# What was the worst job you've ever had?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-worst-job-youve-ever-had/346779>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 2, 2006, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-worst-job-youve-ever-had/346779 "2006-03-02T17:25:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 7

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**Author:** ![ladybug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@ladybug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladybug)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-worst-job-youve-ever-had/346779/121 "2006-03-09T01:48:13Z")

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> [@Whifton\_Polekitty](#):
>
> The absolute worst job I have ever had was doing telephone surveys.
> 
> Not telemarketing, mind you, we weren’t SELLING anything, we did surveys to find out how people felt about their insurance, political feelings, if they have, are, or ever will be considering buying vinyl siding, you’ve all gotten the calls. Sorry, by the way.
> 
> Naturally, us poor phone jockeys were INSTANTLY accused of being telemarketers. “No, no, we’re not trying to sell you anything, Mr/Mrs/ Whatever, it’s just we have in our records that you recently bought a Bingo-Brand Electric Dog Polisher recently, and we just wanted to know how you felt about it.”
> 
> “I ALREADY HAVE ONE!!!” {click}

I feel your pain. I have to do phone surveys at my current job, and it’s almost impossible to get people to talk. Sometimes I’ll have to contact 50 people just to get three responses each month (apologies to any of you whom I’ve called). Unfortunately management has the attitude that editors who don’t complete dozens of reader surveys each month just aren’t trying.

My coworkers and I end up having to divert time from our publications (which we’re supposedly paid to write) to do these gorram surveys and write up reports for management. It’s unbelievably demoralizing. One of my coworkers was almost in tears this morning because the contacts on her list kept hanging up on her. And still, the higher-ups in the company can’t figure out why most people quit within a year.

The sad part is that if it weren’t for these surveys, the job would actually be pretty good.

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**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-worst-job-youve-ever-had/346779/122 "2006-03-11T00:02:06Z")

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> [@Cicero](#):
>
> I can’t believe this- it is pretty obvious. Search also for a golden rivet.

To answer cowgirl, the “golden shower” is what all the employee/slaves renamed what management termed “The Golden Quarter”. It was more accurate, because management was figurativly pissing on you.

Basicly, they cut the commission during the Christmas rush (golden quarter). They took a job with shit wages and then the one time of year where you might see a little extra cash, they ask you to bend over and take one for the team.

The extra nice thing was that it ended right after christmas, meaning that all the expensive returns counted against your regular earnings. Truly a golden shower.

For more details check out that website “radioshacksucks” dot com.

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