What is the most awesome job you had /have?

[Red Badger]

Having enjoyed the post about worst / hardest job, how about we go the other way?

First, a digression, if I may. In my ~50 years of working (started chucking newspapers at 10), I've had many difficult, mundane, or distasteful jobs. I really felt a kinship with many who shared their own trials & tribulations here about crappy jobs on the way to FI / retirement.

OTOH, I've had some really great jobs; often, my assignments were ones that were newly created. Those allowed my to design my own role, to a certain degree.

Anyhoo, here's one from my army days that was fairly enjoyable with lots of fringe benefits....

I PCS'd to Korea as a communications sergeant. Some of my prior assignments allowed me to interview for a job on board a modified UH-60 that was essentially a flying command post for the commander of USFK (a 4 star billet). I got the job - my duties were simple - make sure the boss could talk to anyone, anywhere in the world, at anytime.

The birds (one primary - one backup) were outfitted with VIP seats, aux fuel tanks, high tech weather and nav systems, and a host of secure comm systems. Some of these were on the "bleeding edge" for their time. I won't describe them for fear that DIA folks might show up and dismember me.

We flew both the POTUS and VP, numerous cabinet officers, and many US and foreign dignitaries. We would fly to Japan, Guam, and other places, meet up with the boss (he would would fly fixed wing over the water), then shuttle him locally (we were the 1st helo to fly NS from Seoul to Tokyo w/o in flight refueling).

On the fringe benefit side, we were stationed in the suburbs of Seoul (K-16 Air Base). The barracks were at or above capacity, so I was authorized to live off post. Because I was living off post, I was further authorized to have a car. For most enlisted folks in Korea (late 80's), these were only fantasies. I also drew flight pay, adding a couple hundred $$ each month.

I ended up doing that for three years (it was a one year tour), met and married my DW of 27 years while stationed there. Once back stateside, regular army stuff wasn't the same. Shortly after returning, there was a buyout offer, I took it and never looked back.

 

[Nemo2]

Sounds like you hit the jackpot!

 

[97guns]

I've only had 3 real jobs, first was Home Depot, my first corporate job that really springboarded my net worth.

Next was my favorite and most prestigious, a process operator for United Technologies aerospace division assembling Minute Man third stage rockets for the US Air Force. Unlimited overtime and work that was as easy as eating cake

Last job and the worst most backbreaking, a truck driver for Budweiser, driving wasn't so bad but unloading and physically lifting 2500 cases of beer everyday sucked.

 

[Big_Hitter]

lifeguard at the neighborhood pool when i was a teenager

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

Worked in my college supply(?)room. We filled orders from the teachers. I think I was allowed 12 hours a week, I think it paid 25 or 50 cents an hour more than minimum wage.I did my homework, and when the few orders trickled in I filled it. There was an old man(about my dads age) who really worked there, he used to tell me to "stay", he would fill the orders. That went on for 2 semesters. Id like to have that job now,

 

[GrayHare]

Taking a startup from garage to an industry leader in under 10 years. Too bad the industry was a small one otherwise I'd have a few more $ to show for it, but those years were a wild and fun time.

 

[Red Badger]

Taking a startup from garage to an industry leader in under 10 years. Too bad the industry was a small one otherwise I'd have a few more $ to show for it, but those years were a wild and fun time.

My first real job after the army was was with a private company that was experiencing 15-12% CAGR. They went public on the Nasdaq at ~$20 a share, were acquired in a friendly deal at close to $50 /share. Within a year the parent company was taken in a hostile acquisition with another 50% adder to the current stock price. My only downside was that I was new to the private company and had only a handful of shares. Some long term, middle class employees suddenly found themselves in a position of extreme FIRE.

It did however, launch my mega-corp career that served family and I quite well.

 

[aja8888]

Manager of Engineering for a fortune 500 manufacturing company that had 6 U.S. plants and several in other countries. I was there when digital automation was applied to heavy and sophisticated metal working machinery. It was cutting edge application at the time. I was 35 years old and the youngest senior manager ever in that position.

 

[Souschef]

As a young man, I was fascinated by submarines. I read every book, fiction and fact I could.
Well one of my assignments as a field Engineer was to ride nuclear subs and train the personnel on one of the antennas. I was sent to Scotland, which I loved, after being in the Far East for two years. With dark hair and blue eyes, I could pass for a local, something I could not do in the Orient.
I ended up sailing on the George Washington (SSN-598) and Abraham Lincoln (SSN-602). It was awesome!

 

[6miths]

lifeguard at the neighborhood pool when i was a teenager

I never did this but 3 of my 4 children are lifeguards and this seems like the big one to me! DS #1 spent one of our winters doing the gig in Australia. Crikey!

 

[pb4uski]

Chief accounting officer for one of the top 50 insurers in the US.... also served on a few industry committees dealing with emerging accounting issues and standards setting. Interesting work. Then our CFO was promoted to president and I was passed over becuase they wanted someone with SEC experience so I moved on to greener pastures... ironically, I joined a big 4 firm and within a year was serving SEC clients with SEC accounting issues.

 

[MichaelB]

Circus performer.

At least that's the way it felt. Actually, during my career with Megacorp I felt like I was different combinations of juggler, clown, barker, lion tamer, trapeze artist, concessions stand, high wire act, and the guy that gets shot from the cannon, but mostly the guy that walks behind the elephants cleaning up their [-]sh!t[/-] droppings.

 

[aaronc879]

Not many people would consider any job I have done to be anywhere close to "awesome". I've been a grocery store stocker, pizza delivery driver, and factory/warehouse worker. The one thing I have done that some may consider somewhat awesome is taking drugs for a living. I spent a few years as a lab rat testing drugs in clinical research studies. You sit around and watch tv, surf the internet or sleep and get paid $250+/day. Of course there are not-so-awesome parts as well like having over 1000 blood draws over 3 years many of which were done by inexperienced lab techs. For people who normally would be lucky to find $10/hr work, getting a $5000 check for spending 2-3 weeks in a clinic is pretty awesome.

 

[atmsmshr]

My best job had no pay.

Since our 20's I have been a roadie for DW while she played gigs as a radio DJ. We did multiple Caribbean cruises, western ski tips, beach parties and weddings. Every year she does a show at Universal Studios. Before Disney closed the studios she would do shows there. They comp everything; hotels, food, drink, theme parks! Once she was the entertainment for Peter Busch's birthday aboard their 100ft yacht.

The perks and the experiences shared have been great memories.

"Now roll those cases and lift them amps".

 

[Pbkmaine]

I had two jobs that were awesome in different ways. The first was for a large firm that liked having experts available for media appearances. They decided I should be one. I loved the public speaking and was on every financial show you could imagine. I also co-authored the first of two books while there. I flew all over the country on projects. It was FUN. The second was a job that was created for me. It did not have as high a profile, but it paid well and suited me to the ground. I wound down from full time 4 years ago and still work on occasional projects for them. I was lucky.

 

[Ready]

I have enjoyed every job I've had since I was 14 years old, with the exception of my three week stint at the local McDonald's. I was thoroughly disgusted with that job. I quit after three weeks and can honestly say that to this day, 36 years later, I have never eaten at a McDonald's since.

 

[Luck_Club]

While in high school balloon and novelty sales at festivals, parade, etc. Different places, cute girls and high pay.

 

[hesperus]

Hiking to and rappelling into archeological cliff sites, day after day, then spending the entire day in those sites documenting 1000 year old architecture at various National Parks, including Mesa Verde National Park, CO. As close to 'Indiana Jones' type work as anyone could have. I'm quite an outdoor oriented person, so I absolutely loved it for the years I worked in the parks. They say you'll never work a day in your life if you do what you love, and that certainly rang true for me during that time.

 

[MRG]

I had two different great ones.

Last was doing crisis management of a new release of a critical application during the early days of a company going public. The CIO had me on speed dial and I frequently was going somewhere. My schedule for coming home was debatable.

For a few years it was great. Nobody cared about what you did or how you did it as long as the customer was happy. Then there were expense reports and other nonsense. It was a worth it financially and experience wise. I saw the inside of data centers in some of the most beautiful places in the world. So I'm told.

The first was delivering auto parts to remote parts of PA. I did the around town routes for a while, then the out of town driver was fired. He'd always told me not to bring the truck back until 4:00PM! I followed his advice and had an enjoyable year. Sitting along the river, watching eagles having lunch, as I had mine. If you forget about making $2.45 an hour it was the best job ever!

 

[hesperus]

Well one of my assignments as a field Engineer was to ride nuclear subs and train the personnel on one of the antennas.

That sounds really awesome

 

[Ben808]

Newspaper boy. I had done odd jobs (e.g. weeding) up that point so paper route was my first steady gig. I made (to me) good money and had my own disposable income for the first time in my life. (I got no allowance or hands out just because I wanted something.) Had to work for everything but learned value lessons. I saved and even grew my "business" by soliciting new subscribers.

 

[scrabbler1]

Back in my sophomore year of college, I had 3 fun jobs at the same time. The first was a job ushering at a Broadway theater in midtown Manhattan. The show was "Oh! Calcutta!" (the nudie show) during its 1980s heyday. It didn't pay much, but it was off the books and tax free. And when I worked on Saturday nights, I had a nearly free dinner from Nathan's a few blocks away. The theater's assistant manager had a friend who worked in the Nathan's marketing department and got lots of freebie coupons. I would make a food run there and pick up bags full of food for the other box office staff, ushers, and the bartenders. The soda was free, of course.




The other 2 jobs I had were in the dorm I lived in. The first was a study hall attendant which became the overall study hall and game room attendant. I'd get a lot of my homework done in the former, and became a good pool player in the latter. I often went right from the ushering job to the graveyard shift as the attendant.


I was also a tutor for some students who lived in the dorm. It didn't pay much but it was pretty easy work. I even met one of my future dorm roommates this way.


One day, I earned money from all 3 jobs. I got paid for the two dorm jobs and that night did some ushering. None of this interfered with my academics because I had my best semester, getting onto the Dean's List for the first time.

 

[check6]

Being a sailing instructor in Hawaii was the coolest job but being paid to fly this was not bad either:

 

[marko]

For 30+ years I worked for a company where "image" was very important. Flying coach and staying at Motel 6 was "very concerning" as we used to say; flying first class and staying at the Four Seasons was expected.

My job as VP was to travel worldwide for those years visiting our remote offices; Europe, Asia, Japan and throughout the US. While not for everybody, I was on the road 200 days a year (yes, DW could accompany me) going to some pretty exotic locales.

Hard work and long hours but there was also a lot of free time to do a lot of fun stuff most people do for vacation and see things most people don't even know exists.

 

[check6]

For 30+ years I worked for a company where "image" was very important. Flying coach and staying at Motel 6 was "very concerning" as we used to say; flying first class and staying at the Four Seasons was expected.

My job as VP was to travel worldwide for those years visiting our remote offices; Europe, Asia, Japan and throughout the US. While not for everybody, I was on the road 200 days a year (yes, DW could accompany me) going to some pretty exotic locales.

Hard work and long hours but there was also a lot of free time to do a lot of fun stuff most people do for vacation and see things most people don't even know exists.

I think that would be the perfect job if like you said you had the extra time and being able to take your wife. I traveled but most of the time the longest layover was just 24 hours and I slept most of that time.