Jobs That Pay Well For Absolutely No Reason
Reddit user FlintTheDad asked: 'What’s a job that pays extremely well for no reason?'
Though we may not like to think about it too much, we can all agree that living is getting more expensive by the week, and it's more important than ever to have a good, stable job.
But there are some jobs out there that have a questionable salary, though not in a bad way.
Redditor FlintTheDad asked:
"What's a job that pays extremely well for no reason?"
Slot Machine Repair
"Repairing slot machines. I'm currently at $32 per hour and the benefits package and vacation time are incredible. Some days are busy, but last year I managed to read a few books on shift."
- Ok-Sign5282
Support for Tech Support
"My job doesn't make six figures, but I'm overly compensated for making sure Tech Support doesn't cuss the customer out and pointing out what they could have done better."
"I'm not even the supervisor, I'm just the judgy f**k sitting in the corner office."
- judasmachine
Questionable Talent
"I worked as a recruiter for Microsoft during the pandemic. There was such a fever pitch for tech talent that we were basically throwing $175,000 checks per year at anyone with a pulse and a GitHub."
"We have a lot of amazing tech talent, but some of the people we hired had no business being there. Like, literally just twiddling their thumbs and handling one or two small kanban-type projects each week while reaping almost $200k a year. All of the big tech firms did."
"If you're wondering why they all laid so many people off, that's a big part of it. New hires now are being offered much smaller paychecks."
- Agatha_Penderghast
Management Consultant
"My job as a 'Management Consultant.'"
"I earn six figures and my only real task is to listen to my boss whine. That's it."
- BadAlphas
The Football Game
"Chase Daniel has been in the NFL for 14 seasons, has thrown 273 passes, started five games, and made 41 million dollars."
"Your answer is third-string quarterback."
- bargman
Mail Delivery
"Mail carrier for Canada Post. I make $230 a day (wages are based on route value) and I was home before 9 AM on Friday. I started at 7 AM."
"Mondays are longer, and Christmas can suck, but for 10 months of the year, I work a max of four hours a day. Unionized. Benefits that are better than Blue Cross and I pay $15 per month for PTO, personal days, etc. It's the best job I've ever had."
- skylla05
Genius Translation
"I once learned of a guy making 300k translating genius talk to others."
"He would talk to the genius engineers. They would tell him their ideas, since they are too socially awkward to do it themselves, and he would explain their idea to the rest of the team."
"That sounded like a great gig."
- SquirrelYogurt
Night Shifts at the Gym
"I get paid just under $80k working nights at a gym. Get all my work done in less than two hours and can basically do whatever for the other six. Watch football. Scroll Reddit. Whatever."
"Not awesome money but excellent for what I do."
- Human_Alternative_
Microphone Performances
"The 'let's get ready to rumble' guy and his brother, the 'it's time' guy, both make millions for holding a mike and saying a few lines."
- YouPeopleMakeNoSense
Birthday Party Clowns
"The average clown salary in the United States is $63,000 per year."
- mimzaroo
Lawn Mowing
"Honestly? Lawn mowing. I make ridiculous money running a landscaping and lawn care business (5%/95%). It’s hard to overestimate how much people will pay to avoid physical labor."
- SlothfulWhiteMag
9-1-1 Operator
"I'm a 911 operator and make $36 an hour with no degree needed."
"I mean, I do have to listen to some pretty f**ked up s**t, but luckily I've been emotionally dead for over a decade now so it works out well for me."
- Razvee
Medical Administration
"Medical administrator. I know a married couple with the same med admin bachelor's degree, and a one a year online master's in medical admin. They walked out of college into six-figure jobs over ten years ago and now make ~$500k each."
"I can't tell if they actually do anything for the hospital. During the pandemic, they took advantage of healthcare loans they didn't have to pay back. They also would post all sorts of (hashtag) front-line healthcare workers' s**t during the pandemic... from their second vacation home because they worked remotely the whole time. Scabs."
- secderpsi
Event Technology
"Event technology. 75,000 dollars per year to set up projectors and microphones. Most of the day consists of waiting to break everything down after the event. Lots of downtime, like a lot. I was able to finish my Associate's degree with all the downtime."
- Rock33A
Optics Retailer
"Optics."
"You can be a normal retail sales associate and sell eyeglasses at LensCrafters and make up to $29.00 plus commission plus paid time off, sick leave, retirement, health and dental insurance, and free annual eyewear with a high school diploma."
- JustSomeApparition
While some of these jobs are likely more work than these Redditors suggested, it's cool to see that there are jobs out there that pay more than the work required, which is a refreshing opposite to the many jobs in the world where people work way too much for far too little money.
People Explain What Career They'd Choose If A $400k Salary Was Guaranteed
Have you ever wondered what job people would pick if they knew they'd be financially stable?
Not rich; we're not talking "retire-in-luxury to Buenos Aires" level coin; just comfortable and with growth potential if you're smart about things.
If any job in the world put you at the precipice of stability - what would you *choose* to do?
Reddit user "talldmbfan" asked:
"If you got to pick any career/job and earned $400,000 no matter what, what career/job would you pick?"
Ya know ... a $400k salary sounds like it could be a few smart money choices away from the very serious business of picking just the right pun for my new boat's name or whatever it is rich people do with their time. So let's start there.
What WOULD Reddit do for work if people actually got to choose? Let's find out.
Ranger Danger
National Park California GIF by Ovation TVGiphy"Park ranger. Specifically at Banff National Park."
- Freshrendar
"Yeah, I was thinking the same. However, it’s becoming an increasingly dangerous job these days I have heard."
"One the one hand maybe it's just misbehaved tourists who are becoming increasingly obnoxious, and on the other hand hardened, armed criminals trying to do their business in private."
- Th3_accountant
"Criminals like hiding in National Parks, feeding themselves by spotlighting game (whatever they can shoot they will shoot) and using gill nets to catch dozens and dozens of fish."
"Each ranger has a LOT of area to keep under control, it’s not unheard of to pull over a truck and 5+ guys come out, fully armed and it’s just you by yourself until backup arrives."
- NE55IN
"Former Ranger here. The job and positions of a Park Ranger vary widely."
"It does have its perks and I really liked it, but it also sucks in ways and has big drawbacks. Humans are the worst animal to have to manage."
- TahoeClown
Effort And Criticism
sacha baron cohen hotel GIFGiphy"USD 400,000 per year, right? I’d say be a hotel / resort critic."
"That way I get to travel, stay comfortably & get paid for a rather (seemingly) low effort gig."
- PuneriPerson
"I've been in travel positions before, it's pretty fun for a bit but as 'spoiled' as it sounds, hotel and restaurant living get tiring after a while."
"Sometimes it's better to just come home to your loved ones or pet or whatever."
"I did that while I was single. I don't have kids, but I can't imagine being in that type of role when you do."
"Being away from them plus putting the entire burden of raising children on your spouse? Not for me."
- peon2
"I met a girl several months ago who is a travel journalist and gets paid to do this very thing!"
"While I do get envious of all her comped trips (since I met her several months ago she’s been on fully paid trips to Oaxaca, Curaçao, a couple of luxury Caribbean cruises and had to turn down a trip to the German Christmas markets) I get the impression her job is a lot more stressful than we’d all imagine."
"She says pretty much every minute of each trip is filled with activities she’s expected to write about with very little down time."
"She’s lived all over the world with her job but also never really put down any roots, so that’s a downside. Even so - I enjoy living vicariously through her travels!"
- Fuzzy-Donkey5538
Let's Go Lego
Awesome The Lego Movie GIF by TrolliGiphy"Lego set designer"
- JustStargazin
"A LEGOland near me just posted a position for a master builder and i was like 'f*ck yeah!' ..."
"except that it pays $12/hour."
- checkoutmyfish
"Yeees! This has been my dream job since I was a kid. Only reason I’ve never pursued it is because it doesnt pay well."
- bigtdgf
"I didn’t even think of that!"
"My cousin and I love legos soooo much, I have that Disney castle set and we are constantly making the most random things. If I became the top set designer, there would be a lot more weird sets lol"
- The_controler
Helping Hoarders
khj GIFGiphy"The same business I have now. I help the elderly and hoarders organize their homes. I quite a job that payed well and to do this and it is so rewarding."
"A simple tip: To maintain control over a hobby/collectables, designate a space for it. If it overflows that space, it is time to rethink the activity."
"It may mean finding a bigger space, or looking for outdated or unused items for that hobby. This helps to maintain control and keep the hobby from taking over."
- bsmknight
"This one sparks joy!"
- Zebracakes2009
"I’d love to know more about this. I worry I’m a hoarder sometimes."
- DarkAndSparkly
"I am not a psychologist so please take this with a grain of salt, but from my experience the term hoarder is often misused. Hopefully this will be helpful to you!"
"I have helped people who have ranged from perfectly normal to people with head trauma. Yes, they can all be categorized as different levels of hoarding, but I try and focus on the reason why they hoard, rather than the term itself."
"Customer 1: was a lady whose house was just a mess. Not disgusting, just nothing was organized. She had a lot going on and was feeling very overwhelmed and her place was taking a turn for the worst."
"She was a bit ashamed and kept indicating how she was a hoarder."
"In the end, over several sessions we cleared out the garage, the living room, the bedrooms, the dining room and never once did she hesitate to throw something away. She wasn't a hoarder, she was overwhelmed. So this was solely situational."
"Customer 2: Another lady, good friend of mine too, very much fit the typical hoarding situation. In her case she was just really bad at putting things away and thus everything ended up, everywhere."
"She still has this problem, but as long as I come over from time to time, stuff gets put away. She has been really good at throwing away or donating items, but she needs someone to sit down with her to help motivate her."
"Customer 3: A gentleman who was my inspiration to get into this business is probably the closest to the true nature of a hoarder."
"He received a blow to the head many years ago due to an accident. Because of that he has had difficulty staying on track. He looses focus frequently and thus things fall to the wayside."
"I go over from time to time to help him clean up. I will make him return stuff he buys when he really does not need it, because he easily becomes distracted. He forgets to return it or that he even bought it."
"I can get him to get rid of stuff, it just takes a good deal of prodding and coaxing."
"In the end, With all my customers I tell them to stop focusing on the negative. Don't worry if your a hoarder, rather spend that mental energy on what you can do to move forward."
"Tip: if you need an idea for a first step, Listen to a podcast or you tube video on organizing."
- bsmknight
A Place For Passion
Nervous Season 6 GIF by Paramount+Giphy"I’d want to own studio space where people could take classes, not just art or dancing but also like general hobbies to knitting, sculpting, writing, photography."
"I want to help people find a passion and explore it. And I’d be able to support others by paying them to teach their own passion."
- resigned-unicorn
"Look into maker spaces or hacker spaces. That literally exactly what they are!"
"I've seen them have facilities and classes ranging from running a cnc machine to beer brewing to programming."
"Membership is typically expensive (50-200 a month) but most give discounts or free membership for teaching classes.
Keep in mind I don't know if they are running with covid."
- vrek86
"There's a place near me called Handmade Toledo that does this!"
"The front of the building is a storefront where local artists, makers, and crafters can sell their stuff (anything from t-shirts and cards to candles and soaps, including snarky greeting cards and patches)."
"The back of the building is an events space where they have classes a few times a week, and a big event once or twice a year where more artisans come and sell their stuff."
- RagingAardvark
Dungeons, Dragons, And Daycare?
how to train your dragon smile GIFGiphy"I would run Dungeons and Dragons campaigns for k-6 graders to teach them about problem solving and conflict negotiation."
- snailsshouldvote
"I use D&D to teach conversation strategies and cross-cultural communication to Japanese university students and it’s f*cking great."
- Lord_Dimwit_Flathead
"I think every pre-school/lower school should hire you, this is a fantastic idea to implement those values while having fun!"
- OsamaBinnDabbin
"One of our friends runs dnd campaigns for kids as a way for them to work through their trauma."
"I don't know all the ins and outs, but it seems to help them. My husband has a 3D printer so he prints their mini figs for them."
- NurseMcStuffins
OK Go Away Now
Season 5 April GIF by Parks and RecreationGiphy"Reclusive writer"
"I’d like people to enjoy my work, but otherwise forget about me and leave me alone."
"I went to a lecture given by Andy Weir once and he said that writing is a great way to be famous because you’re famous for a few weeks when they make a movie out of your book and you get invited to parties and stuff and it’s a lot of fun, but then you get to go back to civilian life rather quickly because everyone forgets about you pretty fast."
"So you get a taste of the celebrity life every now and then but you’re not stuck in the spotlight all the time like someone in the film or music industries."
- Plantayne
"I second this! Reclusive writer would seriously be an awesome job to have and make $400,000 doing."
- DemonikKitten
"A mysterious person that everybody knows by what you do; but whose identity is unknown because all you put are your initials, rather than your full name? Before you know it, you're both the most famous yet unknown person that everybody is talking about."
"I'm in."
- BeltEuphoric
Here Kitty Kitty
cat lady cats GIFGiphy"Cat rescue and rehabilitation. I do it for free when I can, so it would be awesome to be paid for it and have actual resources."
- toxinogen
"My family used to do this as well and it was so much fun growing up with up to a dozen cats in a town house at a time."
- amtapp
"Had a friend who co-owned a rescue. It’s good work but man was there so much drama from cat people. Half of her energy was spent managing different crazy personalities who volunteered."
"She ended up stepping down to a smaller role and opening a cat cafe."
- bell37
These Actors Were Perfectly Cast In Their Roles | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Sometimes an actor comes along that is able to reach the audience on a deeper level. The actor that immediately comes to mind is Robin Williams. Although it ...Masters With No Money
shocked oh my GIFGiphy"Librarian. Let me teach all about and facilitate the free borrowing of books while arranging events and services that help bind and strengthen the community."
"I would do it if librarian pay could support even myself decently. A lot of public service jobs (like librarians and teachers amongst others) do not pay very well and it can be hard to support yourself on such a salary, let alone a family if you want to have one."
"Still, if the issue of being able to live on the salary is taken out of the equation, I would choose to be a librarian every time."
- AnotherBookWyrm
"Oh man, my mom was a librarian and it is a real calling for some and I so love and respect that."
"Librarians are amazing!!!!"
- rcher87
"This was absolutely my first thought as well."
"I was halfway to a master's degree in library science when I did several shadow sessions. Everyone I talked to had gone to school for library science and was working part time shelving books and waiting for a librarian position to open up. Unless I was willing to move, it really didn't seem like a good option."
- elletastic
"It's a profession where the expectation is to have a masters degree and the pay scale for the vast majority of positions does not reflect that."
"I AM a librarian and it would still be my answer for this thread, but you'll often get that because you have to want to do this job to do it for the kinds of pay you can expect."
"I'm just lucky I'm in an academic position rather than public as that tends to set the starting pay a bit higher."
- WalkingTarget
What's Up, Wonka?
Animated GIFGiphy"Ice cream truck driver, but everything is $1 or less. Or maybe running a candy shop."
"While I’m at my mentally draining job, I dream of just being able to make people smile, but I just can’t afford to live on the money that provides."
- fraxiiinus
"There was this man who had an ice-cream truck that went around my neighborhood (I lived near a small park) and he was so nice. He couldn’t speak English well, but he just radiated a warmth around him that can never be bought or sold."
- Closet_Couch_Potato
You know what Reddit would do, but what about you? If you had enough money to be comfortable, what job would you happily get up and go do?
Is there a job you wouldn't do even if someone offered you a $400k salary?
What's your labor worth? Let's talk about it, fam.
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Have you ever worked one of those jobs that just paid you to kinda sit there? If you have, you know the joy that comes with watching the entirety of Breaking Bad at the office while waiting for the phone to ring. It's pretty lit.
Wanna know where to apply? Check out the inside scoop from these Redditors. Rabahi asked:
What's a low effort job with a surprisingly high salary?
Ever wanna get paid large hourly wages to sit in a room and do nothing? Keep scrolling.
$35 an hour?!
“I once took a job as tape operator for a production company who was making a docu series.
I got paid $35 an hour to sit in a room overnight for 4 months with boxes of tapes, mark in/out points, and transfer digital copies to server.
It's still the easiest job I've ever had."
Best job in the world.
Dog Snuggling GIFGiphy“I once had a job at a dog kennel and my job was to sleep In a bedroom with a dog or two, provided a comfy bed & netflix/wifi. I was getting paid $30/hr to basically cuddle with dogs.”
“Why would one leave this job, for any reason?”
Uhhhh this is my dream job.
“In college I had to catalogue and convert old radio shows. I was literally paid to listen to old comedy shows. The actual 'work' was loading the reels and pressing a button.
Neat side effect is Looney Toons cartoons make more sense, I am getting more of the jokes, turns out they were just meme fests for their time.
I am most likely the only person under about 60 who has heard the entire run of "Fibber Mcgee and Molly’."
A great job that warrants a great pun.
“I worked as a massage "model" at a massage school. My job was to lay there and be massaged for a few hours while the students did their lessons or took their exams. It was £30 an hour which isn't loads, but better than the £10 an hour office job I had before.”
“Yeah, but sometimes that's the kind of job that can just rub you the wrong way.”
Other types of low-effort jobs just come with the fact that everyone at the workplaces knows their sh*t.
Being efficient has many perks.
Hacking Work From Home GIFGiphy“I do admin work for the Government. My pay is 55K. At best I get 5 emails a day with about 2 that actually concern me. No B.S; my phone has rang about 20 times since June 1st. On a super busy day I have about 45 mins worth of work to do.”
“No one wants to work in my position because they think it's extremely difficult. I spent maybe an hour today actually working.
I am super efficient so something that might take someone else 15 minutes takes me less than 5. I've also proven myself to be reliable so I don't have to justify my time with anyone like some people I work with. It's nice!”
The Best 'Actually, You're Speaking To The Boss' Experience | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Best part about having great coworkers.
“I.T. Manager at a university. The techs know their jobs, their users, and manage their own schedules and workloads among themselves. Managers basically just have to rubber-stamp timecards, confirm parts orders, and make sure the techs don't all take vacations at the same time."
“I think this is true with a lot of managers. If you hire good people, you don't have to do a whole lot. My Manager doesn't. We have a self-managing team for the most part. and our workload is medium-heavy, and we try to do as much proactive stuff, so we're not bothered on the weekend."
$120,000 to knit all day? Sounds fun.
“I have some relatives that work for the (US) Federal Government that often talk about jobs where they work in areas like Accounting and Project Management that make over $100,000 and might on a busy day have as much as two hours of actual work.
My Aunt was talking about this one older women near retirement that made over $120,000 a year and her only job was running some transactions every morning, which usually took no more than 20 minutes, then she would spend the rest of the day knitting at her desk.”
Low-effort jobs are the best jobs. Getting paid six figures to just chill? Sign me up.
That neighborino has a good gig.
homer simpson skiing GIFGiphy“My next door neighbour works in a power station. His job is to sit in front of a monitor and make sure everything is working well. If something goes wrong, he calls the appropriate work station and they fix the problem. Because an alarm sounds if something is out of sync (which rarely happens) he is able to play games or read a book 99% of the time. He is on $150 per hour to basically play games and chill at work.”
“Are you Ned Flanders?”
Valid question.
“As a closed captioner broadcaster for the News, I work from home. I set my own hours and earn anything from $50 to $70 per hour, depending on the assignment. It takes a lot of money to get started, but the payoff is well worth it.”
“Do you ever worry that auto-generated captions will take your job?
They're starting to get pretty good at it.”
A legend.
“Vanna White's job on Wheel of Fortune. She gets paid $4 million a year walking back and forth in 20 feet.”
“Hey she used to have to physically turn the tiles over… she paid her dues.”
Not every job is as good as Vanna White’s, but sometimes you can really get lucky with the jobs you land.
Now where do I apply?
The six figure salary is the crown jewel of professional aspirations.
That seductive, round-numbered, annual cash flow would provide a life of security for so many of us. Of course, getting to a job with that salary is easier said than done.
But plenty of people out here do have that salary.
They probably don't appear super rich when we see them walk around. They wear typical clothes and do typical things for fun. And yet they walk around on just a little bit more cushion.
A recent inspiring thread on Reddit showed that the $150K annual salary is absolutely possible.
Plaidshirt17 asked,
"Redditors who make over $150K/year, what do you do for a living and how did you get to that position?"
It wasn't surprising to see that plenty of people in the $150k echelon were involved in the tech sector in some way. Let's face it, that's where the money is.
Getting In Early
"I joined Apple in '02 as an engineer."
"My stock options were generous at the time, and even though I was more optimistic than most, Apple's financial performance surprised even me."
-- ReasonReader
Going Through the Motions
"I attend meetings that could've been emails and I pretend to code between said meetings. I solved brainteasers to get the position." -- eloel-
"I too am a Software Engineer." -- kingfrito_5005
Compensated Psychics
"I code, but that's the easy part of the job. The actual job is dealing with extremely eccentric personalities and being a mind-reader." -- Independent_Dog5167
"Right?! I'm still working on breaking 100k but already I've had to develop my mind-reading skills and hand hold and cater to the most obnoxious types of people." -- Knuckles316
Tough, But Worth It?
"Move to SF Bay Area where if you work your butt off and don't stop building skills in the tech field, a 150k job will fall into your lap."
"Took me 3 years to go from 0 to 150, but that was a 3 years I'll never want to do again."
-- SS324
Other people who make that much are specialists. They put in the time and work to amass a unique set of skills that made them indispensable--and financially valuable.
A LOT of Earth Knowledge
"Geologist / Geophysicist. I started as a physicist then decided I wanted to go camping more." -- thealbinorthino504
"This seems to be the way to go. I started as a geologist and went into geophysics, most of the class was physics students and our lecturer was a physics prof. He worked to his students and one by one the geology students failed." -- Zpaset
People Share The 'Dirty Secrets' That Their Bosses Don't Want Customers To Know
There's a lot businesses hope their customers believe, and there are many business practices you wouldn't dare believe. These are some of the secrets Reddit ...Life In School
"Doctor. Took 12 years of training after high school:"
- "4 years of undergrad
- 4 years of medical school
- 3 years of residency
- 1 year of fellowship"
"Average hours of work per week during residency was around 70. Busiest weeks involved working over 110 hours in 7 days."
-- drdiddlegg
One Step Backward, Two Steps Forward
"Went back to college for accounting at 27. Took a full time class load while working full time. The first public accounting job out of school (graduated at 33) was a $20k pay cut for me and required working at least 70 hours a week for a good part of the year."
"After two years, I got my CPA license and one of my previous professors called me up and hired me as the International Accounting Manager for a software company but I had to relocate, which I did. I worked there for two years and took the Controller position at an Aerospace Manufacturer. I now am right at $150k and hit that mark five and a half years out of school."
"Basically, worked my a** off, was willing to relocate, but also entered my current industry with ten years of management experience in the construction industry, which really helped to move quickly."
Indispensible
"CFO of a medium sized multinational company."
Worked a ton. Emphasized making everyone else's job easier. First one to volunteer to eat 'the black jelly beans.' "
"Always willing to relocate."
-- SpotCon
A Rare Setup
"Attorney. I went to law school, and then cultivated a practice in a lucrative regulatory area."
"I provide advice regarding an area where large companies touch the SEC directly, so they are willing to pay a great deal to ensure that it is done right."
"The thing about this income bracket is that the only way you'll get a salary up that high is by having a great deal of leverage. Either you have an extremely rare skill, or are a trusted professional who handles a job where there is no tolerance for failure (which is rare in and of itself)."
One Step Ahead
"Business consultancy."
"Required skills: knowing one more thing than anyone else in the room, or being able to bluff that you know one more thing than anyone else in the room."
Popularity Helps
"My husband makes $280k/year as a VP of Design for an apparel company and I make $130k/year as a marketing director for an e-comm business."
"Husband dropped out of trade school to start his own clothing brand, hustled, built a reputation as being loyal and kind to work with/for and from there, job offers started coming in."
"I took the more traditional route: got my MBA and worked my way up to where I am now."
"Moral of the story: it helps when people really like to work for you and with you."
-- AKinKC
And some people managed to make $150k doing something they fell into. Often blue collar jobs, these positions also require a very unique set of skills that make a practitioner very valuable.
A Small Investment With a Big Return
"Heavy equipment mechanic."
"Took an 8 month course for 5k and bought some tools. Had no interest in it before but it turned out to have a great community and challenging, interesting work with a TON of variety."
-- mydogisamy
Catching a Break
"I manage large industrial accounts and negotiate contracts for a commodities company. College dropout. I had just gotten fired from a retail job for messing around, and had been out of work for a couple months. Sent out 127 resumes. No callbacks."
"Watching a TV show and the character names a company hes working for, and I think to myself... theres one of those in Nashville...so i sent a resume. Only place that called me back for an interview. Started in entry level position, and did well. moved and promoted multiple times."
-- derek_g_S
Dedication Pays
"I make 120k/year where im at but if i moved to a more busy station i could break 150. Railroad Conductor. Requires a GED, and you to be able to show up on time, sober, and ready to work whenever they call you."
Fake It Til You Make It
"I'm a field engineer for live TV shows. I take care of the technical requirements to go live from anywhere in the world- anywhere from a city street to a remote national park to underwater."
"I started at an entry level manual labor job on a TV show through a family connection- as is very common in this industry. I did occasional freelance work for about 5 years before I got offered a full time engineering position."
"My advice for anyone coming into film/TV is pretty standard- learn everything you can even if it's not your job, say yes first then figure it out later, and always have a positive, can-do attitude. It's also not for everyone- long hours, frequently outside rain or shine, terrible work-life balance."
-- mpegfour
All About the Overtime
"High Voltage Lineman."
"Made over 300k in 2020. LOTS of overtime. Base pay is 105k. Even with that I turned down 1 in 6 OT opportunities and took my vacation and sick time."
"It can be dangerous, you work rotating shifts, you're out in bitter cold, wet or hot weather. You work at extreme heights and underground enclosures."
"It's very satisfying though."
"Call your local electrical union hall and or electric utility."
-- Qordz
So yes, those jobs are out there. They will not be given to you, and, as we know, there are so many unjust, institutional barriers that keep these positions at bay for countless people.
But with some luck and the right credentials, there are opportunities out there.
Job interviews are such a unique experience.
For a brief interval of time, we have to simultaneously try to impress someone with our qualifications, come off as casually pleasant, demonstrate passion for the role in question, and, somehow, be ourselves throughout that whole charade.
Not surprisingly, job interviews are daunting and tend to make us sweat. There's so much on the line, and it all hinges on how we act and talk in an hour or so.
But what if the motivation was flipped? What if we imagined how to do the very worst we possibly could in that situation.
It's an absurd exercise, but it sure takes the edge off.
regrettablycrushing asked, "You have 15 seconds to ruin a job interview. What do you do/say?"
Sleeping Giant
"I had a candidate tell me 'I have extreme anger problems and I can't help but get loud and hands on when's someone's doesn't get what I'm trying to say'...it was for an engineering internship." -- KeemstarsBlackFriend
"NOT A WHILE LOOP!! A DO WHILE LOOP!!! WE NEED IT TO RUN ONCE BEFORE CHECKING THE CONDITION!!!"
"* shaking the other person aggressively by the shoulders *" -- moistkinkajou
In it for the Short Haul
"Where will I be in 5 years? Hell if I know but in 5 months I better be out of this slop house." -- BroadcasterX
"I thought the right answer was 'celebrating the 5th year anniversary of you asking me this question'" -- biggulpshuhasyl
All Good
"Sorry I'm late I got pulled over, but I was under the legal limit so..." -- lil-miss-militia
"just under the legal limit." -- kindsoberfullydressed
"Keyword being 'was' amirite guys?" -- Poly--Meh
Cartoonishly Problematic
"Excuse me ma'am, can I talk to a man here? Like someone who would be capable enough to interview me? I can't listen and answer to a woman." -- ilikesarcasticpeople
"I wish this was a joke but I once interviewed a guy who asked me who his boss would be."
"When I explained it would be me, the person interviewing him, he laughed and said congratulations for 'getting so far' but that he could not be expected to just do what I asked him to, and also any woman being in charge of a man was 'disrespectful.'"
"He did not get the job." -- TheWaystone
Keep Belching to a Minimum
"Did this already! Was nervous and chugged the last of my coke before going inside. Went to shake the guys hand and say Hello but a very loud long burp came out instead."
"I just dropped his hand and left."
Tough to Schedule
"Do you have masturbation breaks?" -- katep2000
Gauging the Strictness
"Does your employee theft policy offer second chances or would you fire me right away?" -- SlapCracklePop
"Can I steal loo roll? Like, just 1 when it's nearly payday? Or enough that my extended family never need panic buy again?" -- JJY93
Way Ahead of Ya
"Bring a bottle of apple juice and proceed to tell the interviewer that you brought your own drug test sample whilst accidentally spilling it all over the table and their laps...." -- MatteBlack84
"Nah, if you're serious about it you'll use apple cider vinegar. They will never get that smell out." -- whiskeyweedwood
Optimal Performance
"I'm never on time for work as I sleep a lot but at least I'm not tired when I arrive" -- WhiskersCleveland
"In the 5 years I have been at my job I have slept through 3 alarms. As it turns out my natural wake up time is 10am.....2 hours after I start work." -- Ziogref
Pro Tip: Stay on Topic!
"Interview going well."
"Female Interviewer : Do you have any questions ?"
"Me : About you or the company ?"
"Female Interviewer : .............."
"Haunts my memory to this day"
-- ShreyasSodhe
Mid Shift Only
"I had a guy applying while completely stoned."
"He was like « don't worry, I only smoke in the evening. Well sometimes before breakfast too »"
All About Eye Contact
"I will noticeably slide my hands down my pants. Then, while maintaining eye contact, take a deep and drawn out sniff of my finger."
"I proceed with the interview as if nothing has happened."
That Was One Tough Year, Whichever It Was
"'Wait, what year is this?' I actually said that in an interview."
"I had been traveling a lot and got some years and dates mixes up. The interviewer questioned me on how long I had been working in Germany, and I mixed it up. And I actually said that."
"Needless to say I did not get the job."
-- someonesgoat
Suppose Lyme Disease Would Be Worse...
"Here's what I saw someone do to tank their interview in 15 seconds. She stopped mid answer to a question, ripped her pantyhose open, dug out a tick, and then asked for a Band-Aid."
"No, she did not get a call back."
So Much Work to Do
"Walk in."
"I'm black with a boring generic name. I've seen the light go out in many hiring managers' eyes the second they see me. Only takes about 10 seconds."
A Contemporary Offense
"I interviewed someone who rolled her eyes at me when I asked her to put a mask on before we got started."
"Spoiler: she did not get hired."
In and Out
"We have a guy come in and say 'so I actually exaggerated on my cv just to get my foot in the door, I've never actually done any of those things'...."
"ok, bye then."
-- Letheron88
Strengths-Based Culture
"As an interviewer let me say my favorite one."
"Me: What's your greatest strength? Candidate: uhhh well I guess free lifts.. I can do like 80 now..."
"I had to excuse myself and leave the room. Mind you this was some 16 year old interviewing for a grocery store but to this day I still think I should have hired him."
-- serenerdy
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