Julie @mrs2a50 's thread about her boss and the lovely little film about her made me think of something I kind of collect. Interesting jobs. When I was back in school, there were few jobs suggested or even open to women. The newspaper sorted jobs by men, women and other. Other was often a euphemism for people of color. Yes, the old days... But in the past 20 or so years, I've run across people who have jobs I never dreamed of. Most of my life in the US, I only knew people who worked for the US government. But...have you ever thought of selling nuclear reactors? I know a man who does. Another one sells sidewalks. Well, you and he design the sidewalk, path etc you need and he constructs it. This is not residential but for cities or major projects. I've met a lady who makes pierogis (@tkradtke ) and this is in Annapols, not quite your Polish community! And way back when I was a child I had a hard time grasping what my uncle did. He sold machines that made cardboard boxes - all over the world. Who knew that each product had a machine designed just for that particular sized box. Now you know too. So what's the most surprising real job you've heard of??
I had a couple of periods temping in between various other jobs. I found out people really did get to travel the world to taste wine (and buy it) for a living. I found out that factories existed purely to create the filters that tipped cigarettes. I found out that people analysed farm animal poo to determine what nutrients their diet was missing to put them back into their food. I also worked for a chocolate factory (yes, there are people paid to create and taste chocolates for a living) ditto curry (not the same factory I have to say!). I also grew up in a time/place when careers advice for a moderately clever girl was to become a teacher, nurse or secretary. There are so many jobs I now know exist I would have loved to have had knowledge of and be able to work towards (food development for example).
Most of my friends can't believe digital designers that sell scrapbook files is a job. My munchkin (7) wants to be a YouTuber and make money that way. Which is a weird job to me. I can't think of anything else off the top of my head!
w0w to some of those jobs Maureen!!!! @fruitysuet Suzanne you made me laugh, loud. I find that working in a foid environment made me go off food for a while, I mean not off food completely but once you have passed the initial period in which you want to eat it ALL.... it looses interest and isn't much of that much of a great job LOL @bestcee Courtney... not a weird job these days, and he is MAJORLY intelligent. Encourage him to get some skill to show of in YouTube, then if he can make it...... Sarita has friends that have become big time You Tubers and their bank accounts are very very healthy!!!!!! Sarita at one point in school, for a family life project, did something about me having had (I found out after her research) 24 different kind of jobs in my life. I never did anything out of the ordinary, so nothing you haven't heard about, but some of the jobs I did whilst studying, others to be able to afford to keep working with music/theater until I could afford life with only music * theater.... then I cam here and made the most of my language talent which got me to be a law enforcement officer (Immigration and C&E, started as an interpreter though- got to work for the Metropolitan Police too) which are jobs that if you told me 10 years before that that I would be doing...I would have laughed in your face.... My first job was with my dad when I was 11 years old, he had just opened his Laboratory as a Biochemist, I would copy the info in the laboratory books into the printed forms for the patient, in a VERY VERY old already at the time (think 1970) Remington typewriter.... after that I did work in my cousin's shops at the till and worked with doc tors friends of my dad for a while too, when I was in Fine Arts school I worked for one of the older years guys that painted wooden bracelets, they payed per bracelet finished.... I studied to be a beautician, which in Brazil isn't like here in the UK, not sure about the USA, but in Brazil a beautician only looks after the skin part of the job, facials and dermatology orientated stuff, here in the UK is manicure pedicure, massages and waxing.... I had learned to wax at some point and learned shiatsu and digi puncture massage to heal myself and ended up working on all of that, then studied Tourism and was a Tour Guide in Rio for quiet a long time, whilst singing at night in piano bars, which was great as I would give cards to the tourist to come see me in the evening and I would get commission for their table spending...... I was an English teacher for kids the past couple of years we lived in Brazil when Sarita was little too (this regardless the fact that I have never studied English, but the basics are to me, on of the easiest language s I had to learn) can't think about any jobs that are out of the ordinary, but would love to get myself back into good health so I could go back to work.... last thing I did before I realized working wasn't an option anymore after the failed surgeries was studying for Travel Journalism.... that is something I would LOVE to do, getting paid to try hotels and tell people about the beauty of places in the world...oh what a dream!!!!!!
In 16 years I have been a: Children's day program assistant Stocktake worker at a craft store Waitress at Pizza Hut Customer Service Representative at Pizza Hut Election Day Worker (3x) Neighbourhood Centre Manager Play Volunteer at a hospital Board member at a community law centre for people with disabilities (my current 'job')
Yes, I remember those three options. I had no interest in health care; I couldn't type so I planned to teach French to grade school children. I ended up in the 4th option. Marriage!
I'm on the boring side... but I've had a bunch of jobs... mostly I fall into Jenn of All Trades. I'm a good adapter. This list is from highschool, through college, and then up to now. Life Guard Swim Instructor - Infant to Teen Party Hostess then Assistant Manager then to a Franchise Developer Assistant (RompAround) (I was good at this, traveled, and loved it, but I had to finish college.) Unit Secretary for Emergency Room, Medical/Surgical Unit and Nursing Administration Unit Coordinator for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Claims Adjuster - Homeowners (State Farm) Reinsurance Contract Administrator (AIG) Collections Administrator, then added Receivable Mangager to that, and now a Accounting/Contract Manager. MOM... the best job yet.
I was a page at the public library in high school. That really was the job title, like the medieval page - i.e. official errand runner and shelver of books. Not exciting or different, but I did learn a skill working in the dorm cafeteria in college. I can cut pies and round cakes into 9 pieces, 10 pieces, or 12 pieces.
I'm glad you posted this because one of the things I remember from my childhood is hilarious but hard to believe... so my dad worked for the NSA back when it was actually the NSA of it's own entity. He had a friend who's entire job was to work transmitters into clothing. His main (or rather, the one he did the most) was to put transmitters into the high heels the girl operatives wore. I remember going in and seeing shelves and shelves of high heels and looking a bit concerned at him (who... I didn't think was co-ordinated enough to walk in these ludicrously high heels..) and then finding out his job. It fascinated me and also shocked me, I didn't realize some of the heights heels came in! @bestcee I agree with Cynthia, Courtney! He's brilliant!!! My nine year old has that goal too and I'm encouraging him best I can. This whole family has their own favorite youtubers and when we realized how well off they were, well... all three have wanted to be one but my son the most. I can't say I'd be upset!
The most fascinating job I have head of (within my circle of family/friends), is my niece's (now ex) boyfriend. He worked in editing for a small film company for a few years. On his holidays he started going on a few cruises. He started up a blog about his holidays and did such a great job of writing that somehow, one of the cruise ship lines heard about him and asked if he would like to take a cruise on one of their ships and write about it. So he went on a few cruises (paid for) and started writing articles about the different cruises. He started with a point and shoot camera and a notepad. Now he travels about 2/3 of the year for various cruiseship lines, takes photos with a much better camera now and brings a laptop to write his articles. This all started about 3 years ago and he has been all over the world. His relationship ended with my niece but he now has a GF who is able to travel quite a bit with him and they have an amazing life, traveling the world for free. What an experience for him to have, having seen most of the world and not even 30 yet.
My brother and sister de-tasseled seed corn. We lived in the Midwest, land of corn. The seed company would plant corn to be harvested for seed. To make the breeding go right, some of the tassels had to be pulled. They would stand on these big machines and pull the tassels off the growing corn as the machine went over it. Long and dirty job for just a few weeks. They would hire kids as young as 12 and pay them minimum wage. This was in the mid-1970s. Wow - just did a Google search and they still hire people to do this.
That's so funny, Jenn. I was an adjuster (specialized in litigation/severe bodily injuries) for Progressive and Unitrin/Travelers for 15 years. Before that I was an agent. I'm now an IT Administrator but for an insurance company. I also handle all of our contracts. I just can't leave the business!
And my 13-year-old son as well. We've slowly bought him all the equipment over the last two years and got him his own Creative Cloud membership a few weeks ago. He really wants to learn how to use a Wacom. I have one that I bought two years ago that I'm ashamed to say is still in the box. I WILL learn how to use it someday. Those dynamic brushes are calling me!!
At 77, I have had so many jobs in my life that I couldn't list them all. I didn't settle down into my interior design work until I graduated from college at age 56. I get bored easily and was never one to stay in one place. That's why I loved my design work, because every day, every client brought me something different. My most interesting job was an interviewer in a mall. I would stand out in the mall and stop people and ask them if they wanted to take part in an interview about a new product that may hit the market soon. I never knew that every product you see on the market had to go through these tests before they were approved for release to the public. I love going to the grocery store and seeing a product that I helped get on the shelf! Even movies were tested. They would watch a 10 minute clip and then fill out a questioneer on what they liked or disliked about it. So when you put your favorite cookies in your cart; know that there were many people behind the scenes that tested the product and helped get it on the shelf. Have you ever been stopped in the mall and asked to test something???
No @NancyP The only people standing and stopping people in our mall are the ones who sell the Dead Sea stuff and a couple of others I ignore. They can talk your ear off before getting to the point of even putting the sample on you!
I've had so many jobs! 1. When I was in high school, I worked at the neighborhood grocery store. Then I dated the owner's son, and that was the end of that job! lol! 2. Secretary for a company that sold machine parts. Didn't date the owner, and that was the end of that job! 3. A temporary job at a lawyer's office. Too legal for me. 4. Medical Staff secretary at a new hospital. 5. Unit Clerk in the ER of that same hospital. Met my husband there. He was a paramedic, so I took Emergency Medical Technician classes and 6. volunteered with him on an ambulance service. 7. Unit Clerk in the Medical/Surgical floors of the same hospital. Worked Med/Surg, ICU, Operating Room, Recovery Room - Just about everywhere. For Years. Took a few years off to have babies, then worked the evening shift doing the same thing until my youngest went to school. 8. Transferred to Medical Records to do Data Entry so that I could work while my kids were in school. Great hours. 9. Then transferred to Case Management. Same Data Entry, but better hours. Got laid off from the hospital after working there for almost 20 years! So disappointed. I thought I would work there forever. 10. My neighbor needed a part-time secretary at his Dr.'s office and I was friends with his wife, so I got the job. Different working on the other side of the medical field. 11. At the same time, I also applied for an accepted a job right down the street as a school crossing guard. This was, by far, my most favorite job ever! Great hours, very good pay, summers, evenings, and holidays off! That was my last paying job because in May 2005 I had routine surgery that put me on the permanent disability list. Not at all how I planned the rest of my life, but it turned out that shortly after that, I found the wonderful hobby of scrapbooking! 12. So now I consider being on Creative Teams for my 5 favorite designers the best job ever! No cash payments (although at one point, I did receive deposits into my Paypal account for supplies). I can make my own hours, work in my PJs, and the reward is beautiful memories on my book shelves.
