Two Types of Jobs

Okay I have worked now for the last 28 years of my lifes and I have had a few differnt jobs. And it seems to me that there are two different kinds of jobs, Service or Production. Let me explain:

Service jobs seem to focus around waiting to react to something (or serve someone). I would describe most customer service type jobs as reactionary type jobs. Like taking/cooking peoples orders at a restuarant. You don't (usually) cook up a bunch of food and hope that someone comes to buy it. You wait until the customer makes and order then prepare the food (not that these people sit around doing nothing waiting for customers....I know). (for example: Police, Firefighters, Sales, Military etc.)

Production jobs seem to center around spending your entire work day creating something to sell to a client. Some might think this only includes factory type jobs, but many professional jobs are this way as well. Architect's and Engineers usually only get paid for their "design time" that they can bill directly to a job that will be "built". (for example: Factory workers, construction workers, most Artists, etc.)

I have worked in both of these kinds of jobs. Which type of job do you have? Do you like it or not? Or do you think your job doesn't fit into thess categories?

Both of my jobs nowadays would be in the "Service" category. I worked in factories for 21 years on the production side. I'm glad to be more service oriented now.

Not sure. Guess I'm primarily "service":
Handling all refill requests, paperwork and filing, maintaining RX stock, etc

But there could be some "production" too if you will:
Website design and maintenance, processing meds for patients....

I think there's a third category = GOPHER !

Guilty/Forgiven wrote:

I think there's a third category = GOPHER !

I think I might still say that is service.

I have worked both production and service type jobs, and I think I was usually happiest when I was working a service type job (with at least one exception).

Blinds/Drapery Installation - Prodution (got paid on how many units you installed in each home) I loved this job
Cafeteria - Service, loved this job, bussed tables, washed dishes, short order cook, horrible pay.
Roofer - Production (pay based on how much roofing material you installed), this job was never fun & murder on my back
Military - Service (salary), I liked it ok, but very controlling and they wouldn't let me go to college.
Newspaper-Service (hourly) got paid to pull newspapers off the press, fun job but lousy pay
Structural Engineer- Production (salary, but you have to bill 90% of hours), I like the Engineering aspect but most of the other aspects stink, and I can't stand having to keep track of every single minute for billing (and the stoopid stress of being over budget).

I have done just about everything one can do to make money. My current job is a truck driver, landing it in the service category.

Do I like it? NO!!!

As much as I hate my job, mine chose me, not the other way around. I have always loved vehicles and driving them, so this career found me.

My current job is production and service. I work in a factory that makes frame parts for a major auto manufacturer. My job however is in a department known as 'Kaizen'. My co-worker and I design and build parts tables and conveyors for the many and varied work cells in our plant. We also design and build various kinds of carts and rack stands. We also repair just about anything that breaks-except for the robots. Do I like my job? Most of the time, yes. If given the option though, I would set up a small shop where I could do welding jobs, sandblasting, and powder coating.

Ok looking back on my list I guess my favorite jobs had nothing to do with "type", but "pay". I liked the jobs that didn't pay for beans.

joe61 wrote:

..... If given the option though, I would set up a small shop where I could do welding jobs, sandblasting, and powder coating.

I thought you were hoping to sell that novel and become the next Isaac Asimov?

I've only ever really had one job… delivering newspapers, which is service.

Soon, I'm going to apply to a local grocery store for a job in store standards. I hope I get that job, because anything beats newspapers (except cleaning bathrooms).

Staybrite wrote:

Ok looking back on my list I guess my favorite jobs had nothing to do with "type", but "pay". I liked the jobs that didn't pay for beans.

joe61 wrote:

..... If given the option though, I would set up a small shop where I could do welding jobs, sandblasting, and powder coating.

I thought you were hoping to sell that novel and become the next Isaac Asimov?

Still whittling away at it...slowly. If the first draft ever gets finished, I'll be amazed. For some reason, I can't get past working with my hands.

danielbandfan wrote:

I've only ever really had one job… delivering newspapers, which is service.

I delivered papers too. At one point I had two paper routes. I delieverd the Seattle Post Intelligencer, and the Seattle Times. It was a fun job, but the Seattle P.I. route was a morning route and it kind of sucked getting up at 5:30 am every Saturday and Sunday morning.

I spent 5 years from junior year of high school until this past year working at McDonalds (production) and I can say I DO NOT like this kind of job. I think I'm much more of a service oriented person in general anyway. I applied for and had a job interview last week at Enterprise Rent-A-Car for a Staff Accounant job. If I get it, I'd be doing a lot of data entry, spending time at different branches learning about the business, and some traveling to different branches to do auditing work. Sure it doesn't sound like the most action oriented work, but there's an awesome work atmosphere and all the people in the department are really cool. Not to mention it pays pretty decent.

silentthunder89 wrote:

..... Sure it doesn't sound like the most action oriented work, but there's an awesome work atmosphere and all the people in the department are really cool. Not to mention it pays pretty decent.

Having a good work environment can make all the difference in the world. The restaurant job I worked in was hard work, lousy hours, and poor pay, but the other employees were cool and the bosses were more than fair. It made it a fun place to work.

My daughter works restaurant (Chilis) and she's got some horror stories, people can be real tough to deal with.

Like Staybrite, I've had quite the array of jobs:

Art supply store: stocking and janitorial
Department store: janitorial and register
Machine shop: Sand blasting heads and other auto parts
Nissan dealership: Detail boy, washing cars and engines all day long
Auto Painter apprentice: primering bondo, sanding and some spot painting
Stater bros: Bagger until promoted to meat dept clerk
Plasma center: Lab tech, machine prep, phlebotomy and plasma freezer storage
ALL THAT BEFORE 19 years old when I started in Pharmacy, where I've been ever since.

Well I didn't post all of my jobs (I left out the newspaper boy job). And I also did a few other "less savory" jobs.

Telephone Solicitor: (3 weeks) best sales the first week, worst sales the 3rd week so they canned me.
Brick Manufacturing Plant: (only about 4 weeks) toughest job I ever had, the physical part was grueling for the first few weeks before you got used to it. But the worst part was that they yelled at you the entire time you were on the line. For some reason they had a high turn-over rate.

And I have done tons of odd jobs for cash like: digging ditches, splitting firewood, building paved walkways etc.