What is the worst job in the world?

Follow-up to the Worst Job You Ever Had

I did a search on the Web and came across the BBC’s Talking Point program where readers’ contribute their own experiences on the worst jobs they ever had. On reading them, I begin to realise my job as a factory labourer (see previous posting) wasn’t that bad after all. And these awful jobs were in England and other rich Western countries!

While all the jobs suck, some were hilarious, too. Here’s a selection I picked from the BBC site:

Nothing can be worse than working in a financial call centre. After wearing a headset for eight hours a day for six months, I eventually started hearing voices in my head after my shift had finished. – Neill Traill, UK

As a summer job during one college break I worked for the sewer department in the village where I lived in Long Island New York. Every Friday, I would have to descend 3 levels underground where the sewer lines of the entire North side of the village converged (after being chopped by huge grinders) into a 6 meter cubed size cement room. The grinders would be stopped, and the room pumped out. It was then my job to don boots, gloves, and slicker then, armed with a small fire hose, climb down into the room on a small iron ladder and proceed to wash the entire room down with the hose, hopefully without slipping.

That job gave me the inspiration to complete school and find a cushy desk job, and a new found appreciation every time I flush the toilet! – Kevin McGoldrick, USA

During my gap year between school and university I worked on a kibbutz in Israel. It was a really exciting job. I worked on a machine which pumped out little black plastic sticks. They fell into a really big box and I had to pick up a handful of these sticks and then put them in a smaller box, in line.

Actually, it wasn't that bad. I got very good at pick-up-stick! And to while away the time I would put notes in the boxes (which were, I believe, shipped to Holland) saying things like 'Help Me! I'm trapped in the stick making machine'. Not very funny, perhaps, but it made me giggle. – James, England

At 3AM every single day, I used to head off to the local farm in America where I had to pick sweet corn. This comprised walking through the corn (in all weathers) behind a tractor, ripping the corn from the plants 4 ears at a time and then throwing it into the tractor's baskets. A joy I hear you say. It gets worse. After a hurricane the fields were flattened, meaning that we had to go about our tasks bent double for 4 hours, rooting around for ears of corn, ripping our hands and arms to shreds on the sharp corn plants. It was a really good laugh thinking back on it now, from my boring office.... – Andrew, UK

Some time ago I went to a safari zoo. The way it works is that you are caged-in in a car and drive around from one reserve to the next. Monkeys always climb on top of the car and usually enjoy a free ride for a while. At the exit of the monkey reserve is a zoo worker equipped with a stick. His duty is to prevent monkeys from leaving the reserve on a car. Imagine chasing monkeys in the glowing sun for eight hours. – Marin, Canada

I work in a call centre and I think because people can't see you face to face they think they can speak to you like dirt. You've got to learn not to take it personally or you will go mad.
– Anon, Wales

Source: “What is the worst job in the world?” BBC Talking Point, Feb 11, 2002