Good unskilled, low paying, yet satisfying job?

[JEDI]

Does it exist?

If so, what are they?

Edit:
Entry level positions in some Grocery Stores have high satisfaction and ~10/hr pay?!

 

[BigJ]

Construction during the summer.

Great workout. Outdoors all day. Pays damn well.

 

[PrinceofWands]

You do realize that double minimum wage (at least in this state) is the average income? That's not exactly low paying.

In fact, I just realized that with a Masters and a couple Bachlors it's almost what a teacher makes their first few years (<40k), so it sort of blows the unskilled thing away as well.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
You do realize that double minimum wage (at least in this state) is the median income? That's not exactly low paying.

$20,000 is the median income in your state?

 

[mugs]

I really enjoyed my job installing custom closet organizers (like California Closets). I started at $18.50 an hour, got bumped to $21.50 an hour when I was made crew leader, and bumped down to I'm not sure what when the company was going out of business, because I left before the paycut took effect. But it was still double minimum wage.

I really enjoyed it because every job presented its unique challenges, mainly because the guy who designed the closet organizers was an idiot ("oh you mean that door has to open all the way?"). It was also good exercise carrying the laminate up the stairs (about 4 lbs per board ft), so it kept me in good shape. And at the end of the day I could go home and not think about work.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
You do realize that double minimum wage (at least in this state) is the median income? That's not exactly low paying.

$20,000 is the median income in your state?

Sorry, I typed median when I meant average. Median is actually up around 50k now I think. Almost entirely centered in the Seattle area of course. And our minimum wage is $7.63. $15.26/hr is about $32,000, which is exactly the average income (and significantly more than a good portion of the population earns).

 

[FelixDeCat]

Stealing scrap metal. Lifes great .... and when you get caught.... its free food, room and board for a few years. Thanks Bill Clinton!

 

[spidey07]

Just work the line.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: BigJ
Construction during the summer.

Great workout. Outdoors all day. Pays damn well.

*office space*

f'in ay man, f'in ay.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Well, it's not quite double min wage, but when I was in high school during my Junior and Senior Years (Class of 98) I was a Pharmacy Technician. Minimum wage was $4.25 back then and I was making close to $7 or $8 per hour. You have to be able to work with customers though, and it helps to be capable of typing. It is somewhat high stress, but it's otherwise not all that bad. I worked at a busy store so I was constantly busy, and sometimes overwhelmed by workload. I worked with some really awesome people though, so I liked the job for the most part. I actually kept that job for the 2 years that I was in college, and then went full time and worked a year as a Senior Pharmacy Tech until summer of 2001 when I got an entry level IT job. (Thus, I spent nearly 5 full years as a Pharmacy tech.) I was a pretty decent tech, and there were LOTS of oportunities for overtime. There were a couple of weeks where I worked over 80 hours ... I hated working that much, as I had very little time outside of work, but the paychecks were really nice.

Other places to check,
I've heard Costco pays their people pretty good.
"One hour photo tech" type jobs usually train on the job and the pay is usually a bit more than basic Cashier pay ... but it's probably not going to meet your goal
If there are any factories near you that are actually hiring, they almost always pay a good livable wage, however, during my lifetime, blue collar factory jobs have gone from commonplace to somewhat of a rarity, so that would probably be hard to find.

I dunno if what I listed is "satisfying", but it might be worth thinking about....

good luck

 

[Estrella]

work at a nice non-chain coffee shop like some of the ones here in houston and you can easily make double minimum wage after tips!

 

[CycloWizard]

People at grocery stores in St. Louis start at $13/hr, yet still went on strike a couple years ago. That's one picket line I didn't mind crossing. People at grad school here make between $8.75/hr and $12/hr, depending on what department you're in. Of course, the latter numbers assume you work 40 hour weeks, but it's usually at least double that. Oh, and you have to have a masters degree for the latter, but you can do the former during high school.

 

[miri]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
You do realize that double minimum wage (at least in this state) is the median income? That's not exactly low paying.

$20,000 is the median income in your state?

Sorry, I typed median when I meant average. Median is actually up around 50k now I think. Almost entirely centered in the Seattle area of course. And our minimum wage is $7.63. $15.26/hr is about $32,000, which is exactly the average income (and significantly more than a good portion of the population earns).

Washington State rocks, highest minimum wage and no state income tax

 

[judasmachine]

find a vet that will let you work as his assistant w/o getting your vet tech cert. it's not too hard.

 

[henryay]

Electronics Assembly

 

[Skeeedunt]

I'm not sure if bartending is considered unskilled, but they seem to get paid fairly well for getting wasted four nights a week.

 

[axelfox]

How do we know what is satisfactory to you?

 

[OOBradm]

a Cart pusher at Cosco's starts at $10 / hour in PA, and you make time and a half on sundays.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
You do realize that double minimum wage (at least in this state) is the median income? That's not exactly low paying.

$20,000 is the median income in your state?

Sorry, I typed median when I meant average. Median is actually up around 50k now I think. Almost entirely centered in the Seattle area of course. And our minimum wage is $7.63. $15.26/hr is about $32,000, which is exactly the average income (and significantly more than a good portion of the population earns).

That's because Longview is a hole. The median household income is $35,000 though ($17/hour). An hour south in Vancouver, it's $41,000 ($20/hour). In Seattle, it's $46,000 ($22/hour). But considering the differences in the cost of living, the folks in Longview don't have it too bad (asides from having to live there).

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
You do realize that double minimum wage (at least in this state) is the median income? That's not exactly low paying.

$20,000 is the median income in your state?

Sorry, I typed median when I meant average. Median is actually up around 50k now I think. Almost entirely centered in the Seattle area of course. And our minimum wage is $7.63. $15.26/hr is about $32,000, which is exactly the average income (and significantly more than a good portion of the population earns).

That's because Longview is a hole. The median household income is $35,000 though ($17/hour). An hour south in Vancouver, it's $41,000 ($20/hour). In Seattle, it's $46,000 ($22/hour). But considering the differences in the cost of living, the folks in Longview don't have it too bad (asides from having to live there).

Yeah, I was talking state numbers with the 32k and 50k (and I did correct median to average where applicable). I was keeping it at state levels since the minimum wage is statewide, and not adjusted by county.

 

[VanTheMan]

Check out hospitals in your area. At my hospital, you can get jobs that pay 2x+ minimum wage with a high school diploma.

 

[I Saw OJ]

Originally posted by: mugs
I really enjoyed my job installing custom closet organizers (like California Closets). I started at $18.50 an hour, got bumped to $21.50 an hour when I was made crew leader, and bumped down to I'm not sure what when the company was going out of business, because I left before the paycut took effect. But it was still double minimum wage.

I really enjoyed it because every job presented its unique challenges, mainly because the guy who designed the closet organizers was an idiot ("oh you mean that door has to open all the way?"). It was also good exercise carrying the laminate up the stairs (about 4 lbs per board ft), so it kept me in good shape. And at the end of the day I could go home and not think about work.

You got paid 18 dollars an hour installing closet organizers? I need a job like that...

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: I Saw OJ
You got paid 18 dollars an hour installing closet organizers? I need a job like that...

Yeah, well there was a reason the guy went out of business.

 

[Specop 007]

I always liked "hands on" work like welding or machinist. After the job is done you can actually see the fruits of you rlabor so to speak. With IT, that doesnt happen often. Add a new user, delete a user, build a VPN route, whatever. At the end of the day you did "work" but dont have much thats tangible to say "I built THAT".