Most of us are looking for that one great job. The one that fits our character, persona, or whatever you want to call it. After a long stream of bad jobs, some of us might even reach the point where we ask ourselves, “Is it even out there?”

Fast Food

I have been working since I was sixteen-years-old. My first job was actually fast food. This time was probably my most memorable at any job in the past. It may have been the unlimited supply of fried foods for lunch. Perhaps the out going nature of the business itself makes it stay so vivid in memory. If I analyze even further into a possible reason, I find that this job was very simple in nature of duties required of myself. On a daily basis, I was only required to do at most ten tasks at a time. Make ingredients, take orders, prepare food; the list was not very long indeed. The fact of the matter was that the duties were so limited in nature, that I was able to easily accomplish them and fine tune what I was already excelling at. Now you are probably thinking, “this guy is talking about a fast food joint, how fulfilling can that be?” And aside from pay, that is exactly what led me to my next job.

Telemarketing

Telemarketing; Well at least in a sense it was telemarketing. My next step in the world of work by the hour led me to an outbound telephone survey company. On the first day of this job I was so excited. I believe it was a two-week training process. The training course was time for those who were computer literate to suffer from severe boredom, and those who weren’t to frantically learn how to use Windows. Considering the fact that I hadn’t actually begun working at this point, the job was going great. About month passed, and I grew insane from the way the place operates. Not just the fact that I had continually try to con some random person into taking some marketing survey, but the company found it pertinent to keep all employees after scheduled hours at the end of busy days. Needless to say, I found ways to fill my vast amounts of time on the phone. At one point I remember taking a survey on the weather. With my best British accent, I embarked upon my greatest time spent at this job. Now that I think back, I am not sure why I chose to disguise my voice- perhaps it made the calls a bit more comical. That is to say, I called people and asked them how the weather had been going today. Most just answered, but there was this one kid caught on, and told me to go look at the weather channel. After a few days this grew old and I was once again in search for a decent job. However, this job did introduce me to the market research and data gathering techniques of the time.

Custodian

After a few strings had been pulled, I arrived at school with the title, “substitute-custodian.” You might be thinking this sounds quite bad, that is if you have never actually been one. This job gave me an enormous amount of knowledge, and even destroyed some longtime personal beliefs.
Despite popular opinion, being a janitor was not very dirty at all. Yes, you did have to touch dirt and trash about ninety-percent of the time, but after a week or so you were used to it. A lot of what you picked up was just what others had dropped. So it was not as though you were stepping into a world of bio-hazard suits and Ebola ridden monkeys. This world was one of people who are all too often forgotten for the work they do after hours and in between classes.
Beyond comparison, being a substitute-custodian was the most beneficial occupation I have had to date. One night I remember finding about ten full boxes of books. This shocked me. I couldn’t understand how a school could throw away books. It seemed to against my morals on some level. So I packed my car trunk, then I packed my back seat, and finally packed my passenger seat full. Yet, regrettably I could not save them all. However, I felt as though I had made a small dent in the damage. What I still find hilarious to this day, is the next day I worked the same shift, I discovered twice as many books to be thrown away. Schools throw away a lot of money every year in the form of old computers, books, electronics, and even I don’t know what else. Collectively, they do try to salvage some of it by holding auctions and sales annually. It does seem hypocritical that schools in my area are always asking for more funds for some new or existing project, but are unwilling to implement a plan to effectively sell what they do not want.

Web Design

Chronologically speaking, you find me now at my next moral obligation. Times had changed, and so had my education. Working as a graphic and web designer for a short time only taught me literally one thing; never allow what others to openly speak amongst themselves if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Especially when it comes to race related remarks. If you do not speak up for what you believe in, and you truly feel passionate about your stance, things will surely escalate. Like I said, it was a short stay. But they will just call it, ‘a conflict of interests…’

Gas Station

Next, I call this job an, ‘in between,’ because that’s all it really was. Working at a gas station has to be the least fulfilling job available. The best and possibly worst part being that you would find yourself wondering if you are ever going to get robbed, shot, or both. And a note to those who like to remain sane- don’t work graveyard. Yet as I delve into time spent at this job a bit more, I did gain something. With all the time spent alone at night standing and waiting for the hours to fly by, I made my motives clear. I was not going to do this forever. Working this way left me with nothing to show. The pay was so small, and I gained no real experience from the job at all.

More Customer Service

So we arrive at present. Call center representative (it does have a more professional title than the previous.) After years of working, I truthfully can’t just classify the job I am working at into a, ‘life skill learned.’ Maybe it’s that time seems to be passing so quickly at this job. Perhaps I am starting to reach boredom again. It could also be my previous job ideals carrying over to this job. You can’t be certain where things will go in the future, and neither can I. But let’s just say that I am optimistic about where I see my life in the future.