What Was/is your best job

[JanieB]

I wanted to be an archaeologist. My dad wanted me to be a doctor. In the end neither of us got our wish. I've had an interesting life anyway. Sometimes poor, sometimes better off, never ever rich. Being an accountant doesn't mean you have to be a bean counter, there are other paths. I travelled Europe as a trouble shooter. I thought it would be glamorous. It was awful. In Brussels I was nearly chucked out of the hotel as a suspected prostitute for having the audacity of going into the bar as a single woman and ordering a drink. Our company paid for drinks in the bar but not from the mini bar.

The embarassment from the hotel meant that noone would serve me breakfast the next morning. Neither did reception tell me when my car turned up to take me to the airport. I ended up in a country where the staff refused to speak English to me although I knew they did. I do speak other languages, (just not theirs). I missed my plane to my next appointment. I ended up in a plane on a hop from the Netherlands to Heathrow in the tailend of the 1987 storm that I knew nothing about. It was adventurous for an accountant. It at least took me past the loss of my miscarriage 3 days before I left.

The most interesting part was when I got back to the UK. The Facilities Manager had refused to allow me a car (because I'm a woman, a rule that was overruled the next month when he tried it on our boss who he hadn't known was a woman). So I had to get on a bus that stopped 10 miles short of home and the ticket office was shut so I couldn't book a ticket to get home. The driver asked where I needed to get to. When I told him he said "I turn into that bus after Swindon, where do you need to go, give us a couple of quid and stay on the bus". He dropped me off at the local pub and I got a friend to take me home.

[cptncrackoff]

Had the subject been 'Your worst job' it would have been a no brainer..

After temping at Kings seeds for a few weeks I'm December, the recruitment company sent me to an electrical factory in Colchester.

It was £4.85 per hour, and I wasn't driving at the time so bus fare had to come off too.

I went in, wasn't introduced to anyone, wasn't shown round nor told anything or even anyones name.

It was silent.

A very stern man sat me down, brought me a tray of electrical coils and a reel of red electrical tape.

He told me to tape the tag end of the coils down, I did that tray and a few more trays.

I beckoned him over, said 'I've done those now, what shall I do next!?'

He said 'No, that's your job - you tape the ends'

'All day, everyday - you tape the ends'.

I told him I dont think that job was for me, he just stood there, didnt say a word and shrugged his shoulders.

I got up, walked out the nearest door, which happened to be an alarmed fire exit, and as I walked away I looked back and saw everyone lining up in the car park..

It's been 14 years now, I'll never forget those two hours.

I fully appreciate that someone needs to tape the ends... it just couldn't be me!

[ESBkevin]

Best job.

Following redundancy I took a part time/job share as accountant in a local authority while the encumbant was on maternity leave. I spent 6 months doing 2.5 days a week (shared with another mother for the other 2.5) and really struggled to find enough to do. The place was full of young ladies and at that time I was recently divorced. It was like a holiday camp and I got paid to be there.

[Guest]

It was my first job - Saturday girl in a fish and chippy. Apparently I worked in the posh one that dealt with the dinner rush. Boss used to insult the customers and they thought it was great, although he did look after all the staff well There were so many laughs. Oh and left overs, I was young enough to get away with it then.