newspaper delivery
auto parts delivery driver
radiator repair shop delivery/pickup driver
sheet metal manufacturing shop delivery/pickup driver
potato chip factory security guard (great side benefits)
military policeman
front office worker in paper bag manufacturing plant
production control - master scheduler for electronics firm
satellite TV systems salesman (lasted two weeks)
security officer
bus driver (transportation facilitator)
Paper boy (it looks like this is a popular start)
Painter/steeplejack
Movie theater janitor/ticket taker
Motion picture projectionist
Surveyor rod man
Ditch digger (summer college job)
Electrical engineer
and last but not least
Retired layabout.
David -
Retired Layabout is the job I am striving for
Interesting thread.
Babysitter
kennel girl (at a vet)
writing tutor
economics tutor
salesperson at consignment shop
assistant to the director at an art museum (everything from lawn mowing to helping hang art shows)
Instructor for SAT prep course
assistant to director of campus summer programs *
admissions counselor *
graduate research assistant
leasing agent (for an apartment community–I loathed it)
graduate teaching assistant
institutional researcher *
The asterisked jobs are the ones I held when I was not in school (when my primary job was being a student, either in high school, college, or grad school)
[ul]
[li]Fast food worker- May 28, 1988 to December 1, 1994. This was way too long to work at what I already knew was a crappy job and came to realize just how crappy it really was once I started working at better jobs. I was an assistant manager during the last 2½ years of my tenure at this, my first job. I was in college the previous years, or I would have likely sought management sooner.[/li][li]Laborer, commercial construction- December 1, 1994 to December 2, 1994. That’s right, only two days. I was going to get screwed over big time by a new owner who had taken over at the previous job and I was so sick of that job anyway. This job turned out to be ten times as crappy as the previous job, so I bailed out and went unemployed for about a week.[/li][li]Office supply store clerk-December 8, 1994 to July 11, 1998. The hours and working conditions were nicer, and the customers weren’t quite as nasty as the ones I dealt with in fast food, but there were still plenty of really stupid ones to deal with. Overall, not a bad job, but not the greatest, either.[/li][li]Tech support agent--July 13, 1998 to September 1, 1998. The first four weeks was training. In the middle of training I was moved to an area in which I had no previous experience. I had a difficult time answering caller’s questions and it was mutually decided that this wasn’t the right position for me. I was told that another position would open up in an area for which I was better qualified, but I would have to wait until the end of the month. I was under the impression that I would already have the job, but after going nearly a month unemployed I found out that the position had already been filled. Bastards![/li][li]Office supply clerk--September 29, 1998 - December 9, 2000. Went back to the office supply store since I knew it would be my greatest likelihood for getting employed again. Left when a friend helped me get the job I have now.[/li][li]Printer testing technician- December 11, 2000 to present. Great job. The hours, working atmosphere, the people I work with, not dealing with the public anymore. I like where I am at now and have no intentions to move on anytime soon.[/li][/ul]
Kitchen worker at Dairy Queen.
I have been paid to work on people’s home computers a couple times.
My current job: I work part time for the local school district doing computer stuff. Sometimes it is really fun and amusing, sometimes it is the pits of hell.
Good: Eating lunch, listening to the network administrator tell Vienam and cop stories, doing easy hardware and software repairs in a room with A/C, playing with cool technology, throwing old non working stuff into the dumpster really hard, sometimes I actually learn something, most of the people are nice, I don’t do the same thing all the time, I am late all the time and don’t get fired, I can pretty much set my own hours, dual T1s and CD writers I can use.
Bad: Lugging PCs up hundreds of stairs in the 90 year old non A/C elementary buildings in the summer, trying to make old shitty computers work, network connections failing at elementaries, people who forget their password EVERY DAY, trying to install Netware without the damn licence disk, dealing with asset tagging, finding a good place to park during the school year, a couple of people are assholes, the pay is horrible.
Kitchen worker at Dairy Queen.
I have been paid to work on people’s home computers a couple times.
My current job: I work part time for the local school district doing computer stuff. Sometimes it is really fun and amusing, sometimes it is the pits of hell.
Good: Eating lunch, listening to the network administrator tell Vienam and cop stories, doing easy hardware and software repairs in a room with A/C, playing with cool technology, throwing old non working stuff into the dumpster really hard, sometimes I actually learn something, most of the people are nice, I don’t do the same thing all the time, I am late all the time and don’t get fired, I can pretty much set my own hours, dual T1s and CD writers I can use.
Bad: Lugging PCs up hundreds of stairs in the 90 year old non A/C elementary buildings in the summer, trying to make old shitty computers work, network connections failing at elementaries, people who forget their password EVERY DAY, trying to install Netware without the damn licence disk, dealing with asset tagging, finding a good place to park during the school year, a couple of people are assholes, the pay is horrible.
Carnie: game attendant
Exam Room Assistant for two OB/GYNs
Receptionist for GP
Receptionist for Dermatologist
Receptionist/Leasing Agent for Apartment Complex
Receptionist for Staffing Agency
high school English teacher
In more or less chronological order:
Drugstore clerk/assistant
Freelance photographer
Graphic design intern
Dishwasher (college dining hall)
Library acquisitions assistant
Library cataloguing assistant
Marketing intern (calling people to take surveys. Hated it. 3 weeks)
Newspaper photographer/editor
Research intern
Photo/research assistant
Taxi driver
Teacher (ESL)
Creative associate (made up names for products)
Overseas project co-ordinator (satellite telephone network)
Overseas project co-ordinator (undersea fiber optic cables)[where I got my userID]
Wedding minister
Technical/marketing editor
consultant
TV actor
Teacher again (ESL)
Copywriter
The worst: a toss-up between marketing intern and dishwasher. At least I got paid to scrape crud from food trays.
The best: The technical/marketing editor and consultant jobs (same company) were pretty good and paid really well, but the company leaking sack of incompetence. The teaching job I went to after they went bankrupt was really rewarding (though not so well paid) and I enjoyed it a lot. The Copywriting job I just started this month seems to be a combination of cooperative work environment, challenging responsibilities and good pay. I like it.
Taxi driver and Photographer were both a lot of fun when I was in college, and I’m glad I did them.
[list=1]
[li]Lawn Care[/li][li]Dominoes Pizza Driver[/li][li]Dominoes Dayshift Manager[/li][li]Computer Tech for Tandy[/li][li]Convienence store clerk[/li][li]donut shop delivery driver[/li][li]Airport Security[/li][li]Security Officer/Bouncer at redneck bar[/li][li]Security at Bingo hall[/li][li]Microfilm Tech[/li][li]Convienence store clerk[/li][li]motorcycle mechanic[/li][li]Psych Tech[/li][li]Psych Tech again[/li][li]Garden Tractor Repair[/li][li]PC Tech[/li][li]Service Manager computer store chain[/li][li]PC Tech[/li][li]PC Tech/purchasing [/li][li]PC Tech[/li][li]Systems Administrator[/li][li]Senior Level Tech for ISP[/li][li]PC Tech[/li][li]Systems Administrator[/li][/list=1]
In addition, during this entire time period, I was doing computer tech stuff on the side for various companies.
Hmmm…let’s see if I can get 'em all:
- Pool cleaner at YMCA (for a free membership)
- Busboy at Johnnies (Edmond/Oklahoma City burger joint)
- McDonald’s
- Clerk at B. Dalton
- McDonald’s again
5a (I don’t want to renumber everything) Fry cook at another local burger joint - Arby’s
- Kinko’s
- B. Dalton again
- Exhibit tech at Omniplex Science museum
- B. Dalton again, moved into management
- Teaching Assistant–Freshman Comp
- Adjunct Professor
- Texbook Buyer/Assistant Manager, Follett
- Buyer, novelty manufacturer
- Teaching Assistant again
- Various temp jobs including receptionist, document specialist, purchasing clerk, etc.
- Writer/editor/production supervisor for relocation guide publisher
- File clerk (temp job)
- Bartender
- Publisher’s representative (textbook salesman)
Wow. I average a job per year since I started working.
Hmm . . . let’s see . . .
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Babysitting – when you’re 13 years old and desperate, you’ll do anything for cash. This went on until I hit college.
-
Warehouse worker – I learned more than I ever wanted to about underwear while working in the LaSenza warehouse.
-
CIT (counselor in training) at a Camp for disabled kids – easily the most stressful job I have ever held.
-
Phone Survey taker – not telemarketing, but try telling that to the person on the other end of the line.
-
Bookseller/Cashier at Chapters – “Where are the Bestsellers?” “Taking up the entire wall behind you with a sign in three-foot-high letters.”
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Salesgirl at the Linen Chest – three guesses what I did here . . . on the up side, if anyone needs help redecorating their bedroom, I’m there.
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Janitor – no silly manager, no silly customers. I actually liked this one.
-
W2K tech – It pays.
Cashier
Telemarketer
Shipping/Receiving Clerk
Waitress
Custom Picture Framing
Owner of a small self-proprietorship selling my own artwork.
I like the last two the best. 
thinks hard
Salesgirl at The May Company
Mid 70’s US census taker
Teaching Assistant (in Psychology)
Stats Consultant
Physiological Psych tutor
Teaching Assistant (in Biology)
Graphics/Stats subcontractor
Taught Statistics
Ornithologist / Lan Admin / Webmistress / Stats Consultant (in descending amount of time involved)
The last is the best because it involves my passion (birds). The worst was being a census-taker. I’m shy. Really.
What’s a tuckpointer do, spheric thor?
I cut a couple of yards when I was a young teenager.
Bagger of groceries.
Sandwich artist (subway)
Hanger of SheetRock (in Atlanta, during the summer, comercial buildings, HOT HOT)
US Air Force (main frame computer maintenance)
Contractor for the USAF at Offutt maintaining several phone switches<–current
A tie between the best jobs. Subway and Current. Subway because we were constantly inhebriated and it was pretty easy and fun. Current because it pays so stinking much and I do basically nothing. But I have to be sober.
dead0man
Popcorn and fairy floss sales assistant
Clothing sales assistant
eBay seller
I like the last one the best. I get to play with clothes, and I make more money.
-
McDonald’s kitchen drone. I took “8 months leave” in my final year of school to concentrate on my university entrance exams. I never went back (bonus! I got to keep the uniform - handy for costume parties!).
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Laboratory technician at a university field station. A fancy title for a summer job spent counting seeds and harvesting plants by hand. Oh, and I spent a day picking sheep shit out of a huge field sample of thistles. Funnily enough, this was one of my best jobs ever. ($16/hour as an 18 year old!)
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Vacation worker for the auditing team of an accounting firm. Auditors have a bad name… for good reason.
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Vacation worker for tax accounting firm. A few weeks in the wilds of the city with a tribe of pen-pushing-pocket-protector-proponents.
-
Vacation worker for finance department of a mining firm. A surprisingly enjoyable month spent working in the far north of Western Australia.
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Vacation cleck for a law firm. My new job coming up in couple weeks!
Next year I graduate so I - hopefully! - will have #7 lined up in a few months!
BTW, I’m loving this!
Babysitter, for a bunch of different families, back when I thought $2.50 an hour was good money
Busser/waitress at family style restaurant. Crappy hours, nasty staff.
Fast food - 3 days at BK. Ugh.
Telemarketer - I was actually pretty good at this. Working environment sucked, as I was one of two non-smokers in a tiny, unventilated room with 20 smokers. Sold over-priced magazine subscriptions.
Stable help - cleaned out stalls, groomed and hand-walked horses.
Cafeteria worker - dishroom in college
Cafeteria dishroom supervisor for a hospital. Sucked. I had to come in if people didn’t show up, which was about half my off time. Lasted 3 months.
Candy store - “team lead” - basically, sales with a set of keys. Gained 15 lbs there. Manager was a major bitch and about 90% of the staff quit in a two week period right before Halloween.
Department store sales associate. Not too bad.
Sales rep for two different women’s accessory companies. Pluses were working at home and flexible hours, negatives were long hours and travel.
Breastfeeding counselor. Lots of training but enriching work.
Tech, then system admin at an ISP. Long, LONG hours, but fun environment and an ultra fast connection! Lots of perks too.
And student again now!