Let me start: AndersonTrophy shop -- assembling trophies. Did this after school in high school. I learned that the best managers are the ones that are good teachers. K-Mart deli -- sliced cold cuts for angry customers. I learned about funky work costumes and corporate procedure. Builders Discount Hardware -- packaged plumbing fittings being bought by plumbers and electricians. I learned the nobility of honest work and honest pay. Just because you're grimy and stink at the end of the day doesn't necessarily mean you deserve to be disrespected. These guys put in honest hard work. SavOn Pharmacy -- Pharmacy Tech. I learned the different types of customers. Different people have different stories. I learned to appeal to these differing stories. UC Berkeley Campus Safety Officer -- helped pay for college. Great way to meet (but not date ) hot chicks. I learned that sorority women are mostly insecure fearful and insulated people and that the coolest girls were geeky introverted types. I also learned the campus layout pretty well. I still remember many of the major buildings. I also learned about bureaucracy and the importance of PRIDE in one's work--not so much about being proud about what you do but taking pride in your output and attitude. Movie telemarketing -- first job after college. Completely commission-based. I learned a lot about differential marketing. 21st Century Insurance -- Material damage car adjuster. I learned that one's attitude determines one's reality. 10 different claims adjusters. 10 different outlooks. 10 different results. Law clerk for a Law and Motion Judge -- I externed for one of the best Law & Motion judges in SF Superior court. Dude actually played solitaire on his laptop while his externs read HUNDREDS of pages daily and he'd just ask a few questions and render a decision ASAP. Dude was RARELY overturned by the court of appeals. NOW THAT IS MASTERY. I wanted to BE Judge (X) so much...not to be a judge but to know something so well that you just chill 95% of the time. Of course, I won't chill, I'll probably go read Jon's blog or John Chow or http://justtraffic.blogspot.com or http://www.digitalpoint.com and KEEP LEARNING. Legal counsel for a Northern California-based venture capital fund. I learned that money IS NOT equivalent to intelligence and good planning. Also I learned that money and time/effort are interchangeable. My firm blew millions into companies that wasted a lot of $$$ on labor and content. Needless to say it went down in flames during the great Dot Bust of 2001. My current job--webmaster and outsourced text/promotions labor provider. I am learning that learning is its own reward and that passion is the best form of compensation.
1. Burger King - It sucked, and I hated it. I have more respect for people that work for fast food though. It isn't easy. 2. Ater Farms - I was working with the horses and getting them ready to race on the weekends. It was a fairly interesting job. 3. BurstNET Technologies, Inc. - I understand after working there why they have the issues they have with their customers. I love it though, and won't deny it. I only worked there for a period of 5 months, and then moved back home but these guys were great. The decisions that were made weren't always the best, and the management is not always clear with what they want, but nonetheless the BurstNET Team is a big happy family. 4. Freelancing - Well.. it is what is.
So far, I've been a: 1. Helper in a Printing Press 2. Service Crew in a Fast Food Chain 3. Tutor for Mathematics 4. Data Encoder in a Web Company 5. Accountant in the same Web Company 6. Marketing Associate for a website I'm not sure what I've learned from them though.
1. I worked at a friends console game store back in the early 90s, which was a dream job. We never sold anything, had barely had any customers,and didn't open until 11am (or whenever I got there). So it was just me, my girlfriend, Sonic and Mario for most of the day. I learnt that work could be fun. 2. I worked at a car wash for 2 days. 3. I made blinds for half a day (didn't come back after lunch) I learnt that real work sucks, and I'm way too lazy to do it. 4. I stopped looking for real work in about 1996, and have since been 'making a living' from freelance site building, Flash, PHP, graphics and audio stuff. I'm learning everyday.
Food industry (grocery, fast food), tech support, retail, programmer, better paid programmer. Plus web-dev on the side. I worked Peter Piper Pizza for three years and worked my way up to get management experience. I've been programming for almost as long as I've been in college. I currently work salary and will either continue moving up in pay or shift to another company to improve my wages farther down the road.