# What jobs have you been employed at?



## i_am_Lois

My work history is full of various jobs. What sorts of jobs have you had? I never seemed to earn that much and felt no qualms about starting a new job in a new field, whenever I got bored. On average, I'd get bored after about 4 years. Some professions I enjoyed more and stayed longer... about 8 years. The various jobs I've had were:

mimeographing sales receipts for a catalog company (Spiegal)
cook (breakfast & lunch) at a small shop
tax examiner at the IRS
sewing machine operator (horse blankets)
packed shipping orders for a catalog company (Sears)
sewing machine operator (ironing board covers)
dog groomer
filled vending machines
ran a lunch counter in a factory
supervisor in recreation department at a nursing home
certified nursing assistant at a nursing home
certified nursing assistant for a home health care agency

I've also occasionally earned extra money working from home, by doing personalized embroidery and sewing alterations to clothes.


----------



## That Guy

Slacker's Apprentice
Journeyman Slacker
Master Slacker


----------



## Warrigal

:lofl: @ That Guy


----------



## dbeyat45

paper boy
electrician's offsider
window cleaner
school teacher
air force officer
gas station manager
computer programmer
applications and systems support
 ,
 ,
 ,
very busy retired


----------



## SifuPhil

Ooof, where to start?



Lemonade Stand Proprietor
Newspaper Delivery Technician
Magician
Tutor (High School and College)
Martial Arts Instructor / School Owner (several times)
Chinese Medicine Doctor (OMD)
Escort
Bodyguard
Bouncer (several times)
Chemist (several times)
Safety Manager / Director
Alarm Systems Sales Manager
Janitor
Wedding Photographer
Freelance Photographer
Commercial Cleaning Company Owner
Writer / Editor / Proofreader
Professional Pirate (Renaissance Fairs)
Maintenance Man (BlockBuster Video, various hotels, motels)
Wooden Toy Maker
Dollhouse Maker
Taoist Philosophical Counselor
Factory Line Worker

I'm sure there are more, but I'm only on my second cup ...


----------



## Vivjen

I am on my third.....

I have only ever been a pharmacist; for one company; although I have worked in over 30 different stores in my time....


----------



## Pappy

Paper boy
Theater usher
Bag boy
Produce mgr.
Assistant store manager
Sold Singer sewing machines
Sold office equipment
Bread salesman
Night supervisor for bread company
Retired
Part time propane filler and all around go-fer

i know I have forgotten a couple in between jobs, but like Lois, I have had a ton of jobs.
Oh:
Farm work
Planted Christmas trees, one summer
Tank mechanic in Army
Worked in Ford garage as mechanic
Mechanic, nights, in a Sears garage
Damn, no wonder my body's a mess. Never really listed these before.


----------



## SifuPhil

Oh, thanks Pappy, you reminded me of two more -



Construction equipment / rental truck mechanic
Security Guard


----------



## Pappy

Me too:
Security guard
Ara vending company
Football pool collector.....maybe I shouldn't mention that one.


----------



## Pappy

Aye, Matey. When I was a little guy, I use to wonder what a life being a pirate would be like. I did everything else, but somehow missed the pirate thing.


----------



## LogicsHere

I can honestly say that the only job I've ever held is that of a secretary/administrative assistant.


----------



## Bullie76

Majored in accounting and worked in the field thoughout my adult life. A boring profession but I made a good living and it enabled me to retire fairly young(52).


----------



## Falcon

Theater usher
 shoe salesman
USAF pilot
Medical photographer
car salesman
insurance salesman
teacher
tutor
investigator
YMCA greeter


----------



## Denise1952

Hi Lois,

I'm always surprised that others have had a lot of variety in their work-history.  For me it isn't bad that I have experienced a lot of positions, but the moving around, well, I got bored faster then you did, LOL! (might as well laugh but I'm paying for my short-term jobs now)

I started out just wanting to be a wife, then I slowly realized I need to get a bit more education to work in the type of job I wanted, which was office-work (yes, I needed more education before I tried marriage again too).  Ok, I'll try to list all I've done k 

21-Dealer
bartender
waitress
pumped gas
(after biz college below)
administrative assistant (babysat executives)
call-center (csr)
payroll clerk
accounts payable assistant
file clerk
(back to some light-industrial)
packing and shipping (2 warehouse jobs doing this)
nanny/housekeeper/cook (4 children, all under 9)
laundry-room, ranch in Wyoming one Summer
phone operator
reconciler (went 4 times a day counting and changing out tills at resort)
led horse-back trail-rides, fed and watered 30 horses (including 2 stallions):help1:
cold-called for bids on high-rise window-cleaning jobs

I'm sure there's more, and the only big mistake I made was allowing myself to be payed "under the table" for 6 years as a 21-dealer, stupid.  Would have made my SS look much better.

Thanks for the thread Lois, kinda fun remembering all I've done and where I've been.  Never tried pole-dancing though


----------



## Denise1952

That Guy said:


> Slacker's Apprentice
> Journeyman Slacker
> Master Slacker



:goodone:What a hoot you slacker you


----------



## Denise1952

LOL, I knew yours would be colorful I see you didn't try the pole-dancing either though


----------



## Denise1952

Vivjen said:


> I am on my third.....
> 
> I have only ever been a pharmacist; for one company; although I have worked in over 30 different stores in my time....



That's neat Viv, you still had some variety, but same profession


----------



## Denise1952

Pappy said:


> Paper boy
> Theater usher
> Bag boy
> Produce mgr.
> Assistant store manager
> Sold Singer sewing machines
> Sold office equipment
> Bread salesman
> Night supervisor for bread company
> Retired
> Part time propane filler and all around go-fer
> 
> i know I have forgotten a couple in between jobs, but like Lois, I have had a ton of jobs.
> Oh:
> Farm work
> Planted Christmas trees, one summer
> Tank mechanic in Army
> Worked in Ford garage as mechanic
> Mechanic, nights, in a Sears garage
> Damn, no wonder my body's a mess. Never really listed these before.



This is a great thread for me, I've spent a lot of time thinking I'm some, kind of leper because I didn't stick with one job all my life.  I love seeing your lists, there's a lot to be said for doing different things as well isn't there  My mom was an usher in a theater too Pappy!!  Denise


----------



## Denise1952

Pappy said:


> Aye, Matey. When I was a little guy, I use to wonder what a life being a pirate would be like. I did everything else, but somehow missed the pirate thing.



Ah, well, you may have "swashed your buckle" so just be glad for all you did do


----------



## Denise1952

Bullie76 said:


> Majored in accounting and worked in the field thoughout my adult life. A boring profession but I made a good living and it enabled me to retire fairly young(52).



Oh, good for you Bullie!!


----------



## Denise1952

Falcon said:


> Theater usher
> shoe salesman
> USAF pilot
> Medical photographer
> car salesman
> insurance salesman
> teacher
> tutor
> investigator
> YMCA greeter



Wow, most interesting to me, being a pilot in the Air-Force, and, being an investigator Denise


----------



## SifuPhil

Being a Professional Pirate, or "PP" as we call it in the trade, is no easy thing. 

Everyone thinks we just hang around drinking and wenching and plundering and pillaging and sword-fighting, and we DO, but there are other less romantic things we have to do in the course of our work ... picking fleas out of each other's beards, paying wenchimony, dealing with the wee lads and lassies when they pop up, tryin' ta find a decent port in a storm, bein' forced ta kiss th' Captain's Daughter ...

It isn't all yo-ho-ho and bottles of rum and dead men's chests.

'Tis a hard-'nuff life for us ...


----------



## Vivjen

I am back with Madame Lash.....


----------



## Denise1952

I'm sure there must be some, romantic times, this isn't one of them:


----------



## That Guy

"Yes, I am a pirate.  Born 200 years too late."


----------



## Denise1952

That was good TG  I especially liked the song, and the ships, wow, beautiful Denise


----------



## SifuPhil

That Guy said:


> "Yes, I am a pirate.  Born 200 years too late."



Aye, I can identify with some of that ...


----------



## That Guy

SifuPhil said:


> Aye, I can identify with some of that ...


----------



## SifuPhil

*sigh*

I think it's tougher to become a monk after being a pirate, than to become a pirate after being a monk.


----------



## That Guy

SifuPhil said:


> *sigh*
> 
> I think it's tougher to become a monk after being a pirate, than to become a pirate after being a monk.



I believe I've enquired before but am still unsure.  Are you a Monk-A, Monk-B, or monkey???


----------



## SifuPhil

That Guy said:


> I believe I've enquired before but am still unsure.  Are you a Monk-A, Monk-B, or monkey???



A monk is a monk, and that's no bunk
He doesn't own much - threw away all his junk
Unless that monk is just a punk
Like the famous SifuPhil! 

Go up to the monk and check his junk
You'll see that it's hairless and shriveled and sunk
And when he walks it all goes "clunk"
Talk to SifuPhil!

People yak-it-ti-yak a streak 
and waste your time of day, 
but SifuPhil will never speak, 
unless he has something to say... 

A monk is a monk, and that's no bunk
And this one can make his voice come from a trunk
You've never heard of a talking monk?
Well, listen to this... 

I am SifuPhil.


----------



## SifuPhil

The duties were pretty routine, the kinds of things every pirate does:



Pick fleas off other pirates ("Beards 'n' Braids Duty")
Gather 14 other pirates and sit on a dead man's chest
Drink grog
Swagger around while snarling
Chase wenches
Drink grog
Gnaw on a turkey leg and wipe your mouth with your sleeve
Terrify little children
Chase wenches
Engage in theft, robbery, bribery and shoplifting
Drink grog
Get into sword fights
Chase wenches

Of course if you were to perform this work you would substitute "Chase pirates" for "Chase wenches".

... or not - we're a surprisingly liberal crowd.

Our retirement plan was simple - if we lived long enough to put to shore, and we were over 88 years old, we retired. 

Benefits? Grog, wenches and booty. Fresh salt air. Stale crackers.

We rarely lunched together - it was more a matter of coincidence that two pirates gnawing on turkey legs would meet up at the same time. 

As for who is hiring, just go down to your local docks after sunset - I'm sure you'll get plenty of offers.


----------



## Pappy

Obama and his new director of Homeland Security.


----------



## OhZone

After a few of those "just out of high school jobs" I went to Florida where I found my career.
I spent 50 years in title insurance.


----------



## SifuPhil

OhZone said:


> After a few of those "just out of high school jobs" I went to Florida where I found my career.
> I spent 50 years in title insurance.



Wow! You must have those numbers committed to memory - you probably have dreams about them!


----------



## OhZone

SifuPhil said:


> Wow! You must have those numbers committed to memory - you probably have dreams about them!



Not really;  It's been 5 years since I retired and I've mostly forgotten about it, altho I have to admit that I still have a file with notes that just seem too important to throw away. I was primarily and abstracter.  
As I look back it almost seems like I'm seeing someone else.


----------



## SifuPhil

OhZone said:


> As I look back it almost seems like I'm seeing someone else.



Oh, yeah, I get that a lot, every time I think about all the jobs I've had. 

"You were a SALES MANAGER?!? WHAT were you THINKING, Phil?!?"


----------



## Gael

Let's see....

Started out transcribing letters from a dictaphone.
Worked using a stenotype machine as a secretary.
Did temp secretarial work.
Sales person in a gift shop.
Main job was as a graphic designer first in a small advertising agency, then for a large newspaper in the ad department.


----------



## GDAD

For the last 15 years I worked, I was a leading hand engineer working on afternoon shift for a cigarette company.
I was in charge of the engineering division looking after the maintenance & daily running of the whole factory.
I was responsible for 12 fitters & machinists.


----------



## drifter

Farm Labor, pulling bolls, if any of you know what that is.
Stock boy in a large grocery store.
Dish Washer in a restaurant when 13.
Grunt in a Rifle Company
Platoon Sgt. Infantry 
Explosive man on pipeline
Halliburton Oil Well Service Company, Cementer, Frack Operator
Accounting Clerk, Draftsman, Lineman, Class A Utility Co.
Bookkeeper
Buyer, Purchasing Agent, Gifford Hill & Co.
Sales Representative, Sales Manager, Ag. Industry
Now, back to Chief Dishwasher


----------



## Ina

Drifter, Who taught you pottery on a farm, I had to take classroom.Building the different kilns was almost as interesting as throwing pots.


----------



## SeaBreeze

Did a little bit of everything until I decided I wanted to do a job that was physical, active and I could dress casual in jeans.  Early years was receptionist, clothes boutique, lawn service, fast food (taco bell), babysitter, etc.  Ended up over thirty years doing warehouse, machine operator, shipping and receiving, forklift (loading/unloading semis), order filler, lab work, etc.


----------



## drifter

Well we all had to be somewhere, doing something.

Ina, that's not pottery. My mistake. Bolls instead of Bowls, as in cotton bolls. I've never been inside a foundry but i had a girlfriend that worked in one.
 I think you probably knew that.


----------



## Ina

That is one of those words that sound alike, but have totally different meaning. I made table ware and such.


----------



## Rainee

Well where do you start.. I started off working for social security.. then branched to Taxation office, payment cashier..  ..and then at the local hospital to do nursing..  and patient support assistant..loved that career..


----------



## Mrs. Robinson

I haven`t had many jobs....

Pharmacy clerk
Stay at home mom for ten years
Bookkeeper/Receptionist at our auto body shop for 34 years
Property Inspector

My bookkeeping job was interesting in that just a few months after we took over my inlaws business, we found out baby #3 was on the way. Big surprise. So we set up a nursery in the office and when our newest daughter was 5 days old,she and I headed to work. So I only missed 3 days work. Then,9 months later,found out #4 was coming. The nursery school right behind our shop knew us and agreed to take our 18 mo. old sooner than the usual 2 years of age. So when our son was born,he and I headed to work when he was 4 days old. It always kind of stunk being the only one who could do my job (well,the only one there),made it impossible to take more than a week`s vacation (and I always had to do the work for the week I`d be gone ahead of time) and totally impossible to take anything resembling a normal maternity leave,but at least I was able to take my babies to work with me and not have to leave them with someone as newborns.


----------



## SeaBreeze

I admire you Mrs. Robinson, you're a strong woman and a hard and dedicated worker...but didn't leave your babies in the care of another when they needed mama the most! :love_heart:


----------



## lonelynorthwind

In 1982 I packed up my kids, left my cushy silk blouse & pantyhose job and ran away to Alaska.  Since then I've deckhanded on fishing boats for crab, halibut & shrimp, did maintenance at the public housing apartments, painted houses, cooked in logging camps, tended bar and ran jet boat tours for passengers on the cruise ships.  In my spare time I'm gardening, fishing, hunting, canning & filling the wood shed.  In winter I've been substitute teaching at the elementary school for 20+ years.  In fact I'm off to play with the short people this morning.  Life is good!  Have a great day everybody!


----------



## Pappy

I really like your album pictures. there is a show on TV called buying Alaska. Very interesting on some of the off- the- grid homes. I presume you are not that far out in the wilderness.


----------



## SeaBreeze

Now THAT's what I call a good life!!  Mmmm, send some of those babies my way, lol!  GREAT photo of you too, thanks so much for sharing! :coolthumb:


----------



## lonelynorthwind

Pappy said:


> I really like your album pictures. there is a show on TV called buying Alaska. Very interesting on some of the off- the- grid homes. I presume you are not that far out in the wilderness.



There's electricity out at my place now but there wasn't when I bought the land 15 years ago.  The road is paved now too, I was just as happy without either, truth be told.  I'll never have city water, sewer or garbage so I catch rain for washing, pack drinking water from a spring a couple miles down the road and of course, there's ye lil ole outhouse.

I did, however, live quite remote in my 12X22 floathouse anchored at the other end of the island for many years once my kids were grown.  Totally off/grid and pretty much self sufficient.  It was fun at the time but too much work anymore.  The floathouse is still my part-time home tied to the beach in front of my little cabin.  I'll put some photos in the album for you to see.


----------



## Mirabilis

Babysitter
College Math Tutor
Bookkeeper
Accountant
Credit Analyst
International Credit Analyst
Lead Collections Analyst
Tax Accountant
Money Booth Gal
English for Speakers of Other Languages Assistant Teacher
Sales Order Manager
...I see a pattern of boring jobs here that I was unaware of
District Admin Manager
Medical Practice Manager


----------



## SifuPhil

I don't know about boring ... wouldn't both babysitting and money booth gal involve dealing with unknowing people who drool?


----------



## taffboy

Must have had a boring life Steelworks and Bakery.


----------



## marinaio

Swept the local Barber Shop for $0.25/day (good money back then) every Saturday when I was about eight or nine
Auto detailer;
Chassis Cadmium Electroplating worker at a radio factory;
Electronics/Nuclear technician in the Submarine Service;
Various electronic test jobs, as many as three concurrently, while transitioning back to civilian life;
GoGo Bar bouncer;
40 years as an Aerospace Environmental Test engineer;
Second degree in Physical/Forensic Anthropology with a couple of years part-time museum work.


----------



## Prairie dog

Maid in a Rectory,

cashier at grocery store ,when I was in high school.

Banker for most of my life.

retired at 55.


----------



## Lon

I wanted to own a Mortuary (Funeral Home) since i was 13 years old. I went to school after military service and studied to be a Embalmer/Funeral Director. got licensed for both and was in the business for well over 1,000 funerals. Left the business when I realized I could not buy into or own my own business. Went back to school at age 31and studied Finance and for the next 30 years I was in sales and sales management of financial products and services and am now retired.


----------



## Kowhaigirl

I have been a health professional for many years, was previously a hairdresser, a nanny and danced


----------



## Lc jones

I’ve worked as a cashier, a preschool helper, a factory worker, a police dispatcher, a ticket taker, an employment counselor and a sales representative not in that order. My favorite job was an employment counselor it was great to see people go to work and not worry day to day if they were going to make it.


----------



## Keesha

Waitress
Pet store sales clerk
Gyroscope assembler 
IBM computer assembler 
Quality control assurance 
Personal cook 
Saxophonist/ singer
Landscaper 
Professional cannabis grower 
Professional cannabis by product maker 
Nutritionist 
Herbalist


----------



## GreenSky

I've been an insurance agent since 1977 and at 65 am still working for myself.  Although I did take about 10 years off to do political fundraising and campaign treasurer work.

The last "job" I had was in 1995.  I don't play well with others so much better on my own.

Rick


----------



## Rich29

Summer Camp Counselor
US Army Specialist
Engineer / Manager for AT&T
Operations Manager for start-up telecomm / internet company
Business Analyst for Federal Government


----------



## jujube

More jobs than I'd like to remember.   My four major jobs (at least six years at each one) were:

1.  Selling advertising for a major newspaper.
2.  Executive Director of a non-profit.
3.  Executive Assistant to the vice president of a hospital system.
4.  Office Manager for a medical management company.

The rest of them were ultimately forgettable.


----------



## peramangkelder

I started work as a Checkout Chick in the late 60's while waiting for placement in a State Government position
Worked in the State Government as a Clerk until my first child a daughter was due in 1977
Stay at home Mum for 7 years during which another child a boy was born in 1979
Once they were at school I worked in a Delicatessen for a few years until the owners did a 'midnight flit'
I came into work one morning and it was all locked up and the Creditors had left a notice on the shop
By this time I was in my early 30's and I secured employment as a general 'dog's body' (Domestic) in a Nursing Home
I suffered severe back injuries while at work and was paralyzed for a time but after 4 back surgeries I walked out of hospital
I eventually had to retire from the Nursing Home due to my physical disabilities in 1995
I am also a Justice Of The Peace for South Australia and have been for the last 20 years


----------



## Keesha

peramangkelder said:


> I started work as a Checkout Chick in the late 60's


Checkout Chick?


----------



## moviequeen1

I had a summer job working at a local drug store in my 20's
I worked for 3 years at a local law firm as a 'gopher' ,learn how a law firm operates in the late 70's,early 80's
I worked at local hospital as a part time pharmacy tech for 27 yrs .My job was delivering narcotics to all nursing units,speciality units.I took early retirement in 2011


----------



## peramangkelder

Keesha said:


> Checkout Chick?


In Australia back in the day a 'checkout chick' was a girl usually underpaid who worked a checkout till.
No 'plastic fantastic' credit cards just cash or cheque/check if previously okayed by management.


----------



## drifter

I've had so many jobs it'd take a while to list them. In my family it was important you had a job even when in school you needed a summer job. Other than hiring out for farm work, I got a job during the school year washing dishes in a cafe, I was fourteen and one day while walking home from school this popular cafe had a sign in the window, Help Wanted. They wanted a dish washer. I came in at four p.m. and stayed till after the evening meal. They closed at nine pm.  I worked five days a week and all day Saturday. I didn't asked my mom or dad if I could take a job. All dad said was, "You're a better man than i thought you were." My job was mainly washing up the pots and pans although I did all the evening shift dishes and helped with the cleaning before closing. I was there long enough to get a substantial raise and then the cafe changed ownership. I was let go but I could always say I was a professional dishwasher.

I suppose the more important jobs held was Purchasing manager for a fortune 500 Irrigation manufacturing company. And later as sales rep and then sales manager for an aguculture and industrial fastener supplier to the AG and Industrial markets in West Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. At least that's where I made the best living. In between I've done anything and everything. Mostly in the oil patch.


----------



## hypochondriac

gas station attendant
ice cream factory worker
railway station switchboard operator
elementary school teacher
BHP steel factory worker
English as a Foreign Language Teacher
English as a Second Language Teacher
School Cleaner
Shopping Centre Cleaner
Warehouse Cleaner
Disability Support Worker
Mental Support Worker
Nightshift Caretaker
Junk Mail Deliverer


----------



## Shalimar

Hmm. Life guard, swimming instructor.  Belly dancer, which helped pay my way through a decade of university and avoid student debt. After I graduated with my PhD, I worked with various street outreach organizations, and taught female sexuality and healthy relationships in university. Loved teaching, disliked the faculty politics. Found my niche as a psychologist who works primarily with people suffering from one sort of trauma or another. Still belly dance.


----------



## Shalimar

Oops, I also taught belly dancing, and worked as an artist’s  model.


----------



## charry

ive always worked from the age of 15,
my first job was a junior clerk,
I had a few concessions, within large department stores 

and my last job , was working in a Fringe Theatre, managing the Food and Bar Area....1988
Then i became a private carer for the elderly,
and now im a carer for my husband !!


----------



## debodun

Once I turned 16, my mom insisted that I get a summer job for which she made the arrangements. Usually the jobs were performing inventory at department stores. Once I had the task of doing driver surveys at rest stops on the highway (like where they were from, where they were going, etc.) and was almost arrested -  at least I got the Miranda treatment. The trooper said I had to stop bothering people since I didn't have a permit to do so (I always suspected someone made a complaint). I told the trooper the survey supervisor was working at another rest stop. I guess the trooper went and talked to him becaue he came back and said I could continue. I never flipped burgers asa  summer job, however.

I was lucky to get a well-paying job the fall after I graduated from college. I worked for our state's health department for 38 years (retired 9 years ago come this September). I started in the microbiology department performing a variety of diagnostic procedures and worked there 6 years. Then was promoted to the toxicology research lab and stayed there 27 years and had a few research papers published. The last year I was placed in the enviromental analysis lab where my main function was to keep the anylitical equipment calibrated. I quipped then that every time I got a promotion, the location kept getting closer to the exit door.

After retirement, I rested over the winter, then got bored and went looking for a job and ended up with one that costs me money - delivering meals to the elderly and shut-ins. The drivers are not even reimbursed for gas. The current route can be 25 to 27 miles depending on how many clients are on the route list any given day. The only "perks" are that any day I deliver meals, I have the option to request a complimentary meal that day. Also volunteers are given a "recognition" luncheon once a year at an upscale restaurant.


----------



## A2ZGrammie

I gotta reply to this. I had a cool job. I worked in a warehouse as a fork lift driver and I ROCKED at it. It was my favorite job ever. Sure, I had other jobs, but this one was the best, and the longest.


----------



## hypochondriac

A2ZGrammie said:


> I gotta reply to this. I had a cool job. I worked in a warehouse as a fork lift driver and I ROCKED at it. It was my favorite job ever. Sure, I had other jobs, but this one was the best, and the longest.


i held forklift drivers in awe. Getting a heavy pallet off a high perch was something i never want to do.Strain on the neck alone.


----------



## Keesha

peramangkelder said:


> In Australia back in the day a 'checkout chick' was a girl usually underpaid who worked a checkout till.
> No 'plastic fantastic' credit cards just cash or cheque/check if previously okayed by management.


Really? I wasn’t sure if you had spellcheck that changed it . Sometimes that happens to me. 
That’s amazing. Why underpaid though.
Thanks. That’s interesting.


----------



## Keesha

Shalimar said:


> Oops, I also taught belly dancing, and worked as an artist’s  model.



Naked?


----------



## Shalimar

Keesha said:


> Naked?


I wore clothing when I taught belly dancing, did nude modeling for artists. Lol.


----------



## A2ZGrammie

The first time I had to move a heavy pallet from up high, it scared the beejebers out of me. It got to be no big deal at all. I've had them fall over, and I always blocked my head (as if my arms were going to stop those falling boxes from rattling my brains lol) but it got easy. I miss that job.


----------



## Sunny

I enjoyed reading this recently resurrected thread. I suggest that everyone go back to the beginning, to enjoy a hearty laugh with Sifuphil, who I understand passed away a couple of days ago. That is probably the way most of us would prefer to be remembered, with laughter.


----------



## Shalimar

Thank you Sunny, that was a splendid idea. I checked it out, and I laughed. He was a witty man.


----------



## Ruthanne

Waitress, screen printer, assembly, table setter, working in banks, media services, library, telephone solicitor, home cleaning, housewife, college student services.


----------



## jerry old

That Guy said:


> Slacker's Apprentice
> Journeyman Slacker
> Master Slacker


Yea, well that okay, but I was a boy carhop, Yea, sure nuff ...I got fired twice, by the same guy.


----------



## jerry old

SifuPhil said:


> It isn't all yo-ho-ho and bottles of rum and dead men's chests
> Yes, maybe you didn't do a lot of yo-ho-hoing, but you give um,  a goodie


----------



## Patio Life

At 24 I went to real estate school because a friend didn't want to go alone. I finished and got my license, she didn't finish the class. 

I did listings and sales for a small firm in a small city for about 4 yrs, started in the Reagan inflation/recession years. Discovered property management and loved it. Worked for several companies in the big city, ran a company for someone, opened my own business at 38 yrs old and never looked back. 

When I would get burnt out I would close the business, take a year or so off. Then start over when I ran out of money. LOL . It is a very high stress business.

Sold the business and retired. I don't have a lot of money but I am happy. Don't miss working at all.


----------



## norman

Self Employed was my best job, no one could fire me and I liked the guy I worked for, me.  lol


----------



## Patio Life

norman said:


> Self Employed was my best job, no one could fire me and I liked the guy I worked for, me.  lol


I am a crappy employee. 
When I worked for myself, I had a really nice boss.


----------



## jerry old

debodun said:


> Once I turned 16, my mom insisted that I get a summer job for which she made the arrangements. Usually the jobs were performing inventory at department stores. Once I had the task of doing driver surveys at rest stops on the highway (like where they were from, where they were going, etc.) and was almost arrested -  at least I got the Miranda treatment. The trooper said I had to stop bothering people since I didn't have a permit to do so (I always suspected someone made a complaint). I told the trooper the survey supervisor was working at another rest stop. I guess the trooper went and talked to him becaue he came back and said I could continue. I never flipped burgers asa  summer job, however.
> 
> I was lucky to get a well-paying job the fall after I graduated from college. I worked for our state's health department for 38 years (retired 9 years ago come this September). I started in the microbiology department performing a variety of diagnostic procedures and worked there 6 years. Then was promoted to the toxicology research lab and stayed there 27 years and had a few research papers published. The last year I was placed in the enviromental analysis lab where my main function was to keep the anylitical equipment calibrated. I quipped then that every time I got a promotion, the location kept getting closer to the exit door.
> 
> After retirement, I rested over the winter, then got bored and went looking for a job and ended up with one that costs me money - delivering meals to the elderly and shut-ins. The drivers are not even reimbursed for gas. The current route can be 25 to 27 miles depending on how many clients are on the route list any given day. The only "perks" are that any day I deliver meals, I have the option to request a complimentary meal that day. Also volunteers are given a "recognition" luncheon once a year at an upscale restaurant.





debodun said:


> After retirement, I rested over the winter, then got bored and went looking for a job and ended up with one that costs me money - delivering meals to the elderly and shut-ins.


Those of us that cannot stand long enough to prepare a meal are deeply appreciative.  
When I retired could still drive, but that was when gas was $4.00 a gallon, toyed with   idea of delivering Meals on Wheels, put never did.
Physically, the downhill slid was rapid.  I can  walk 30 feet, then have to find a chair. The standing is the problem.
(Thank you Mr. U.S. Army)
In the rural you get ten meals every two weeks.
I never realized how many steps and how much standing is
 required in meal preparation-until I couldn't.

You guys deserve recognition and our heartfelt thanks











w


----------



## Floridatennisplayer

Supermodel


----------



## charry

ive had a few jobs, 
but my main ones, were Audio typist, and an Addressograph operator ....


----------



## Patio Life

Floridatennisplayer said:


> Supermodel


This guy?





Wang Deshun, The Man 80 year old  on catwalk


----------



## Floridatennisplayer

Lol


----------



## OneEyedDiva

My first job, which I hated and got fired from within a week was working in a garment factory doing piece work when I was 16.
Then I worked in retail, as sales girl and as a toy department manager when I was only 18. That was a fun job.
Teletype operator/clerk for Western Union
Clerk typist/Secretary for a city agency.
Health Investigator (municipal) then Public Health Representative (aka Disease Intervention Specialist- DIS) for the state, First Line Supervisor (which I absolutely hated) then back in the field on solo assignment as a DIS, all in the same office. I retired from the last position.  Several courses over the years including college courses prepared me for the various position upgrades.


----------



## fuzzybuddy

One of my jobs was printing signs for sales items. You've seen the holders, where you can slide a cardboard sign in. I made the signs used in a chain of stores, Ames. I'm dyslexic to begin with, and you have to set up the type in reverse, so that it comes out correctly. Well, I printed up 100s of signs for McGregor Shirts- only I forgot the "R" in 'shirts.'


----------



## treeguy64

Delivery boy, pharmacy. 12
Musician, bandleader. 12-45
Stock boy, grocery store. 13
Cashier, pharmacy. 14
Fountain room manager, deli. 15-16
Chemical factory worker. 16
Lifeguard. 17
Cab driver. 18-22
Veterinary research assistant. 18-19
Pizza maker. 20
Janitor. 20
Interstate trucker. 23
Veterinary assistant. 24
Diamond salesman. 24-25
Vending company GM. 25
Pollster. 26
Fast food manager. 26-27
Asst Manager, furniture store. 27
Legal researcher. 27-29
Real estate investor, landlord  28-present
Singing telegram presenter 30-32
Doumbek player for belly dancers 30-32
Tattooist, body piercer. 35-52
High school teacher. 38-40
Middle school teacher. 53.
Certified Arborist, company owner. 53-present

I've always had many interests. I mainly worked as a musician during my younger years, but held jobs that I could work while still keeping bands going. I started the first licensed tattoo shop in Texas, and still played gigs. After weddings, I'd come in and do tattoos and piercings while still wearing my tux. 

Life has been interesting. Learning has been my greatest joy in life. 

I have great respect for those who worked one or two jobs, for their whole working life, but I could never do that.


----------



## treeguy64

Shalimar said:


> Oops, I also taught belly dancing, and worked as an artist’s  model.


How was your finger cymbal work on Kashlima? When I played doumbek for dancers in Austin, I found the hesitation beats of Kashlima to be what separated the pros from the amateurs.


----------



## Gary O'

Too many to list

So, I'll just repost my first real job;

*First Jobs*

My very first ‘job’ was hoeing roses for an ol’ guy at the end of the mountain road up from our place.
He was a prize winning grower, lots of entries and ribbons and medals and plaques from all over and of course Portland, the City of Roses.

As a teacher, the crotchety ol’ fart was not the gracious diplomat he was when accepting an award.

‘Quit pickin’ at it like a goddamn woman, goddammit.’
‘Gimme that hook.’
He’d jerk the ‘hook’ outta my hand and commence to beat the holy shit outta those roses. 
Apparently the ones that survived became resilient and hardy…..and beautiful.

The hook was not much more than a smallish three prong pitchfork bent 90°.

‘You don’t stop till it’s rainin’ like a cow peein’ on a flat rock.’

That was the work schedule.

And off he’d go in his dilapidated ’49 ford sedan.
The engine sounded like it would blow apart any minute, pistons rattling around, tappets tapping a beat, zero oil.
Only drove it a few hundred yards, just to harass us.

One of the old hands said, ‘just hoe like mad until you get over the hill, then you can take a little break’.
The old gent seemed to know what he was talkin’ about, he’d been there a long time. 
Back permanently stuck at 45°.
Kinda bugged me….cause when it was rainin’ like a cow peein’ on a flat rock, we’d all beat feet over to the walnut tree….here he’d trudge…and there he’d stand…..bent.
His hands were stuck in a hoe holding position.
Not big on talkin’.

‘How long you been doin’ this?’

‘Some time now.’

‘Huh.’


It was $.60 an hour…10 hours a day.

I’d been there just a few days, and hoein’ like mad. 
The hill just a half hour of back breaking hacks away.
Once over the hill, outta view from the ol’ guy’s shack, I straightened up and leaned on my hook.
Just stared into the sun. 
Rolled a smoke.
A smoke never tasted so good.
I was just gettin’ into a mind filled tryst with Sophia Loren when I heard, ‘That’s enough of that, git offa my property.’

I turned around and there he was, leanin’ on them crutches.
How in hell had he snuck up on me?
Had he crutched his way up the hill, knowing full well what I was doin’?
At first I was startled, and maybe a bit scared.
Then I got mad, and with the knowledge that several fields of hay bales were just waiting for me, I headed right for him.
His expression changed from sneering disgust to alarm.
‘Don’t worry ol’ man. I’m not gonna beatcha. 
You’ve done enough of that yerself. 
Here’s yer hook.’

So, yeah, I got fired from my first real job.


----------



## street

I will give early life work experiences.
I picked rock from ag fields got very little pay put got two meals out of it. I was around 10 to 12 years old and loved it.
Picked/threw small square bales for 2¢ a bale and had to handle them times.  Also about that age 10 to 16 years of age.
I painted farm building all through my early years and homes.  I also enjoyed when I could work.


----------



## tortiecat

Made beds & waited on tables in a boarding house 1940s.
Clerk in insurance company 1948-1951.
Clerk at aircraft company 195l-1958.
Stay-at-home-mom 1958-1974.
Library tech. 1974-1992.
Retired 1992 ......


----------



## treeguy64

treeguy64 said:


> How was your finger cymbal work on Kashlima? When I played doumbek for dancers in Austin, I found the hesitation beats of Kashlima to be what separated the pros from the amateurs.


(Crickets chirping......) As I suspected.


----------



## peppermint

My Mom told me when I was 16 years old I have to go to work part time...I was still in school, geez!!!  So she goes to the A & P market and asked
the man in charge if they take 16 year old kids to work...Of course he said yes....So My Mom takes me to the store and they put me in the Meat
department ??  They gave me a white cotton cover up....I lasted a week....I couldn't handle the raw meat....I still can't handle raw meat....
Mom stopped making me have a job....When I graduated High School my Teacher contacted a company that needed typists...I had 3 years
of Typing… in High School....(Mom couldn't send me to college) even though I was a good student...I loved my job....I 
.Anyway, I still had the job when I was Married....

Other Jobs...
when my kiddies went to school...
Woolworth (cashier)  Part  Time
Clothing Store (for 1 year)  
Secretary for a truck company
My last job in a School...I was a Secretary in the Main Office....My 2 children were in school at the time....
I worked in the school for 25 years....Retired when my husband retired....


----------



## Shalimar

treeguy64 said:


> How was your finger cymbal work on Kashlima? When I played doumbek for dancers in Austin, I found the hesitation beats of Kashlima to be what separated the pros from the amateurs.


I thought that would be your response. No matter if I had replied at length, 


treeguy64 said:


> (Crickets chirping......) As I suspected.


I thought that would be your response, had I seen your original post before today, I might have responded, but this post confirms that it would have elicited a negative reply. I wish you peace, and relief from the anger which you carry.


----------



## Shalimar

Periodically for some reason,  you seem to feel a need to post negative, unpleasant comments re myself. Awhile ago, when you thought I was still on sabbatical from sf, you 

cast doubt on my professional qualifications and snarked about my supposed treatment of you. A member informed you I had posted earlier that day. I let your remarks slide. Now, knowing full 

well I am in mourning over the recent death of Sifuphil, you are being negative again. What possesses  a person to verbally slap a grieving human being? Welcome to ignore.


----------



## treeguy64

Shalimar said:


> I thought that would be your response. No matter if I had replied at length,
> 
> I thought that would be your response, had I seen your original post before today, I might have responded, but this post confirms that it would have elicited a negative reply. I wish you peace, and relief from the anger which you carry.


I asked an honest question. I played for belly dancers for quite some time. I was genuinely interested in your answer. 

I am not aware of the other posts you referenced. Snark? Perhaps you've confused me with someone else. 

We will now be on each other's ignore list. Best of luck to you, in the future.


----------



## Pecos

Pappy said:


> Aye, Matey. When I was a little guy, I use to wonder what a life being a pirate would be like. I did everything else, but somehow missed the pirate thing.


To quote our friend Jimmy Buffett:
"Yes I am a pirate, born 400 years to late,
The cannons don't thunder, there's nothing to plunder,
I'm an over 40 victim of fate, arriving too late, arriving too late"


----------



## Pecos

Hmmm, I am a little late to the subject with my last post. I'll have to remember to start these threads at the end and work backwards if I expect to be in touch.
I'll get trained, … eventually at least.


----------



## gennie

I've always been self-employed except for a little secretarial and telephone operator work while we were trying to get our business off the ground.


----------



## Silverfox

Way back in my high school days I worked as a cashier at a local grocery store. Then I went off to college and medical school and the rest was history. My work history once all that was complete was being employed as a Pediatric Physician until I retired at the age of 69.


----------



## win231

In order:
Musician
Advertising Agency
Printer Operator
Retail Sporting Goods
Shooting Instructor
Process Server


----------



## suds00

paper boy ,stocker,janitorial,,teacher,h.r.investigator,employment specialist,tutor


----------



## spectratg

Up until recently, I have had just one job (kind of) for the last 53 years.


----------



## oldiebutgoody

parking lot attendant
file clerk
tax accountant
IRS auditor
accounting clerk
maintenance

of all these jobs, believe it or not, maintenance paid the highest wages


----------



## jerry old

Bullie76 said:


> Majored in accounting and worked in the field thoughout my adult life. A boring profession but I made a good living and it enabled me to retire fairly young(52).


When times get hard, you'll always have food by cooking the books.

you may be pissed right now, betch'a your telling this to your friends


----------



## gamboolman

As a kid:
Mowed Yards and did yard work for folks
Hauled Hay back in the days of square bales
Worked on a farm
Picked and Hauled  Watermelons
Worked for a guy who had several of us kids soldering up Circuit Boards for electronic things.  He paid us in Silver Dollars - ha 
Sold Roses - One of the Coaches took a bunch of us Jr. High  boys to Cities and we sold  Tyler, Tx Roses in Memphis and Oklahoma City standing on the Corners on the weekends
Threw Newspapers
Worked  briefly in a Grocery Store
Worked in Radio Shack  as  a salesman for my Parents - started paying Taxes and Social Security at age 16.
From  age  18:
Once I turned 18 I went to work  in the Oilfields - started out Roughnecking Offshore and then on land rigs.  
Then went to work for a firm that built Sour Gas and Sulfur Plants and we started them up and Operated them.  Then went to work for ExxxonMobil Supervising proiects Offshore and eventually went oversea's for  the last 18 years and lived as Married Accompanied expats in  Equatorial Guinea  and Nigeria managing Offshore Projects.  Ended up with 24 years with XOM.
Worked the Oilfields for 43 year before retiring earlier this year.

Met ms gamboolgal when I was 19 and she was barely 17 and that was that for me.  We married and she has followed me all over the Gulf Coast and world while being  a great Oilfield Wife and Mother to our two children.  We will soon hit our 40th anniversary and I'm still chasing her around the ole 4 Poster Buck Neckid.... 
I love her more as time goes by and would be a lost goose without her !

gamboolman.....

Lifes A Dance  And You Learn  As You Go...


----------



## funsearcher!

Babysitter
Waitress
Cashier
Teacher's Aide
Operations Manager
Buyer 
Sales food service equipment
Logistics specialist


----------



## Alligatorob

Chronologically (more or less):

Hay hauling, picking up bales in the field and putting them on a trailer pulled by a tractor
Tree planting on clearcut ground in the National Forest in Wyoming
Unloading boxcars, manually
Golf course waterboy
Tree thinning, chainsaw work, tree cutting
Forestry Technician for the Forest Service
Engineer - for most of my career
Funny how those early but relatively brief experiences are so clearly remembered.


----------



## Pinky

Most of my employment was with the civil service (D.O.J. was the longest). Also worked at Children's Aid. Last job was with an American antiques dealer/auctioneer. Then we moved and I got into volunteering as an ESL aide. Did that up until a few years ago.


----------



## cdestroyer

I picked potatoes in a field and worked the hay fields during high school. After the military I worked as desk clerk typing, filing. I also worked in truck stops changing truck tires, I worked for temp agency recycling glas, cleaning stadium after games, drove vehicles thru auto auction, set up trade shows, built computer components, assembled power cables, hotel/motel house worker, washed dishes/prep cook in restuarants, medical claims payer, picked fruit(apples/berries), worked road construction flag person, recycled cans/bottles for deposit money, picked brush used in floral decorations. spent all one summer bailing hay. Worked as NLETS operator for state DMV. Keyed in information for vehicle title creation for another DMV. (worked as topless dancer,,,, oops no no just kidding) ha ha ha!


----------



## Gary O'

When we moved closer to town, I got an evening job at a rather posh restaurant.
The Hillvilla.
It worked well with my junior year schedule.
Work till 11pm…sleep through class…if I went.

Washing pots and pans.
My first day, I ran a sink full of water, hot and cold.
The owner, Ed Palaske, reminded me of Mr McGoo, kindly, gently turned off the cold water.
Hot water and steam came outta the tap.
‘We don’t use cold water. It’s not so sanitary.’
His forearms looked like lobsters…no hair, red, much like a burn victim.
Lou, the cook, doing a great impression of Ed Asner, just leaned on the counter and grinned.
Damn, I’d never known hot water up till then.
The crab pots and pans, from making crab louie, did loosen up better.

Then I graduated to the salad bar.
Much like a bar tender.
The waitresses would come up, order, and I’d prep, sip a coke and munch on crackers.


This one waitress, guess she was in her late thirties, would tell me dirty jokes and chit chat when ordering.
She had blonde hair, all pulled back, like Kim Novak in Vertigo…..rather buxom….like my dad’s Police gazette gals. 
I had fantasies about her while I was sleeping in class.

Sometimes a dignitary would call me over,
‘Hey sport, here’s a buck, get me a pack of Winstons outta the machine….keep the change.’

If a patron didn’t like their meal, one of us would get it.
Damn, it was good.

After my shift, and the upstairs was closing, I’d head downstairs and get another coke from the bar, and if lucky, I’d chat more with Kim Novak, and watch her sit there, undulating.

I think that was my best high school job.
I know it was.


----------



## Chris P Bacon

Chatting with Kim Novak, even if she’s a lookalike, still seems a pretty nice job perk.
Especially so for a young man in High School!


----------



## Irwin

I think this covers everything. I went to college to become a draftsman and then to university to become an engineer.

Dish washer
Gas station attendant
Drug store stocker and cashier
Maintenance man at an apartment complex
7-11 cashier
Factory worker
Laborer
Mechanic
Water purification units installer
Mechanic
Draftsman
Software engineer


----------



## Sassycakes

When I was young I did a lot of babysitting. When I got married my husband did not want me to work,so he always worked and often had 2 jobs. Other than volunteering at my kid's school I did work on the phone for a few years for an accounting firm. My job was to get new customers for 5 different accounts.


----------



## JimBob1952

1.  Worked in the mailroom at an insurance company
2.  Summer construction job
3.  Hod carrier (bricklayer's helper) 
4.  "Order picker" in a Best's Products store
5.  Aluminum foundry worker
5.  Waiter in a Mafia-owned steakhouse
6.  Waiter at the Williamsburg Inn
7.  Selling soft drinks at college football and basketball games
8.  Elementary school creative writing teacher
9.  New York PR guy (35 years) at various agencies and corporations
10.  Self-employed marketing and PR writer (12 years and counting) which is by far the best gig of all


----------



## katlupe

Mother
Housewife
Factory worker
Bartender
Secretary
Receptionist 
Certified nursing assistant
Barn worker on a horse farm
Home health aide
Personal care aide
Business Owner
Online seller (Amazon, eBay & my own site)
Blogger
Amazon Affiliate
Condo cleaner (in FL)
Author (2 eCookbooks for Kindle Direct Publishing)

These are not in any order just as I thought of them


----------



## WheatenLover

Babysitter, worked for 2 fast food restaurants, waitress three times, costumer at a costume company, office manager twice, secretary, accountant, controller (accounting), college professor, lawyer. I also had 3 different companies along the way:  Maid/janitorial service, bookkeeping service, and online children's bookstore.


----------



## GeorgiaXplant

Lots and lots of various and sundry things...this thread was started long ago and although I haven't checked must surely have posted about them.

Since I retired the last time...maybe four years ago?...I got more and more bored. Y'all have heard about the labor shortage so what did I do? I applied at a locally-owned fast-food place that serves mostly breakfast and caters to mostly older folks. Yup. That's what I did. I merely mentioned it to the person at the drive-thru window one day when I was sitting in the passenger seat while DD picked up breakfast.

Much to my surprise, the clerk called the manager over who asked if I'd be willing to be the biscuit maker, a job that starts at 4am. Oh, hell to the yes! (For those of you not in the US, our biscuits aren't cookies  ). That's an almost obscene hour to be anywhere except snuggled up in bed. Have you any idea what it's like to get up at 3am in order to be awake and working at 4am?

So, I became the biscuit lady Thursday/Friday/Saturday mornings at 4am. It's hard work mixing and kneading and rolling and cutting out hundreds of biscuits, but gosh! I love it. On Thursdays and Fridays, I'm home by 10:30. Saturdays are a horse of a different color and w're busy, busy, busy. Just a wild guess, but there are probably close to a thousand biscuits made. I'm not home until between 12 and 1.

I like having a place to go and something to do and people to talk to. I especially like payday

Considering the jobs I've had since I started working at 14, from carhop to file clerk then through the ranks all the way up to the C Suite in Germany, then head housekeeper at a hotel, then owning my own cleaning service, this is a very different kind of "career" move.

At 80, I've started a new career. LOL


----------



## DaveA

Although I have no wish to become employed at my present age (87), I wish you well in your new venture.


----------



## GeorgiaXplant

DaveA said:


> Although I have no wish to become employed at my present age (87), I wish you well in your new venture.


Thanks! I plan to keep on as long as I'm able to heft those 50 lb cartons of flour. Or until I've assumed room temperature and become a crispy critter


----------



## WheatenLover

GeorgiaXplant said:


> I plan to keep on as long as I'm able to heft those 50 lb cartons of flour.


You can lift 50 lbs. of flour! Wow! I am impressed. I couldn't do that, and I'm 15 years younger than you are.


----------



## GeorgiaXplant

WheatenLover said:


> You can lift 50 lbs. of flour! Wow! I am impressed. I couldn't do that, and I'm 15 years younger than you are.


It took a couple of days to figure out how to do it without killing myself, but I can do it with ease now. I've only been there since early in June.


----------



## squatting dog

No particular order:
Carpenter's helper, pump jockey, factory worker (hated that), soldier (killer... hated that also), dairy farmer (short time), mechanic, Granite quarry worker, logger (mostly pulp wood), owned a service station and sold used cars, heavy equipment operator, Maintenance foreman at a cement plant,


----------



## Murrmurr

squatting dog said:


> No particular order:
> Carpenter's helper, pump jockey, factory worker (hated that), soldier (killer... hated that also), dairy farmer (short time), mechanic, Granite quarry worker, logger (mostly pulp wood), owned a service station and sold used cars, heavy equipment operator, Maintenance foreman at a cement plant,


My list has a lot in common with yours, Squatter; (not in order) dairy worker, tailor's assistant, gas station attendant, bus driver, locksmith, heavy eqip operator, produce man, store clerk/cashier/part-owner, millwright (lumber), licensed foster home (current).

Oh, and I worked as an underwater Search & Recovery team member off and on for a couple decades with various agencies.


----------



## squatting dog

Murrmurr said:


> My list has a lot in common with yours, Squatter; (not in order) dairy worker, tailor's assistant, gas station attendant, bus driver, locksmith, heavy eqip operator, produce man, store clerk/cashier/part-owner, millwright (lumber), licensed foster home (current).
> 
> Oh, and I worked as an underwater Search & Recovery team member off and on for a couple decades with various agencies.


Never worked with the underwater recovery team, but, I did build the underwater stretcher needed to pluck the bodies (or what was left of them), from the turbine entrances in the All American Canal. Not a pretty site. Migrants didn't understand how swift the current was in those canal's.


----------



## Murrmurr

squatting dog said:


> Never worked with the underwater recovery team, but, I did build the underwater stretcher needed to pluck the bodies (or what was left of them), from the turbine entrances in the All American Canal. Not a pretty site. Migrants didn't understand how swift the current was in those canal's.


Yeah, body recovery was a really tough one sometimes.


----------



## Murrmurr

squatting dog said:


> Never worked with the underwater recovery team, but, I did build the underwater stretcher needed to pluck the bodies (or what was left of them), from the turbine entrances in the All American Canal. Not a pretty site. Migrants didn't understand how swift the current was in those canal's.


I'm interested in this stretcher. Bodies that have been under for quite some time are difficult to move without something sloughing off or actually falling off, so we'd basically secure them and a different team had to come to where we were and bag them as well as they could. 

What was the stretcher like?


----------



## Irwin

At one of my jobs, I wrote statistical analysis software used to test satellites. That was waaay back in the late '90s.


----------



## squatting dog

Murrmurr said:


> I'm interested in this stretcher. Bodies that have been under for quite some time are difficult to move without something sloughing off or actually falling off, so we'd basically secure them and a different team had to come to where we were and bag them as well as they could.
> 
> What was the stretcher like?


Small aluminum tube frame with a real fine mesh basket that was almost, but not quite as fine as most screens.  Even then, when retrieving those bodies, they didn't always come out in one piece. (shudder).


----------



## squatting dog

squatting dog said:


> Small aluminum tube frame with a real fine mesh basket that was almost, but not quite as fine as most screens.  Even then, when retrieving those bodies, they didn't always come out in one piece. (shudder).


We attached it to the crane that was mounted on the side of my service truck. Set the outriggers and swing it into the water and lower away.


----------



## Manatee

I refer to one place I worked as "the noise factory".  You had to wear earmuffs when working there.


----------



## Murrmurr

squatting dog said:


> Small aluminum tube frame with a real fine mesh basket that was almost, but not quite as fine as most screens.  Even then, when retrieving those bodies, they didn't always come out in one piece. (shudder).


I totally get it - it's got to allow the water to move freely through it, but as few body parts as possible.

Good on you, Squatter.


----------



## Purwell

Grocery delivery boy.
Paper boy.
Cattle Market assistant.
Engineering Apprentice.
Design Draughtsman, special purpose machinery and mechanical handling.
Building Services Technician.
Handyman.


----------



## Irwin

Purwell said:


> Grocery delivery boy.
> Paper boy.
> Cattle Market assistant.
> Engineering Apprentice.
> Design Draughtsman, special purpose machinery and mechanical handling.
> Building Services Technician.
> Handyman.


I was a design draftsman for a few years in the late '80s and early '90s. I kind of liked it when we did everything by hand. It was almost an art. Computers took the fun out of it. I used to design underground mining equipment. I worked for a small company and the draftsmen did a lot of design work.


----------



## Purwell

Early CAD systems were hard work and a lot of very experienced draughtsmen took early retirement rather than try to learn them.
I was too young to do that so reluctantly went on some courses to learn the systems and grew to like using the computer.
Unfortunately a lot of employers seemed to think the computers did all the work, not realising that you still had to be a trained engineer to design machinery.
We got more and more clever youngsters who could use  CAD but were not true engineers. Eventually in the UK we just stopped making anything and our medium engineering industry died a death.


----------



## Paco Dennis

Cooking doughnuts at a franchise
performing music
pumping gas
laborer
power wash truck operator
moving co. warehouse foreman
delivering books and magazines
building custom cabinets
kitchen counter top shop
installing kitchens
carpenter ( non-union )
home repair and painting
house cleaner


----------



## Patch

High school... farm work at home and for neighboring farmers.
10 years in tire and auto mechanic shops.
6 years as construction superintendent, mainly in utility (sewer and water) work.
8 years as Project Manager and Equipment Manager for utility contractor.
10 years in design, application, and marketing of water/wastewater process and pumping equipment.  During this time taught continuing education classes for water/wastewater operators.
15 years in Construction Engineering.  On site engineer for large water/wastewater treatment plants and pumping facilities over a 4 state area.  Ended up owning part of the consulting firm I worked with by the time I retired.  
Retired at age 70.  Then was a substitute teacher at a trade school for about a year.  Taught students in the concrete, carpentry, and plumbing classes.  
"Fully" retired, on the Board of Directors at one of our local golf courses.  Take care of their water systems.  Played 238 18-hole rounds of golf in 2020.  May not be able to top that in 2021, but will come close.


----------



## chrislind2

1964: Shell service station, 14 years old, cleaned inside of cars having their oil changed.

Sawmill, started on green chain, eventually moved up to forklift truck driver, 11 years there.

Video game company, did a little bit of everything, moving games, repairing games, collecting money from games.
Escaped from there, I mean retired from this company 3 months ago. Was there for 40 years and 8 months.


----------



## David777

Fascinating read each reflecting decades of life.  

Instead of entering college after HS it was decreed that was no longer a factor in being drafted.  So my first job was a result of trying to avoid being drafted into the Viet Nam War that I expected would have had me carrying an M16 rifle through leach, poisonous snake, and mosquito infested MeKong Delta swamps dodging bullets.  Instead took Navy and USAF tests that after scoring high resulted in a USAF electronic repairman career field and schooling that after discharge was able to leverage in rapidly growing Silicon Valley as an electronic tech where at a list of corps mainly worked as a non-degreed ET, test eng, and troubleshooter in hardware engineering support.  Included 6 years at Cisco Systems Mid-range Router division engineering during the early Internet explosion until after the Dot Com implosion. Very technically difficult mental work requiring constant technical self studying. Between jobs I spent months to years each time enjoying myself without ever collecting unemployment until funds dwindled with the last time after the 2008 crash.  Not one that ever had much a goal of accumulating money or material junk.


----------



## John cycling

Started Community College in1964
Skipped classes and went body surfing in the ocean
Box boy in grocery store
Taxi driver in Central California
Taxi driver in Southern California
Typist / accountant at furniture manufacturing company
Typist at Community College in Los Angeles
Supervisor of Admissions at same college
Supervisor of Admissions at different college 8-10 years
Concurrently typed 95wpm and finished A.A. degree
Leave of absence to finish B.S. degree in Kinesiology
Moved out of Los Angeles
Supervisor of Health Sciences Library 3 years
Moved again to finish M.S. in Exercise Physiology
Passed Real Estate exam in Los Angeles
Typist during summer while waiting for R.E. license
Real estate agent
6 months later passed Broker exam - 2 years
Moved back to Central Coast
Independent Real Estate Broker until retired -- 20 years


----------



## JimBob1952

John cycling said:


> Started Community College in1964
> Skipped classes and went body surfing in the ocean
> Box boy in grocery store
> Taxi driver in Central California
> Taxi driver in Southern California
> Typist / accountant at furniture manufacturing company
> Typist at Community College in Los Angeles
> Supervisor of Admissions at same college
> Supervisor of Admissions at different college 8-10 years
> Concurrently typed 95wpm and finished A.A. degree
> Leave of absence to finish B.S. degree in Kinesiology
> Moved out of Los Angeles
> Supervisor of Health Sciences Library 3 years
> Moved again to finish M.S. in Exercise Physiology
> Passed Real Estate exam in Los Angeles
> Typist during summer while waiting for R.E. license
> Real estate agent
> 6 months later passed Broker exam - 2 years
> Moved back to central coast
> Independent Real Estate broker until retired -- 20 years




Now that is an interesting resume!


----------



## squirrel

For a summer when i was 13 i dressed in a huge piece of pizza costume for promotion for a pizzeria near my home and walked around on a sidewalk all day on weekends.

- On Saturdays, my mom was like "have a good day at work, mike!!" as i walked sadly out the front door. "thanks." I'd reply with my brown bagged lunch in my hand.

- My dad was like "well, i better get him going in renovations because his resume will look pretty vacant as "pizza sidewalk guy with sign" and a start date and finish date beside it.

Then my dad took me on the next summer in construction for him. He bought me work boots and i had to buy my own hammer and nail pouch (with my pizza mascot savings lol). I pounded nails and labored hard - worked sun up till sun down for my dad..  i was in residential construction and some commercial construction forever after the pizza mascot career didn't work out. : )


----------



## MrPants

squirrel said:


> For a summer when i was 13 i dressed in a huge piece of pizza costume for promotion for a pizzeria near my home and walked around on a sidewalk all day on weekends.
> 
> - On Saturdays, my mom was like "have a good day at work, mike!!" as i walked sadly out the front door. "thanks." I'd reply with my brown bagged lunch in my hand.
> 
> - My dad was like "well, i better get him going in renovations because his resume will look pretty vacant as "pizza sidewalk guy with sign" and a start date and finish date beside it.
> 
> Then my dad took me on the next summer in construction for him. He bought me work boots and i had to buy my own hammer and nail pouch (with my pizza mascot savings lol). I pounded nails and labored hard - worked sun up till sun down for my dad..  i was in residential construction and some commercial construction forever after the pizza mascot career didn't work out. : )


----------



## Irwin

One of my first jobs was working as a maintenance man at a townhome complex. I learned how to do all sorts of things there, from electrical work to carpentry to plumbing, roofing, concrete work... I even learned how to plow snow! The guy I worked for built furniture, so I also learned a bit of that... nothing fancy, but it gave me basic skills. I'm able to do most repairs on our house thanks in part to the experience I got at that job. That was when I was in my late teens... probably 19.


----------



## JimBob1952

Irwin said:


> One of my first jobs was working as a maintenance man at a townhome complex. I learned how to do all sorts of things there, from electrical work to carpentry to plumbing, roofing, concrete work... I even learned how to plow snow! The guy I worked for built furniture, so I also learned a bit of that... nothing fancy, but it gave me basic skills. I'm able to do most repairs on our house thanks in part to the experience I got at that job. That was when I was in my late teens... probably 19.




Those are great skills to have.  I worked in construction and as a bricklayer's helper but never learned anything useful.  Mixing mortar never comes up in my day to day life.


----------



## OneEyedDiva

squirrel said:


> For a summer when i was 13 i dressed in a huge piece of pizza costume for promotion for a pizzeria near my home and walked around on a sidewalk all day on weekends.
> 
> - On Saturdays, my mom was like "have a good day at work, mike!!" as i walked sadly out the front door. "thanks." I'd reply with my brown bagged lunch in my hand.
> 
> - My dad was like "well, i better get him going in renovations because his resume will look pretty vacant as "pizza sidewalk guy with sign" and a start date and finish date beside it.
> 
> Then my dad took me on the next summer in construction for him. He bought me work boots and i had to buy my own hammer and nail pouch (with my pizza mascot savings lol). I pounded nails and labored hard - worked sun up till sun down for my dad..  i was in residential construction and some commercial construction forever after the pizza mascot career didn't work out. : )


Wait a minute....you worked for the pizza place but had to brown bag lunch?!! Couldn't they at least have thrown in their restaurant lunch items as part of your deal?


----------



## Michael Z

Here are my jobs, other than my last of 29 yrs as a community college math instructor:

Highschool math & science instructor in private Christian school
Graduate teaching assistant in mathematics
House painter
Tutor for dyslexic students
Handyman
Plastic wrap factory laborer
Construction laborer
University food service
Pots and Pans Washing Specialist
Nightly Floor Maintenance
Grass Length Maintenance
Car Wash Engineer
French Fryer
Bovine Feeding  & Manure Procurement @ $1/hr


----------



## MrPants

Michael Z said:


> Here are my jobs, other than my last of 29 yrs as a community college math instructor:
> 
> Highschool math & science instructor in private Christian school
> Graduate teaching assistant in mathematics
> House painter
> Tutor for dyslexic students
> Handyman
> Plastic wrap factory laborer
> Construction laborer
> University food service
> Pots and Pans Washing Specialist
> Nightly Floor Maintenance
> Grass Length Maintenance
> Car Wash Engineer
> French Fryer
> Bovine Feeding  & Manure Procurement @ $1/hr


Based on the last item on your list, I guess the saying: "don't take any sh*t!" didn't apply to you in that job  What's with the $1.00/hr. though


----------



## Michael Z

$50/wk for about 50 hours/wk working on a farm!


----------



## Feelslikefar

My job list consisted of whatever 'they' wanted me to do for first 21 years.
They knew best, I guess.  They assigned me to 'fix' things so I really didn't mind.
Continued with that type of work for the next 24 years.
Machines and equipment was way easier to understand than people for me.
Still that way.


----------



## Kathleen’s Place

SifuPhil said:


> Being a Professional Pirate, or "PP" as we call it in the trade, is no easy thing.
> 
> Everyone thinks we just hang around drinking and wenching and plundering and pillaging and sword-fighting, and we DO, but there are other less romantic things we have to do in the course of our work ... picking fleas out of each other's beards, paying wenchimony, dealing with the wee lads and lassies when they pop up, tryin' ta find a decent port in a storm, bein' forced ta kiss th' Captain's Daughter ...
> 
> It isn't all yo-ho-ho and bottles of rum and dead men's chests.
> 
> 'Tis a hard-'nuff life for us ...


. Thanks for the needed laugh


----------



## dseag2

Do you really want to read through this long thread?  Well, I can say that I only applied for my very first job.

As a teenager, I mowed lawns and washed and waxed cars in the neighborhood.  My parents always taught me that I needed to earn my own money.  

When it was time to get serious, I applied at Sears and got a job in the Men's Clothing department.  I was the only part-timer on commission and made lots of money because I was willing to work nights and weekends.  I sold suits and accessories.  A well-dressed gentleman occasionally watched me work with my customers, and one day he came in and offered me a job.  His store sold fine men's clothing in the same mall.  I worked for him until he closed the store.  

Our best customer owned a tour company, and he always spent $$$thousands for clothing.  He was in the store the night we closed and offered me a job. I took it, and I hand wrote reservations to Disney and Epcot for his company for a while, then a sales position opened up.  I took that as well.  I was calling on hotels and travel agencies. 

One of my travel agent friends told me a cruise line was looking for a local sales rep.  I asked 12 of my best accounts to write letters of recommendation and I Fedex'd them to the cruise line.  They hired me.  I started in 1985 and stayed there until 2000. 

I was bored and felt I wasn't going anywhere, and one of my former co-workers contacted me to ask if I would be interested in moving to her cruise line.  I worked there for almost 20 years, until I retired in 2020 due to Covid.  I've felt very fortunately to never have to actively look for a job, but I've worked hard.


----------



## carouselsilver

My jobs from my teens until retirement:
Volunteering, activist work
Tele-marketing (soliciting subscriptions for the local newspaper.
Fast food restaurant.
Waitress
Clothing factory (presser)
Various temp positions
Personnel Administration
Occupational Therapist. 
Sales.


----------



## Jondalar7

This could be a fun walk down memory lane. I have never had a job that I hated. I do not like hanging drywall but I have liked most jobs just fine even as I was looking for another. 
1. I grew up on a dairy so that is many jobs.
2. First paid job was at 12 as a carpenters helper for the neighbor. 
3. Relief milker at a Jersey dairy.
4  Loading and hauling bailed hay from the field to stack.
5  gas station attendant
6 furniture repair shop
7 Harrow bed operator.
8 Farm hand where I kissed the farmers daughter in the hay barn. Her mom walked in and said we better not let her     dad catch us. 
9 At sixteen I drove hay, and grain trucks
10 While in electronics training in Portland, Oregon.  I worked as a construction laborer
11 Got married at 18 and became a lone ranch hand 60 miles from town. Wife and new baby paradise in nature.
12 Metal building builder.
13 ranch hand on a registered Herford ranch. We raised prize bulls.
14 Heavy equipment operator
15 Mill operator for diatomaceous earth packaging plant.
16 Weighmaster
18 Crane operator. It was cool, on tracks 300 feet long and 80 feet wide with a seven yard bucket.
19 forklift operator
20 Loader operator and how about that I was 20. 
21 New construction pick up man. Finished all the little things the contractors missed before people moved in. 
22 Operations supervisor for Greyhound
23 Cab driver two weeks, not as exciting as it sounded
24 started a fence building business
25 manager and qualified employee to startup larger fence company
26 Started designing and building my own custom homes to sell. Built 16 homes doing most of the work myself. 
      that looked a lot like growing up on the farm. You learn to do dozens of jobs that some people make their                specialty. 
27 Missionary in Papua New Guinea, Guatemala and several prisons
28 Ranch hand at the ponderosa Ranch Home of Bonanza in Lake Tahoe Nevada. I drove hay wagon loaded with people the the hay ride breakfast each morning and during our journey up the mountain overlooking the beautiful  alpine lake I would save my passengers by shooting a stage robber who held us up. Left him laying in the dirt as I drove away three times each morning. Then filled in anywhere I was needed in busy places or relief for lunch. I mopped floors, tended bar, scooped Ice cream, flipped Hoss burgers, hooked up kids on the climbing wall and anything else that needed done. Kind of like most jobs I have had, I wore many hats and often the supervisor.
29 I quit building homes in the crash of 2008. Then became Super Handyman. I do anything and everything in and around a home or office and managed several rental properties for out of town owners.
30 Retirement. Boarding house manager, small job handyman for friends, Gardener Yes I made money as a gardener this year. Have a small pottery shop that may see my face this winter.  
31 Over the years I have created and marketed a couple of games so I may start that up again but yesterday I made some walking sticks from giant sunflower stalks that look really cool so I may have a new project. 

It was nice to look back over a very full journey, Thanks for allowing the space to write.


----------



## Bretrick

I started off working in a corner store. One of my duties was polishing fruit and vegetables for display in the window.
Then I started and completed an apprenticeship at the Mt Lyell Copper Mine in Queenstown Tasmania.
Became a Tradesman and remained in that position for 15 years.
I eventually had enough of working underground so I took a position at an RSL Club as a Barman for 8 years.
Left Tasmania and mover to Western Australia where I went back into heavy industry working as an overhead crane operator.
Loading 30 ton sea containers onto road trains.
Then moved onto my current position as an overhead crane operator loading 5 - 7 ton sheet metal onto Laser/Plasma cutting machines.


----------



## Lewkat

Michael Z said:


> Here are my jobs, other than my last of 29 yrs as a community college math instructor:
> 
> Highschool math & science instructor in private Christian school
> Graduate teaching assistant in mathematics
> House painter
> Tutor for dyslexic students
> Handyman
> Plastic wrap factory laborer
> Construction laborer
> University food service
> Pots and Pans Washing Specialist
> Nightly Floor Maintenance
> Grass Length Maintenance
> Car Wash Engineer
> French Fryer
> Bovine Feeding  & Manure Procurement.


Loved that Pots and Pans Washing Specialist.  I'd have hired you after one of my dinner parties.  lol.


----------



## Lewkat

Michael Z said:


> Here are my jobs, other than my last of 29 yrs as a community college math instructor:
> 
> Highschool math & science instructor in private Christian school
> Graduate teaching assistant in mathematics
> House painter
> Tutor for dyslexic students
> Handyman
> Plastic wrap factory laborer
> Construction laborer
> University food service
> Pots and Pans Washing Specialist
> Nightly Floor Maintenance
> Grass Length Maintenance
> Car Wash Engineer
> French Fryer
> Bovine Feeding  & Manure Procurement @ $1/hr


By the by, how many Frenchmen did you fry?


----------



## Lewkat

I couldn't help myself there Michael Z.  So here goes mine:
Baby sitter-no babies just fresh brats
Soda Jerk-Say what you will
Nurse's Aid-Did autoclaving.  No aid.
Registered Nurse-Speaks for itself.
Police Officer-Not to my liking after all
Back to Nursing-Of course
Politician-After several terms of office, no dice.
Back to Nursing-Creature of habit.
Thankfully for all, I am now retired.


----------



## Shero

Travel writer (freelance)

Food critic (freelance)

Interpreter & Face Analyst (various corporations)


----------



## FrancesAnn

Kitchen Worker
Horse Barn Worker
Apparel Sales 
Dispatcher for a telephone repair company
Mail Clerk
Officer Worker in higher education


----------



## Irwin

dseag2 said:


> Do you really want to read through this long thread?  Well, I can say that I only applied for my very first job.
> 
> As a teenager, I mowed lawns and washed and waxed cars in the neighborhood.  My parents always taught me that I needed to earn my own money.
> 
> When it was time to get serious, I applied at Sears and got a job in the Men's Clothing department.  I was the only part-timer on commission and made lots of money because I was willing to work nights and weekends.  I sold suits and accessories.  A well-dressed gentleman occasionally watched me work with my customers, and one day he came in and offered me a job.  His store sold fine men's clothing in the same mall.  I worked for him until he closed the store.
> 
> Our best customer owned a tour company, and he always spent $$$thousands for clothing.  He was in the store the night we closed and offered me a job. I took it, and I hand wrote reservations to Disney and Epcot for his company for a while, then a sales position opened up.  I took that as well.  I was calling on hotels and travel agencies.
> 
> One of my travel agent friends told me a cruise line was looking for a local sales rep.  I asked 12 of my best accounts to write letters of recommendation and I Fedex'd them to the cruise line.  They hired me.  I started in 1985 and stayed there until 2000.
> 
> I was bored and felt I wasn't going anywhere, and one of my former co-workers contacted me to ask if I would be interested in moving to her cruise line.  I worked there for almost 20 years, until I retired in 2020 due to Covid.  I've felt very fortunately to never have to actively look for a job, but I've worked hard.


Funny how fate determines or alters our path in life. I've had things like that happen to me.


----------



## Michael Z

Forgot to list my very first job. I picked cucumbers at the neighbors farm for a 50% share when I was about 10 yrs old. On a good day, I might make $8, which at the time for me, was a LOT of money!


----------



## ElCastor

* Paperboy -- Shopping News.
* Weekends in my dad's store, opening boxes, dumping trash, etc.
* Summer in college, sheet metal factory grinding welds.
* 5 Years Navy officer.
* Asst Manager Margin Department stock brokerage firm -- until we were sold and rumors abounded that the buyer was associated with a certain Sicilian organization. It became obvious we were being turned into a Boiler Room. A former employee and VP in a nearby bank offered me a job. I tore a page off my desk calendar, wrote I Quit, signed it, tossed it on the Personnel Manager's desk, and walked out.
* Went to work for the bank, initially in a securities related job, where I met my wife to be, developed an interest in computers, built servers, installed networks, traveled as far as Puerto Rico and Bermuda in support of remote networks and software, and did some programming. After about 25 years retired from that same bank.


----------



## Geezer Garage

Started working for my dad at age 10 in the summer, until the age of 16. Carpentry work, then moved into excavating work.
Gas station attendant
Tree nursery
Four years in the Navy. No ship time, lots of time in the air, some teaching technical classes, some getting shot at.
Mechanic for Wisconsin Bell.
Mechanic for small airline.
Mechanic for trash Co.
Equipment maintenance foreman for the city of Steamboat Springs. 
General contracting business owner for 10 years. Sold it and moved on to
Excavating and commercial snow removal business 11 years. Sold it and moved on to
HVAC business for 11 years. Sold it, and theoretically retired, but still had several rental properties that I had to maintain, in the process of selling those off now. Will probably start up a little side business from my shop at home doing machining, and metal fabrication work for just a few clients. Will try to limit it to no more than a week a month. Mike


----------



## Aunt Bea

In 1974 I started work as an entry-level clerk in a local bank.

Over the years, I was absorbed into larger financial institutions as a result of mergers.

In 2005, at the age of 51, a big fish spit me out and here I am.





Looking back, being fired was one of the luckiest moments of my life.

_“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”_ - Attributed to Seneca


----------



## Lewkat

Lewkat said:


> I couldn't help myself there Michael Z.  So here goes mine:
> Baby sitter-no babies just fresh brats
> Soda Jerk-Say what you will
> Nurse's Aid-Did autoclaving.  No aid.
> Registered Nurse-Speaks for itself.
> Police Officer-Not to my liking after all
> Back to Nursing-Of course
> Politician-After several terms of office, no dice.
> Back to Nursing-Creature of habit.
> Thankfully for all, I am now retired.


OOPS, how could I forget to mention my 3 years as an Air Force Nurse?


----------



## Rah-Rah

I have not had very many jobs in my life because I spent my entire married life as a housewife/stay at home mom. Prior to that I had babysitting jobs, worked as a sales clerk in a clothing store, worked as a cashier in a grocery store, and a waitress in a restaurant.


----------



## john19485

Cabent worker (age 9) I cleaned the floor ,Marine Laison, Mp, Revenue Officer , T.V. director for five minutes, Teacher, writer.


----------



## RadishRose

Server at Woolworth's lunch counter, bartender, stay at home mother, bookstore asst. manager, personal lines small claims insurance adjuster.


----------



## Pinky

Insurance assistant to Underwriters, Salesgirl, Secretary for Antique dealer, Secretary for Children's Aid, Data Entry at DOJ, stay-at-home Mom, lots of volunteer work.


----------



## chrislind2

David777 said:


> Fascinating read each reflecting decades of life.
> 
> Instead of entering college after HS it was decreed that was no longer a factor in being drafted.  So my first job was a result of trying to avoid being drafted into the Viet Nam War that I expected would have had me carrying an M16 rifle through leach, poisonous snake, and mosquito infested MeKong Delta swamps dodging bullets.  Instead took Navy and USAF tests that after scoring high resulted in a USAF electronic repairman career field and schooling that after discharge was able to leverage in rapidly growing Silicon Valley as an electronic tech where at a list of corps mainly worked as a non-degreed ET, test eng, and troubleshooter in hardware engineering support.  Included 6 years at Cisco Systems Mid-range Router division engineering during the early Internet explosion until after the Dot Com implosion. Very technically difficult mental work requiring constant technical self studying. Between jobs I spent months to years each time enjoying myself without ever collecting unemployment until funds dwindled with the last time after the 2008 crash.  Not one that ever had much a goal of accumulating money or material junk.


I left out that even though I planned to go to "college" after High School, the decision was made to go to a 2-year community college to get a ticket out of the draft. Finding out that not only could I not afford a 4-year college, I did not qualify since my dislike of school did not make for grades that would get me into a 4-year college. I now very much wish I had just let them draft me. Not sure I would have passed a physical for the army. Maybe 50% chance of that. The army would have made me better, ruined me more, or killed me. It would have maybe accelerated my education and increased my appreciation of the important things in life. You can't go back, but regrets haunt you and maybe if things were different there may only be more regrets and not less?


----------



## Colleen

Nurse. Hated the hours and swing shifts back in the day and missed most Holiday celebrations with family, so I got out of nursing. Most of my working days was in accounting and internal auditing. Loved it


----------



## IFortuna

Falcon said:


> Theater usher
> shoe salesman
> USAF pilot
> Medical photographer
> car salesman
> insurance salesman
> teacher
> tutor
> investigator
> YMCA greeter


So Falcon, got your own plane? My dad flew in the U.S. Army Air Force in WWII.  Met Rommel in the desert, of course, after his plane crashed.  Would love to hear your stories of your time in the USAF.


----------



## IFortuna

chrislind2 said:


> I left out that even though I planned to go to "college" after High School, the decision was made to go to a 2-year community college to get a ticket out of the draft. Finding out that not only could I not afford a 4-year college, I did not qualify since my dislike of school did not make for grades that would get me into a 4-year college. I now very much wish I had just let them draft me. Not sure I would have passed a physical for the army. Maybe 50% chance of that. The army would have made me better, ruined me more, or killed me. It would have maybe accelerated my education and increased my appreciation of the important things in life. You can't go back, but regrets haunt you and maybe if things were different there may only be more regrets and not less?


Don't feel bad.  I always wanted to be a Madam or a spy.  It just didn't quite work out.  Bummer.  Madam and spy would have been the best combo.  I know, Mata Hari did not fair so well.  I should consider myself lucky I guess.
(P.S. Madams get all the best first picks.)


----------



## JustinCase

Was my mason contractor father's gofer/hodcarrier every summer at age 8 until I turned 17 (jointing at first to full time mason).  Baked donuts in morn/cleaned bakery in the eves for 1 year.  USAF spent 4 years on active duty as a non-combat Vietnam War vet.  Data processor at 2 different banks 1967-1975.  35 years employed at a data center for a large Areo Space manufacturer, 1975-2010,  Retired 2010 to a life of leisure while still enjoying my Golden Years.


----------



## C50

I went to work at my neighbors Mink ranch when I was ten and worked there off and on till I graduated highschool.  Also worked at other farms during those years.

After highschool worked two union jobs that I hated for a host of reasons.  Then got a job as a machinist trainee and spent the next 38 years in that trade, eventually becoming part owner of a business.

I also worked a second job for a number of years during my twenties.  One was a sawmill that a friend and his dad started.  I liked that job a lot, good hard work!


----------



## Signe The Survivor

Cinema Ticket Taker (16)
Department Store Sales (18)
High School Teacher (Career)


----------



## Grampa Don

Janitor/ helper at a carpet store
Main frame wiring for Pacific Telephone
Service station attendant (part time while in college)
Student technician (part time while in college)
7 years Test Engineer at North American Aviation
2 years active duty, US Navy
30 years Test, QA, Manufacturing engineer for a commercial electronics manufacturer
5 years managing a repair depot/warehouse.

I enjoyed them all.


----------



## jakbird

First job, pearl diving at an Italian restaurant (that's slang for dishwashing)
Moving on up, selling books at a used book store (terrible pay but all the books you can read)
On to University, lab tech at an on-campus research facility (learned more there than in class)
Graduated, systems programmer of a company owned by Howard Hughes (i.e. kept the big iron computers running 24/7)
after that went back and forth between commercial software and electronics engineering (code and circuit boards)
finally retired, recently widowed, so to pass the time I...write programs.


----------



## dobielvr

Started out working for the IRS.

Then I quit and did customer service for an auto parts rebuilder company.
Quit that and worked customer service for a well known wheelchair company.

And, finally back to the IRS to retire....


----------



## MMinSoCal

Hmmm...this is an interesting topic.  If my memory still works, I remember having done the following while also getting paid:
1.  Garments manufacturer receptionist
2.  Airline ticket office receptionist
3.  Airline check-in and gate agent
4.  Airline first class lounge concierge/attendant
5.  Expat executive personal assistant
6.  Handicrafts manufacturer marketing and export coordinator
7.  Chamber of Commerce membership coordinator
8.  Non-profit special events fundraising director
9.  Primary care pharmaceutical sales
10.  Specialty pharmaceutical sales (still doing this now, full-time)


----------



## Shero

Never been employed by anyone, worked with my husband for while but freelancing has always been my preference.


----------



## Jules

Grampa Don said:


> I enjoyed them all.


This is what we all want to say.


----------



## Ruth n Jersey

After high school I went to nursing school and became an LPN. 
Did some private duty, 
Ended up working in a small nursing home for over 10 years.

After I got married I couldn't find a job in nursing that didn't require me to work some weekends and holidays.
Having done that for so many years I had no intention of missing anymore holidays and weekends with my family,

Worked for myself after that making wedding and all occasion cakes. 
Grew flowers  and made dried arrangements which I sold.

Went back to work for a short period of time in a factory that pirated tapes. I didn't know that until a few weeks after I was hired.  Didn't last long, they shut the place down.
Cleaned houses. Really good pay but hard work. 
Delivered newspapers for awhile. For some reason I thought I could run around in the middle of the night and then come home and go back to bed and sleep. I was so energized I couldn't sleep and dragged myself through the day. 

Finally went back to work for a few years  with a visiting nurse service until I retired.


----------

