I Rather Be a Slave Than Work These Jobs Again (Tier List)

Overview

The video presents the host’s personal, opinionated assessments of jobs he has tried or researched. Although the subtitles use inconsistent tier labels, the central point is that pay, hours, management, benefits, and personal fit can vary widely between workplaces.

Job Assessments

Fast Food

The host considers fast food accessible work for getting by and notes that McDonald’s offered tuition assistance. He does not recommend it as a long-term career, citing low pay and the exhaustion he sees among people who stay in the industry for decades.

Retail and Grocery Work

The host says jobs at Hy-Vee, Walmart, and Ross were often unstable because employers limited workers’ hours. He also describes workplace drama and cautions against becoming overly absorbed in a job.

Warehouse and Factory Work

Warehouse jobs can be relatively easy to enter, physically active, and—depending on the site—flexible, with useful benefits. The host likes his current Amazon warehouse job in part because it is close to home and helps him stay active.

His experience in factory work was much worse. Long shifts, forced overtime, and impersonal management made it unsustainable for him.

Cleaning and Janitorial Work

The host describes cleaning and janitorial work as low-paid, unpleasant, and often lacking respect. He recognizes that many people rely on these jobs when better options are unavailable, while emphasizing that the work is difficult and deserves respect.

A temporary hotel-cleaning assignment involved severely dirty rooms and challenging conditions. He also mentions a hotel cleaner in San Antonio earning very low wages as an example of how difficult it can be to get by on cleaning work.

Teaching

The host acknowledges that teaching can offer time off and be satisfying for some people, but says the pay can be poor and the work psychologically demanding. He also criticizes teachers having to buy classroom supplies with their own money.

Police and Security Work

Police work can be dangerous, and conditions vary greatly by location. In the host’s experience, security work can be flexible and less physically demanding than other jobs, though schedules and benefits depend on the employer.

Blue-Collar Trades and Outdoor Work

Pipe fitting, construction, landscaping, and agriculture can offer decent pay and, in some cases, good benefits or flexibility. Union jobs may pay substantially better, but long hours and physical demands can be drawbacks. Landscaping work may also be seasonal, especially in places with cold winters.

Banking and Office Work

Banking can offer regular weekday hours, holidays off, and potentially a pension, but may involve inflexible schedules and difficult client interactions. The host found office work slow and boring, and stressful because of corporate communication norms.

Coca-Cola Merchandising

The host strongly disliked his merchandising job with Heartland Coca-Cola. He cites long days, heavy lifting, extensive driving in his own car, poor communication, and managers contacting him off the clock. He advises treating these problems as warning signs and looking for better work when possible.

Slaughterhouse Work

The host considers slaughterhouse work dangerous, emotionally difficult, and inadequately paid for the demands involved. He also expresses respect for the people who do it.

Restaurant Service

The host found waiting and other food-service work stressful and financially unreliable, particularly when tips were involved. He suggests it may work as a part-time job but does not recommend relying on it long term.

IT

The host considers IT one of the strongest career options for people who enjoy computers, especially in cybersecurity, networking, and troubleshooting. He recommends earning a relevant certification, such as CompTIA A+, to improve career prospects, while noting that technology-related roles can come with workplace and AI-related concerns.

People, Places, and Organizations Mentioned

The speaker is an unnamed channel host who says he works in a warehouse and runs a YouTube channel. Places and employers mentioned include Kansas City, Missouri; Oklahoma; San Antonio; McDonald’s; Hy-Vee; Walmart; Ross; Amazon; Heartland Coca-Cola; Topgolf; and a factory making parts for Tesla vehicles. The subtitles also mention FIFA Fan Fest and CompTIA A+.