Staff assistant in a House rep's office. I got paid next to nothing, my boss was horribly sexist (and so was the congressman himself) and constantly made inappropriate remarks, and pissed off jerks constantly called just looking for someone to yell at/complain about the government to. The other staffers treated me and the two interns like crap because "we didn't deal with policy." Waiting tables and working at Arby's were better jobs than that.

Waitress on 6 am shift at Waffle House -- and I am not a morning person.
Worked a lot of waitress jobs (and some were fine) but got fired from one & had to take this lousy job when I was in my young 20's until I found a better one because very poor at the time.

Terrible tips, greasy restaurant and a fair number of homeless people who stopped by to beg for food. Best part of day was slipping them toast & coffeee (or even eggs on good day) with boss catching you.

Waiting tables was great experience for me overall. Made me respect people who work all day on their feet & still are able to be pleasant. Like other posters, I saw middle aged people working at jobs I was doing because I was dumb & dropped out of college leaving scholarship behind. That made me appreciate my education more when I finished it later and the family I grew up in. I saw people who went without eating at home & ate meals at work to save food dollars for their kids. And I saw hard working immigrants suffer great indignities to try to hold a job & make a life for their families.

And that means that today I tip well....and know that but for the grace of God it could have been me in that job still today (vs. my well paid gov job with great benefits).

Assistant to a devil wears Prada type. Incompetent, insecure, demanding socialite.

Worst job was being part of the research division at McKinsey. My boss was bipolar and off her meds, the partner was a sociopath, and the associates treated me like I was retarded because I was research and not client facing. I was 27. It made me realize that a "prestige" firm can be fake and full of assholes like anywhere else. Prior to that, I thought that life would be so great if I worked for a McKinsey, Bain, et al. I actually became clinically depressed working there. Now I just want to do something meaningful and creative instead of a place where everyone is taught to think the exact same way.

Second worst job was short order cook at a bar in college.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cashier at Walmart. I was 16, it was my very first job. I stood on my feet all day, made $6/hr, and got a big fat raise to $6.24 after 12 months on the job. I got treated like crap, which I understood, but it was worse to watch middle-aged and older people get mistreated by "managers" who were half their age (and intelligence). It really left its mark in terms of not just paying my dues in the working world, but also how important it is to treat all employees with dignity and respect when I became a supervisor in my own career.

Wow! Wouldn't have guessed something like this at Walmart. How long ago was this?

Really? You wouldn't have guessed this? You should check this out: http://forrespect.org/our-walmart/about-us/. Walmart associates are treated like crap.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A member of "support staff" for BIG LAW. Kirkland and Ellis in Chicago in the eighties. Brutal. Looong work days where I never knew when I could go home. Working on Saturday. High pressure. Attorneys yelling at me. Sexist Pig of a boss.

It made serving up Dairy Queen cones as a teenager look good.

At least you got paid well.

No, I was "support staff" not an attorney.. Once you figured it out by the hour, I was making a little over minimum wage..

Working in the fields under the hot sun all day and then been driven home in open air dirty trucks. The physical work was very hard, but overall it was a fun experience and we always had fresh fruit/veggies given to us to take home in addition to the measly monetary compensation.

Working at a factory assembling boxes with mentally ill people, some of whom were scary physically deformed.

Working as a waitress aide for min wage, carrying trays with heavy drinks, but not getting any tips. Standing on my feet all day and having a micromanaging manager timing all my bathroom breaks. Not been told the job was temporary and getting laid off when business went slow without warning. Having to go on welfare afterwards to make the ends meet, no savings.

Working as a teller, on your feet all day, dealing with cranky and often downright crazy customers that would be some times physically abusive. Getting robbed and going to court to testify and been afraid that the robber would get me afterwards for accusing him.

After getting a college degree my jobs were much better, but I had a bad consulting gig where I was brought in to be a scapegoat as I was just very green at that time and put under the bus. Having a horrible partner yell at everyone in the meetings and swear in abhorrent language.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why was it so bad?
How old were you?
Does it impact how you view work now?

Boss was verbally abusive, made sexist comments, probably was bipolar and sometimes for months would have no expectations and at other times would want 3 months of work done in a week.

22

Yes, I would never put up with a boss like that again. I'd be out, immediately.

Sounds like me except I was 30! On top of it, firm culture was toxic and ultra competitive. No one seemed happy. I'm now a SAHM.

THE WORST - being the only tax associate of about 200 lawyers.

SECOND WORST - making popocorn all day in a dollar movie theater in a closet, and I had to wear a vest and visor at all times even though nobody saw me in that steamy, greasy closet. And my nasty boss from Africa forced a kiss on me and locked me in his office - that's when I quit (and I was half his age in HS!!!).

"old guy stubble".... terrifying.

Anonymous wrote:A member of "support staff" for BIG LAW. Kirkland and Ellis in Chicago in the eighties. Brutal. Looong work days where I never knew when I could go home. Working on Saturday. High pressure. Attorneys yelling at me. Sexist Pig of a boss.

It made serving up Dairy Queen cones as a teenager look good.

At least you got paid well.

Nonprofit where the leadership consistently lied to the donors, used their money to hire cronies as vendors, etc. Just really, really scummy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cashier at Walmart. I was 16, it was my very first job. I stood on my feet all day, made $6/hr, and got a big fat raise to $6.24 after 12 months on the job. I got treated like crap, which I understood, but it was worse to watch middle-aged and older people get mistreated by "managers" who were half their age (and intelligence). It really left its mark in terms of not just paying my dues in the working world, but also how important it is to treat all employees with dignity and respect when I became a supervisor in my own career.

ITA! Crappy jobs made me extremely respectful and polite to those who work them now.

Me too!

I tip baristas also. Well.

Standing on a assembly line packing dishes into boxes, sealing them with a glue gun and loading them onto a palate. Boring, tiring, low pay. Summer job, age 19. The other workers were good people and very different from me, which made it a worthwhile experience.

Asshole boss who was a bully and had a revolving door of workers. Some didn't stay on for more than a day. The office smelled like ass. I think he had feet fungus and didn't wash his clothes or use enough deodorant. It was a tiny one room office and he sometimes cried at his desk. He was going through a divorce and was dating at the same time he was trying to get is DW back. He would put clients on speakerphone so everyone could hear. He loved calling up people just to yell at them. What an awful, miserable person.