Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
“What’s A Little Secret That You Know Only Because You Work In That Industry?” (50 Answers)
Things you've only heard to be true might shine in a different light once you see them with your own eyes. This sentiment is vividly illustrated in a popular thread on r/AskReddit where people have been sharing the secrets about the industries they work in that they probably wouldn't have learned without hands-on experience. From car dealers to teachers and servers, continue scrolling to learn some interesting facts and broaden your understanding of the world.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I don't work for Wendys, but they actually have higher standards for their food than anyone else we distribute to.
Their beef is actually never frozen, and they'll send them back if they get packed with frozen items. They turn away shipments for things like meat (in boxes) touching produce (in boxes), like they should but no one else does. They send back expired or off-batch produce (ex: their tomatoes are usually picked a couple days before the store actually recieves them), which they should, but no one else does.
I still don't eat fast food, but I like to see food quality taken seriously.
A lot varies by region because that's how food distribution works.
#2
Pharma industry. We actually are trying to make the best medicines, we don't want you to stay ill, and we're not hiding cures.
Your rank within it can heavily influence the number of secrets you learn about your industry. A 2024 survey revealed that executives are 2.5 times more likely than entry-level employees to trust their CEO’s transparency about what’s really going on within their organization.
On the other hand, associates tend to trust their coworkers more than leadership, feeling more in tune with the pulse of the workplace from a peer perspective.
Notably, job level emerged as a more powerful predictor of these trends than income.
#5
The reading level of most teenagers is far, far worse than most of the country (US) realizes.
Teacher.
We got in touch with the author of the post, and they shared that the idea to ask Redditors this question came from a simple desire to rack up internet points.
"I was thinking of 'karma farming,' so I posted multiple NSFW questions," F_the_Market told Bored Panda. "And this one simply received the most attention (I deleted the other questions)."
The resulting discussion proves that even a playful question can spark meaningful, thought-provoking conversations among strangers online if you strike the right note.
#6
Work in pharmacy.
We get calls every day from patients asking for ways to make their medications last longer, skip doses, etc. Because they can't afford their meds until they stop calling because they skipped 1 too many doses.
And we know this is happening and there is nothing we can do about it.
I've taken one of those calls told a patient that if they don't take their medications as directed, THEY WILL DIE only for them to ask what their odds are of living without food. Only to go back to the register and continue getting patients their medication.
It sucks a lot.
#7
I work in product development. No one is bringing manufacturing back to US from China. If they’re forced to leave, they’re going to Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Mexico etc.
#8
As my old head chef Frank used to say "the only difference between a $15 plate and a $30 plate is a half stick of butter."
He was right.
#9
This one will be obvious to most people, but it wasn't to me at the time:
**Not all doctors are good at their jobs.**
I use to assume that doctors were held to such a high standard that they were all fairly competent. This isn't true.
I would recommend asking someone in the field who they would recommend for their own family before picking a surgeon.
F_the_Market said that they themselves only managed to get through a few dozen answers before being flooded by an overwhelming number of responses.
As they tried to keep up, they quickly realized the depth and variety of the answers far exceeded their expectations. "The ones I did see were incredible and very personalized," F_the_Market explained.
The Redditor said what initially seemed like a lighthearted attempt at "karma farming" turned into something much more meaningful, and they appreciated the glimpse they got into the inner workings of various fields that many don't consider until they ask.
#10
A lot of commercial garden centers pump their plants full of fertilizer before they sell it so it looks the best. Usually so much so that they die or it severely causes harm after a while. Buy locally or go to a legit nursery where they actually care about the quality of their products.
Environmental Technician at a Native Plant Nursery.
#12
Chewy will send you flowers and a card in condolences for your deceased pet when you cancel their food prescriptions.
The fact that 7 in 10 American workers reported disruptive change within their organization in the last year also doesn't help their trust in each other, the organization, and, in turn, the industries. According to a nationally representative Gallup survey of 18,665 people, 20 percent cite a large or very large extent of change. These changes range from restructuring efforts to shifting return-to-office expectations to new leadership and more.
However, while difficulties often affect frontline workers, in the current business environment, leaders and managers are 56% more likely to experience extensive disruptive change in their organization.
#13
Things that you buy that come in “eco-friendly” packaging are first removed from their regular plastic packaging and then put back into the new packaging. It’s actually a double waste.
The places they get their inventory from overseas are not using eco friendly packaging. Go to a container shipyard, everything is shipped to minimize cost.
#14
Anyone giving stock advice is basically reading a horoscope. If they had the ability to pick superior investments, they'd do it themselves and not talk about it.
#15
This is not a secret but isn’t well known:
Getting an ambulance ride doesn’t get you seen at the hospital faster. They just triage you (sort you by severity) like everyone else. You can get an ambulance ride for a broken finger and then sit in the waiting room for 6 hours, having just wasted the money on an ambulance.
Call an uber or get driven/drive yourself.
Edit: Yes people, if you’re having an emergency definitely DO call and ambulance, and you probably WILL get seen right away.
However, you’re not being seen right away BECAUSE you took the ambulance, you’re being seen right away because you’re critically ill/injured. If someone were to drive you while you’re having a heart attack (which I DO NOT recommend) then you would be seen right away as well. It’s an injury severity thing not an ambulance vs taxi thing.
DaisyBee 1 week ago
It was the words “wasting money” that caught me off guard. I was like “what does money have to do with an ambulance?”. Then I remembered America’s healthcare costs.
Load More Replies...
Nadine Debard 1 week ago
In France you can call emergency line, a nurse does the first triage then you talk to a doctor, and they decide if you get a ride or if they advise you to go to ER or go to 'non programmed healthcare' which is basically a GP that opens late. If you go to ER, they will call the hospital and inform them. When you arrive, part of the triage is done (the hospital has the last word but it helps being taken in charge rapidly). Last call, I barely had time to sit in the waiting room because emergency line adressed me to the proper place.
quentariel 1 week ago
Ambulances aren't just rides. You get immediate medical attention, first aid and they can also make precursory analysis on your condition as well as measure blood pressure and such. If you aren't in an acute danger this might not matter, but in severe situation these moments can be crucial. Of course they see people in the order of urgency no matter how they arrive, but I've always been taught to rather call an ambulance if I have any feeling that it might be needed.
roddy 1 week ago
When son was sick I had no idea what was wrong with him, but the paramedics on the ambulance flagged it right away as possibly heart-related. I'm glad they did, as it did speed things up. Otherwise we might have waited a long time, as we always tend to underplay symptoms. He had myocarditis and was on life support the next day.
Beth Wheeler 1 week ago
Chest pain, shortness of breath/breathing problems, stroke symptoms, new sudden severe headache with visual problems, heavy bleeding, they are all going first. Also babies and little kids depending on the problem.
DaisyBee 1 week ago (edited)
Irish here. Can honestly say I’ve never waited 6 hours to be seen at A&E, and that was before I got private health insurance. I don’t even think it ever took 6 hours to sign in, be called through to the first nurse, do all the tests & scans, and then treated by the doctor or 2nd nurse, and released.
Trophy Husband 6 days ago
I used to work for a fire department. If you get an ambulance ride in an area where they aren't free, and they bill you, and you call and say that you can't afford it, you are very likely to get the bill torn up or reduced. Unless they have used up the amount they can void for the year already (which my department never did). I moved one county north and this department doesn't bill, it's a government service (which I appreciate since my wife has used the service several times over the years).
Riley Quinn 6 days ago
Where I used to live, when you called for an ambulance the police and fire would also show up. Not needing a 3-ring circus in my yard after getting stabbed, I wound towels around my torso and drove myself to the ER.
Robert Beveridge 1 week ago
Call an ambulance for a broken finger? Dude, I drove myself to the ER the last time I thought I was having a heart attack to save myself the $750 ambulance charge. (spoiler alert: I was correct)
Adrian 1 week ago
So, you endangered yourself as well as countless other road users. How selfish!
Load More Replies...
Green Tree 1 week ago
yeah an ambulance isn't for a ride to the hospital, it is to get triaged as you are stabalized and taken to the hospital
Huddo's sister 4 days ago
In Australia ambulance 'ramping', having to wait after being brought in by ambulance has gotten even worse recently. The crew often can't leave you there in the waiting room, but you aren't high enough priority to be admitted (and there just aren't enough beads anyway), so the paramedics have to wait with you often for hours. This means they can't be out attending to other calls, which has meant there is an even bigger shortage than before. People have died because crews can't get to them quickly enough.
Joanne Hudson 5 days ago
Another "secret" is that unless you are dying you probably will be taken the scenic route. The one time I used an ambulance, I knew the route like the back of my hand as it was only four miles yet I watched unrecognized scenery pass thru the back window and them over speed bumps which was a MAJOR mistake because I knew exactly where we were and it wasn't near the ER. I also told a friend in another state to watch for that and her hospital was fairly far but she also knew the route and knew when they turned off the main road for the scenic tour.
John Boy 6 days ago
Our Township taxes pay for all ambulance rides, 100%. Apparently, Blue Care Network has never gotten the memo, as, every year they send us letters telling us that we're mistaken and that our plan only pays "after our deductible is paid". WE HAVE NO DEDUCTIBLE! It is 100% COVERED!
David Paterson 6 days ago
In Australia, the secret is that you're not allowed not to call an ambulance. Suppose you can't reach your pills, sometimes your neighbours are forbidden by law from helping you. So your only option is to call for a paramedic. The paramedic is forbidden by law from helping you without taking you to hospital. The hospital is forced by law to hold you for at least two hours. And the government hates you for calling an ambulance unnecessarily. All because of darn legal restrictions.
jujugoil1945 6 days ago
That is NOT true. A woman T Boned my car. An ambulance took me to the ER and I was seen immediately.
detective miller's hat 1 week ago
Also that 2 minute ambulance ride will cost you AT LEAST $1,500 in the US. Your insurance will not cover it.
David Morgan 1 week ago
Excellent explanation of the key difference. Also hospitals will not admit you faster because you yell in anger/scream in pain, nor if they 'know who you are'. They admit you faster if they determine you are at greater risk. If they leave you alone DESPITE you actually being seriously ill, there only two reasons; 1) there were other people even sicker than you that they had to deal with; 2) gross incompetence. The second one isn't that common.
Nitka Tsar 1 week ago
I‘m not sure it is ok to call an ambulance for just a broken finger here. At the very least they would give you the stink eye, if not a fine for wasting recources.
RajunCajun 1 week ago
side note* in the U.S. If you get a ride in an ambulance for a non life threating event you are more than likely being transported by a volunteer department. They will send you a bill but will not expect you to pay. The state has already paid for that.
Ionescu Popa 1 week ago
so the system encourages the abusers, while killing those in need; a bit eugenistic - who is able to con its way gets even cheaper by doing it twice.
Load More Replies... #16
Sometimes when a job is posted and the requirements are unrealistic, that’s because they already have someone that needs to be promoted to that specific position and they simply tailor that job ad so only that person qualifies even if hundreds of people apply.
#17
In d**g commercials, that huge long list of potential side effects is meant to offer fair balance to the positive claims in the ad. ANYTHING that happened to the people in the trial has to be listed. I once worked on a d**g given to people after they've had liver transplants. Liver transplants are often necessary because of the damage of hepatitis, which can be a consequence of illegal d**g use and needle sharing. Ergo, many of the patients in the trial had led rough lives. Three died during the trial period, which means "death" had to be listed among the potential side effects. Except one was shot and two died in car accidents. Nothing whatsoever to do with the d**g.
#18
Corporate consultant here. Probably not that big of a secret, but most executives are unqualified for their jobs and were placed there due to cronyism or nepotism; most job titles and roles in the middle are b******t, and nearly all work in a company is done by individual contributors. In other words, the people making the stuff are getting robbed by the people who don't know how to make anything.
#19
Carpenter here!
After a 8 years of framing houses, 3 as a foreman, and now 3 years of trim carpentry, Iv realized that the vast majority of houses aren’t built to code, or are just slapped together with the cheapest products.
Most inspectors aren’t willing to crawl around in the roofs, and won’t look in the subfloor, and plenty of contractors know this. They will take shortcuts, splice things together or will block off and hide s****y work.
If you have an island in your kitchen that has been framed, there is a phenomenal chance that you have some pizza crusts, Modelo bottles, or a p**s bottle hidden inside. Drywallers seem to hate walking their trash to the dumpster.
100 year old houses are a thing of the past.
#20
Nurse patient ratios are too high in most of the country. Lower nurse patient ratios are associated with shorter length of stay, lower readmission rates and lower mortality rates. Nurses who have less patients give better care and their patients are literally less likely to die. But there are only a few states in the US that have legally mandated nurse patient ratios. (I think only California and Oregon.) In other states, many nurses have too many patients. They have too many tasks to complete in too little time; and this is why nurses are burning out in droves and leaving the profession–because they feel like they are drowning. They are performing complex, technical tasks under significant time pressure with a high degree of liability and it is highly stressful. 17% of nurses quit within their first year. 56% quit within five years.
Also medical error kills somewhere between 250,000 - 400,000 people a year in the US. No one knows the exact number as medical errors tend to be underreported. Because who wants to admit they may have killed a patient and throw away their lucrative career that they slaved away in school for many years to achieve?
People are horrified when a single jumbo jet crashes and 500 lives are lost. And it is a big news story with lots of coverage when it happens. But the conservative estimate of 250,000 lives lost each year due to medical error is the equivalent of 500 jumbo jets crashing every single goddamn year– and no one talks about it. Not a peep. It is happening silently in hospitals all over the country, including the one in your town. This issue is highly underreported.
#21
In the storage industry the staff have to go through abandoned units and check for any dangerous or illegal items and remove any personal possessions before the unit is sold.
Not only are there no surprises, cash is also removed to recover the debt before the unit is sold.
Storage wars style shows are fabricated on lies 😅
Also 95% of units have very little of value in them, if someone had thousands in value in storage they would come and pay their bill.
#22
I work in visual effects for tv and film. Most people that assumes big explosions and such, which it is, but a lot of it is cosmetic fixes and de-aging for the stars.
#23
I work at the Hershey factory. This place is really clean and does better in that regard than Lindt and other manufacturers most of the time during inspections but we have occasional dings. Some of those dings can be pretty bad (like standing water in a wash pit which is a big nono) so it makes me wonder how much worse those others are sometimes.
But really, if you ate chicolate lately that wasn't homemade, we probably have the most sterile and clean candy. Even if the ingredient quality isn't the highest.
We also dont use spoiled milk of any kind. We take raw milk and turn it into Sweet Condensed Milk and the process of cooking it scalds the milk for a very slight sour taste that some claim to taste.
Also, yeah, all our incredients are quite cheap, but our milk is really high quality and locally sourced when possible. They usually dont have enough capacity, though, so we have to get some from Indiana. And the caramel in Rolos is 100% legit. It's one of the few things we dont skimp on at all.
Also that little number on the wrapper of each bar you can call to complain or praise is real. And management and factory workers see everything thats posted and what we need to work on to be better. So if you have any complaints or well wishes we actually see those even down to the rank and file.
#24
Almost every company that gets an 'award' basically paid to get it. Look closely at industry awards and you'll see award lists where each of the winners either sponsored one of the other categories, or is a major client of one of the sponsors.
#25
I work at a milk processing plant. All milk is the same regardless of the brand. It comes out of the same tank…we just change the labels.
#26
Worked at Best Buy. We were trained to categorize customers into segments. If someone was rich and older they were referred to as Barry. His wife was Jill and she was all about spending his money. There was the “empty nesters” group that were old folks who thought technology was too difficult. Then of course the “urban” couple which was always portrayed as black people were identified as “wants to keep up with everyone but doesn’t have the funds of Barry”
Edit: forgot to mention this was hard coded into your account. So let’s say someone came to return something out of the return policy. If I put in his phone number it would say BARRY 5 which means he’s the highest type of spender at the store and that I could make the exception for him. So yes, the store basically has a social score.
#27
That you can’t trust the "Made in x" label on items. A lot of companies have stuff made in china, change the label, then resell it as if it was made localy. It's not legal, but nobody knows or care.
#30
Working as an data analyst across multiple industries. If you want bring the world to its knees, fix a way to k*ll Microsoft Excel. If Excel were ever to blow up or stop working for a bit, goodbye almost all departments across multiple companies.
#31
The largest US manufacturer of eyewear is a total scam. They are insanely overpriced and mostly all of the eyewear in the US is made using the same labs and they just slap a different brand name on them to create diverse product. The markup is anywhere from 500-1000% or even more.
#32
Professor here. I’ve never taken any classes on how to teach. None of us have. Trial by fire.
#33
Your professors hate grading your papers almost - if not more - than you hate writing them.
#34
Healthcare equipment costs are massively inflated in the U.S. For example, the batteries that go into the little blood pressure electric carts will cost hundreds to replace. But they are virtually indentical to the game feeder batteries you can buy at sporting good shops for maybe $20.
And those costs are lower in other countries. The manufacturers know they can inflate costs in the US far more than anywhere else. It is cheaper to buy a replacement xray tube overseas, import it legally, pay all the associated fees and shipping costs than to buy one here in the US. Same tube, same specifications.
#35
When financing a car at the dealership (this includes leasing) they can and will mark up the interest rate almost certainly. Unless you, the consumer, specifically ask them “is this the best rate I qualified for?” then they technically don’t have to give you the best rate. They can add as much as they feel they can get away with, then act like they’re doing you a favor by “discounting the rate”. The Truth in Lending Act states that if asked, they must disclose, but only if asked.
#36
The massive, professional-quality cinema projectors that movie theaters use... the ones that can project crystal-clear 4K+ images... the ones linked to top-notch surround systems that make movies come to life... the ones so big they have a giant exhaust hose...
...they have regular HDMI ports on the side.
The staff has totally ripped each other apart in *Mortal Kombat,* or explored a fantasy world in *Breath of the Wild* or blown away enemies in *Call of Duty* on the big-screen when everyone has left for the night. Or brought in some 4K discs and screened movies that haven't been in theaters in decades in near cinema-quality. Or loaded up a streaming app and watched a streaming-exclusive movie in theaters.
#37
Accountant here at big 4. We are still to this day cooking the books. When we get audited, there are times where we have no way of tracing it back so we make s**t up.
#38
As a real estate photographer—almost everyone’s home is disgusting. You would think they would be in tip top shape ready for their close ups, but no. I have gone into stranger’s homes every day for the last 10 years and 85% of the time they are gross and cluttered. Doesn’t matter if it’s a trailer or a mansion. People generally don’t clean and their houses are often cluttered and messy. So don’t beat yourself up if your house doesn’t look like a model home. No one else’s does either.
#41
Sometimes insurance companies will set “automatic denials” of insurance claims after natural disasters so people will have to resubmit their claim, thus reducing the amount of claims they have to handle.
#43
My old professor teaches exercise science, once taught the military, did international research on muscles and was an ex bodybuilding champ, worked at GNC. His schpiel on the entire vitamin industry and more specifically the workout supplements is a whole sham. Why do think these supplements aren’t meeting FDA requirements? OTC testosterone boosters? Doesn’t work. A majority of the supplements don’t work (physicians can support this). Unless you are deficient, your body won’t be absorbing and storing extra vitamins and nutrients in your body; excess gets excreted. Two things he does vouch for are protein use and creatine use.
#44
Not my current industry but most supermarkets price fix between themselves. It's known, it has been known and nothing is done about it.
#45
Video game development is a chaotic mess, it's a miracle that any game comes out at all—let alone with any amount of polish.
Also, audiences like to blame QA for bugs, but that's extremely misguided. I guarantee that QA knows about every bug in detail (including tons most players have never even encountered). The real folks to blame are management who choose not to put resources towards fixing these bugs.
#46
Maybe an open secret by now, but all those real estate reality shows where couples are looking for houses…they’re already in contract with the one they want before they start filming. The production crew works with a local realtor to find two jabroni houses to take the fall.
That realtor will be in the show credits.
#47
Your packages get the Sh*t beat out of them while they are being processed. Fragile? that means throw underhand.
#48
Political propaganda. TV hosts and speakers don't believe that s**t themselves and are very cynical about it, like it's just a job like any other.
#49
Utility construction, (primarily fiber) the majority of the subcontractors have no idea what they’re actually doing and are just following the instructions like it’s IKEA furniture.
#50
Printer ink for home use printers is disgracefully expensive.
Printer ink for commercial printers is cheap.
Printer software for home use printers is rubbish, just re-skinned from the 2000's.
Printer software for commercial printers are fantastic, unless your with Mimaki.
What do you think ?
LazyStream 1 week ago
In Australia, at least 9/10 teachers genuinely care about your kid and are doing their best for them. They spend hours of their own time on work, and their hearts are broken by the backstories. They use their own money for resources. The remaining 1/10 see teaching as purely a job and are usually close to retirement after having given up trying. Be nice to the teacher- they may not always get it right, but they are trying their best!
zovjraar me 1 week ago
as a former retail worker, i can tell you that when we say we'll go in the back and check, we just go back there and walk around a bit, then come out and tell you we don't have any back there. also, during black friday, products are held in the back so there are enough to last the whole weekend. there's 3 pallets of cheap TVs, but only one pallet per day will come out. we also have no idea what's coming on what truck. it justs shows up full of stuff. no one is actively ordering anything- the retail companies rely on scans at the check out to manage inventory.
Seadog 3 days ago
People don't understand with today's computer ordering systems and the fact that things are delivered every day for the store or suppliers warehouse, there is no need for backstock like it was 40+ years ago when things ordered often took a week or more to arrive. In the event there is backstock, it's minimal and the stores BMS runs restock reports to keep the shelves restocked. The only exception I know of are shoes. In many locations, there is a back room where the majority is kept
Load More Replies...
LazyStream 1 week ago
In Australia, at least 9/10 teachers genuinely care about your kid and are doing their best for them. They spend hours of their own time on work, and their hearts are broken by the backstories. They use their own money for resources. The remaining 1/10 see teaching as purely a job and are usually close to retirement after having given up trying. Be nice to the teacher- they may not always get it right, but they are trying their best!
zovjraar me 1 week ago
as a former retail worker, i can tell you that when we say we'll go in the back and check, we just go back there and walk around a bit, then come out and tell you we don't have any back there. also, during black friday, products are held in the back so there are enough to last the whole weekend. there's 3 pallets of cheap TVs, but only one pallet per day will come out. we also have no idea what's coming on what truck. it justs shows up full of stuff. no one is actively ordering anything- the retail companies rely on scans at the check out to manage inventory.
Seadog 3 days ago
People don't understand with today's computer ordering systems and the fact that things are delivered every day for the store or suppliers warehouse, there is no need for backstock like it was 40+ years ago when things ordered often took a week or more to arrive. In the event there is backstock, it's minimal and the stores BMS runs restock reports to keep the shelves restocked. The only exception I know of are shoes. In many locations, there is a back room where the majority is kept
Load More Replies... You May Like “Window Cleaners”: 50 Industries That Are Way More Dark And Sinister Than Most Realize 30 Dark Secrets That Could Shatter Lives If Exposed "I Love The Feeling Of Glass": People Open Up About Their Guilty Pleasures (40 Answers)
Ieva Pečiulytė
Justinas Keturka
Gabija Palšytė
Related on Bored Panda
