What's the worst job you've ever had?
August 9, 2023 | Sparkle Wednesday
Finding a good job can be challenging.
I remember when I was in my 20s and thought I landed my dream job. I had worked through college in restaurants - front-of-house, in the kitchen, I enjoyed working in hospitality, but I didn’t love the hours.
At one point, I answered a newspaper ad for a food salesperson. The position sounded great (at least it did in my head). This is how I pictured it. I'd get to know and be friends with (of course) top chefs and cool staff at the best restaurants (free food, good friends, nice hang). Of course, I’d be great at sales and fulfilled at my job, and my paycheck would be bountiful!
I landed the job! Yay!
Unfortunately, my story didn't turn out that way.
After arriving on my first day in my new business attire (yes, I bought a special professional-looking blazer), I discovered I wouldn't sell to restaurants. I'd be selling door-to-door. Even worse, I'd be selling meat door-to-door. Worse yet, I couldn't wear my cute blazer because I had to wear a polo shirt with the company's logo. Have you ever tried to sell meat door-to-door? It’s hard, near impossible. My trainer’s go-to line as he tapped the meat’s marbling with his ballpoint pen was, “Look at this meat, ain’t it great?”
I didn't last long. I knew right away this job wasn't for me.
So, what say you? What's the worst job you've ever had?
My worst job was working as a nurse at a convalescent home in San Diego. I was a new nurse, 25 years old with no experience and I was in charge of the entire facility on the evening shift. I had to wear a nurses cap so that families could identity the RN “on duty.”. Employees didn’t show up, routinely, we were desperately short staffed and it was pretty much unsafe. The daytime head nurse befriended me and said in her southern accent , “Your mother would hate that you’re working at this terrible place.” It was eye opening.
In my early twenties, I worked A LOT of hospitality jobs - mainly as a server. I worked as a waitress at a popular and iconic restaurant in Minneapolis called Rudolph's BBQ. (That's what they called the position back then.)
Rudolph's was open until 3 am, and working the late shift was terrible. Most guests came straight from the bar and just wanted some ribs to help sober them up. Anyway, the tips weren't great and working that late really messes with your sleep cycle. On top of that, the place was HUGE, and if you were stationed in the Marlene Dietrich room (all of the rooms were named after old movie stars - Rudolph Valentino, etc.), the station furthest from the kitchen, you'd be schlepping extremely heavy plates on a long trek and up a staircase. Not fun!