Friday, January 08, 2010

If you're unemployed, any job looks good.

Almost any job.

Some dismal employment numbers came in last week with the country shedding 85,000 more jobs. This makes the Reuters report on the best and worst jobs for 2010 almost beside the point. Even a crap job is better than no job at all.

If you haven't seen it, here's an abbreviated list of the best and worst:

Best Jobs in 2010:

1. Actuary - Yes, it pays well. No, there's no heaving lifting. Still, sitting at a desk all day juggling numbers would make my head explode. Best job? Not for me.

2. Software engineer - I'm glad they exist. I'm glad I'm not one of them.

3. Computer systems analyst - See above.

4. Biologist - What, besides teach biology, do they do?

5. Historian - Now you're talking. But the day after this report came out I heard a woman on NPR's business news say that for people with doctorates in history, this is a terrible job market. WTF?

Worst Jobs in 2010:

1. Roustabout - You work outside on an oil rig for very little money considering the risk. But you still get more chicks than an actuary.

2. Lumberjack - Same with this job. And did the History Channel ever make a TV show about software engineers? Nope.

3. Ironworker - Walking tall steel? Without a net? It may not pay what a meteorologist gets paid, but you don't need brass peaches to do the weather, either.

You know what I think? I think whoever came up with this list had the best job because they got paid for delivering pure bullshit. Firefighters, sailors and photojournalists on the Worst list? Those are great jobs compared to some of the scud work out there. Which tells me the people who put this list together have had a pretty cushy existence.

Being a firefighter has got to be better than working nights cleaning office buildings, working thr grill as a short order cook or driving spikes for the railroad. Trust me, I've done all three of those jobs and they all suck. The railroad gig paid pretty well, but it was hard goddamn work.

So, what's the worst job you've ever had? And if you could have your dream job, what would it be?

7 comments:

Jeff Shelby said...

Worst job: Scrubbing hospital mattresses and wheelchairs for three weeks as a temp job. I'm not sure if you know this - but those can get kinda gross.

Dream job: Basketball coach at UCLA. Or Jim Born's probation officer. Tough call...

The Nephew said...

Best Job: being George Clooney. Hands down.

My guidance councilor really let me down...

Rae said...

Worst job: Waitress for a lousy boss (waitress for a good boss can be worlds of fun).

Best job: Funeral director for an alternative mortuary service (focus on cremation rather than traditional burial). Really. I got to provide actual help to people when they needed it.

Dream job: One that doesn't require a cell phone or a blackberry - everyone else has one, and they're waiting for me to call at *my* convenience.

norby said...

Worst job-legal assistant for one month for a psycho bankruptcy attorney

Best job-so far, office assistant for a regional manager at Kmart-he was the best boss I've had so far

JD Rhoades said...

Worst job: being the junior associate in a firm where my managing partner was a fucking psychopath.

Best: club DJ. 10 bucks an hour to spin records, drink rum and chase cocktail waitresses. And they don't run all that fast.

Dream Job: full time writer.

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