Some people may advise you never to check out the kitchen of your favorite restaurant. Once you step into the back of the house, you will see its less appealing side, which may change your perception for the worse.
It’s the reason why many industry secrets remain hidden. Certain companies would rather hold these cards close to their chest out of fear of exposure, which could affect their brand in more ways than one.
But as we know, secrets don’t stay hidden forever, and these professionals are doing their little tell-alls on Reddit. If you’re interested in learning more about what’s going on behind the scenes in nonprofit organizations, surgery rooms, and religious institutions, among many others, go ahead and scroll through.
#1
You’re replaceable and none of your co-workers or bosses will remember all the overtime and weekends you worked when you retire.
But your kids will.
Image source: Ghost-8706, cottonbro studio
#2
Delivered food to restaurants for 30 years. You would be shocked at the sanitary conditions of most of the kitchens that make your food.
Image source: peffer32, Louis Hansel
#3
HR is not your friend. We are paid by and work for the company just like you.
Image source: fefelala, Polina Zimmerman
#4
Most non profits keep half your donations for administration alone. Always check charities before you donate.
Image source: Ally_Oop_24, RDNE Stock project
#5
A lot of lawyers have no clue what they’re doing.
Image source: Illustrious-Salt-243, Sora Shimazaki
#6
Restart the computer first. It fixes 90% of issues.
Image source: ProcrastinatingPr0, Vlada Karpovich
#7
Librarian. It is okay to throw away old books. No, nobody wants to sort through books that have been in storage for 10+years, being peed on by mice and eaten by bugs. Please stop bringing these books to us. ACCESS to books and media is important. The books themselves have a shelf life, AND THAT IS OKAY. If you’re donating books, please make sure they’re clean and not in pieces.
Image source: Efficient_zamboni648, Greta Schölderle Möller
#8
The most important resource on the planet is fresh water and we need to radically rethink how we use it.
Image source: ahjeezgoshdarn, Nik
#9
Probably not a secret to you, but I can definitely confirm there is a ton of corruption, even at the local government spending level.
Image source: Deadphans, Ron Lach
#10
AI can never replace us. But it sure can make enough of a mess in unsuspecting business owners’ books to generate tons of lucrative cleanup work for us….
Image source: NastyUno34, Emiliano Vittoriosi
#11
The software that you use is held together by rubber bands and paper clips.
Image source: FennelAlternative861, Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦
#12
If you get a really high price estimate, then that usually means we don’t want to do the job.
Image source: maxpowers6969, Kaboompics
#13
Within the beauty/personal care industry, the terms ‘Clean Beauty’, green, sustainable, or even natural do not have any official regulated definitions.
If you ask a cosmetic chemist (me) to explain the guidelines for a clean beauty product, it is likely to be quite different than what many consumers would describe.
And a piece of safety advice…
When you add water to your shampoo or conditioner bottle (or other products) to get that last little bit out, please use it up either that shower or your next one.
By diluting the product, you are also diluting the preservative system within the formula that prevents all the nasty microbial growth from happening.
Image source: ObjectivelyADHD
#14
Your mental health diagnosis is not necessarily set in stone.
Image source: Adoptafurrie, Antoni Shkraba Studio
#15
Your kid can absolutely get a higher or lower grade depending on how much the teacher likes having them in class. Something like a 79% is completely dealer’s choice, and I know sooo many teachers who have changed a final grade because of a nice present or a heartfelt conversation.
Image source: BearsGotKhalilMack, nappy
#16
Your therapist probably knows that you’re lying. But it’s ok, because we need you to focus on one thing at a time (and pretty much everyone lies to their therapist, just don’t be caught off guard if they dig a little at something)
We definitely know if you come in high. It’s a matter of picking your battles.
Image source: Sargasm5150, SHVETS production
#17
I cooked professionally for 7 years in a nice resort.
Cooking isn’t as difficult as people believe it to be. It’s an art. You can make a dish that tastes okay, and people will say you’re a great cook, but those who know this can tell.
Seasoning food is simple. You want to use salt, acid, and fat.
Salt gives flavor to the beginning and end of the taste.
Acid gives flavor to the middle of the taste
Fat gives a good mouthfeel and helps balance out the salt and acid.
There are many different types of salt.
Iodized salt is table salt and is good for cooking but not so much for baking. This can be used just like kosher salt.
Maldon salt is also called flaky salt and is usually used to finish a nice steak or some good rolls after baking
Kosher salt is good for putting in sauces as it dissolves much easier as it’s usually a smaller coarse.
There are different types of acids as well
Citrus is a great source of acidity in food. Lemon juice, lime juice, and even orange juice.
Vinegars are awesome and super cool, especially with how many different cool ones are out there with different flavor combos.
Fats are so varied that its wild that a lot of people dont realize they are good for you as long as you dont overdo it
Butter – tried and true. I prefer unsalted. It makes it easier to add butter for seasoning if it doesn’t add any salt content to it
Fava beans and avocado – great vegetarian/vegan options to add fat into a recipe
Oil – great for searing, sousvide, or emulsion but not great for adding in sauces like the other fats mentioned.
When seasoning sauces, make sure they are hot, otherwise youre not going to get an accurate flavor when it does get hot.
Im not a Michelin star chef, I could be missing plenty in here, and anyone who has as much learning experience as I do or more is welcome to correct me. This is some of what I learned in my 7 years of cooking.
Image source: ZvKGaming45
#18
A bad zoo will still have amazing zookeepers who care. We get stuck in this trap where we don’t want to leave the animals we care for because if we leave whoever comes next can be worse. I think there’s this idea that mistreatment of animals comes from the entire zoo, but more often than not it’s zoo keepers desperately trying to get better quality of life for their animals from a general management that simply does not care.
It can happen that the keepers are unqualified , I think that’s true of many tiger king situations, but for bigger zoos with bad reputations, the neglect isn’t on the keeper’s ends, it’s on management.
Image source: HotTopicMallRat
#19
College instructors are rarely taught how to teach. At the R1 and R2 level they are taught how to research. Teaching is secondary, especially at an R1.
Source: I’m a tenured professor at an R1 who’s never taken any classes or even watched a Youtube video on how to teach.
Image source: -Economist-
#20
If you have anything illegal and need to carry it on you, put it in an addressed envelope and throw a stamp on it. Even if you get stopped and searched, it is illegal to open mail.
Image source: GoodAd2455
#21
I work on movie and TV sets. Most people you see in a TV show or movie are wearing a wig. Even the men. Many women have VFX “smoothing” in their contracts so their lines and wrinkles are edited out in post. Some women even wear green caps and their hair is digitally inserted in post. The moral of the story is don’t compare yourself to what you see on screen. It’s not nearly as real as it looks.
Image source: Human-Welder2206
#22
I manage a metro-Detroit automotive plant making injection molded components for the majority of large auto companies. For Tesla supposedly being the “green” car company that’s more eco-friendly than others, they are the only company who’s scrap we throw straight into the landfill. All other companies have us regrind and reuse the raw materials. I’m talking tons upon tons of broke plastic and rubber parts weekly all for Tesla.
Image source: Suspicious-Song-2507
#23
There’s a decent chance your IT person doesn’t actually know what caused your problem. We just have a lot of experience coming up with ways to make the problem go away.
Image source: Charming-Refuse-5717
#24
Virtually no coworker is your friend.
Image source: Majestic_Bet6187
#25
If the food you eat looks very similar to the generic version, odds are it is exactly the same. They often don’t even slow the machine down and just add in new packaging to fill.
There is no such thing as premium sliced or shredded cheese. There are a finite number of cheese makers and they sell to all of the major brands of grocery store name brands.
Image source: Hellie1028
#26
Talking calmly and politely to the person helping you resolve an issue (instead of blowing up at them over a company and policies they have zero control over) will drastically increase your chances of them going above and beyond for you, including doing things like giving you a free month of your subscription, etc. They’re just people trying to earn a paycheck so they can survive. Be kind.
Image source: theAshleyRouge
#27
Was a receptionist. If anyone came for an interview we were asked how they behaved towards us; if they were polite, reserved, rude etc. In short, sometimes the interview doesn’t start in the room, it starts when you walk in the building.
Image source: cindabueno
#28
That not being able to speak or write coherently and legibly is going to impact your life in a bad way. Please read books.
Image source: Elwin12
#29
I’m a theatre technician. Apparently people don’t realize that there are people backstage of shows, concerts, film that make those events work. And it is a real job. And that it requires real skill and experience.
Image source: azorianmilk
#30
Casinos don’t want you lose all the time. And we 100% don’t want you to empty out your bank account.
We prefer a steady monthly piece of your income.
Problem gamblers stop gambling – no one wants that.
Image source: isIwhoKilledTrevor
#31
Your IT guy is trying their best and, likely, works in an understaffed and overworked team. Just because your problem isn’t getting fixed in 15 minutes or less doesn’t mean they’re ignoring you. They’re just really really busy.
Image source: LongjumpingArugula30
#32
Rebooting isn’t just us stalling on fixing your computer, it really does fix a fair amount of things and no putting it to sleep does *not* count.
Image source: FickleCharge882
#33
Professor salaries are not the reason higher education is so expensive (US) and those high salaries you see for professors at elite institutions are being paid for mostly by external grants they earned (STEM fields).
Image source: PutIntelligent9042
#34
1) If you are going to the doctor because of anything having to do with body parts from your thighs to your ribcage; (thigh pain, back pain, tummy pains of any kind, std testing- expect to have to leave a urine. Ask the assistant, “do I need to provide a urine specimen” before you even sit down.
2) if you are coming to the doctor or urgent care because you ARE HAVING AN EMERGENCY but you don’t want to wait at the “emergency room” your doctors office (or urgent care clinic) is going to make you go now by ambulance to the REAL hospital emergency room WHICH STILL DOES NOT GUARANTEE YOU GET IN FASTER!
3) if you take blood thinners and you hit your head, yes that IS an emergency.
Image source: Beginning_Local3111
#35
If you have investable cash, invest [100 – age]% in the S&P 500 ETF, and the rest in a passive Bond ETF (ex. Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF). Rebalance on a set schedule but no more than every two years. (You can also “true up” the balance at any time with additional funds if/when it becomes available.)
No management fees, no portfolio managers. This investment approach will beat 4 out of the 5 portfolio managers you’ll meet in your life trying to offer their services.
As you near retirement and specific needs are better known, that is when it may make sense to see an advisor, not for investment performance as much as the forecasting / modeling tools they have.
If volatility is a concern (i.e. the investment may need to be liquidated on short notice) the best way to diversify the above to lower risk is allocating 10% to Real Estate ETFs (called REITs). (So do the same math as above, multiply by 0.9, then 10% to REITs.).
Image source: SmileAtRoyHattersley
#36
Money and success does not equal intelligence. I work in industrial real estate and some of our brokers earning millions a year are complete idiots. They also don’t work very hard and you don’t need them.
Image source: realhuman8762
#37
Massage therapist here. Most of ya’lls bootys smell. Use a bidet or wipe, for the love of god.
Image source: walled2_0
#38
If you are in need and able to find a social worker. They have a lot more resources to help you out than you trying to figure it out. Especially true if you are at a hospital.
Image source: Maxpowerxp
#39
No matter how dedicated you are, no matter how loyal you are, no matter how much overtime you give (without pay), no matter how many degrees, certificates, awards, and trophies you may have, you will be passed over.
If you can be a magician and hide the truth and present expected illusions, you will be the best. You will be acknowledged, paid well, and liked.
Image source: CtrlAltComment
#40
1. Always ask for an itemized bill for any ER visit/urgent care/inpatient stay
2. You know what they call the guy who graduated at the bottom of his class in med school? Doctor. If you have any doubts about care, always ask for a second opinion. Or a third.
Image source: ComeHereBanana
#41
Camera operators on live events and in broadcast don’t control when their camera goes to the feed. They only control focus, zoom and rarely iris (aperture). They follow the direction of the director or video engineer to get the necessary shots.
A director calls the shots and a video engineer uses buttons on a console to send feeds to broadcast and/or projection screens. Sometimes on smaller shows/broadcasts the director is also the video engineer.
There is also often an additional tech or two controlling “shading” on the cameras, and yet another tech (or more) controlling remote camera called “robocams”.
I have done all of the above. ☝🏻.
Image source: m424filmcast
#42
I work with developmentally disabled individuals, mostly adults.
The thing ive noticed in this industry is I think half the people I work with wouldnt be nearly as dependent if people didnt treat them like they were 5 years old constantly.
The second they start getting treated like adults with respect, and people knock off that stupid demeaning baby talk bull s**t with them suddenly theyre behavior is way more tame and less child-like.
If you treat someone like a child they will behave like a child. Thats true for *anyone*. So why are we doing this to them? It puts them in a box that they’ll never be able to escape when literally every person they interact with treats them like this. Its got to be such a mindfuck for them. Just talk to them normally!!
Image source: Comics4Cookies
#43
The customer service person you are screaming at on the phone rarely has any control over what you’re screaming about.
Image source: GreyStormOfLight
#44
For 26 years I have been a government employee for the agency that ensures nursing homes are run according to the regulations
The vast majority of nursing homes are good, but families just expect a cruise ship….
But care is always better when there is family involvement.
Image source: moccasinsfan
#45
I work at a food pantry. Anyone can end up at a food pantry for help. Anyone.
Please don’t let your kids be hungry because you’re embarrassed or whatever. Just come get free food so you can pay your rent and keep a roof over your head.
Image source: JubileeSailr
#46
Education: Doesn’t matter what the race, some kids are brilliant, others are morons. Most are somewhere in the middle.
Image source: LowBarometer
#47
The secret is that there *isnt any* particular day of the week where flights are cheaper. Flight prices are driven by demand; the more people buy, the higher the price goes (usually). If someone tells you Tuesdays are always cheaper, it’s not exactly true.
Image source: PoliteBrick2002
#48
Teacher-we adore your child and we truly want what is best for him/her. We work crazy hard to give him/her the best we have.
Image source: Future-Tradition7004
#49
I work in the law, you’d be absolutely surprised about how much of life’s biggest moments comes down to a guessing game.
Image source: AuttieforPOTUS
#50
Fitness clubs are not in the fitness business. They’re in the subscription business. Most people cut their visit rates drastically after the first two months and don’t show up again until they’re sent renewal reminders for the next years fee. If every member showed up at the same time, there wouldn’t be room for anyone to move.
Image source: BoomBoomLaRouge
#51
AAA used to get a truck to you pretty quick. They’ve cut back on trucks and your response time is 50% longer than the good old days.
Image source: 1969quacky
#52
I used to work in film/books/entertainment and we would use fan wikis to check the lore was correct on what we were working on. Always thought the fans who made those would get a kick out of knowing that haha.
Image source: BareKnuckle18
#53
Investment banking firms get a heads up before the SEC shows for a “surprise audit” so we can clean out our files before they arrive.
It’s not that we were doing anything illegal – I guess it’s like having a restaurant and getting a heads up before the inspector comes.
Image source: fake-august
#54
When a certain bank says they can’t do something: they sure can, in fact, it’s easy. You’re just not valuable enough if you get that response.
Image source: penileerosion
#55
How you treat your medical assistant checking you in at your doctors office determines your care and can have adverse affects to your care.
Image source: jcoddinc
#56
You don’t have to know everything, but you DO need to know where (and how) to find the answer.
Image source: OneOldBear
#57
Just because you dont meet the “qualifications” of a job, doesn’t mean you cant do a better job than the people currently in position.
Image source: grugru81
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