Top 3 Unattractive Jobs

In one of the job interviews I had some years back, the hiring manager asked me, "What is not attractive about the job?" I was applying for a Quality Coaching position in a call center with air-conditioned offices and a good pay. So it was really a difficult question. That question would have been easy enough to answer had I been applying for any of the top three jobs considered unattractive by the general public.

Poultry plant worker – I've done this job as a teenager, and I can say that this is not for the squeamish—which is probably why the attrition rate in this industry is five times higher than in other fields. You might get lucky to find a plant with high standards of sanitation; otherwise, these poultry processing plants can be "yucky". Imagine working all day in a place where there are chicken manure, blood and all sorts of offal.  Tasks may vary from slaughtering chickens, draining the blood, removing the feathers, or removing the guts—but there's hardly any pleasant choice, is there?  Work can be both dragging and fast-paced, thanks to profit-driven operations. Moreover, workplace hazards abound, such as accidents from using equipment, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and sickness due to the generally poor sanitation of the place.

Sewing machine operator  – This line of work does not pose much hazard from unclean surroundings. It has, however, nothing much to offer in terms of wages and job security. Garment factory jobs are among the lowest paying jobs in the world . Sewing machine operators receive an average hourly rate of $7.00, but this can even be lower in underground job markets. Out of ten garment factory workers in the U.S., only eight are protected by union contracts. Still, some union members are not able to negotiate salary wages and benefits because to global market forces. In addition, factory workers are always in danger of retrenchment because of increasing competition from other countries. Occupational hazards in garment factories include repetitive stress injuries, and physical stress due to time pressure and extreme noise levels, especially in the sewing sections. 

In the U.S., majority of garment factory workers are women, and most of those coming from large cities like Los Angeles and New York are immigrant workers. Today, there are about 140,000 sewing machine operators in the U.S., but the garment industry is expecting some significant job loss by next year. 

Farm worker – Farm work means having to wake up very early in the morning, work in the field using farm equipment and chemicals and receive very little payment and benefit for it. Farm labourers in the U.S. are among the least compensated. In addition to working seasonal jobs, they are not guaranteed overtime pay, and in some cases they are neither covered by minimum wage laws nor by workplace hazard laws. Many farm labourers are either killed or injured on the job each year. They are also constantly exposed to chemical pesticides, making them vulnerable to health risks and, in the case of women, birth defects.

When I'm inclined to complain about my job, maybe I should remember to be thankful I'm not doing any of these difficult and unattractive jobs.