What kind of work do you do?

Winter23

I'm curious about the people I'm reading about, or chatting with on here. Tell me about your job, What did/do you do for a living? Any fun stories, or things that stress you out about the job? Do you like your job, love it or indifferent....or loathe it?

I'm a stay at home mom now, but when I worked I was an Air Ambulance dispatcher. My Dad was a paramedic, and later an Air Ambulance supervisor/manager. I followed in his foot steps when he started his own company when I was 16. I started working for him when I was 18. I'm in Canada, but I would say 70% (maybe more) of the flights I coordinated originated in the US and of those about 80% of them ended in the US. We did world wide flights, arranged ground Ambulance and Air Ambulance. If you used a limo, Ambulance, Air Ambulance or commercial flight through insurance (especially one out of IL) our company was likely involved in some way, whether it was setting up the whole trip, or part of it. If it wasn't us, then I probably know the company who did arrange it as we probably at some point used that very same company.

I also was a non emergency ground Ambulance attendant and transferred deceased persons to funeral homes. Mostly I sat on my *kitten* answering phones, talking to people around the world and getting fatter by the day. While I miss talking to so many different people everyday, i don't generally miss it. I do miss the diversity we had though. It was very stressful at times, Like when providers we used would do something stupid, and or show up really late:mad: , OR better yet, when patients or family members didn't show up where they should have:grumble: ...yes THAT has happened hahahaha. Or when we were time limited and patients barely made commercial flights.......OMG I thought I was going to stroke out more than a few times trying to get things organized and done. One especially at Christmas time going home to Alaska from my home city and where we were located. I'll never forget that one, it was one of the last flights I set up, and probably one of the MOST stressful. Planes not showing up when they should, Ambulances sitting on their thumbs, Commercial flights holding the plane for her.......It's no wonder I'm fat, I ate all day long and sat on my but everyday, plus the stress from the job. At the same time we had some major successes, like when a few didn't have any money, but were almost crying when churches and other places got together and raised the money, oh the excitement and relief in their voices when they could call us back months later and say let's go now. I loved thos calls. Or the unconventional but brilliant ideas, like where one bought a motor home for the cost of flying across the country, took my Dad along and drove from Florida to Seattle with the patient.

I have good memories from those days though, Spoke with great people in most states. Probably made a few scratch their heads at some of my requests lol. Like the guy in a small corner store in a small town in NE US (way NE). I can still hear the confusion in his voice at me asking him to check his phone book for an Ambulance company phone number hahahahahaha. Hey we were resourceful, have to be for some of you super small middle of nowhere towns lol! and not everything can be found on the internet. That made the job interesting though. I think My mom once called a clothing store for the same request........

I think I'm indifferent to the job now, I like the idea of the job, LOATHE the hours hahaha. 24 hours 7 days a week 365 days a year and at the time = shift work, 4 main dispatchers = a LOT of working hours. Heck I wouldn't be surprised if some I once worked with/for is on this site, Since it seems majority are from the US. Between Insurance companies in the US, and Air Ambulance companies we used in the US and Patients there are a LOT of people I worked with/for, and plenty more that did trips for us, like ground Ambulances and limo drivers.

The exciting part of the work is that we did flights, to places like China, japan, Africa, Europe, South America, UK and Australia. out of those it was the UK, mostly the London area.

So, there you go, that sums up about 8 years of my working life. I only worked 9 years, I worked part time in a clothing store while pregnant with my first baby, have been a stay at home mom ever since. I have a newborn now, so will be home at least another 5 years before I venture back to part time work. that will put me out of the working scene for as long as I worked as a dispatcher lol!

onmyway1101

Hi!
I am currently unemployed but looking for a part time job.

I used to work at a vet office. I did a little bit of everything. I started there as a vet assistant, just holding the animals while the doctor examined them. Then I went to receptionist. Then a vet tech... I did xrays, cathedars, bloodwork, assisted in surgery. I then moved to office management. I was crossed trained in everything. I have been attacked 2 times... one by a rottweiler the other by a mixed dog. Still have scars from the rottweiler. I also got stuck in the leg with a needle. I was empty a garbage can and we were supposed to be putting the needle in thr sharps container but someone forgot and it stuck in my leg. I had to pull it out and then get a tetnus shot. Not fun!

I actually just was hired back there last year for some part time work... but when I left I somehow got allergic to animals...Crrazy.. so I had to quit there.

I am just a stay at home wife. lol

sugarbeans

Right now I work as a Registered Massage Therapist, a medical receptionist at a medicentre and a caterer. I have been an RMT for the last 3 yrs, a receptionist for the last 7 and a caterer for the last 2 years now. (in Alberta, Canada)
Prior to that and before my massage career I was a full time student in various programs. Organic Chemistry, Nursing, Applied Kinesiology and then finally massage but thinking about going back for dispatcher. While I was a FT student I worked as a lab technician at a pig artificial insemination farm, I would not only have to examine the sperm and the motility of it, but I also had to package the sperm into tubes and package them for farmers. We had pig jerkers that collected the sperm (of course to the outside world we had a scientific name for it) but really they were jerkers pigs went onto fake sow's and they were jerked. (just a memory of mine and to this day I think to myself did I really have that job?) lol.

I love helping people and I love my job as a RMT. Medical receptionist is an ok job I work in a shaddy area and it's tough, a lot of drug seekers and they tend to get violent when they don't get what they want. Plus we have some people who are "fakers" say they have troubles breathing and that they feel like the are going to die, once you fast track them because you believe them in good faith they are fine. Or one time we had someone that claimed this we said we'd get them in right away and then walk out to rexall drug store to get some cheezies. Makes it tough cause you want to believe these people and there's always a chance that they aren't faking it and then what?
I have seen someone die in our waiting room before and really don't want to again either.
We are expected to work 7-12 hours with no breaks at all due to skeleton crew so I feel this played a role in my weight gain as well as other issues. I need to lose the weight now so that I can be healthy, have kids and be able to do my job as a massage therapist.

Ashlea_M

Hi

I'm a full time university student who is unemployed. I had a job in an electrical store sitting behind a desk processing reciepts and dealing with every single customer that walked through the door. I hated it. I was confined to what they called "the box" which was really a box- it even had doors. It was near impossible trying to find lunch cover or even go to the bathroom because no staff member wanted to sit there in case the next customer they missed had a big fat commision for them. I mostly just sat in that chair feeling miserable. The customers were abusive, managment made me stay back after close without pay to count the money and the staff would drag their sales pitch out as long as possible to get more commision- some days i was there over an hour after close because you can't count the money or do the end of day paper work if someone is in the store- they might want to buy something. Sometimes there were two of us and the other was no help at all, and only ever made me feel worse about myself. My weight started at around 70Kg when i got that job and when i finally walked out was 98Kg. That was september 2009- and i'm still fat.

Now I throw myself in my projects and i haven't been eating enough, i've been snacking badly and unfortunately I always take the elevator. Anyway, I'm studying Industrial Design and I finish at the end of 2012

Winter23

Where in Alberta are you? I'm originally from BC but I'm in Calgary now.

sugarbeans

I'm in Edmonton

That_Girl

I'm a 5th grade teacher. I've been in the same school, same room for 10 years now :-)

I teach in South Central Los Angeles and love it. Very much.

TaneeisFitforLife

I'm a certified personal trainer & also teach fitness classes...I love my job!!

I am also a wildlife rehabilitator (volunteer job)

crystal_sapphire

I'm in Edmonton

me too. goddamn this weather

mrsewert

I'm an Account Receivable manager for a trucking company.

I get paid to play with the companies money and I get to also do the collections...just the other day I got a nasty note in my mail that said "What is YOUR problem?" I laughed so hard just reading it over and over then after I stopped laughing I called the store and didn't realize I was talking to the owners wife who says to me "I guess my bookkeeper is the one with the problem...she's going to need a new job starting tomorrow!" Oooops I just wanted to make sure everything was ok.

A couple of weeks ago I was screamed at on the phone by a guy who told me I was wasting his F'ing time! I was like WOW really this is how you talk to your suppliers? :grumble:

I have think skin so this job works for me...once in awhile I get fired up at the way people talk to me but if they would just pay there bill on time I wouldn't have to call in the first place. :laugh:

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I'm a Team Leader and Consultant doing home parties on the weekends. This is my fun job. I sell bedroom accessories and love making people laugh with my dirty mind and battery operated boyfriends! :laugh:

TaneeisFitforLife

I'm a Team Leader and Consultant doing home parties on the weekends. This is my fun job. I sell bedroom accessories and love making people laugh with my dirty mind and battery operated boyfriends! :laugh:

I used to do those parties...for 6 years & just phased it out since my fitness class load has picked up my before and after pic in my avatar is from our convention (2 years apart)

welly5

I work for a company that gets government money for canadian manufacturers. I do the financial and paperwork stuff for our clients and I write up technical reports for them to submit to the government. Its interesting getting factory tours and hearing about all the new things that companies are inventing. Alberta is insanely innovative..esp with new environmentally focused stuff coming out (or in the works) for the oil fields.

I've only been here a year. Before that I was in university and working in high end retail.. shoe stores! It was stressful and boring at the same time

egbkid

I work in a call center. That is about all there is in Saint John besides food service.

A few years ago, i worked for a call center troubleshooting Road Runner internet. That call center closed when they moved the contract elsewhere.

After that, i worked for Xerox for over 2 years. I took orders for toner and other printer supplies from people that work for AT&T in the US. I left last summer because it was contract work, i was sick of not having benefits (i needed new glasses and dental work) and had been working for 2 years without a raise, while minimum wage had been increased twice and therefore prices went up. I was struggling to make ends meet, and they said there would be no chance of raises or benefits for at least 18 months, even though minimum wage was supposed to increase again (it did January first, to 50 cents less than i was making at my 'high paying' call center job), so i had no choice but to leave. I loved the work though, and my coworkers.

Now i work for several different companies, i guess. It is a help desk for former Nortel phone systems. Nortel was split into several different companies, i take calls for Avaya, and after hours for Ericsson and Genband.

Before the call center work, i was at a pizza place called Greco, for about 4 years. It was fun, because we had a great team. I made it from grunt all the way to manager. But i was sick all the time from dealing with money and being coughed on by customers etc, and i got tired of it, so i left.

Before that, i was a baker/decorator for Tim Horton's for a couple years. I left to go to school. It was an OK job, night shift and my coworkers were fun, but it gets tiresome smelling like a greasy donut all the time (back then we actually deep fried all he donuts, now it is all baked)

StephanieBFree

I am a 911 Dispatch Operator with the RCMP and have been for the past fifteen years. I do shift work working 12 hour shifts and four shifts on four shifts off. I love what I do and have been able to gain valuable life experience. I enjoy the flexibility of having the four days off which allows me to spend more time with my children and husband.

I would like to blame my desk job and the shift work for my weight gain but I honestly can't. I am the one who has not been active enough on my days off and have not curbed my portions over the years. Even while I am working I have the opportunity to get out and exercise on my breaks (90 minutes). It has just been pure laziness. Well, no more. I am now very motivated and I am going to succeed with my weight loss goal.

millerll

I'm an aerospace engineer on the space shuttle down in sunny Florida. Love it! Something different everyday, and the launches are awesome! I help prepare the shuttle for the next mission - repairing broken components, providing engineeering expertise for problem-solving and in general assisting the day-to-day operation there. I work with some of the most highly trained people in the world and I'm very lucky.

Before that, I was in the US Air Force for 20 years. I was a navigator on combat search and rescue aircraft. Great mission you hope you never have to do.

Lauz_88

I used to be an Air Hostess and am now a student nurse.

RoadDog

Here's my resume. Feel free to shop it around.

Objective:
Seeking position as Planning Scheduler.


Summary of Qualifications:
Possess excellent qualifications and extensive experience in Manufacturing / Production Planning to include:
Supply Chain
MRP
Implementation of Kan Ban System in Manufacturing and Assembly Areas.
Organization of Stockroom Area.
Maintenance of Inventory Levels.
Liaison with outside Processing Vendors (iImplementation of Level Loading Production System.


Professional Experience:

• ESCO Coproration, Portland, Oregon – March 2008 to Present
DRP Scheduler - Manage Supply Chain into Distribution organizations. Analyze capacity utilization, manage and smooth MPS, communicate changes to the lead time. Validate that planning data elements are maintained correctly to keep supply flow and plant loading in synch with demand patterns. Work within the S&OP process to ensure that Long range schedule is achievable and supports the production plan and sales forecasts.

• Warn Industries, Milwaukie, Oregon - July 1991 to March 2008
Production Planner - started out as Temporary employee. Progressed from Assembler, Material Handler, Receiving, Overhead Crane Operator to Production Planner.

• Back To Health Chiropractic Clinic, Portland, Oregon – November 1988 to July 1991
Licensed Massage Therapist – Self Employed

• Hanna Car Wash Industries, Milwaukie, Oregon – October 1987 through November 1988
Traffic Manager – Started as Traffic Supervisor and through promotions acquired final position.

• Blue Dragon Tae Kwon Do Academy, Cypress, California – January 1983 through September 1987
Black Belt Instructor – Self Employed

• Beckman Industrial Corporation, La Habra, California – March 1977 through October 1986
Product Line Specialist – Started as Export Traffic Analyst and through promotions acquired final position. Duties included Drafting Proposals for Process Control Instrumentation for monitoring of Process Stream analyses utilizing pH, Infrared, HC and Gas Chromatography systems.


Military Experience

• United States Marine Corps – August 1972 through August 1976
Telephone and Teletype Technician – Spent first two years in service training in Basic Electronics, Telephone/Teletype Repair and Cryptography. Spent
last two years of service working in this field in the U.S. and overseas.

Education


• Fresno High School, Fresno, California, Graduated 1972

• Transportation Training Corporation
Hazardous Material Training, Letter of Credit and Documentary Collection, International/Domestic Freight Forwarding, Import/Export Permits.

• East West College of Massage
Anatomy, Physiology, Kinesiology, Pathology, Hydrotherapy and Massage.

• New Horizons Learning Center
Excel, Access, Word, Outlook

• Institute for Supply Management


References available upon request

jjjohns

I have been a stay-at-home mom for 7 years. I have 2 kids and have a small daycare in my home. I plan t keep doing daycare since I enjoy it and it lets me be home with my kids.
I used to be a veterinary technician for 6 years. I enjoyed the job, but would not go back to it. Too little pay, long hours, weekends, etc. Not what I want in this phase of my life.

VegGrrl

I work for the Sheriff's Office at the main county jail. Right now I don't have contact with inmates other than to take their mugshots. I mostly do paperwork and deal with the public. I love my job and my workplace! It is one of the least stressful jobs I have ever had and my coworkers are a fun bunch. I worked for another county's District Court in their Criminal Unit for 9.5 years - the last few years I was a supervisor - WAY too stressful! Before that I worked at a men's state prison for 9 years - loved it - one of the best jobs I ever had. Had lots of dealing with the inmates there - including maximum security and death row. I think I love Corrections because I feel like maybe, just maybe, I might make a difference in someone's life just by being kind and respectful. I'm Buddhist and the challenge of remaining compassionate every day when sometimes dealing with the worst society has to offer is a great opportunity to put my beliefs into PRACTICE.

Before that I worked on ranches running farm equipment, doing odd jobs, at a bakery, retail, receptionist at a rock radio station, waitressing, at a print shop "cutting color", and right out of college I was an advertising buyer with one of the top agencies in New York. I also worked as a PA on a couple low budget movies (I went to film school). Before and during college I worked at a fast-food joint, assisting with the grading of AP art students' portfolios, and did market research. I've done a lot in my 46 years but it looks like Criminal Justice is the field I will retire from in (hopefully) another 10-15 years!