Your worst job

[bubbsy]

I joined a director level role for a tech company here in Toronto, reporting directly to the CEO.

Glassdoor reviews were horrendous but I took a chance. It was a nightmare. CEO was a complete micro manager, the entire work environment between the exec and middle management was toxic as F. The CEO's wife worked in the accounts receivable, and would circle the office to make sure folks were working (not working from home, which is ridiculous for a tech company even before covid) and would report it back to her husband.

I quit the week after I passed their "probation" period (3 months). Best decision I have made in my career. No amount of $, titles, etc, can make up for a toxic work environment.

[nik-]

Stunt ####.

[bagofpucks]

I worked at a No Frills in Fort Sask and it had to be the worst managed place ever. I had worked in grocery stores before and generally enjoyed it, but this was way different. I was playing Junior at the time, so I gave the manager a list of days I could work and times that absolutely wouldn’t work do to our practice and game schedule. Of course, he’d just book me where ever he wanted, so I always had to try and switch shifts or just miss shifts. For the most part, we were merchandisers, but we also did some random stuff around the store depending on what was needed. I remember one day we were able to get through our merchandising pallets quickly and our reward was to sweep a random part of the parking lot for no particular reason. I think I got one paycheque for a couple hundred bucks and then that was enough for me.

[PaperBagger'14]

I worked at a farming supply store for a few months. The drive to work was about an hour each way, the pay was actually decent but the manager and his buddy who also worked in that department were both drunks.

They would both be constantly hung over, finding sheds and storage areas to sleep in. If the trucks bringing supplies didnt get unloaded fast enough, the blame would fall on me. On my last day, the same 2 drunks were passed out somewhere and the store manager yelled at me as there were 2 full trucks to unload. Well I unloaded one and blocked both gates to the yard so no one could get in or out for over an hour or 2 while staff looked for the sleepy ####ers. Meanwhile I was already in my car on my way home.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

People can have different opinions and are able to voice them. If you think his opinion is wrong shouting #### OFF doesn't really set the stage for finding out the reasons behind his opinions or trying to change those opinions.

He posted that to get attention, not to contribute. He just wanted to flip the middle finger to people who think having collective bargaining rights is important. He's no different than a Trump supporter shouting at people on their way to vote.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by White Out 403

He posted that to get attention, not to contribute. He just wanted to flip the middle finger to people who think having collective bargaining rights is important. He's no different than a Trump supporter shouting at people on their way to vote.

Your response certainly should change his approach to posting/interacting with other in this community.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Locke

Lets see....so many to choose from.

Its not like doing Taxes for a living is a dream come true or anything. I just happen to be good at it.

I liked being a dishwasher. I found it relaxing. I hated being a line-cook. That sucked.

Working construction sucked. We specialized in installing vinyl decking. That there is a brutal job. You're on your knees all day dealing with glue and contact cement going from job site to job site.

Greyhound was another one. That was a crappy Union job but I'll leave the Union digs out of this one as that appears a touchy topic at the moment.

Just an awful job, the potential to be hurt was crazy. Not even just by your coworkers zipping around on forklifts stoned out of their minds. Passengers are crazy.

You ever have a gun drawn on you? I have. More than once. Over a piece of luggage that all I was trying to do was take out of a bus. I dont know whats in it, I dont care. The luggage is in the bus and my job is to make it not be in the bus.

The knives are always there and thankfully I had taken the weekend off during the Pipe Bomb scare.

The drugs though....my God. Who ships drugs by Greyhound? The world's worst criminals? I will say this, I've been heavily critical of the RCMP but when I was working at Greyhound I'd go get a coffee and see the two dudes in trenchcoats with a German Shepherd and just pray that it wasnt my bus this time. Somehow the RCMP knew and were there.

Yeah...I think Greyhound wins.

Haha I had a drug dealer friend in Lake Louise and he always received his weed and shrooms via Greyhound. I thought it seemed crazy, but it was just totally normal operating procedure for him and he thought it was weird that I thought it was weird.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

My last job before my current company.

Alberta company. They were a cult, I'm pretty sure. I think the CEO cried at my first Orientation. And they pretended to be so obsessed with a positive culture and mental health but it was anything but. The place was legit scary and had a terrible effect on my mental health.

In a two day 70s style path to success, mind over matter orientation, I learned that depression is a choice made by weak people.

I also learned that natural home births with no doctor and only a homeopath were good and doctor assisted C Sections with any drugs used for the mother were evil. This was backed up by some psychopath sharing her story how doctors told her that her baby was in serious jeopardy and needed a C Section. She told her story about how she used mind over matter and healing stones and #### to overcome it and gave birth safely at home and her child is totally fine.

The job was in Finance. i'm totally serious.

Then my boss told me that respect in the workplace was overrated and she was meant to bully us because she had no time for our questions.

I lasted 3 of the worst months of my life before I quit. I'm not joking when I say it ruined me as a human. Thankfully only temporarily as I now work for a great company and I've been able to undo most of the psychological damage I suffered.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Your response certainly should change his approach to posting/interacting with other in this community.

He can find Jesus on his own. I don't care.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by White Out 403

He posted that to get attention, not to contribute. He just wanted to flip the middle finger to people who think having collective bargaining rights is important. He's no different than a Trump supporter shouting at people on their way to vote.

Good job giving it to him.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by White Out 403

He can find Jesus on his own. I don't care.

Clearly, your responding to him shows how little you care.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Clearly, your responding to him shows how little you care.

I mean to say, I don't care if he finds Jesus or improves himself.

I do get petty joy telling an idiot to #### off though.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

My last job before my current company.

Alberta company. They were a cult, I'm pretty sure. I think the CEO cried at my first Orientation. And they pretended to be so obsessed with a positive culture and mental health but it was anything but. The place was legit scary and had a terrible effect on my mental health.

In a two day 70s style path to success, mind over matter orientation, I learned that depression is a choice made by weak people.

I also learned that natural home births with no doctor and only a homeopath were good and doctor assisted C Sections with any drugs used for the mother were evil. This was backed up by some psychopath sharing her story how doctors told her that her baby was in serious jeopardy and needed a C Section. She told her story about how she used mind over matter and healing stones and #### to overcome it and gave birth safely at home and her child is totally fine.

The job was in Finance. i'm totally serious.

Then my boss told me that respect in the workplace was overrated and she was meant to bully us because she had no time for our questions.

I lasted 3 of the worst months of my life before I quit. I'm not joking when I say it ruined me as a human. Thankfully only temporarily as I now work for a great company and I've been able to undo most of the psychological damage I suffered.

I have found almost without fail that the businesses which are obsessed with positive culture and mental health to be the most toxic among them.

It's one of those things as a business owner that you get, or you don't get, and trying to force positive culture is a sign you don't get it.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I have found almost without fail that the businesses which are obsessed with positive culture and mental health to be the most toxic among them.

It's one of those things as a business owner that you get, or you don't get, and trying to force positive culture is a sign you don't get it.

Yeah, if a place mentions culture early and often in an interview, you can guess that it's actually probably poor, or that they have to try way too hard for "reasons"

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I have found almost without fail that the businesses which are obsessed with positive culture and mental health to be the most toxic among them.

It's one of those things as a business owner that you get, or you don't get, and trying to force positive culture is a sign you don't get it.

this has TOTALLY been my experience. I have only worked at 3 companies in my 15 year career in tech. The one that made it a point to mention "Culture" and how much they do about it, was clearly the most toxic.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Haha I had a drug dealer friend in Lake Louise and he always received his weed and shrooms via Greyhound. I thought it seemed crazy, but it was just totally normal operating procedure for him and he thought it was weird that I thought it was weird.

The drugs were the worst. You'd think they wouldnt be but they were.

I mean...Greyhound ships (shipped) things to all kinds of tiny places. I'd have a tiny little box going to Leduc and it would weigh more than a Hundred Pounds. Because its a goddamned Drill Head.

We shipped boxes of live chicks. You ever see a dude stoned out of his mind on a forklift drive over a box of live chicks for fun? I have.

I've seen another guy drive a forklift, forks up, right into the side of an empty bus. For fun.

I saw someone get their leg run over by a forklift.

No one was fired. The worst they got was a stern 'talking to.' Guess why.

The first time I had a gun pulled on me, and this pisses me off to no end, was when I was told by my supervisor to leave a piece of luggage off to the side and not load it on the bus.

A giant suitcase that I dont have to load? What is this? My birthday? Sure. I dont care. If thats what my boss tells me to do then sure. This job isnt rocket science.

What was the point? As the bus starts to back up (I have to guide the driver from outside) the guy who that suitcase belonged to then pulled a gun on the driver to make him stop because they were leaving without his suitcase (filled with drugs).

The driver stops, the guy gets out, gun in hand, confronts me asking why his bag isnt on the bus and then the RCMP release the dog and apprehend him.

They needed him to confirm ownership of the bag and I got played into doing my part. I was so pissed.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I have found almost without fail that the businesses which are obsessed with positive culture and mental health to be the most toxic among them.

It's one of those things as a business owner that you get, or you don't get, and trying to force positive culture is a sign you don't get it.

It's so true!!

My current company never talks about any of that BS. People just naturally get along and take pride in where they work and what they do.

It is so refreshing to see how well everyone gets along personally and cooperates when it comes to business, sales, taking responsibility etc and never once were pillars or motto or 10 paths to success and that kind of BS mentioned.

It was such a breath of fresh air.

[FlamesAddiction]

I worked at a fish hatchery, while in itself was a pretty cool job, there was one part that was absolutely repulsive. Cleaning the "mung nets". They were basically filters that caught all the decomposing fish poop and the remains of rotting fish that didn't make it. It would turn into a disgusting gelatinous blob that would make people puke. Most people were terrified of going anywhere near it, so being the junior person trying to impress my employer, I took it on. They never asked me to, but any time the needed a volunteer, I felt the pressure to do it.

The only way to do it would be to squint and hold your breath for as long as possible. Then go away and puke for a while, then go back and clean it some more. Then repeat for a while until it was done. Cleaning and heaving until your stomach hurt.

The employers were top notch people. Some of the kindest people I ever met in fact, so I don't want to say it was the worst job I ever had in general, but that one part of the job was just nightmare fuel.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Locke

We shipped boxes of live chicks. You ever see a dude stoned out of his mind on a forklift drive over a box of live chicks for fun? I have.

I've seen another guy drive a forklift, forks up, right into the side of an empty bus. For fun.

I saw someone get their leg run over by a forklift.

No one was fired. The worst they got was a stern 'talking to.' Guess why.

Since you asked, I’m gonna have to go with really lousy management being the reason why.

[Nufy]

Originally Posted by Nufy

DE-bridging Fish Storage Silos...

I worked in a plant that converted offal to a powdered meal type product.

The offal (left over fish bones / skin / guts etc...) was stored in an unheated silo until i was brought into the facility via screws / conveyer.

In winter time the product would freeze and form a fish bridge over the screws so nothing would enter the plant.

Depending on the level of product you either had to drop in from above via ladder or crawl in through a hatch and physically move the product to de-bridge the silo.

Happened sometimes in summer as well

You can imagine the smell while standing knee deep in fish guts trying to move it around with gardening tools...Rakes, shovel etc...

It was before the "Dirty Jobs" show with Mike Rowe but it certainly would have qualified.

FYI...this was a Union position...