Category: Real Job Stories

  My story is centered in a yearlong relationship between myself, a co-worker, and a group of people who comprised a community board. I supervised the co-worker and I was assigned, as the city’s representative, to support the board. There were layers of history, including race and justice issues that influenced how we all related to each other. As complex… Continue reading "A Road to Understanding and Acceptance by  Tom Wahlrab"

Just Like Lucy by C. R. Mason Growing up in the sixties and seventies in a large family meant watching a lot of TV. Many nights I stayed up after everyone was asleep to watch World War Two movies, most of which were made after the war. My favorite was ‘The Great Escape’ with Steve McQueen. When he psychs himself… Continue reading "Just Like Lucy by C.R. Mason"

Bobby and the Big Russell  by Bruce Steeples Cape Cod, 1975 The first summer ferry to Martha’s Vineyard left Woods Hole at eight a.m. Across the street, the line started forming outside the Ship’s Crossing Restaurant about a quarter to seven. When the doors opened at seven there was a rush to the tables and soon a stack of orders… Continue reading "Bobby and the Big Russell by Bruce Steeples"

Pet or Pest? By Joan S         I’ve worked a number of nutty jobs and have been pondering which one to plunder for stories. Lucky for you all, the first job I ever had raised its ugly head last week when we had a rat visit our workplace. I was working at McCooks Theatre in a somewhat… Continue reading "Kill the Rat! / What’s the opposite of flagship? by Joan S"

Confessions of a Bering Sea Cook – chapter 1 By Tim Dempsey        Back in the 90s I took a job on a small coastal freighter for a seafood company in Seattle. I wanted a deckhand job and I wanted to work in the infamous Bering Sea but this was the only open position at the time so I took… Continue reading "Confessions of a Bering Sea Cook – chapter 1"

The story was one that a newscaster relates with a knowing smirk and the slightest wink, as if trying to subtly dislodge a gnat stuck under an eyelid, yet what he said terrified me that night and the next day. The reds and greens of the early ‘70s color TV, slightly off and slightly too intense no matter how often… Continue reading "bigfoot heading my way by Carter Meland"

editor’s note:  In in the hospitality industry creepy customers can be common. Uncommon is a boss who defends a worker’s right to be treated decently. Goes to show the customer is not always right. In my early 20’s after living a private school ivory tower childhood I arrived at a point in my life when my dream job was to… Continue reading "Boss Does the Right Thing by Katerina Beaverhausen"

That’s not my story but it makes a good title, right? I did read an article about the practice of undocumented Chinese cooks working subjugated to restaurant owners. They work for low wages in order to pay back employment brokers who arranged their jobs. Because of their undocumented status they are exploited. Indentured workers may be why your Fried Rice… Continue reading "Help! I’m being held prisoner in a Chinese Restaurant!"

Hotel Busboy Blues      In my junior year of high school, I moved up in the world of work. A friend, and a friend connection seems to be the best way to get a job, hooked me up with a gig as busboy in the fancy restaurant on the top floor of Stouffers Hotel.  The hotel was kind of a… Continue reading "“May I clear your plate, sir?”"

Everybody belongs to the world of work … Real Job Stories … Everybody has one! Whats yours? The experiences you’ve had on the job, you can’t make this stuff up. The mission of realjobstories.com is to celebrate the colorful tapestry of life that is the world of work and share real job stories. Submission guidelines: Send submissions as attachments to:  realjobstories123@gmail.com… Continue reading "Real Job Stories! What’s yours?"