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best job you ever had
Jeffrey
Veteran
what is the (or a) best job you have had?
For me I liked hospital intravenous drug technician (prepared drug admixtures for giving IV's (intravenous drugs) in a hospital). I liked it because it was with my hands and required focus to have speed and accuracy. It was like sports because I would be in the zone the whole shift. And no time to have drama with co-workers just go go go in tasks. At the end of the day unlike university research student everything was put behind me and I had no reason to ruminate over progress in a project.
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Comments
Principal of a middle school
@vinlyn could you say something about what it was like and what you liked about it?
Sure. There was a lot to dislike about being a Principal. Overbearing parents. Some teachers who wouldn't "get with the program". Inadequate funding. A lack of qualified teaching candidates in some subjects. Long hours (I used to think that a 48 hour week was a treat). Too much interference by the central office. Having to suspend or even expel students (those phone calls were, by far, the worst part of the job).
But when I got my fairly entrenched teaching staff to begin to realize that petty rules like not chewing gum isn't what matters, but whether or not students -- all students -- are actually learning, and how much they are learning depends on what and how the teacher is teaching...that was bliss.
When I could bring a little justice to the Hearing Office (where students went if a suspension or expulsion was recommended)...ahhhhh.
When I could lead a teacher to stop thinking about how he or she was taught 20 years ago, and identify strategies and techniques that actually led to higher achievement...mmmmmmmmmmmm.
And, since we all do have our egos, on those occasions when some graduating senior would come back to visit the middle school and say, "Mr. Lynch, you made a difference in my life." Or when a foreign student said, "Mr. Lynch, you're the only one who likes us, even though you don't have to" (which, now that I think about it, was said by a Buddhist student), although they were wrong about other teachers not liking them. Well, sublime.
Server at IHOP. I did for 3 years before getting my government job and kept it as a 2nd job for another 2 years after that. I'm such a people person and loved the grave yard shift! The other waitresses would hate dealing with all the drunk, high, club goers...but I was all into it! I knew when all the clubs closed, and who my regulars were. 11 pm to 6 am.
I learned alot about treating people the same there.You never know who will tip you... and how much.
I was a Super Server!!!! I still miss it....the cube here sucks...hahaha
@vinlyn my mom was a school psychologist in special education and also found her job challenging. I think she felt caught in the middle of parents and teachers.
@Jeffrey
Natural gas service technician.
I average about 6 clients in their homes each day.
Mostly the same clients who I've seen annually for the last 30+ years.
Usually they sit beside me while I work on their equipment, where we both catch up on what we both have learned in the last year.
Tea, goodies and nice folks is the common fill of my work day.
It just doesn't feel like a job.
What can you say when someone presents you with a muffin with a burning candle on it.
When I ask "what is this about?" and she says "It's for us. It's our 30th anniversary."
Yes, I can see that. Guidance counselors sometimes feel that way, as well. Special ed is always a challenge!!!!!
Left the tightly-wrapped, well-educated, very white, well-coiffed world of book publishing, took a huge pay cut and became a newspaper reporter... besides the work itself, I loved sitting in a newsroom with cigarette smoke in the air and butts on the floor, typewriters (look it up
) blazing, and cuss words flying as deadline approached... a roomful of people screaming into their phones. It was a world that invited you to be interested in everything -- or anyway it did for me. Besides loving stories and learning a little about letting them go, I also outgrew the idealism of "doing good" and learned a little something about doing as much good as I could. I quit after five years because a spiritual interest began to nag ... and then I took up my second favorite job -- painting apartments while learning the Zen game.
Mostly propane for me. Primarily fireplaces. It's the first job I truly enjoy. The customers do make it worthwhile.
"best job you ever had"
"Living" is the best job... it's never boring always things happening, meeting lots of interesting people...
Second best job is a shared position, both involve helping others to help themselves...
Over the years @Jeffrey I've lost count of the number of jobs I've had : shops, factories, restaurants, clerical, technical, even sold flowers at a market in Helsinki ... I can honestly say that I've never worked at a job I didn't like (Well apart for one which was working on a car assembly production line[General Motors-before the advent of robotic assemblers]- I lasted 2 hours)
Stay at home mom
I worked most of my life starting at 15, dishwashing, retail, call center management. But I like this the best. I do miss having regular time with other adults, but it's forced me to spend more time with myself which has been good. I am ready to think about going back to work now that all 3 of our kids are in full time school, but I refuse (I am lucky to have that luxury) to work a job that requires me to sell my soul to the corporate demons. I have some things in mind, but I have plenty of time to be patient until a job I want is available.
Really, of course, I am a housekeeper, pet caretaker, diabetes, asthma, allergy and ADD expert, taxi driver, tutor, minor repair person, decorator, launderer, cook, meal planner, financial adviser, event planner, seamstress, elder care worker, errand runner, teacher, psychologist, booboo kisser, computer fix-it person, tax preparer, FAFSA preparer, college prep adviser, parole officer, judge, deal finder...
Here I thought when I quit my job 5 years ago I'd be bored. Ha! Oh, and can't forget plenty of time to be a pain-in-the-ass parent for those principals, @vinlyn
Actually, the principal here is a former classmate and childhood friend, so, no issues there. When I was in school, our principal still paddled kids and whacked them with yard sticks. Interestingly, he is now a member of our Buddhist sangha, lol.
Most parents a principal never even meets. A majority a nice and supportive. The nuts are tough to work with.
I work as a personal training manager at a gym. My team are my friends as well as my clients.
It's a fantastic job. Downside is it's emotionally draining and high energy requirement. But hey i love it. (Most days)
Before this, I worked as a police officer and I did casino security( not so loveable jobs but great experience)
Raising my kids (challenging but extremely rewarding!)
The pay is lousy though......
The job I most enjoyed was being an Information Analyst for the ambulance service, doing audit and research on pre-hospital care. I used to go out observation with the crews on emergency calls from time to time, that was great fun!
Actually, I have to say, the job I have now is pretty amazing....
I can't believe how nice everyone is.
You know when you join a company and there's an established workforce, you will inevitably encounter 'cliques' of people... little close-knit groups of colleagues who have almost set up little individual 'intimate' clubs... Not here.
Everyone has been equally sociable, helpful, welcoming, receptive.... it's a BIG company but the branch is small, so the atmosphere is genuinely familial...
Two examples: Yesterday I had to work, but felt really awful. I vowed during my break I would pop across the road (literally) into the chemists and dose myself up with any remedy that might at least relieve the symptoms... Got to work, found I'd left my bank card at home. During my break, two colleagues remarked on how poorly I looked, and asked whether I'd taken anything. I briefly explained my problem, regarding no cash.
One colleague - not one I had previously even met, due to different shift patterns - pulled out a £20.00 note, handed it to me, and said, "You need to buy something, you must feel dreadful you poor thing. Go and buy something now, pay me back whenever." That's just unusual, to say the least.
Second thing:
During my stint on the shop floor, I had a client present several items in our sale. She had noted one was badly marked with dust, and had make-up on the neck-line.
She asked for a further reduction.
I pointed out that, this being the case, it was doubtful the item could subsequently be returned. She agreed.
A supervisor attended, and the lady was given a further25% discount on the item. It was confirmed the item would now be non-returnable.
I continued putting the remaining items through the till.
I then picked up another blouse and saw myself, that there were foundation make-up mark on the front and collar.
I stopped the transaction, and took it upon myself to call a supervisor.
A different one attended, and informed the client we could probably only give 10% discount.
At this point, the client grew a little irritated, and suggested that a better inspection of sale items should have been conducted; after all, the items were all reduced in price, by hand. She commended me for having noticed the soiled item, and said that if I had managed it, whoever priced the item should have done too. Besides, the previous supervisor had agreed a further 25%, with an agreed no-return policy.
The second supervisor went away and returned shortly afterwards, amended the information in the till, and gave the customer 25% discount with the same return policy.
I then completed the transaction.
later in the day, the same 2 supervisors were behind the check-out counter with me, and were discussing what had happened.
At one point, I apologised for the disruption, but explained that I could not, in all good conscience, have permitted the garment to go through 'un-noticed'. I saw the soiling, and felt compelled to bring it to the client's attention, because I honestly felt the company's reputation mattered.
The second supervisor laid her hand on my arm and said "Fede, you did EXACTLY the right thing. And I think this highlights a flaw in our desire to serve the customer properly, because those marks should have been seen and dealt with, on both garments, before any customer ever laid eyes on them."
Now, she was the one who was put on the spot by the client, and could have borne a bit of a grudge or resentment towards me for having brought it to attention. It was she with whom the client got irritated, and it was she who had to seek clearance from higher up to pursue a higher discount.
But she immediately complimented me on being observant, and having given the customer good service. In front of others. During work time, on the shop floor.
This is rare in the workplace.
I'm keeping this job for as long as I ever can!!
I've worked in many fields. I had a long lasting position as a teacher and researcher in the local university (and I still give lectures time to time). There were many tasks I enjoyed a lot and I succeeded in my narrow branch of science. But that world was not for me - too much "noise" around me. After that I published books which was a financial catastrophe, but still a good experience. Perhaps my best work has been as a postman when I was young.
As a postman I had an independent work that gave me a satisfactory living. It was like a simple game I played every day, but every day was different enough. Easy life.
I've had a lot of independent jobs, it's a good feeling. Nothing worse than a boss breathing down your neck!
@SpinyNorman ... no boss breathing down your neck has at least one disadvantage I can think of: You no longer have somebody else to blame.
LOL yeah, being lower on the totem pole means the buck stops with someone else
I think I'd have a hard time being my own boss, as a totally independent worker. Especially because I have no desire to have to find or pay for my own health/dental/vision insurance. I don't think I have it in me to put in the hours, like to own my own business or whatever. I don't want the responsibility of having to work 16 hours so that I have enough money to pay the bills, or having to pay employees. Target just got rid of 1700 employees this week (they are in my state, and I know many people who work for their corporate offices). I can't imagine making those decisions. My business would go out of business very quickly because I'd never be able to fire someone, lol.
"best job you ever had"
Apprentice Buddha...The pay sucks the hours are terrible and there's a lot of sitting around doing nothing...But the rewards in the end are well worth the apprenticeship...I've only got a few lifetimes to go before entering full Buddhahood ...I can't wait
U da dog!
The buck stops and the work begins . . . Well said. The mahasiddhis and Mahayanists get no respite, carry on as normal.
The best job I ever had was a posting to an army intelligence unit in Northern Ireland during The Troubles.
The section I was posted to did something sneaky called 'covert IED disposal'; they diffused bombs and did other nefarious stuff on the quiet. Some of it was quite cloak 'n' dagger stuff.
For example, if an informant (a terrorist himself) passed on some information giving the details of where an IED was hidden, the SAS would be deployed as protection and my boss would go out - normally in the dead of night - and make the IED safe (maybe he'd dummy the fuse). In this way, the IED wouldn't explode, the terrorists would think (hopefully) "Oh, it was a manufacturing defect", the informant would be kept safe from an investigation by the terrorists, and no-one would be killed.
I didn't do anything glamorous; I was just a driver/dog's body, but I got a civilian vehicle (for my own personal use too), I didn't wear military uniform, I carried a PPW (personal protection weapon; a Browning 9mm), I could grow my hair as long as I liked, and I felt a bit like a Japanese-Geordie James Bond.
The 'green units' on camp didn't like us very much, because we all thought of ourselves as rather special and different from them.
It was an extremely interesting posting though and I heard lots of stories about the how these intelligence agencies worked. Some of them were very funny too. Others were quite disturbing.
Not if you're self-employed, but I was thinking of jobs where you have a boss but rarely see them.
This thread reminds me of a sketch by Peter Cook and Dudley Moore about "the worst job I ever had". It involves Jane Mansfield and lobsters and isn't fit for polite company, but it's very funny if you come across it.....
@spinynorman -- It made me feel as if I were back in high school.
That sketch reminded me of an English friend who got sometimes really pissed off due to my English that was a bit too RP'ish for his taste.
My favourite was working in a Dharma Office.
Temple next door. Companions all weirdos and Buddhists. Free teachings and as much meditation/practice as you liked. Leaving for half an hour to meditate anytime was perfectly acceptable.
Very funny?......Ummmm.....guess I had to have been there. I couldn't even force myself to laugh. Lobsters out of a girl's bum punctuated with burps? I'll go with very stupid instead.
That sketch was fun for my taste.
I was just thinking about this
. I like how people are mentioning 'simple' things.
So much work, especially based on what is on offer for your standard graduate, just seems so boring and meaningless and the fundamental goal is about making money for yourself or someone else. I just will not do that, I'd rather be broke.
I recently just quit my job at a law firm, I loveeed the people there but the job was mind numbing, felt super meaningless (getting car insurers money back) and just was not 'me' at all. I have traded it in for dog boarding, dog walking and cat sitting. Ideally I want to get enough work to live simply and then the rest of my time with volunteering with the homeless and domestic violence victims and 'being a Buddhist' - meditating, helping out at the Buddhist center and maybe, hopefully I will start up a blog and do some writing (but I am not betting on any money coming in). So, it's all in transit. I just think work as much as you NEED to work and then give yourself as much time to live and do what you really want as possible. The best job is what allows you to do that and doesn't make you question your life and dread Monday morning.