# What jobs have you held? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 30, 2004, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881 "2004-09-30T17:28:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/1 "2004-09-30T17:28:36Z")
I know there was a thread recently about what people do now, but what sorts of jobs have you held in the past? I’m a 28-year-old copywriter with my own business now, but I’ve been: -a clerk in the engineering office at a local university -an archaeologist -a legal secretary/paralegal/office manager (it was a 1-man law firm) -an administrative assistant -a seamstress with a wedding gown designer -a wedding gown model -a marketing assistant -a web content developer and research manager I’ve held a few other odd jobs in retail while I was in high school, but these are the jobs I’ve held during college and after graduation. What about you? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/2 "2004-09-30T17:31:32Z")
Stock Replenisher then Betting Hub Operator. (‘operator’ is such an inappropriate word for the job) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/3 "2004-09-30T17:38:01Z")
Over the years, I have had employment: -flipping burgers -cleaning semitractors and trailers -managing a record store -working as a semi-pro photographer -managing a chain of photo shops -courier -bookstore clerk -managing a courier company -teaching high school This is not counting informal sales of “mood-enhancers.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/4 "2004-09-30T18:26:05Z")
Wow…this is gonna be a _long_ list. Let’s see how many I can remember: [ul] [li]generic beach worker (cleanup and parking lot toll taker, mostly)[/li][li]junior counseler at a day camp[/li][li]porter at a bowling alley[/li][li]ice cream parlor worker[/li][li]department store receivables clerk[/li]\ [li]assembly line worker at a patio umbrella factory[/li][li]delivery driver for an auto parts store[/li][li]dishwasher[/li][li]busboy[/li][li]house painter[/li][li]ad designer, layout manager, reporter and asst. editor for a local newspaper[/li][li]Finally, my current company, where I was a customer service rep, tech support rep and research analyst before my current job as an integration research specialist. [/ul] [/li] Whew! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/5 "2004-09-30T18:42:04Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > Finally, my current company, where I was a customer service rep, tech support rep and research analyst before my current job as an integration research specialist. It’s been a long path to get to a job that I have no idea what is. 🙂 Mine: Chair springer (yes, it’s a specialty) Hospital maintenance Teaching assistant Technical editor Oil geologist Environmental geologist Video cameraman/editor Headhunter Computer tech Software tester Software developer ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/6 "2004-09-30T18:42:33Z")
Hmmm mine should be long too… In chronological order: Babysitter Housekeeper Stocking Decorator / Ornament Engraver McDonald’s (sob) K-Mart Food Counter (double sob) AAFES Hot Dog Stand (the biggest, sobbiest sob of all) Telemarketer (no, really, the hot dog stand was worse!) Nintendo Demonstrator (the coolest job ever - 9 bucks an hour to play Nintendo) In Store Demonstrator (selling some crappy cleaning product) Sam’s Club Demonstrator (I gave away free food!) Wal-Mart (OK, maybe this ties for the biggest sob) and then my career started improving Data Entry Clerk Production Prep Assistant Secretary Legal Assistant MS Access Developer Help Desk Administrator Reporting Specialist Business Analyst and now… Project Manager. Woo hoo. What a career chain. Luckily, I’ve found where I want to be for a good, long time 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tiggrkitty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tiggrkitty/32/17966_2.png) [@Tiggrkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tiggrkitty)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/7 "2004-09-30T18:42:46Z")
Fast food joint Checker at a grocery store New Accounts clerk (bank) Receptionist Jr Drafter and lab tech Drafter/lab tech Novell Administrator Systems admin (jr/sr) LAN/WAN tech LAN/WAN Architect Systems Engineer (jr/sr) Network Engineer (jr/sr) ATM/FR Network Engineer (sr) Software Engineer (sr) That is about all I can remember. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/8 "2004-09-30T19:02:29Z")
Food Service Worker (hospital kitchen) Library Worker Bee in Cataloging Department Blacksmith Assistant Lawn mower man Research Assistant Data analyst Scientific programmer Scientifc programmer ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/9 "2004-09-30T19:07:14Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > Scientific programmer > > Scientifc programmer \ It’s all fun and games till someone loses an i. \ ---
**Author:** ![Balle\_M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@Balle\_M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balle_M)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/10 "2004-09-30T19:09:48Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > \ It’s all fun and games till someone loses an i. \ See, it’s posts like THIS that make the subscription fee worthwhile! ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/11 "2004-09-30T19:24:26Z")
In chronological order… General laborer in a fruit packing shed Forklift and truck driver (also in a fruit packing shed) Foreman (also also in a fruit packing shed) Au pair Bank employee Fresh fruit and vegetable inspector Pizza delivery driver Book store employee Barista ESL instructor Teaching Assistant Maintenance crew foreman College instructor Archaeologist ---
**Author:** ![Nuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea666f/32.png) [@Nuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nuke)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/12 "2004-09-30T19:25:09Z")
Security Guard (great summer job!) Clerk in engineering office Nuclear Shift Test Engineer on nuclear submarines undergoing overhaul Procedure writer for nuclear power plants Nuclear Licensing Engineer (currently) Can you sense the theme here? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/13 "2004-09-30T19:30:26Z")
Let’s see: fast food movie theater (and part time fast food) record store clerk record store video rental manager record store assistant manager record store store manger (I was movin’ up) record store assistant manager (moved to Texas) IRS temp (while at the record store) book store clerk (started school) receptionist/aide (work study job) grader - eng computing geology research assistant engineering intern and finally… structural engineer! (yes, it only took me 15 years of college 🙂 ) 'course now that I’m here in my very own cubicle, I wanna chuck it all and go back to school… ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/14 "2004-09-30T19:30:28Z")
I’ve had three jobs that are pretty unusual: Brinell tester Technical article translation editor Library classification editor ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/15 "2004-09-30T19:53:20Z")
In chronological order, starting from first paying job at about 10 years old: Lawn mowing Baby sitting Demolition (simple tear down of old construction) Warehouse operator Dishwasher General construction labor Fire Damage demolition Mason Tender Hot roofer - roofer and kettle tender Convenience store clerk Convenience store area assistant manager Waiter Bar tender Assistant Manager - Bulk food store Cobol and PC Programmer Systems Analyst Systems Manager at a manufacturing plant Project Manager for large systems projects Program Manager for country wide SAP installations Technical Design for Java-based systems Bum Software Systems Sales (and multiple other hats) Small Business Owner I probably have left out a few minor ones. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/16 "2004-09-30T19:58:58Z")
I’m only 22 and am currently an unemployed student: -Data Entry -Cashier at Blockbuster Video -Worked at the concession stand at AMC Theatres -Cashier/busser/dishwasher at Panera Bread -Kennel Ward Attendant at a vet’s office -Cashier at a thrift store -House cleaner ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/17 "2004-09-30T20:37:56Z")
Helped in a tailor shop, Computer Programmer, Database Consultant at GCHQ (yes a spy, well sort-of), Database Admonisher – But I really want to be a lumberjack 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Wartime\_Consigliori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9d8465/32.png) [@Wartime\_Consigliori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wartime_Consigliori)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/18 "2004-09-30T20:38:26Z")
I’m a 35 y/o Urban Planner. Prior to that: [ul] [li]Scoreboard Operator[/li][li]Construction Laborer[/li][li]Dorm Counselor[/li][li]Journeyman Rodbuster[/li][li]“Sales Professional” at Radio Shack (God, I hated that f\*\*\*ing job)[/li][li]Process Server[/li][li]“Troubleshooter” for an Attorney (please don’t ask)[/li][li]Landscaper[/li][li]Maintenance Man[/li][li]Manager for an Exterminating Company[/li][/ul] I think I’m one of the few people in the world who never worked in Food & Bev. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/19 "2004-09-30T20:41:33Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > Brinell tester > Technical article translation editor That’s what I get for trying to read while scrolling down the page. My brain saw that as “Briney testicle translation editor” :eek: ---
**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:** [September 30, 2004, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881/20 "2004-09-30T20:44:35Z")
Tuba instructor. Computer salesman. Tech support for computer manufacturer. Sailing instructor. Word processor. Data geek for a telemarketing company. Network administrator. Tech support for chain of stores. Software installer. WebTrends admin. WebSphere admin. Change Management coordinator. Currently gainfully employed (for the next 25 hours, anyway) as a WebTrends admin. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-have-you-held/266881.md?page=2)