What's the best or worst job you've ever had and why?

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I'm 17, so I've only had one job. I worked part-time at Tim Hortons and HATED IT. The biggest problem I had was with my coworkers. I know office politics and gossip are unavoidable, but these people were in their 30s and spoke as if they were still stuck in the 8th grade! My supervisor liked to go into detail about his relationships and sex life in front of everyone - even the restaurant owner.

I left the job after two months because I was stressed out to the max from working in such a fast-paced environment. At the time I just thought I was being weak and ungrateful for even having a job when there are so few available. I now realize that it was the sensory overload that was making me so uncomfortable. When I'd feel most overwhelmed and business was slow, I'd go hide in the freezer for a few minutes

I'd really like to work as a shelving page at our local library. I need to work before leaving for college next year to pay for my car insurance (I'm on my parent's plan and the rate doubles when I start driving). I know I sound like a typical bratty teenager, but I really don't want to go back to work. I'm terrified of ending up in the same bad work environment that I left last year. I just want a slow-paced, easygoing job. Putting books away sounds like heaven.

My first job lasted 7 years at a Big Box home improvement store (similar to Home Depot). I held many positions but the two that stick out were:
Best
Since I enjoyed working alone, and assisted with getting up the Garden Centre for several years, it was decided I should be in charge of maintaining inventory levels of soil, sand, etc for an entire summer. To say this was a dream job would be an understatement. My supervisor was tough but fair and trusted me to do a good job. I worked late almost every day and couldn't wait to get to work. In short, I completely turned my area around and maintained it to an obsessive degree. I later found out that I single handedly increased profits by over 25% even though year to year store sales were stagnant but of course all the credit was stolen from me.

Worst
I started off as a cashier part time and that was okay, but one summer I did it full time for 5 months. I honestly don't see how any sane person can do it. Not that the customers were that bad (although I saw some very crazy things) but wow it was so boring doing the same thing over and over and over again. It didn't help that I was lightning quick too! I might have been skilled but I HATED doing that kind of work and finally got moved to pushing carts two years after starting to my eternal gratitude.

Dishonourable mention to the time I had a boss who was a flat out sociopath who watched my every move and hated my guts but mercifully he was promoted a short time later.

My best was as a software developer working on image analysis applications in a scientific environmment. I had to write programs that analysed images and obtained data from them. I had to use all my logic and analytical skills and there was lots of maths involved. It was only a 1 year contract.

Worst: I worked at McDonald for 1 day and I got told to go home because my socks were white! Can you believe? The manageress said I had to go home and not come back until I had some black socks. So I didn't go back. The job was crap and all I did all day was fill up baskets of frozen fries, and sweated like a dog.

I'm working for a store that's usually in malls that sells trinkets and memories type stuff to be engraved on. I got pretty lucky with this one I think. It's only seasonal. I got 12ish hours a week and (mostly) all I have to do is work the engraving machine and engrave the things that people buy. Sometimes I talk to the customers but it's mostly the other associates who do that part. It's repetitive and predictable. When someone does come in and I end up talking to them there's usually a script that everyone else says in the store that I do too. I don't try to make it any more or any less than what the others do. However, the worst part is when I get asked to "ring someone up" on the cash register. I think about how the person probably thinks I'm stupid cause I don't really know what I'm doing when it comes to the cash register, I'm thinking about how this person is probably thinking something like, "c'mon I don't have all day". So, my brain freezes up and even though I love computers, I have problems working the cash register and even using the keyboard I freeze up, like I can't find the keys. Other than that being a bit embarrassing, it's pretty "chill".

Worst job: dunkin' donuts. Worst 8 months of my life! My coworkers and my managers used to all make fun of me on the job as I had to take care of the afternoon rushes on my own. The only employee who cares about the quality of the food and service was me, no one else did. And they gave me more hours when I asked for less. The only things I liked about it were the tips and the free food and coffee.

Best job: chick-fil-a. I've been there for 8 months so far. Started out at the front counter with the "guests", and a lot of mine ended up being fellow whovians. I asked ton try working in the kitchen 6 months later, and it was the best decision I ever made there. We have more freedom, like joking around more often, and playing music. A couple of my coworkers and I spend our Sundays hanging out with each other after a team building day. Not to mention, I get a lot of support from my coworkers and my boss for being so involved in music in school

Worst job:
Working as a technician for a small engineer's office. Part of the time I had to do documentation for cranes (that was ok), the rest of the time I should have done programming of production machines - that would have been great, but it didn't happen. Instead, my boss sent me with a co-worker to a customer with whom he had a contract for maintaining and repairing their machines. That was a small meat processing company.. It was cold there and disgusting, and I had to repair machines I didn't know anything about. And my boss told me I mustn't appear so insecure towards the customer. He was really a big a****** (I'm not allowed to write that here, am I?). He was so controlling and I got the feeling he didn't trust me at all. Maybe he thought I was a secret rebel, although I tried hard to meet his expectations (even when his orders were sometimes stupid -.- ). Once I bought some folders (maybe five) for documentations at a nearby shop, and when he saw them the next day he made a big scene because he didn't like their colour!! That was when I decided to quit.


Best jobs:
First: Internship during my vocational training, at a small production for very specialized machines used to mix contrast agent. My work consisted mainly of soldering devices on circuit boards, modifying cables with special connectors and assembling machines.
The (few) people there were all very nice.

Second: Part-time volunteering (as part of a German governmental program) at an organic farm. I didn't like the farm's organization, though (it belonged to some trust and I'm 100% sure the founders only created this trust to save taxes -.- ), and stopped working there after five months. So there had been problems among the staff, but the work itself was really great. I took care for small groups of animals (few sheep and goats, two pigs, few rabbits and some more geese and chicken) and did vegetable gardening. Physically, it was a challenge, but I liked how I grew stronger through this work. Mentally, it was rather relaxing. Being outside most of the time, in a calm environment, surrounded by nature, doing repetitive work (but also diversified, as there were different tasks to do every day!), the feeling to do something important and basic, getting a connection to what you eat, and the relationship to animals. Now that I think about it, it's just perfect to do old-fashioned farm work for someone with ASD! But not at today's industrialized farms, of course, so this is not a real option to earn money.

Worst job: A supermarket job that paid $8.25 an hour. I was payed that same rate for an additional five years before I finally quit. Now why did I stay? Well, I was a young college student who used college as an excuse to stay at the same, easy, low wage, dead end job. I was afraid of change and I guess I had the Peter Pan syndrome of not wanting to grow up. But I eventually snapped out of it and got the hell out of there.

Best job so far money wise. Merchandiser for a soda company. I get 15 dollars an hour but it's part-time and the job can be very physically demanding.

Best job so far working condition wise. Data entry/reconciliation specialist for an IT company. I get to work on a computer all day, by myself and barely have to get out of my chair and get paid 13 an hour as a temp but would get a pay increase and benefits if I get hired permanently.

But I still feel I am not where I want to be as I've only graduated college and escaped my low wage job a few years ago. I think the best job I could get would be a technical writer. That is my goal. With more graduate courses and an internship in that field, I hope to get there in 2-4 years.

Worst job : Working in the film industry.
Position : P.A (aka production assistant), I would work 18 to 20 hours a day for months, didn't get all of my days paid, was the first one on set and the last one to leave, I was badly treated by everyone, I was bringing coffee, running errands, doing the dirty work and didn't even get a break during lunch or dinner breaks and sit down with the crew because the production send me off to run errands during breaks. Plus being called "kid" or "boy" or any other word didn't go very well.

Best job : Working in the film industry.
Position : Director, I was 22 and given my first chance at directing my own movie, it was a short film but I had a producer who trusted me with the 30k budget, I was creating, I was making something, I was doing what I love most, and because it was my first directing job it wasn't the easiest, hours where long, it was hard but I just loved it and will always have a special spot for me. And that short allowed me to pursue directing, mostly music videos, some commercials and more shorts.

The worst job I ever had was pizza delivery...Humiliating, soul crushing, and you wore cars out constantly...

The best job is the one I have now, I am a paint prep tech for a dealership here in my town. Basically it is a 180 degree opposite of pizza delivery. I work 7-4 every day( no weekends), I get paid time off, I actually have respect and am actually acknowledged for the hard work I put in, I don't deal with customers, the pay is good, the work itself is actually fun( you never really know what to expect some times) and my co-workers and supervisors/managers are awesome! In fact, my immediate supervisor( head painter) and I get along great. As I do with several of the body techs and the painter. Which is interesting as the painter and head painter have told me I am actually the first prep tech they actually like. They have gotten rid of several prep techs over the 10 years they have been there. Basically told me I am the only one who is not an as*hole, I show up on time every day, I stay late( I complain for about 5 minutes, but after a cigarette I just shut up and do it)...I have had this job for 14 months now. How I got the job was rather interesting and fortunate. I have a 1993 Ford Probe GT which I broke the rocker molding off of last July. I went for an estimate and the insurance wanted to total it out since repairs would cost 1000 dollars. I ended up getting a part for 50 and the work done for 225, and while I was sitting waiting for the estimator, I asked for an application...two weeks later, I was starting. I had a job at a car wash, but the hours were sporadic, sadly, I was only able to give a week's notice, but the managers there understood so there were no hard feelings...

Ive only had one real job and that was working at a summer camp for 6-12 year olds... 8hrs a day 5 days a week, only a week between school ending/starting again and the beginning/end of camp. I said and did a couple wrong things (apparently 7 year old girls parents dont appreciate that i wanted to preserve a giant bee we caught. It was the kids who said they wanted to watch it die, it wasnt my idea to tape it to the wall in a baggie...) and the big boss hated me.

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