4 Jobs everyone should have?

[LuckyKBoxer]

I just caught this article off of my MSN page..
I had to laugh, if this is making their top page times must be tough..

http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Articl...bmsnhp42523&sc_extcmp=JS_2523_home1&gt1=23000

I have had 3 of the 4 of those jobs, all by the time I was 20.

I couldn't agree with any conclusion they drew..

as far as the servers...
I did it for several years, opening new restaurants and was pretty good at it..
I have found that it has ruined my expectations for any restaurant I go to now, becuase I know what it involved and the majority of servers now days seem lazy, dont remember, and dont go the extra mile.. If I had to give a percentage I would say about 10% are great, the rest far way below... I tip the great ones well, and I tip the ones who forget to fill my drinks, forget to bring what I asked for, make us wait long periods, and who seem to busy to address us much less.

as far as retail clerks...
I found that it makes me bypass them whenever I have a real problem. I know their limitations, and dont waste my time trying to discuss them with the retail clerks. The only time I give them a hassle is when they wont listen and insist on having a conversation with me about something I know they cant handle to begin with...

as far as customer service..
no thanks I dont have the patience to do customer service, and rarely have the patience to deal with them. There are some good ones, but most are low paid clock watchers who would rather be anywhere but dealing with customers and its usually obvious.
Once again I generally bypass customer service reps as often as possible, being polite but adamant on where they need to transfer me.

as far as manual labor..
I learned that while a good days work and coming home sore and tired can be satisfying once in a while, doing as a living would kill my creativity, individuality, and eagerness to do other things.. I appreciate the hard work these people do on a regular basis, and while I try to spend at least 1 full day every couple weeks doing some manual labor in a number of different ways in different places to remind me of a few things.. there is no way I would do it for a profession.

I am hoping the work my grandparents did, and my parents, and myself will continue to move forward and allow my kids to make their own choice so they dont have to do any of these jobs. If all goes according to plan they will have their choice of running their own businesses when the time comes.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Not sure I agree either but then I only had one out of 4 of those... in a few different jobs... now manual labor is reserved for being at home…snow removal now, yard work the rest of the year

 

[Steve]

I've had all four. In broad terms, I'd agree with the article. I learned something from each of the jobs.

I worked in several restaurants, as a server, busser and even a dishwasher (I was actually a dishwasher at a place called the Streamliner Diner along with Chad Channing, drummer at the time for a then unknown band called Nirvana). I also did fast food at McD's when I needed a job.

Retail at many different places. I sold computers, furniture and even sold Disney stuff as a Disney Store cast member.

Customer service at a government call center. Nuf said.

Manual labor... probably the most manual was stacking lumber on an assembly line at the Cedartone Lumber mill (a cedar finishing plant in Bellingham that has since burned down.)

 

[Bill Mattocks]

There is only one job that is vital. Serve your fellow man.

You can do that in the military, in civil service, in the religious life, or by volunteering to help others. For a short time, for a lifetime, part time or full time. But do it. Then you can claim the title of 'human being'. Give something back before you ask what you have coming.

 

[crushing]

There is only one job that is vital. Serve your fellow man.

It's a cookbook!!!!!

 

[Xue Sheng]

There is only one job that is vital. Serve your fellow man.

You can do that in the military, in civil service, in the religious life, or by volunteering to help others. For a short time, for a lifetime, part time or full time. But do it. Then you can claim the title of 'human being'. Give something back before you ask what you have coming.

I would not be so quick to judge the jobs people have

Technically speaking…virtually all jobs serve your fellow man one way or another

- A weather person keeps people informed and at times save them from possible danger and avoid accidents, tornados and hurricanes
- A computer tech keeps their fellow man’s PCs running, could be the PC of an MD looking to save a patient
- A Tug boat captain guides in the boat that has medical supplies on it
- A member of a road crew patches pot holes that can prevents potential accidents
- A garbage collector can be a link in the chain to prevent diseas and pestilence

 

[Bill Mattocks]

It's a cookbook!!!!!

:rofl:

 

[Xue Sheng]

It's a cookbook!!!!!

DAMN!!! I missed that one :uhyeah:

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I would not be so quick to judge the jobs people have

Technically speaking…virtually all jobs serve your fellow man one way or another

- A weather person keeps people informed and at times save them from possible danger and avoid accidents, tornados and hurricanes
- A computer tech keeps their fellow man’s PCs running, could be the PC of an MD looking to save a patient
- A Tug boat captain guides in the boat that has medical supplies on it
- A member of a road crew patches pot holes that can prevents potential accidents
- A garbage collector can be a link in the chain to prevent diseas and pestilence

Is their intent to serve, or is their intent to earn a living and the helping is incidental?

There is a difference, IMHO, between flipping burgers at a local fast-food restaurant and ladling soup at the local soup kitchen. Both are providing food for the hungry, yes. But one brings a certain insight and perspective, and is an intentional selfless act of serving others. The other, not so much.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Is their intent to serve, or is their intent to earn a living and the helping is incidental?

There is a difference, IMHO, between flipping burgers at a local fast-food restaurant and ladling soup at the local soup kitchen. Both are providing food for the hungry, yes. But one brings a certain insight and perspective, and is an intentional selfless act of serving others. The other, not so much.

Is it everyone’s intention to serve, or is their intent to earn a living or something else in military, in civil service, in the religion life or are they in it for something else.

I am a Civil Servant by the way and one has to earn a living, support their family and pay taxes and the bills.... and the garbage Collector is a Civil Servant too, so is a police officer and a Congressman and some Window washers.. and believe it or not a few that flip burgers too.

I would say your first example is a bit different than your second your first example used military, civil service religious life, volunteering and I would say those are not the same. In your second example you went directly for volunteering to support your first but that potentially negates military, civil service and to some degree religious life. Not all go into these for the same reason one volunteers to work in a soup kitchen

Flipping burgers is generally not done for the same reasons as working in a soup kitchen but then not all join the military, the Church or Civil service for the same reasons either. And just because someone is “flipping burgers” as you put it does not make their job, or they themselves, are any less important than the others you put forth, they may or may not be doing that job for a reason other than you seem to be implying.

You gave generalities first and now you go for specifics and avoid 3 of the generalities you first gave to support all those generalities.

Sorry no it may work for you but it does not work for me

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Is it everyone’s intention to serve, or is their intent to earn a living or something else in military, in civil service, in the religion life or are they in it for something else.

Depends upon them.

I am a Civil Servant by the way and one has to earn a living, support their family and pay taxes and the bills.... and the garbage Collector is a Civil Servant too, so is a police officer and a Congressman and some Window washers.. and believe it or not a few that flip burgers too.

Yes, and?

I would say your first example is a bit different than your second your first example used military, civil service religious life, volunteering and I would say those are not the same. In your second example you went directly for volunteering to support your first but that potentially negates military, civil service and to some degree religious life. Not all go into these for the same reason one volunteers to work in a soup kitchen

I disagree.

Flipping burgers is generally not done for the same reasons as working in a soup kitchen but then not all join the military, the Church or Civil service for the same reasons either. And just because someone is “flipping burgers” as you put it does not make their job, or they themselves, are any less important than the others you put forth, they may or may not be doing that job for a reason other than you seem to be implying.

I didn't say it was less important. I said it was vital. Lots of things are important. Few things are vital.

You gave generalities first and now you go for specifics and avoid 3 of the generalities you first gave to support all those generalities.

I moved from the general to the specific in reply to your statement. Just picked one off your list and went with it.

Sorry no it may work for you but it does not work for me

Fair enough.

I maintain that there is something vital (that word again) that is gained when one intentionally and selflessly gives something to one's nation, religion, in civil service, or by volunteering. Yes, we must all make a living, I am not suggesting that we wear sackcloth and ashes or rend our clothes. One does it as one can; as I suggested. Some may be able to do this for a lifetime, others only for a short time. Some full time, others less often. But it is the giving that makes the experience worthwhile and the change in one's person occurs on the inside after that point. That change is permanent.

I don't expect people who haven't experienced that to understand.

I am, however, somewhat taken aback that a suggestion to 'serve your fellow man' would be seen as an attack on one's profession.

 

[Rayban]

Human nature isn't really selfless at the end of the day. Even things like volunteer work. Most people I've spoken to about the voluntary work they have done have said that did it for their community, but if you dig just a little there is another reason that is a big decider in why they do it. "It makes them feel good about themselves".

IMHO a selfish reason like that is perfectly appropriate for any vocation; work or voluntary. You do what you love to do because you love it. Or you work burger flipping jobs to work your way up to what you love to do.

What your passionate about doesn't have to be a vocation. A dead end job is still a good source of income if your one passion is painting for example.

What I'm trying to say is that "serving your fellow man" isn't always selfless. and working a less "benign" job isn't always selfish.

 

[Big Don]

It's a cookbook!!!!!

Is that a C.S. Lewis reference?!

 

[bushidomartialarts]

I've worked all four, and I've looked at a bunch of resumes as a business manager and owner.

I agree that all four of those positions have things to teach, and are directly responsible for how how courteous I am to people in service positions.

I disagree that "waiter" looks as good on a resume as a position or internship directly related to the job I'm hiring for.

 

[jks9199]

Do I think that many people can benefit from some time spent in "lowly" positions -- especially the business end of a broom or shovel? Yep. I've worked most of those positions (I've done customer service related jobs, but never phone center type work. I've done the rest -- food server, manual labor, and retail sales.)

But I really think they're overstating that they're jobs everyone "should" have. Every job should teach you something, and many college grads and young people entering the work force have definitely acquired what I'll generously describe as an "interesting" point of view and work ethic. But I think that goes back to things like helicopter parents (I know of employers who have received calls from the parents of new hires... and I'm talking college grads, and I'm not talking dad is working for the same company) and a couple of generations of building entitlement during what I suspect will be described in history as an unusual period of economic prosperity. And I don't think that they'll learn the lessons that the authors credit these jobs with providing. For example, I think many servers today would interpret failing to receive a tip -or receiving what's intended as a clearly insulting tip, like a few cents- as a "mean cheapskate customer" not a message about their need to spend more time on their customers and less on their cell phones.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Bill

Let me start here

vital 

–adjective
1. of or pertaining to life: vital processes.
2. having remarkable energy, liveliness, or force of personality: a vital leader.
3. being the seat or source of life: the vital organs.
4. necessary to life: vital fluids.
5. necessary to the existence, continuance, or well-being of something; indispensable; essential: vital for a healthy society.
6. affecting the existence, well-being, truth, etc., of something: a vital error.
7. of critical importance: vital decisions.
8. destructive to life; deadly: a vital wound.

Now although I do not think your intent is to make me out to look bad this statement could be taken as such since it is based on assumption

I am, however, somewhat taken aback that a suggestion to 'serve your fellow man' would be seen as an attack on one's profession.

That was not the case at all, saying serve your fellow man was not seen as an attack on ones profession, saying they were the only ones that were vital was. But then I was not clear as to what the point was. I was perfectly clear to me but I should not assume that it was clear to all. It was the use of that word in the context you used it “vital” in describing a certain set of jobs thereby appearing to call all others unimportant.

There is only one job that is vital.

Actually this bit

Serve your fellow man.

was really not the issue

No doubt to Serve your fellow man is a great thing to do and rather important but it is not the only thing that is not the one job that is vital as based on the definition of vital

I maintain that there is something vital (that word again) that is gained when one intentionally and selflessly gives something to one's nation, religion, in civil service, or by volunteering. Yes, we must all make a living, I am not suggesting that we wear sackcloth and ashes or rend our clothes. One does it as one can; as I suggested. Some may be able to do this for a lifetime, others only for a short time. Some full time, others less often. But it is the giving that makes the experience worthwhile and the change in one's person occurs on the inside after that point. That change is permanent.

I don't expect people who haven't experienced that to understand.

I am, however, somewhat taken aback that a suggestion to 'serve your fellow man' would be seen as an attack on one's profession.

And I agree

there is something vital (sarcasm removed) that is gained when one intentionally and selflessly gives something to one's nation, religion, in civil service, or by volunteering

But that does not make it the

only one job that is vital.

What you are talking about is a philosophical change and I agree it can happen but it still does not make it the “only job that is vital”

And for the record although you

don’t expect people who haven't experienced that to understand.

I have experienced it more than once.