for an hour or more. I agree that it’s physically more demanding than most people think. But in terms of competence in operating a grocery store register, I’m pretty sure 90% of the population would be 90% competent with about 4 hours of training/shadowing. Would take weeks or months to get close to the speed expected. I have worked as a cashier and an Industrial Engineer on cashier and other front end jobs for several years each (many years apart) ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2019, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/18 "2019-05-23T16:24:32Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Any one who says retail is an unskilled job never was a store cashier. Ringing and bagging items, handling money and credit cards, and dealing with the public in general requires some skill. And constantly moving your upper body while standing on your feet is very hard physically. Try doing that for an hour or more. If it was taxing enough or difficult enough that a colossal majority of people couldn’t do it, then it would pay a lot more than it does, which isn’t much, in order to attract people who can do it, in preference to the other jobs that the same people are also qualified for. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2019, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/19 "2019-05-23T16:30:49Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > Stocking shelfs and roustabout were the first two that came to mind. I don’t even know what a roustabout is. I am probably too stupid to do it. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2019, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369/20 "2019-05-23T16:36:54Z")
Truck driving seems to be a racket that most people can get into with some minimal training. The big companies seem to be offering to pay for the training and you can make a real wage. From what I know it’s a pretty hard life but not the worst way to put food on the table. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-can-most-people-do-no-freelance-artist-part-time-stuff/834369.md?page=2)