Your Best & Worst Summer Jobs

[Mike]

A thread in the Teens Forum that I'm not allowed to post in anyway got me thinking about this.

What was the WORST summer job you ever had, and what was your BEST gig? I'm strictly talking about those high school/college summer jobs where they were intended to be ~3 months and out.

I went through an employment agency one time and got set up in a small machine shop. From the first day, my boss ragged on me (and others). He had a foul mouth and cussed us out, referred to us in "unflattering" terms, and would go by and "accidentally" knock over my box of tools so I'd have to clean them up when my shift was done.

I lasted about 45 days when I told him what he could do with his job.

My best job was a night security guard at an automotive parts plant. The plant would shut down 1 shift a week on Sunday mornings from midnight to 8:00am. Another guard and I would have the plant to ourselves. We'd take their test cars out to the huge parking lot and beat on them. We'd also get their mini-firetrucks inside the plant and drive around the place spraying each other with water! Outstanding!! That was a fun summer!

 

[handy]

My very best summer job: Babysitting three very well behaved kids, between the ages of 5-9 (all potty trained and no naps) whose mommy and daddy had: cable television (not so common back then), a stereo system and record collection to die for, a swimming pool, jacuzzi and a very cute next-door neighbor. ;) I've always felt I should have been paying them.


Worst: I didn't have too many bad summer jobs. My first "worst" job was when I was in college and worked in an Ice Cream shop. There were three stores, the main one with the ice cream making factory (greatest ice cream ever!), and two others. The owners were in the process of a divorce and the manager of the third was the lover to the one owner. When I worked for the homewrecking/lover/manager...she was the boss from hell. After about two months, I asked the owner/wife if I could move to the store she managed and got out of there.

 

[Jake]

My best job was a night security guard at an automotive parts plant. The plant would shut down 1 shift a week on Sunday mornings from midnight to 8:00am. Another guard and I would have the plant to ourselves. We'd take their test cars out to the huge parking lot and beat on them. We'd also get their mini-firetrucks inside the plant and drive around the place spraying each other with water! Outstanding!! That was a fun summer!

Man.....I wouldn't mind having that job!

So you were young and irresponsible once, too?

 

[God&DogGirl]

My best and worst were at the same camp.

My best was as an assistant, in which they placed me in an activity that I actually had the skills for. It was great, I was working with people that helped me grow in my faith, and my head counselor was really proud of me. My talents were being used effectively and I had a lot of fun while still learning a lot.

My worst summer job was at the same place as a counselor. They obviously weren't looking at my skills or they forgot what they were from my two previous summers, but they put me at the go-karts. Worst job EVER!! It was hot and required a LOT of muscle which I didn't have. The go-karts broke down all the time and the person I worked with was always late, leaving me with most of the work. My head counselor refused to move me to an activity I could handle and yelled at me ALL THE TIME despite the fact that I was definitely in the wrong place. I physically could not perform that job and wasn't trained properly.

Moral of the story? Know your strengths and don't assume that if you had a great time at that place one summer, then you'll love it another summer.

 

[Mike]

So you were young and irresponsible once, too?

Heck, I'm old and irresponsible!!

(Revisit this thread in 5 years and tell us your stories.)

 

[tim-from-pa]

My best summer job was working for an organ company (my dad was employed there) putting together circuit boards for electronic church and theater organs. I loved the job because I always cherished the moment Renee would walk by!

As for the other summer jobs, I did not hate the work, but I hated it there anyway because Renee was not there!

 

[handy]

My best summer job was working for an organ company (my dad was employed there) putting together circuit boards for electronic church and theater organs. I loved the job because I always cherished the moment Renee would walk by!

As for the other summer jobs, I did not hate the work, but I hated it there anyway because Renee was not there!

:muchlove Awwwww!!!!!

 

[Riverwolf]

Starting in the 3rd or 4th grade my sister and I would work the fields every summer. About 2 weeks after school let out we would pick strawberries. Then 1-2 weeks later we would pick string beans. We lived in a mountain logging town. A school bus would pick us up in the dark and take us 50 miles into the valley. The two jobs combined would net us around $125.00 each for the summer and would mostly go for school clothes and supplies. I liked it and ate tons of strawberries and raw beans. I also got to watch the older grownup kids in maybe 7th to 9th grade and was facinated by the older girls. I did not look at these jobs as good or bad, just what everybody did. Times were more simple then and the dangers to children were almost non-existent.

 

[Mike]

Starting in the 3rd or 4th grade my sister and I would work the fields every summer. About 2 weeks after school let out we would pick strawberries. Then 1-2 weeks later we would pick string beans. We lived in a mountain logging town. A school bus would pick us up in the dark and take us 50 miles into the valley. The two jobs combined would net us around $125.00 each for the summer and would mostly go for school clothes and supplies. I liked it and ate tons of strawberries and raw beans. I also got to watch the older grownup kids in maybe 7th to 9th grade and was facinated by the older girls. I did not look at these jobs as good or bad, just what everybody did. Times were more simple then and the dangers to children were almost non-existent.

It sounds like you had some good times! As I read the first half, I was thinking it sounded like either you were an illegal immigrant or you were at a labor prison for 10-year olds.

Seriously, was anyone sifting off the top and making a boat-load at your expense? I know you were only around ten, but that hardly seems right. Around 1980 I had a paper route, and it paid much more than that for about 30 minutes a day!

 

[Danus]

My worst summer job was working for a pest control co. Treating for termites. However, I've never had a bad job in terms of the work, but more about the people I've worked with, or under.

At the pest control co, I had the worst boss ever. I think he did not like the idea that his job was managing a pest control co, and that I would be moving on to what he surly thought was something "better". And so his mistake was comparing himself and feeling disappointed about his own circumstances. Then he would take his own negative thoughts and discontentment and somehow turn it around in his mind to believe I looked down on him. How dare me! So, he labeled me a smart -a$$ young college punk who thought he was better then everyone else, and proceeded to show me.

That was my first taste of understanding that people can be very dangerous within their own heads.

 

[Riverwolf]

It sounds like you had some good times! As I read the first half, I was thinking it sounded like either you were an illegal immigrant or you were at a labor prison for 10-year olds.

Seriously, was anyone sifting off the top and making a boat-load at your expense? I know you were only around ten, but that hardly seems right. Around 1980 I had a paper route, and it paid much more than that for about 30 minutes a day!

I don't remember the pay for strawberries.
Stringbeans paid around 3 cents / pound. On a good day I could pick 100lbs = $3.00 for the day. I think the minimum was 50 lbs / day or you were canned.

 

[handy]

I don't remember the pay for strawberries.
Stringbeans paid around 3 cents / pound. On a good day I could pick 100lbs = $3.00 for the day. I think the minimum was 50 lbs / day or you were canned.

I knew a lot of kids who got summer jobs doing this. But, now these are considered jobs "Americans won't do". Good luck getting a job like this unless you're an illegal alien.

 

[Jake]

Starting in the 3rd or 4th grade my sister and I would work the fields every summer. About 2 weeks after school let out we would pick strawberries. Then 1-2 weeks later we would pick string beans. We lived in a mountain logging town. A school bus would pick us up in the dark and take us 50 miles into the valley. The two jobs combined would net us around $125.00 each for the summer and would mostly go for school clothes and supplies. I liked it and ate tons of strawberries and raw beans. I also got to watch the older grownup kids in maybe 7th to 9th grade and was facinated by the older girls. I did not look at these jobs as good or bad, just what everybody did. Times were more simple then and the dangers to children were almost non-existent.

$125 for the ENTIRE summer!!!

 

[Riverwolf]

$125 for the ENTIRE summer!!!

Mostly yes. Summer vacations were also longer then, class let out at the end of may and started back after Labor day. So we would still get maybe 3- 4 weeks total off and work 7-8 weeks. There was ZERO other jobs and it was free babysitting for mom!
I only have good memories really of those days, and lunchtime was great.

 

[LeanaJo]

Well, from 19-25 years old, I was in the Army. So, most of my summers were there. I'd say it was good and bad...LOL!

But as a civilian, my WORST: Telemarketing (having to be stuck in a tiny cubicle with stupid headphones on all day; from 5am-2pm)...

As a civilian, my BEST: Cocktail waitressing (I used to be able to sunbathe, swim, and catch up on things during the day. And didn't have to be at work til 7pm. But this was before I got to know the Lord).