One time, when I worked at [fill in blank]…
Ever so often when I’m talking to someone I’ll bring up a memory about some place where I’ve worked in the past. If I tell multiple stories to the same person, they usually end up saying “how many jobs have you had?” It’s a good question, considering I have had a lot of jobs.
I’ve never been fired before, but I used to think every summer meant a chance to do something completely different. Here, for the first time, I’ll write out every job I’ve ever had.
Grade 10-OAC I videotaped Jr. B hockey games on Friday nights.
Summer going into Grade 11 – I worked as a telemarketer for this company downtown. I was 15 at the time and the youngest person working there. I worked long hours, sometimes even working double shifts. I saved money for college but my parents had to borrow it when they fell on some rough times and I think that turned me off saving for the rest of the my life, haha. At first I was on the Bell Account – signing people up for long distance plans and extra features, then when school started and they wanted me to stay on doing weekends I worked for the Hosiery Corporation of America. We tried to get clients to up the amount of hosiery they had delivered to their house. I quit after 3 weeks on that account because I hated it.
Grade 10 – for about a week, I worked at Tim Horton’s and I hated it. I actually quit because I wanted to go to the movies with my friends. I can’t remember the movie for life of me, but I do remember my friends peer pressuring me into quitting.
Summer going into Grade 11 – Spent the summer working in a gift shop on Victoria Ave in Niagara Falls. I didn’t have my license yet so I had to take the bus most days. I had a lot of fun and made some great friends. The thing that sucked was the off-kilter bus schedule. I’d sometimes have to come in hours before my shift started because the next bus would get me there too late. I’d sit by the falls and read under the tree or people-watch. On nights where I worked late, I’d sleep at friend’s house. She lived right near Clifton Hill and when I walked to work all I could smell was the Kraft factory.
Summer going into Grade 12 – I was a research assistant at Brock University. I worked for this group called YLC-CURA and I was responsible for making a compendium to be distributed to schools in the area and writing about issues affecting students. I also went to a week-long conference in Ottawa.
Grade 12 – OAC – I worked at Yogen-Fruz. At that time I was really into the local music scene and worked with a couple of people who were into it as well. We were allowed to listen to whatever music we wanted, which usually ended up being Goldfinger or NOFX. Whenever “Bob” came on, no matter what we were doing or who we were serving, we’d all dance during the break down and sing along. We used to play hockey with spoons and frozen strawberries and we’d throw blueberries at people walking by (known at the time as blueberry bombs). The downsides were our douchebag bosses.
Halfway through OAC year – I realized I was going to college, not university and after a bad case of pneumonia I decided to just drop out of OAC. I didn’t need the courses and I was already accepted to Mohawk. I quit Yogen-fruz and started working at Tim Hortons again. I worked straight days but didn’t hate it so much this time because I liked the people I worked with.
Summer going into college – October of third year at Mohawk – I started working at Peaches Video. I’d work on weekends while in college and full time during the summer. Loved it there and loved the people. I own way too many movies as a result of this job.
Second year at Mohawk – I worked in the Campus Den, selling mostly cigs and snacks to college kids
Also, second year at Mohawk – During this time I also worked for “Leave the pack behind”, an anti-smoking group on campus. My friend and I would set up display booths in the school and hand out information to people about quitting smoking. We’d also do these weird lung tests (which most people failed because they breathed dirty Hamilton air all of the time).
Third year, Mohawk – Summer going into second year at Laurier – I worked at Shoppers Drug Mart in the pov mall. The job was nothing great, but I really became close with the people I worked with. I loved it there and most of my stories come from Shoppers.
Also, third year, Mohawk – On top of Shoppers and schoolwork, I was also the Entertainment Editor at our campus paper. Yes, this was a paid position. It helped me survive as a poor student. I would get tons of cds to review and after reviewing them I could sell them to a used cd store. I would also get into tons of free band shows and movies, helping me have a life and save money.
Summer going into Laurier, first year and one day a week during the school year for entire year I got myself a fancy government job. I worked as a service delivery agent for Social Development Canada. I would answer phones all day regarding Old Age Pension and the Canada Pension Plan. I knew more about pensions than anyone my age should have. At this point, I was also still working at Shoppers. I worked long days, my friends.. long days. Essentially, I had two full time jobs. I went almost two months without having a single day off.
Entire three years at Laurier – I got a job in the Writing Centre at Laurier. I was hired there before I was even technically a student there. The first year I hated it, mostly because I hated my boss. In second year I had to run it for a month, as the sole tutor, before we got a new boss who I loved dearly.
Summer going into second year at Laurier – Got myself another government job, this time for Statistics Canada. I was an assistant for a crew leader during the census. I still worked at Shoppers Drug Mart, so it was another long summer. I would go to the crew leader’s house either before or after my shift at Shopper’s and on any days off. It was a bit intense, but it was a lot of fun.
Second year Laurier I moved to Brantford and started working at the Shoppers Drug Mart there. I really disliked the people I worked with, so over time I grew to hate the job and never wanted to be there. In April, I quit and did not return the next school year.
Summer going into third year, summer following third year – This was my first summer going home in a while. I looked in vain for a nice office job but couldn’t find one. Instead, I started working at Yogibear’s Jellystone Park in Niagara Falls. I loved it. Loved the people, loved my bosses and made some great friends out of it. Not to mention, got some great stories.
Fall of 2008 – Completed a fashion/editorial internship at More Magazine. My first week there, I got offered a job at the newspaper. So I worked Mon – Thurs at the magazine in Toronto, then drove home and worked at the paper on weekends. In December I started full time at the paper and then was laid off last week.
Now – Freelance writer with one regular writing gig and one occasional client. Looking for more. 
And I think that sums it up.Oh, there was also two non-paid things I didn’t include – a co-op in high school at a local newspaper and an internship in college at a television station as a reporter.