I’m Kayla Sox. I grew up near the lake. I’ve worked many jobs here in Somerset, KY. Some I loved. Some I left. Here’s what actually happened to me, and what might help you too. I’ve also put together a deeper dive into Somerset job routes over on CareerBuilderChallenge if you want even more stories and salary snapshots.
Quick vibe check
Somerset has four main lanes for work:
- Healthcare (the hospital runs steady)
- Manufacturing (fast, loud, decent pay)
- Schools and public jobs (stable)
- Tourism and retail (busy in summer)
There’s also more remote work now. I’ll get to that.
My time at the hospital (Lake Cumberland Regional)
I started as a Patient Access Rep at Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital. Front desk, night shift. It was my first job with real pressure.
- Pay I got: around $16 an hour then, plus shift diff on weekends
- Training: two weeks of systems, HIPAA, and you sit with a lead
- Schedule: 3x12s, plus one extra short shift if needed
What I did: check in patients, verify insurance, call transport, print wristbands, keep calm when folks were scared or mad. And yes, those waiting rooms can get tense. I kept snacks in my bag. Sounds small, but it helped.
What I liked:
- I felt useful. People need care.
- Benefits were decent. PTO added up.
- The team had my back on tough nights.
If you’re looking to step into a similar role, openings pop up weekly on the Lake Cumberland Hospital Careers board, and many of the same positions are cross-posted on Lifepoint Health’s Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital job site. Checking both can save you a refresh cycle.
What was hard:
- The pace. Phones ring nonstop.
- Prior auth and insurance terms. You learn fast or sink.
- Seeing families in pain. It sticks with you.
Would I do it again? Yes—but I’d set better boundaries. Take your breaks. Ask for help. Keep a tiny notebook for codes and quick steps. It saved me. If you want to see how another hospital chain lines up, check out this first-person Lifespan Careers review I wrote after shadowing their onboarding.
The line at Toyotetsu: steel, speed, and overtime
Later, I moved to manufacturing at Toyotetsu over on the industrial side of town. Stamping line. Night shift. The job was real work.
- Pay I had: about $18–$20 per hour base at the time, plus night diff
- Overtime: lots in spring and fall
- Gear: steel-toe boots, ear plugs, gloves—no excuses
What I did: load parts, hit cycle, check gauges, count bins, clear jams (careful), log defects. My back got strong. My feet got loud.
What I liked:
- Clear goals. Hit your numbers, high five, keep moving.
- Weekly rhythm. Money was steady.
- You learn lean terms—Kaizen, 5S—and they stick.
What was hard:
- Repetitive motion. Rotate stations if you can.
- Heat in summer. Hydrate like it’s your job.
- A jam at 2 a.m. can wreck your mood.
Tip: bring moleskin for blisters, and good socks. Also, learn from the old hands. They know tricks that save seconds and your shoulders.
One wild weekend at Kingsford in Burnside
True story: I did a short temp run packing charcoal. It smelled like campfire, which sounds nice… for an hour. After that, it’s just smoke and sweat.
- The work: stack bags, watch weights, keep the line fed
- The surprise: “grill season” means long days
- My takeaway: it pays fair for short stints, but it’s not easy money
Would I do it again? Maybe, if I need quick cash before school starts back up.
Subbing in Pulaski County Schools
I took sub jobs at Pulaski County Schools and did a few days for Somerset Independent too. I like kids. And I like a steady bell.
- Pay I got: daily rate, not rich, but fair for a short gig
- Process: background check, training, show up on time (early, really)
- The real work: classroom control and kindness
What I liked:
- You leave at 3 p.m. Most days.
- The staff helps you if you ask.
- You see the whole town—kids, parents, coaches, all of it.
What was hard:
- Middle school energy is… a lot.
- Lesson plans can be thin. Bring a backup activity.
- Names. I used sticky notes on desks. Worked like magic.
Summer on the lake: Lee’s Ford Marina
One summer I worked the dock at Lee’s Ford Marina. Cashier, fuel, radio calls, ice runs. The lake is joy and chaos when the sun hits right.
- Pay: base plus tips when folks were kind
- Perks: sunsets, and you learn radio talk fast
- Busy days: holiday weekends—move or get run over
Best skill I learned: smile, even when the card reader won’t. My secret? Keep extra sunscreen and two spare pens.
Some dockhands I met will ride the tourism wave south once October chills the lake, picking up winter contracts in the Florida Keys. Key West’s nightlife is its own economy, rich in tips and tightly intertwined with the adult-entertainment scene. If you’re weighing that migration and want a clear-eyed look at how the after-hours hustle really works—from bar gigs to gentleman-clubs and everything between—check out OneNightAffair’s USA Sex Guide to Key West. The guide breaks down neighborhoods, expected pay ranges, and safety pointers so you can decide whether a seasonal leap south is worth packing a suitcase for.
Event gigs at The Center for Rural Development
I took event shifts at The Center for Rural Development. Banquets, job fairs, conferences. Dress code, name tag, be nice to everyone.
- Tasks: room setups, sign-in tables, AV handoffs (don’t touch the mics unless you must)
- The cool part: you meet hiring managers from everywhere
- Networking tip: bring three resumes. Not 30. Three.
One job fair there led to a part-time admin role with a local contractor. Simple stuff—AP/AR, phones, calendars. It was a good bridge job.
The remote side: coffee, Wi-Fi, and headsets
During 2021, I did remote customer support from my kitchen. Later, I took shifts from Baxter’s Coffee on S. Hwy 27. Good brew. Solid Wi-Fi. I wore a quiet mic and sat away from the grinder.
What I learned:
- Somerset internet is better than folks think, but test your speed
- Headset > earbuds, every time
- Set clear hours; folks will ask you to run errands if you’re home
If you want remote work here, build a simple resume with customer support, data entry, or scheduling. Show you can follow a script and hit metrics. And for a fresh look at another fully-remote platform, you can read my week-long trial of BlueSky Careers here.
For anyone curious about more unconventional remote income streams—like text-based entertainment or adult chat-operator gigs—do your homework first. A concise primer lives on the SextLocal blog and walks you through typical pay structures, privacy safeguards, and the minimal gear you’ll need, helping you decide if that lane fits your comfort zone and schedule.
Where I actually found jobs
- Kentucky Career Center in town: real help with resumes and referrals
- Word of mouth: church, ball games, Somernites Cruise downtown
- Facebook groups for local jobs (watch for scams; if it sounds fishy, it is)
- Walk-ins on Highway 27: a smile and a printed resume still works
I once got a callback from a marina because I left a handwritten thank-you note. Old school, but it landed.
For a wider sweep beyond Somerset, I like to check Career Builder Challenge, which aggregates regional postings and sometimes surfaces hidden gems.
Pay vs. rent: the math I used
Rents shift, but my two-bed ran about mid-hundreds to low thousands depending on the spot and the season. I tried to keep housing at or under a third of take-home. That meant:
- Night shift at the plant covered rent easy
- Hospital benefits helped me plan long term
- Subbing was fine paired with weekend gigs
Groceries are okay here. Gas can sting if you commute far. Parking? Free most places. That helps more than you’d think.
Little things that matter
- Highway 27 traffic can be cranky near lunch. Plan your clock-in.
- Bring layers. Workplaces swing hot and cold.
- Keep a “go bag”: deodorant, charger, granola bar, extra socks, a Sharpie.
- Learn folks’ names. It turns coworkers into helpers.