8 Weird Jobs I've Worked and 8 Lessons I've Learned From Them

This article started as being inspired by the Top Story by Dani The Writer, "More Than One Can Bear." I don't want to give any spoilers, so go read it - it's a great piece!

In the comments, Dani and I got talking about one of my past jobs and I started thinking about some of the other "unconventional" jobs I've had over the years. Our conversation had me thinking about how much I'd learned from these jobs, good, bad, and everything in between. Not only that, but I feel pretty lucky to have such an eclectic repertoire! I've left off some of my more boring, run-of-the-mill jobs, but here are some of the "weirder" ones I've had since I started working and some of the lessons I've learned from them.

1. "Paint your own pottery" studio instructor

This one isn't a fun lesson, but it's an important one: learn your workers' rights. Especially if you're under the age of legal employment and can't understand why you're being given the side eye by adults every time you mention "your job" or not having a lunch break after eleven hours of work.

Also, this should be a given but it wasn't to me so, uhh - employers should not throw things at you, even if you are a child (especially if you are a child and they've hired you. Also, you should get breaks and there are actual, whole laws surrounding that little fact! So go learn them before you get taken advantage of, kiddo.)

2. Children's spa manicurist

Once a parent hears you used to work at one of these places, there is a high possibility you will unironically be asked to do their six-year-old's nails almost every time you see them. Yes, even your university professor.

No, doing children's nails is usually not a problem (I mean, I did take the job because I like working with kids!) That is given, however, that I'm at the person's house and we have a friendly relationship in the first place, or you've booked a birthday party with the company I work at.

It especially helps in your favor if you are not, in fact, my university professor asking me to do this on a study-abroad trip you're getting paid to teach and have brought your husband and child along on while asking me to do 11 hours of rehearsal a day for four weeks straight including translating a script from Anglo-Saxon to modern-day English in my off hours using an Oxford English Dictionary subscription I will fall in love with and will not be able to afford without my student discount, all the while expecting me to do your six-year-old child's nails at the same time, while also asking me to pay for the opportunity to be there in the first place, which, might I add - is the opportunity of a lifetime which you, my instructor, would rather I spend painting your daughter's nails.

*Giant inhale*

In that case, you will end up on this list.

And the piece of advice I will give in reflection of your attitude will be: do not paint this kind of person's child's nails in this situation. They know there is a power discrepancy and you've paid to to be there and learn, not paint their daughter's nails, for which she can afford to treat her daughter to herself in her own time.

My note to my past self is this: Your money is being spent, your time is being spent, you're working hard for these credits, and your grade shouldn't suffer because you're spreading yourself thin with people-pleasing that means nothing to the person you're trying to appease.

3. Walking drunk people home at night

I could go on and on about this job; this was one of my favorite jobs, hands down and the lessons I learned from it were endless. If I could pick one piece of advice to give from this employment chapter, though, it would be that if you're in college or university, try to get a job working on campus if possible. It's usually a super fun gig, a great way to meet people and get involved with your community, pays well, and offers a ton of flexibility. Go for it!

If you aren't in the post-secondary school chapter, I'd say what I learned from this experience is that if you ever want to get to know your neighborhood inside and out, explore it by foot. You'll amaze yourself with how close you feel to the place you're living.

Also if you have the opportunity to explore where you live at night (given how safe you feel doing so!) it will reveal to you that every single town is just a little bit haunted between the hours of 1 am and 4 am.

4. Private golf club bistro server

I had to sign an NDA for this job so I can't actually tell you what I learned during my time here. But maybe there's a lesson in that...

Always read the job description's fine print so you know *exactly* what kind of job you're getting into!

5. Thrift store worker

This is another job I could honestly write a whole article about. Scents really are the most powerful holders of memory. Working in the donation center, the hardest part was sifting through belongings and wondering what happened for those items to end up there, or worse, finding out what happened when someone's donations were the result of everything going wrong in their life.

So often we would get a young person in their twenties or thirties who would be donating vans of their deceased relatives' "junk" only to unknowingly donate items that are worth thousands of dollars or have significant historical value. These donations go behind a special glass and are still thrift store prices, but it's sad to think that the original donator will never know what they lost. If we have their information, we'll reach out, but most people are just in a hurry to drop the stuff off and let us deal with the rest. The lesson: A little extra time is worth it if you can take it in almost every situation.

A second part to this lesson is to check the books at the thrift store - believe it or not, there are some solid first editions in there for $1 or $2 simply because we don't have enough people in the back to go through everything with a fine-tooth comb and check the editions of every book that gets donated. You'd be surprised what taking an extra second or two of slowing down or just being curious can bring. Especially within the walls of a thrift store.

6. Newspaper passenger princess

This one isn't *technically* a real job of mine, simply because it was my boyfriend's job. But I still went with him nearly every night, so I'm putting it on this list, lol. It was a night shift delivering newspapers 364/365 nights a year. He still has this job and I still join him when I'm not working one of my current two jobs. It throws me and my sleep schedule completely off-balance but it's so fun, I can never resist hauling myself out of bed at 3am and curling up in the passenger seat with my boyfriend, my dog, a blanket, a spooky podcast, and a whole car full of newspaper. The lesson is similar to part of #3's - weird things happen at night. It's worth it to wander out every once in a while and see what you find if you're able to do so.

7. Budtender

This is my current job! I sell and smoke weed, lol. The lesson I learned here was that weed is so much more than just getting high and that taking the time to learn about cannabinoids and terpenes will enhance your experience as a cannabis user, tenfold. It seems like a lot of information, but once you figure out which terpenes you like and don't like it's the gift that keeps on giving.

The lesson for non-cannabis smokers is that spending a little bit of extra time on researching something you enjoy even casually is worth it if it'll make your experience of doing that thing better!

8. Public golf course pro shop attendant

Since this is a public golf course and very different in culture from the other golf course I worked at, I can talk about this one! I love this job, lol! I still have it, now. It's a summer gig and features early morning starts with early afternoon finishes. I learned I was a morning person here, weirdly enough. The "lesson" learned was this, though (and get ready because this is another one that could be an article on its own, but I'll try to keep it brief):

If you struggle with mental illness and severe seasonal depression like I do and do not have a degree or diploma, like me - look into seasonal work. I kid you not it is a game-changer. It's a few months of good work during the summer (so the less depressing months) and then in the winter you have the option of collecting EI or finding another gig until the "on-season" starts again. The money is usually good enough in the summer, though, that the possibility of living off your savings while you take your 3-4 month break between seasons, is actually entertainable. I work two jobs in the summer and then in the winter, I'm at the pot shop part-time and writing or taking pictures a little more full-time. Living by what's organic to me instead of working against myself has been incredibly beneficial and has helped me prevent burnout (which I can struggle with when it comes to work some years.)

So that's the lesson: work with yourself and your flaws instead of trying to hate or shame them into submission. Treat those obstacles like you would a small child who's trying to alert you that a learning strategy does not work for them any longer - let's explore what does work, then!

In all, I'm grateful for all of the weird little jobs I've worked over my lifetime so far, and I'm looking forward to the weird ones I'll work in the future. Whether it be learning about workers' rights or learning to relieve shame by finding a job that's just the right fit, there is so much to be learned at work that is beyond what can be put on a resume.

What was your weirdest job and what did you learn from it?