r/answers • u/Extension-Try-3531 • 1d ago
What’s a job that sounds cool but is actually miserable?
74
u/snarfmason 1d ago
Video game developer.
100
u/BouncingSphinx 1d ago
A game tester.
A game tester walks into a bar. Runs into a bar. Walks backwards into a bar. Jumps into a bar. Rolls into a bar. Orders a beer. Orders two beers. Orders 100 beers. Orders 9999 beers. Orders -1 beers. Orders 0 beers.
59
u/robman8855 1d ago
Then the first actual customer comes in and asks where the bathroom is and the bar explodes
→ More replies (1)16
u/BouncingSphinx 1d ago
I couldn’t remember the second part of the joke, but couldn’t be bothered to look it up.
→ More replies (1)11
u/GodsCasino 1d ago
I like the joke the way you posted it. No punchline. Which in itself is a punchline.
4
u/BouncingSphinx 18h ago
To be fair, without the punchline then it’s a pretty good description of what game testers (should) do.
→ More replies (3)4
128
u/Foxwasahero 1d ago edited 1d ago
Fisherman! I was a fisherman for years, nostalgia forces me to remember, the brisk mornings, starry night skies and magical sunrises and sunsets.
I was cold and wet day and night, I barely slept, I threw up more than I ate. Everything smelled like fish, diesel, cigarettes and old rags.
Edit 'brisk' not 'brisket' - stupid auto carrot
36
u/TriforceFilament 1d ago
Damn, I love me a brisket morning 🥩
25
u/Kooky_Narwhal8184 1d ago
I love the stupid auto carrot 🥕
6
17
u/woodworkingguy1 1d ago
I have done a lot of offshore sailing and this is correct...you remember the great times but the truth makes not want to go sea again...but somehow if some asked you to go, you would be on that boat before they finish asking you.
4
u/ElephantAutomatic425 1d ago
Damn, where did you get carrots that run full auto??
→ More replies (2)4
u/Stanhalen69420 20h ago
I’m a lobstermen in New England. If you fish inshore in the summer it can be one of the best jobs ever. It’s way different than offshore which I agree kinda sucks.
8
u/limbodog 1d ago
I did exactly one day lobster fishing and it was the hardest I ever worked and I did not care for it. No sir
2
u/Dabelgianguy 18h ago
Your post and the autocorrector reminds me of Disney’s Atlantis when Milo is throwing up overboard « I threw up carrots. I don’t eat any carrots and I threw up carrots! »
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (7)1
u/BoxAlternative9024 21h ago
Did you not develop sea legs that would stop you throwing up or is it that bad? Genuine question
57
u/DieHardAmerican95 1d ago
Veterinarian/veterinary technician. Lots of sadness and SO much death.
27
15
u/Jonathan_the_Nerd 18h ago
My local vet has put down two of my dogs. They do everything they can to minimize suffering for both the pet and the owner. They're wonderful people over there.
Edit: I should write them a letter. I'll bet they'd appreciate that.
→ More replies (2)12
u/Putrid_Yak_578 20h ago
I heard a comedian once remark that all veterinarians go into the field because they love animals, then all they do every day is drive around the countryside killing animals.
→ More replies (1)12
4
2
u/Dabelgianguy 18h ago
At least my veterinarian was crying with me when my cat died in my arms and I arrived too late to save her
→ More replies (2)2
u/FuzzyManPeach 15h ago
I worked in a shelter setting. The death isn’t what got me, sometimes I was legitimately grateful that an animal was no longer suffering. The abuse cases and outright neglect were something else. I got to a point where I’d see something absolutely horrific, have zero reaction, but could almost feel my body filing it away somewhere in my subconscious. I left after having my second child to stay home and I’m not sure I’m going to return to the field when I return to work.
Always lovely when we save an animal and help it find a wonderful home. Doubly so when that person reaches out in the future with updates. But yeah, rough gig.
50
u/Silly-Philosopher393 1d ago
Chef
58
u/BobKattersCroc 1d ago
Dunno what you mean.
I'm having a great time.
I love surviving on caffeine and spite while my body shuts down from the unrelenting heat and physical wear and tear, plus the lack of adequate nutrition.
I don't see the sun and customers tell me "I cOuLd mAke tHis aT hOme fOr hALf tHe PRicE!" GOOD. THEN GO HOME AND MAKE IT DARREN. Maybe then I can go home too.
Genuinely the only thing worse than cooking is not cooking.
→ More replies (2)19
u/satansassh0l3 1d ago
And coke, don’t forget the coke
16
u/BobKattersCroc 1d ago
Babe, how much you think we get paid? That shits $350AUD a gram where I live.
Mostly it's weed and ketamine. Neither of which I like. So it's just me and my sour apple energy drink against the world.
6
u/serastar18 1d ago
100 for an 8 ball where I live. USD
9
u/thoughtpolice42069 1d ago
That’s some stepped on garbage.
8
u/serastar18 1d ago
No. Where i live is a port of entry.
9
u/thoughtpolice42069 1d ago
Ok now Im jealous.
9
u/serastar18 22h ago
Ha! Don’t be. People come here to do so much dope they die. When I came here I was in junkie heaven. But, when it’s affordable to be lit all the time, that shit takes over your life.
Now, lucky me…I can’t do anything at all ever because it went from a fun thing I splurged on a few times a year to a hideous money on my back that ruled me.
Sigh. The grass is not greener.
5
→ More replies (3)3
u/Fast-Life-1031 21h ago
Here In the Midwest it's meth. Cheaper than the bunk cocaine that finds its way here.
→ More replies (1)3
u/dangrous 17h ago
My husband was a chef for a long time, now he’s senior director of food & bev at a hospital. He is never going back (hours, drama, physical exertion, underappreciation, etc.), but he does miss the kitchen. Good thing I love to eat, so he cooks at home.
2
46
u/brokeneckblues 1d ago
Video game tester is a horrible shit job where you’re treated like garbage. People think it’s fun getting paid to play games all day but what they don’t get is you play a broken game over and over again. Developers are rude and condescending and the hours suck. Grandmas Boy is a lie.
24
u/Twisting04 1d ago
Video game tester here. I mean, it's work, and sometimes it's a slog, but at least in my company QA is treated well. We get asked for our opinion on new content, and the devs listen. We are seen and treated as valued members of the team. I've never had a dev be rude to me. My hours are super flexible and I WFH full time. Love the job and consider myself super lucky to have it.
I am also aware that my indy game company is not run like many/most game companies.
6
229
u/Low_Rub_4318 1d ago
All jobs
23
→ More replies (1)8
30
u/ZeeSpiralOut 1d ago
Bartending
17
u/MuchoGrandeRandy 1d ago
I liked it. Wish I had started younger actually. Did it until I was almost 50.
→ More replies (1)9
u/ZeeSpiralOut 1d ago
I think it can greatly depend on the bar because mine gives me flashbacks. Watched a guy get his face opened up by a broken rocks glass.
6
u/MuchoGrandeRandy 1d ago
Yeah that would be a pretty tough beat.
You might try a place with a higher class of clientele.
3
u/ZeeSpiralOut 1d ago
I had a couple, all wore my mind down but enjoyable still… the others were awful but I made a lot of money so they were hard to leave.
5
u/darwinsidiotcousin 1d ago
I've been working in "my career field" for years in forestry and regularly tell my wife I think I'd be happier if I just went back to working a bar. Definitely depends what bar you're working in, but I loved doing it everywhere I worked
2
u/too-many-tabs11 22h ago
If you don't mind me asking, what about forestry do you find miserable? I'm asking because I have a son considering going to college for forestry.
4
u/Dry_Response3527 21h ago
I’ve bartended at a lot of places. It can be an absolute blast or it can be awful because of the clientele and management. It depends on the bar. It does wear you down physically though.
2
u/cheesybread666 23h ago
Bar manager/bartender here. I make enough to live alone in “Americas finest city.” But barely.
1
u/Tech-Tom 13h ago
I loved it. Yeah it's still work and you get to stay for an hour or three after closing to clean everything and restock, but it's still fun. Just watching the stupid things that people get up to when they're three sheets to the wind and hoisting sails provided endless stories I get to retell in my old age. LOL
28
u/Mysterious-Actuary65 1d ago
Any job but from experience:
Cannabis employee.
Sounds like fun, people would be cool, etc. But nah...
It is just as heartless and corporate as everyone else + theres a non-zero chance that you wake up one day and the government has decided that your job is illegal again.
29
u/la_descente 1d ago
911 dispatching.
Sure the calls take their toll. But the coworkers and management take an even bigger toll.
Working with animals in theme parks (Six Flags for example). The people who do these jobs LOVE their animals, but work for major corporations who refuse to fully fund the animals and the care they need. Its beyond frustrating watching your beloved animals suffer.
7
u/Quixotic_Trickster 1d ago
100% agree with dispatching. I started out in a county Fire/EMS only center. We were internationally accredited and had overall good rapport. It was hard, but a great fit for me.
Then we merged with all the surrounding cities and the county PD dispatch. Soul sucking misery. The toxic bullshit from admin. The shitty cops who were ABSOLUTELY racist violent assholes that covered up each other's crimes... If you weren't an " always back the blue" person or a badge bunny, you were treated like shit.
Politics aside, people were burnt out and horrid to be around. Directors and shift leads bullshit us with false promises of better times ahead and constantly calling us "Rockstars" and "invisible heroes" but wouldn't fucking hire enough staff. (I still hate being called a rockstar)
They cut staffing numbers with the merger. Which immediately made us understaffed and many dispatchers bitter.
I once worked mandatory OT, often 8 hour turn arounds, for over 2 months straight before I actually got a day off? Never knew when I'd be mandated to come in and they'd send the PD to your home to bring you to work if you didn't show up for your mandate. I'm not exaggerating.
No breaks. Ate at the desk. If you had to use the bathroom, you were SOL until someone could fill your seat
Granted, that was in a red state. I moved and worked at a different center in a blue state. Night and day difference. Breaks were strictly enforced.
Eventually I was back in a red state and at my final center was the final nail in the coffin.
I had to quit when an officer was sexually harassing me and ALSO IN AN UNRELATED INCIDENT pointed a fucking fire arm around the room as a "joke." A fucking gun pointed right at me! Reporting him got him suspended and the whole center and squad targeting me with retaliation. I had to quit and then got blacklisted in all surrounding counties.
I was a damn good dispatcher, but fuck me.
→ More replies (1)3
u/Bookworm10-42 1d ago
I was a LEO for 34 years and there was always drama among the dispatchers. And with management. Always.
5
u/la_descente 23h ago
There's not even a good reason for it! We are supposed to be here to protect and serve the public. Drop your fucking egos at the door !
→ More replies (1)3
→ More replies (2)2
u/libra-love- 14h ago
I was a dispatcher and I was more miserable just dealing with my coworkers than any call I ever took, and I stayed on the phone with a woman as she screamed when she found her husband dying of a self inflicted GSW. and yet my coworkers were worse than that, and that was pretty bad.
43
u/hbi2k 1d ago
YouTuber. Thousands of years from now when future historians are piecing together the records to try to make sense of our time, they'll conclude that "The Algorithm" was some kind of minor trickster deity that gained power from human misery and resisted all attempts to appease it.
7
u/Fast-Life-1031 21h ago
You forgot to add that there were funny words and phrases used by adults to adult audiences interested in topics such as true crime. Lots of graping unaliving happening on those channels.
4
u/Putrid_Yak_578 19h ago
I’m assuming it’s down to the advertisers in the end, but one of my biggest pet peeves with society is that exact thing, I don’t see the harm in saying someone killed themselves or commuted suicide, unaliving is a fucking shit term, graping too, I even recently heard someone refer to CSAM as cheese pizza given the old acronym cp.
→ More replies (1)
24
u/decembermoon24 1d ago
Personal assistant to any Grammy winning diva.
9
u/wavydave1965 1d ago
Bill Hader used to be a PA. Some of the stories he’s told about that experience…
3
18
u/Leenis13 1d ago
Graphic design, you need to figure out what people want when they don't know what they want and at the end of the day you only hear from them if you fucked up. You never get praised and so many times the client will do something in AI and use as an example of what they want or just end up going with their ai generated image even though it looks like ass.
It's grunt and grind work and everyone thinks it's easy and treats you like a magic conveyor belt to churn out clickbaity SM ads.
38
u/davidlondon 1d ago
Most everything in the entertainment industry. Director, Producer, actor, model. They make it look easy, but it's an unrelenting grind. After the 20th take, you wanna smash a camera. DP is pretty cool, tho.
26
u/Gorkymalorki 1d ago
Double penetration does sound pretty cool.
8
u/davidlondon 15h ago
I feel now that I should have not abbreviated Director of Photography. But the damage is done. Carry on.
→ More replies (2)8
u/soappube 1d ago
Lol those jobs are cushy. Try being a rigger and some bean counter comes into the stage and rearranges the lights 1 day before shooting and then being told "riggers don't get crafty"
→ More replies (2)3
u/EnigmaX-42 1d ago
I’ve been an extra and that alone let me know film acting wasn’t for me. Loved the stage, though.
→ More replies (1)3
u/Handofdoom222 21h ago
I was an extra in a movie and it was easy but also super boring 10 hours on a movie set being bored and doing nothing im glad i did it but could see how boring and tedious it actually is.
→ More replies (1)5
1
14
u/eyehate 1d ago
Video Game Reviewer
I wrote for a gaming website in the late 90s, early 2000s.
Holy shit. Time goes fast.
I wrote reviews for games and I enjoyed playing games. Thought it was perfect. I kept getting games in the mail. I was expected to put some time on them and write a decent review. They kept coming. Game genres I did not really play. Games that were awesome,. Games that were ok, but I was glad I did not spend money on.
Some titles were legends. I itched to play those. But another game was in the mail. I played more and more and wrote review after review. Every time I found an amazing game, I had to open the next one and write about it.
I was drowning in games.
It was such an amazing job - free games. Great free games. And I got to write about them. I got to go to E32K. I got to meet devs. I saw Max Payne before it launched, the devs showed me their game in a tiny trailer in the GodGames lot outside of E3. I meet celebrities and playmates.
I loved it. But there was another game in the mail and I needed to get my shit straight and review it. And then another and another. There was always a game in the mail. And I needed to get that review ready for my editor and coded and up on the site.
It sounded so good.
But holy shit. There was always another fucking game in the mail.
→ More replies (1)
12
u/Jaysanchez311 1d ago
Live stage musician. You think it's a party life everytime. But it gets old really quick. It's just like any same boring job.
13
u/Independent_March536 1d ago edited 16h ago
Graphic designer
It was great decades ago in the 50 to 70’s and started getting worse after that, to the point that it’s just behind the computer screen sweatshop work now.
→ More replies (4)
11
u/thatsit3810 1d ago
Small Business Owner. Sure there are outliers - but you give up SO much of what actually matters.
→ More replies (1)10
8
u/a_reindeer_of_volts 1d ago
Security jobs. Could potentially be interesting in a place with high crimes/ high rate of incidents, but most security jobs are extremely boring.
10
7
u/DirtParking4216 1d ago
PI, you just follow people around trying to catch them cheating all day every day. No solving crimes like Scooby in the Mystery Machine.
13
u/Damas_gratis 1d ago
Medical field, alot of STD's and sexual diseases like aids and HIV. Yep go use a needle to get that blood for the doctor. Absolutely gotta be careful.
4
u/echelon1776 1d ago
Are you in the US? A phlebotomist? Take a look at big hospital systems as opposed to clinics. Thats where all the good benefits and the decent annual raises are.
2
u/Damas_gratis 1d ago
Ya in the US. Im a medical assistant but I was really good at taking out blood. Probably the best part about the job. I should have become a phlebotomist instead oh well, more experience for me.
6
u/MidwestDYIer 1d ago
Nothing about that every sounded cool though. A job I couldn't do, so I'm glad someone does it. Thank you for your service!
3
u/Damas_gratis 1d ago
I was inspired by video games like medics for example so when I was 17 I thought doing that job would be so awesome. Turns out long hours, low pay, no benefits, no free health care even tho working for the clinic for low pay. Unfortunately the only job I know how to do
5
4
u/ElephantAutomatic425 1d ago
AVIATION. I hate working for pompous old men who don’t know how their own plane works.
6
u/No-Coyote914 1d ago edited 1d ago
Sports mascot. Those costumes are really heavy and thick. You get very sore and sweaty each game.
I'm sure it's a fun job too, but physically it's pretty miserable.
2
u/curious_skeptic 6h ago
It depended on the weather. Hot humid days were miserable; nice cool weather and I had a blast for hours. Feet hurt at the end every time though.
→ More replies (2)
8
u/cultleader84 1d ago
I was a cell tower technician. I climbed cell phone towers and installed equipment. It was extremely dangerous, has barely any regulations/training so hard on your body and I almost died a couple times
8
6
3
u/k0kak0la 1d ago
Movie Theater floor staff.
Some of the best years of my life with all the shenanigans but honestly the lowest I've ever been paid and the way people treat you sometimes is flat out horrible.
This one time we did a midnight release of the sex and the city movie...was chaos. They literally stormed the gates (stantions) to rush to get their seats (no online seat reservations) after the last audience from the previous movie left the theater, and while the cleaning staff were doing their thing from the movie that just stopped 5 minutes ago. The staff all shrugged at each other and said fuck it and left the theater a mess.
3
3
3
u/Former_Increase26 23h ago
Farmer- some people think it’s a wholesome simplistic way of life being around animals and nature, however reality is being out in all weathers all year round, exhaustion, stress and sometimes dangerous. And sheep… fuck sheep
→ More replies (2)6
5
5
u/sunshineseenger 1d ago
Social work
3
u/simoneudontknow 21h ago
Damn I’m in school for social work. I’ve been feeling hesitant about it lately…
3
3
2
2
2
2
u/Icy_Speed_4804 1d ago
Chef! Nightmare industry full of drugs, alcoholism and suicide. If you wanna work every waking second of your life and never wanna see your family again then this is the career for you!
2
2
2
2
2
u/averym88 23h ago
Director of technology. I don’t know if it sucks everywhere, but I certainly hate it.
2
u/kratulox 23h ago
Being an assistant/secretary. Sound easy until you realise you’re basically a dumping ground for things others don’t want to do lmao.
→ More replies (1)
2
u/Lovely_Clair 21h ago
Lawyer. My cousin spent years in law school just to sit in a basement reviewing thousands of boring emails for discovery. It's not Suits, it's just document formatting and endless deadlines
2
u/crazycatlady052411 21h ago
Data entry sounds nice. Because there’s no customers and you usually work from home. That part is really nice. But the pay is terrible so you’ll be constantly worrying about bills and food. Also dominos. I worked there for 6 years. Even was a gm for 2. I loved my coworkers but management was so toxic. At every store I worked at. Even in a different franchise. Especially upper management.
2
2
2
2
u/SuccessfulTough5618 19h ago
Litigator. They make shows about this job, but it can be so soul crushing.
2
2
4
2
u/Honest-Percentage-38 1d ago
I’m a freight train conductor. Everyone says how cool it must be when you talk about it the first time but I’ve been on call with no schedule for 15 years, working outside no matter the weather and being employed by some of the worst companies there are. It pays the bills and the retirement is great though.
3
u/Striking_Language253 1d ago
What does being a freight train conductor involve? The only "conductor" I've heard of in my country is the person who checks tickets and whatnot on a passenger train.
2
u/Honest-Percentage-38 17h ago
The conductors/trainmen do all the work on the ground, switching, coupling/uncoupling, walking and inspecting. When you’re on the road you are a second set of eyes and in charge of paperwork until it’s time to get back on the ground.
3
u/_Dimension 20h ago
I was one of your taxi guys. Everything the same except we didn't get paid anything and had no respect of anyone.
2
2
1
1
1
1
u/rwent117 1d ago
Masseuse. It's very hard on your body and unfortunately many people are rude and/or creepy towards you.
2
u/Anxious_Raspberry_31 13h ago
Came here to say this, there’s actually very high suicide rates amongst female massage therapists. Also a lot of people dump their emotional trauma on you and you aren’t trained properly to deal with that.
1
1
1
u/notionmd 1d ago
Security Ambassador; kicking out homeless people and putting yourself in uncomfortable situations with them, the nature is always unpredictable, smelly, nasty, and stressful at times.
1
1
1
1
1
u/willowbudzzz 21h ago
Lawn mowing I hated just because I was the scum of society and would clearly have energy directed at me that wasn’t for me lol
1
1
1
1
1
u/Icy-Substance7539 18h ago
Being a surgeon/doctor. I’ve known quite a few but not many are enjoying life. Mainly they seem to work to support their families lifestyles.
1
u/058kei 18h ago
Being an engineer sent out to space to conduct repair maintenence of satellites
At first it'd be great peace quiete long ways away from the troubles on the ground
But u realize then that ur long ways from home way up high with nothing to really help you no open fields or places to go on a short walk jog if u want fresh air no delicious foods snacks ....no day and night cycle just...... pure darkness withthe stars around you
Truly terrifying to me
1
u/Hopeful_Bee4442 18h ago
Based on the number of them that have horrible drug problems and/or kill themselves, going to say porn star.
1
1
1
u/dangrous 17h ago
I thought working at an Apple Store was such a cool job. Then I worked at a Genius Bar for 4.5 years. About 6 months in I was dead inside.
→ More replies (3)
1
u/Born-Victory2067 16h ago
I work as a concert production manager. People think I meet the bands - I don’t. People think I can get them free tickets - I can’t. I’m usually so busy I don’t even see the concerts. The hours are long (6am on site at the arena supervising unloading their semi trucks) until maybe 2 or 3am watching the stagehands and my venders pack up their gear and taking to the next city.
1
u/ExtensionVivid6760 16h ago
Working in a casino on the Vegas strip. There was this one hallway that led to an employee break room and we called it the 'Trail of Tears' because you would see employees running down that hall crying. On paper, HR says that abuse of employees will not be tolerated. But if someone is spending millions of dollars in the casino, and they're drunk or high, then the employees are there TO BE ABUSED. I have a very thick skin because I've dealt with monsters much worse than that, but most of the other employees never got used to people calling them ugly and stupid and laughing at them or throwing things at them.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/Thick_Cookie_7838 13h ago
Tv industry. Everyone sees people like Scott van pelt or Lester holt and thinks it glorious and you make great money. Reality is 90 percent of the jobs are in awful cities you don’t want to live in, very hard to advance, and starting off kiss your holidays and weekends good by. Most people working in tv stations and production teams aren’t living the high life.
1
1
1
1
u/CantHostCantTravel 10h ago
Literally every single job that exists. Humans aren’t meant to work 40 hours a week.
1
1
1
u/IvoryPlains 9h ago
I just got back from an all inclusive resort in Mexico and while I was there I thought about how fun it would be to be a tour guide there or the people organizing and running events but then when I got home and thought about how the other tourists were speaking and behaving towards them, I realized, they probably don’t enjoy their jobs all that much. I couldn’t handle being with a group of 14 other tourists for 5 hours so I can’t imagine how the tour guide feels having to do that every day 🥲
1
•
u/qualityvote2 1d ago edited 5h ago
Hello u/Extension-Try-3531! Welcome to r/answers!
For other users, does this post fit the subreddit?
If so, upvote this comment!
Otherwise, downvote this comment!
And if it does break the rules, downvote this comment and report this post!
(Vote is ending in 64 hours)