Random Toughest Service Industry Jobs (13 items)

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  (#1) Call Center Employee

  When your laptop is permanently frozen, your bank lands you with a random fee, or the cable is out for the hundredth time, you may be outraged as you call the 800 number for help. But the person on the other end of the phone isn't the person who caused the problem. In fact, they are trying to help you.

  Working in a call center is hard. By default, every person you speak to either has an issue with your service, or you have to sell them something. On the sales end of the industry, the job can make you feel like you're taking advantage of people. One call center employee noted: 

  The worst experience was [taking calls at the] credit card company because most of the people were elderly and I felt bad selling them an online credit card they probably wouldn't use. I quit that job about two weeks after I started because I had morals.
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  (#10) Diaper Service Worker

  Financial concerns, as well as a rising awareness of environmental issues, have driven many parents to switch from disposable diapers to reusable cloth diapers. This change has driven up the number of cloth diaper cleaning services, according to Judy Aagard, a board member at the Real Diaper Industry Association. Diaper service workers pick up used diapers from clients' homes, clean them, and return them. 

  “It’s a very dirty job. It’s disgusting,” says Laura Gately of cloth diaper washing service Blessed Bums Organic Diaper Service.
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  (#13) Meter Reader

  Everyone hates to encounter parking meter readers. In fact, few government employees are more despised than those who work with parking enforcement. Meter readers are just doing their jobs, but they often face major scrutiny and harassment from civilians. One meter reader in New Hampshire was followed to a restroom and called a liar and a thief by someone she ticketed. According to the Fiscal Times, in 2011, the average meter reader only made $10 an hour.
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  (#9) Mail Carrier

  Some people assume postal workers have the best job in the world. They're always outside; they exercise; and they meet new people every day. But Amazon Prime and online shopping create more and more packages. The mail carrier workload constantly increases, especially around the holidays. One postal worker shared: 

  Normally we would expect to carry mail to around 85% of households; at Christmas it is nearly 100%. Normally we would expect to deliver between one and three items per household; at Christmas it could be 30 or 40. Ordinarily we take out 30 parcels - at Christmas it could be 150."

  That's a lot of heavy lifting, and a lot of pressure to make sure that everyone gets their gifts. 
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  (#7) Bartender

  Bartenders are on their feet for long periods of time, multi-tasking and working late into the night. On top of that, they deal with drunk customers all the time. Many women and men in this industry also deal with sexual harassment from customers.  One bartender explained:

  The thing that makes me feel the most powerless is when I react to a compliment by saying, "Thank you" and walking away because I'm uncomfortable, and someone will say, "Man, women just don't know how to take a compliment anymore." It's like they're nostalgic for a time when they could harass women freely.
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  (#12) Hair Stylist

  Being a hair stylist may seem fun, but the job is not completely glamorous. Salon workers stand on their feet all day and perform repetitive motions that could lead to serious injury. One stylist claimed:

  Many of my stylist friends have had carpal tunnel surgeries, shoulder replacements, arthritis, and years of physical therapy to combat the wear and tear on their bodies.

  These employees also tend to double as therapists; they listen to all of their clients' drama. A hairdresser noted: 

  Knowing about people's infidelities, drama, and the overall stress in their lives can be overwhelming on a stylist's brain.

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