Jobs

[dadaist]

So I was talking to a woman I knew on my last job on the phone this evening, and she was telling me she's seriously considering getting out of teaching middle school language arts (what used to be Reading AND English as individual classes when I was in Junior High), but she's not sure what else she'd do.
She was telling me about how awful the kids were to her on their last day last Friday (6/6/03 - 59th anniversary of DDay, by the way), and I asked her how it was that she thought adults would be any more grown up than those kids? She said at least she wouldn't have to deal with them AND their parents....

Anyway, apparently she's sold real estate, taught English overseas, worked at a florist's, but has spent just over the last decade at this middle school.

So what about you guys? Past jobs? Jobs you'd like to do? Job you'd hate to do, but you'd do for the money cause the economy sucks?

More from me in the next post.

[dadaist]

I spent a few summers in the late 80s and early 90s as a Cub Scout Day Camp counselor. I did a couple of years as an unpaid "counselor in training" because I was too young, and was paid for the last summer. I think it was a whopping $75 a week.

Summer of '94 I got drafted into being 'summer help' with the county's highway department, and didn't care for it all that much. Last time I had a decent tan though.

In 1995 I started working for a shoe store chain, and worked in stores in 2 different towns. After a while, I bailed that company for an electronics retailer. I did that for a few months, supposedly on the management track, but I'd been trying to do classes at a jr. college too, and the classes won out.

Fall of 1996, even though I was a student, I got one of my first tech jobs, working on a university departmental network and helping out with their website. Yeah it was only Windows 3.1 and Novell 3.x, but it was cool.

In 1997 I had a brief stint doing web design for a non-profit professional organization.

In early 1998 I made the mistake of taking a job with a 2 hour commute around Chicago's suburbs. I only lasted 2 weeks.

Later in 1998 I took a 90 day temp job with a big telco company out here, doing some work in their HR department.

Fall of 1999 I did an internship in an IT department, helping with more network stuff, but the woman "supervising" the interns and I clashed a couple of times, and I left.

Early 2000 I started doing IT support for local school systems. Started in one middle school, went to a brand new one in the same district when it opened, but there was another clash over stated responsibilities vs. perceived responsibilities, and I left.

Then I did another 2 years doing SOLO IT support for 6 schools....

I do like technology, but some things do get old fast. Like schools that spend all this money on systems but never take the time to train anyone to properly use them, so they're always calling for help on piddly things.

Right now I don't know if I want to stay with it. My heart is leaning against it, but in my mind I know that that's what I know best right now - that's what I've had classes AND personal experience in.

I still have a Bachelor's I never finished, I haven't been overseas in 10 years, and I'd like to do both....

[BamaKyttn]

lessee

1997 Scooped dog shit at a boarding kennel and was assistant groomer $100 a week
fall 1997 started highschool
2000 -2002 day-camp counselor I think it got up to $2.20 an hour
2001 graduated highschool/started college
2002 dropped out of college (for now) working as a professional pet trainer $15-35 an hour.
fall 02-spring 03 telemarketer
spring 03-present preschool teacher

and I'll be 20 this year

[BlondeCurlGirl]

Jobs...how I wish I had one right now...

From 2001 up until the end of April this year, I worked as a Beauty Advisor at a hair salon. Not working on the hair of course, but helping clients pick out products and book appointments, etc.

The semester that I took off from college in 2000, I worked as a Departmental Assistant at a major Wisconsin insurance company doing basic secretarial and office work.

From 1996 until my school breaks in 2000, I worked at my local pharmacy starting out first as a sales associate and later worked my way up to a pharmacy technician. I learned that I loved that environment, and if I could only have had better math/science skills, I would have become a pharmacist.


so now I've got my degree in Public Relations, and just keeping my fingers crossed for any kind of marketing communications job, preferably in healthcare.

[dadaist]

Hmm. I guess if anyone's curious to work out what I did when I was how old, as BamaKyttn mentioned, just figure I was born in late october 1975 and do the math from there....

[Scarlett]

First job was working at Fred's Dollar store. Went on to deliver pizzas from there. I then worked at Wal-Mart for 5 years before I quit working to be a stay at home mom. At the moment, I work one day a week cleaning a church.
I am going to school now so I can be a school librarian. I want to be able to be off of work when my children are out of school.

[Deno]

Hm.. I sold candy at school as a child I made about $30 - $100 a week!! Not bad for a 10 year old.

I started my first real job when I was 13 -14 as a janitor. I also did some bussing at local restaurants.

By the time I was 16 I was a prepcook and did waiting. I quit the Janitorial business.

During my highschool years I did all sorts of odd jobs and restaurant work. I even landed a job as a seasonal grill chef for Pebble Beach Company (big fancy resort)!

My first year of college I worked a morning shift and night shift for Arby's. A lot of crappy work, not much pay. That ended quickly..

After that I was a remote feild engineer and promtions person for a large corprate radio monopoly.

After that I work for the college doing Residential Advising and Rules Enforcement. No ammount of money will get me to go back to that. It was mentally exhasting, I had two attempted suicides I personally stumbled into and had to talk down.. several altercations between police and students in my hall, robberies, all sorts of stuff a student worker shouldn't of had to deal with but no one else would.

Next job was Audio Visual Tech and Stage Hand for a major motion picture company. It was a great job and good pay.

After that I went back to restaurants. I got seriously injured and was forced to quit because the company I worked for forced me to file workers comp then refused my claim the next day. (Which is why I will not shop at Whole Foods Market anymore) It was hard for a while, but it could of been the best thing to happen to me...

In my hunt for any kind of non-physical work I landed a job at a statup publishing company. I am in charge of Reaserch and Development, and will be given the American side of the business when he moves back to Europe to lead the overseas company two years from now.

The pay is below average for this type of work right now, but the outcome will be very worthwhile. If nothing else it looks great on the resume.. :)

Volenteer/Non-profit/short contract wise I have worked on several independant short films, both behind and in front of the camera. I helped teach a class on video production. I have been a web developer for several small businesses/NPs, I have worked on open source software projects, produced a few documentaries, produced a season of talk shows, hosted a digital streaming radio show for the university, produced radio packages for a local community radio project, ran a film festival, and will be getting my degree in Teledramatic Arts and Technology, backed by Small Business Managment and Computer Science associaites.

At this speed I will be retired by 30. :D :cool:

edit: Wrong code for the Smiles, all is better now.

[celticangel]

worked in a shop after leaving school in 1984
started nursing in Nov 1984~~~~~~~still doing it!

[dadaist]

I've got an interview at 9 AM tomorrow for another technology position. Whee.

[dicksbro]

Delivered papers as a kid, then sold ladies shoes. Got a job in the credit department of a department store chain and then finally began a 36-year career with a major company in the Peoria area. Worked myself up from runniing copy machiens to computers to programming to systems analysis and finally supervision. Retired now and doing much more important (rewarding) stuff ... working with elderly shut-ins, charities, helping the poor in Appalachia , and, of coure, family and church stuff.

Have a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and am just starting to get back into doing some with that.

[dadaist]

Originally posted by dadaist
I've got an interview at 9 AM tomorrow for another technology position. Whee.

Well, so much for that. *sigh*

[quisath]

well...............I spent 27 years around Aircraft and now I'm in Cooperate Security.
I have stacked Soda bottles for 50 cents an hour ................... pumped gas for $1.25 and dug ditches for not much more.

I learned a lot from the odd jobs I had before I went into Aircraft ..............and one was developing a WORK ETHIC. I am so Happy with my present job ................... but I see a lot of abuse from employers and employees.................. The advice I gave my children was to get into something you love and will enjoy for many years and schooling will prepare you for whatever you desire. I'm not saying that it is a Must ..........but it helps.

[airhog]

Lets see, My first job was repairing computers, it only laster for a month because the guy couldnt afford to pay me. Then he found me a job working for this company that makes statuary. I did data entry for him for a month or so. Compusa was coming to OKC and they hired me under false pretenses. I will never give them any of my business after the way they treated me.

I then worked a brief stint packaging the lids of beer cans. later I found a job running a vending maching service route.

I worked for a full year as president of a local bmx track.

Now im looking for work. A great oppurtunity has come up, but it wont be until july that I can apply for it. Im seriously hoping this is a divine sign from above :D