POLL: Occupations

by Angst 46 Replies latest jw friends

  • Mommie Dark
    Mommie Dark

    Jobs, jobs, jobs... I've been a poster-and-incense packer in a hippiedippie warehouse factory, worked on a plastics manufacturing assembly line, spent several years as a nursing assistant: these were in my early years when I was also caring for grade-school-age sibs. I was a nanny for a couple years before I had my kids. After my babies got school age, and I was back in the cult, I worked in various janitorial jobs in private homes and offices(most of the pioneers I knew in OH and TX worked some sort of cleaning jobs). After deculting I did some contract paperwork for FmHA, processing interest credit renewals on gov't mortgages. My last employment was as receptionist/office manager/nanny to a chiropractor.

    Presently I am a stay-at-home mom, domestic goddess, iconoclast, and, if I ever break this smegging writer's block, I hope to serve as amanuensis to the zeitgeist. Right now I couldn't transcribe a Muse's sneeze...ah well...at least the domestic goddess schtick is going well...

    As always,
    Mommie D.

  • patio34
    patio34

    Hi all,

    It's so nice to get to know a little bit more about everyone!

    When a dub, I worked in cleaning (hated it!) for a while, then 'den mother' for a bunch of paperboys part-time, then secretary, and am still an executive sec'y for an extraordinarily nice executive.

    Ironic, he's an atheist/evolutionist/ Unitarian and when I was a dub (up till 7 months ago) it was troubling as we often had discussions about evolution. He always seemed to win!

    But then, I had my 'aha!' moment about dinasours (another story), and went over to the other side.

    But I digress. A secretary I've been for about 15 years.

    Pat

  • Tatiana
    Tatiana

    After my divorce, I went back to school, taking Fashion Merchandising. But, with 3 babies at home, and no family, had to quit after 2 years. Got a job as an aide to a therapist at Whitten Center, in Clinton, SC. A facilty for mentally disabled persons. I got too attached to the people there. Especially the children. Would go home crying every day.
    Decided to focus on my sewing skills. Worked doing alterations in a nice boutique. Also working on the side doing weddings, prom dresses, and making clothes for all the brothers and sisters at the KH.

    Then worked in a factory making thousands of T-shirts for a shop in Myrtle Beach. Hated it. Worked in another clothing store for a few years. Started promoting fashion shows for different stores, sorority groups, clubs. Then started designing and making clothes for the shows. Unfortunately, there's only so much you can do in SC when it comes to fashion.

    Moved to Chicago. Started making stage costumes for a local band. Lots of "goth" clothing. I actually made the long coat Pinhead wears in Hellraiser for a member of a band. Wasn't making enough money. Started in sales at Montgomery Ward. Worked there for six and a half years. Laid off in March of this year, when they slammed the door. Unemployment right now. Applied and accepted at Northwestern. So, I'm starting over. Do not want retail or sales jobs ever again.

    Trying to figure out what will make me happy.

    April

    "Love never dies." Voivodul Vlad Draculea (from Bram Stoker's Dracula-1992)

  • Amazing
    Amazing

    Started out in electro-mechanical design and engineering. Ended up in nuclear power operations, research and test engineering. This was my career during all the years I was a JW. - Amazing

  • MegaDude
    MegaDude

    What a retro memory this thread is taking me on. LOL.

    Everyone -- and I mean everyone -- in my old congregation were janitors, and I did that work too growing up. I cleaned butcher shops, movie theaters, and stripped and waxed more floors than I care to remember. It taught me a great truth about life: I didn't want to be a janitor.

    Went to the court reporting school, although the local PO yelled at me that I was "throwing my life away" in front of the whole congregation. These days I'm doing well in my field, and was offered full partnership/ownership in the firm I work at in Dallas, Texas.
    Although court reporting is not the career I would have chosen if I had been encouraged to combine my passions and interests with education, it's a helluva good job and beats swabbing out toliets any freaking day of the week. :)

  • JBean
    JBean

    I've been in the consulting industry for abt. 15 years, doing administrative work... now an office mgr. My life's dream was to be a broadway actress... but alas, according to my dad, all actors are "whores"... so they refused to let me go to acting school. (Although I was allowed, after many sessions of arguing, to act/sing/dance in any and all school plays, summer stock, etc.... and I also was enrolled in music & dance classes from the age of about 5 yrs. on! go figure.) Some say it's never too late... ya never know!

  • Abaddon
    Abaddon

    Let's see if anyone can beat my total!

    I left school with 4 'O' levels; I was going to do 'A's, but just couldn't be arsed as my parents had never, not once, encouraged me in any academic way what-so-ever, as long as I got a D or a C they didn't care. I guess American style that would be 'barely got out of High School'. Growing up I worked at my brother's stables a bit, and as a book order packer for a Veterinary Association.

    I started work in the Civil Service, but left after 18 months as I was bored shitless.

    I then worked as a Shelf-Stacker (part-time) whilst Auxing. I really don't know which was worse. I also did some maintenance jobs and some window cleaning.

    I then worked as a Order Picker for a Mail-Order Company (a bike specialist), getting transferred to the 'phone after two weeks 'cause the boss heard me handle two calls at once whilst everyone was on lunch. I got promoted to the Custom Order Manager. Great job, as I was a bike freak at the time.

    I moved to Recruitment Consultancy for a few months when I was going to get married, as I needed the money, but the company let me go after I got back from honeymoon. Never been so pleased to be fired in my life. Imagine every unpleasent personality you've known in one room.

    I did a bit of work as a cycle courier, and about a week as a cab driver.

    Then I worked in Telesales, followed by managing Customer Services for a Mountain Bike Company, going on to design a range of bikes (1989 Muddy Foxes if ya wanna know). Another great job, but I got shafted by an Office Manager they bought in who wanted his own boys in position. The bastard got fired about nine months after I walked out, and the company went bankrupt after abut eighteen months. Hahahahahaha.

    I moved out of London and worked for an Advertising Agency as an Account Executive for a few months. This was around the time of Desert Storm, and my company went under with the resulting cut-backs everyone made.

    I was unemployed for about seven months.

    Then I worked for a radio station as an Advertising Sales Executive. About this time I began to detest sales. I remember sitting talking to this builder one day, knowing that what he could afford to spend on advertising wasn't enough to re-coup the costs, and that it was either my commision or his kids holiday. Ugh.

    Along with a few other major changes in my life (leaving my marriage and the Dubs), I left work and started College, getting the equivalent of the 'A'levels I'd missed out on in one year instead of three.

    This meant I could go to University. All through this period I was working in clubs or pubs as a barman. I also, during the Summer holidays worked variously as a T-Shirt packer, Cold-Sore Cream display stand builder, Motorcycle courier, Bookmakers Clerk (on-site), Warehouseman (in a refridgerated warehouse!), Milk-Carton watcher of them on the conveyor belt and stacker of the pallets that I stacked as they rolled off the conveyor belt (the worst job ever), drug dealer, singer in a band (I got paid, it was work), and a few that were so dull I can't recall them at all.

    Also at University I edited the Student's Newspaper, and was a student rep for bus company, and a student guide for foreign students - which is how I met my girlfriend.

    It all went a tad awry when I gave myself up for fraud. I'd been rather creative about getting student funding, and for a variety of reasons decided to own up. Rather than finishing Uni' I had to get a job to pay the fine, and be available for Community Service. This meant a stint working for a Builders Merchant in telesales, and then some time in a 'phone company in customer services, before getting a job in a Call Centre. My Community Service was 240 hours of carpentry.

    I got promoted twice in short order, including getting a 57% payrise when I made got made an Account Manager. But the job bored me, so I chucked it in and started a 'Web-Design Company'. The ' and ' are 'cause I never really got it off the ground as I was using the freedom of not working 40 hours a week to basically spend as much time with my girlfriend in Holland as I could, and studying to complete my degree.

    After a year I got a job in Holland and moved countires. I got screwed over by a language school before starting with my current employers, a Computer Manufacturer, where I started on the 'phones just under a year ago in the IT Department. I'm now Assistant Manager. I must be doing something right but I'm buggered if I know what it is.

    On October 12th I take the final exam that when combined with my full-time work at Uni and two years of part-time work will finally get me my fucking degree.

    Adding up identical jobs I had in different places (like barman) and different postions in different companies, that's 46 jobs I think. I don't know if that's good or bad!

    I actually want to write, or be in a band, or just win pot loads of money, but I'm with the gal I love now, so I can wait for more dreams to come true.

    Keep on rocking in the free world...

  • bonnie38
    bonnie38

    I work full-time as a registered nurse and part-time in sales.

  • spike
    spike

    I was a stay at home mom who did seasonal work at factories and some work at Wal-mart. The last job was janitor work for state university. But after a severe car accident, I now can't work. So l surf the net and plan my escape from the WTS. Life sucks if an occupation defines you.

  • WhyNow2000
    WhyNow2000

    My parents always put emphasis the value of education. I was lucky enought to go to collage. As a witness I was CPA and still am. Mind you that my dad was an elder and my mom was pioneer. We were not good examples:-).....Many tired to show us the value of NO education...Service, service, and more service. What could be better than that??? Glad I didn't listen to them.

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