Feature -- by Kelvin Rempel

You've been searching all summer and can't seem to find work. . . Are you looking for something specific or are you ready to consider anything that might bring in a few bucks? Maybe it's time to accept THE WORST JOB YOU'VE EVER HAD !

One day a friend of mine approached me, having heard that I was looking for summer employment. My job leads were exhausted, and with not a penny left in my bank account, I had been forced to compromise my standard of living and appeal to the generosity of my parents (a humbling experience I assure you)

He suggested I go tree planting with him. "You can earn between .05¢ and .20¢ per tree depending on which province you are in, how difficult the terrain and how fast you can plant," he told me. I thought about it for a moment, "I'll bet I could plant three hundred trees per day at an average of .11¢ per tree. That's . . . let's see . . . $33 per day. Subtract $10 per day to pay the cook at base camp, and another $5 per day to cover initial equipment costs. That leaves $18 per day or about $540 measly dollars per month! All for the pleasure of walking for miles with hundreds of pounds worth of trees strapped to my waist. Rain, shine, blizzard or hail, twelve hours every day while avoiding bears and Beaver Fever!". That was enough thinking I thought. "Excuse me Mike" I said, "but I know of this nice place where we can go to discuss this further, it has nice soft walls and a lovely white decor. They'll even provide you with a special dinner jacket!".

Well, I didn't have a lot of options, so I decided to give it a try. As it turns out, treeplanting can be a very lucrative summer career. You won't make much in your first season while gaining experience and paying for your equipment, but in subsequent summers, it is not uncommon to make between $4,000 and $10,000 (if you work a full season, end of May to end of August). All of this depends on how much energy and drive you possess. I would generally clear between $90 - $150 per day.

Oh yeah, for those of you who think this is a job for big burly lumberjack types, think again. The fastest planter on our crew was a petit woman who could carry her weight in trees (literally) and raked in $150 - $200 per day.

Tree planting was one of the worst jobs it's been my misfortune to hold, but in some ways it was also the best. The experience opened my eyes to many related careers that were quite appealing. Often, difficult work can lead to a very lucrative and satisfying career, through advancement in an organization.

Asking friends, family, just about anyone, about their worst job (or best for that matter) can create many new leads and opportunities for the job seeker. It's quite possible you may even find something you enjoy. Don't forget that one of the easiest ways to gain employment is through an acquaintance.

I've met people who make large sums of money by hanging from helicopters while lopping off the tops of trees with a chainsaw for the Pine Cone Pickers (a sticky chore) waiting below. I have friends who work in the oil patch, pulling duty on the rigs, working seismic, or cooking for the crews.

If you ask around, you may find you know someone who's been a(n):

• Beekeeper
• Experimental subject
• Fiddlehead picker
• Oyster farmer
• Worm farmer
• Casino dealer
• Tombstone maker

The point is, if you need the work, give it a try. It could lead to something big or at the very least it will make a good ice breaker at your next job interview.

So, the next time you find yourself saying there are no jobs out there, stop. Think about the worst job you could imagine, and ask yourself who empties all those porta-potties at the Stampede? Maybe it's your cousin.