Life is all about trying. After all, it's impossible to do something complicated like fly an airplane without ever having done so before (unless you're the hunky hero in an action movie, of course). So, it's understandable that people need time to master certain skills. But what about the simple tasks that most people could complete with their eyes closed? From awkward signs to hilariously incorrect architecture, this list of "you had one job" fails will trample all over the last remnants of faith you had in humanity (okay, that was dramatic, but it will make you laugh).
They Should've Placed That Sign a Bit Further From the Restroom
Let's be honest; everyone loves Dunkin' Donuts. But no matter whether you're a chocolate frosted donut lover or you're all about that classic original glaze, you'll probably know that Dunkin' Donuts is also famous for its freshly brewed coffee. Unfortunately, it seems as though a piping hot cup of Joe isn't the only thing brewing at this particular Dunkin' location. Not according to this very awkwardly placed sign, anyway.
Sure, companies use signs like this all the time to upsell their products. And while it was probably placed there to advertise their coffee, its use of the word "brewing" is just downright weird when put next to the bathroom.
They Really Meant It When They Said "Whatever the Problem"
Businesses rely on signs and advertisements to bring in customers, but hiring the right people to bring these signs to life is essential. These signs showcase a company's services, and they allow potential customers to get a first impression of the place, so they need to look legitimate and professional. But it's safe to say that this advertisement for a chiropractic clinic put a foot wrong when they hired this graphic designer. Whose foot looks like that?
If this is a real photograph of a human's foot, then they're in the right place. A chiropractic clinic is probably the best place for them to sort that out.
Did You Know Effort Doesn't Require Effort? Yeah, Neither Did We
It's not uncommon to see signs just like this one in offices across the globe. From "inspiring" quotes to boring HR guidelines and updates, these signs supposedly give employees a chance to really assess their work ethic and the effort they're putting into their days. However, it seems as though everything we thought we knew about "effort" was wrong. According to the delusional creator of this sign, effort doesn't actually require any effort.
Last time we checked, putting effort into your work required a lot of effort. The employee with the Sharpie obviously thought the same, so they decided to put all of their efforts into this epic passive-aggressive graffiti.
"The Same Text but in Arabic"
We live in a multi-linguistic world where big brands are looking to make their marks overseas. This makes translation specialists pretty popular, as they're often called upon to translate advertisements and billboards for some of the biggest names in the business. Ikea is one of the companies that shells out a hefty fortune to sell in other countries, but they probably should have spent a little more on their translator.
They either hired a total dud of a translator or didn't send detailed instructions for the translator to complete. Either way, this is a total fail. Instead of the Arabic words translating what is read in English, it just says "the same text but in Arabic."
Learning Your A, B, C, D, Ns
They say that working with children is hard. But what about designing products for children? That has to be easier, right? Well, it is for some people. But it seems as though the person in charge of creating this alphabet-inspired lunchbox for kids definitely wouldn't win the 'Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?' TV show. Unless the education authority has changed the alphabet without letting the rest of us know.
What makes this "you had one job" fail even more awkward is the fact that there are literal eggs in the nest. But no, this designer couldn't think of anything beginning with E and skipped straight from D to N instead.
Reminder: Always Check a Photographer's Reviews Before Hiring
Most company websites come complete with fancy headshots of the hotshots who work there. But these aren't just casual selfies. These photos are normally taken in perfect light by someone who knows exactly what they're doing. You know, like a cameraman who calls himself the "master of light." And while it's easy to jump at the chance to work with someone who calls themself such a name, it's also important to double-check their claims - something this company learned the hard way.
This "master of light" was more like the "master of deception," as this businessperson has been transformed into a character from The SIMS in their "professional" headshot. His face certainly looks blemish-free, but it also doesn't look real.
Seems Like This King's Taxidermist Had Never Seen a Lion Before
Although the picture below may look like a prank gone wrong, this taxidermy lion once belonged to the King of Sweden. When the king's pet lion passed away in 1731, he asked a professional taxidermist to stuff it and send it back to continue its afterlife in the palace. And while we're not sure Craigslist was invented back then, we can only assume the king found this taxidermist on there.
Apparently, the taxidermist had never seen a real lion before. So, he used heraldry to inspire his work. But it looks like he was actually inspired by a three-year-old's drawing.
This Camera Decided It's Seen Enough
We all know that Big Brother is watching us. You can't enter a shopping mall or walk down a street without spotting the CCTV cameras, and a lot of people even have these cameras in their homes and businesses. They're part and parcel of everyday modern life, but it seems as though the person who installed this camera forgot Big Brother's golden rule: always point the camera away from the building.
In essence, this camera is totally useless. Although, we can't help but wonder whether the person in charge of installing this camera was paid to quite literally look the other way.
Can Someone Go Check on Julian? He's Looking a Bit Hot
The world is just getting hotter and hotter; we know that. Temperatures are rising, ice caps are melting, and meteorologists are busier than ever. And while this weatherman thought he was simply doing his job and updating viewers on the scoring temperatures in California, those at home soon became concerned, and not just because the temperatures in their state were in the hundreds. As they looked closer at the map, they began to worry about Julian.
According to the map, poor Julian was burning to a crisp with a temperature of 9292 degrees. And with a town population number of 1,500, it's no wonder people are avoiding this literal hell on Earth.
Someone Was Having a Rough Day
There are some jobs in this world that allow for a little flexibility. Those who work out back in a warehouse and away from customers can afford to be a little hungover after a late one the night before. But there's no room for flexibility for line painters. In fact, these guys need to be the opposite of flexible. They need to be sober and totally straight-laced; otherwise, major fails like this happen.
The upside of these wibbly-wobbly lines is that most people probably passed their sobriety test on this road. But we can't imagine that the guy who painted these lines would have passed too.
Looks Like Friday the Thirteenth Is Having an Identity Crisis
Hands up if you've ever had a good Friday 13th. Whether it's a placebo effect or whether there really is some bad juju going on during these unlucky days, most people find themselves losing their car keys, smashing their phones, or forgetting their very important deadlines on Friday the 13th. So, it's understandable that these same believers would want to be prepared. That's where Google comes in handy. After all, Google knows everything, right?
Well, apparently not. It seems as though Google needs a little lesson on the dates and the days of the month - unless they've just added another unlucky day for fun.
They're Building It Brick by Wonky Brick
Have you ever had one of those days where you just can't be bothered? Although you have a huge list of tasks to complete, something inside of you just wants to go home and cocoon inside of a blanket. It seems as though these bricklayers both had that same feeling on this day, but they had no option but to continue building the wall. They decided not to do it well, though.
We're no bricklayers, but even we can see that this is a bad job. Maybe they've given up, or maybe they just had a few too many margaritas at lunch.
There's Always That One Person Who Doesn't Wear Their Mask Correctly
In today's day and age, face masks are everywhere. We spent years wearing these things over our noses and mouths, covering our "maskne," and avoid wearing makeup. And while this company obviously wanted to maintain this healthy example on their billboard, they also wanted to use a photo of their employees from the pre-pandemic and pre-face mask days. This posed a bit of a problem that only a Photoshop wizard could fix.
Although they asked a Photoshop expert to add masks to the faces on the billboard, this company should have double-checked the image before going to print. Unless they just really wanted that guy's left nostril exposed.
Must... Not... Make... Eye... Contact
Some people hate talking about bathroom behavior, but we have to acknowledge that everyone uses the restroom at least once a day. That means it's a legal requirement for offices to provide bathroom facilities for their employees, even if they are normally smelly. But we can only assume that most people would take a stinky bathroom over the one below any day of the week. Yes, this bathroom will make your skin crawl.
Nobody wants to make eye contact with someone while they're doing their business, which is why someone needs to have a serious word with the person who installed this door with a window.
Do You Speak Spanish or Español?
In a world where technology reigns supreme, traversing the internet can be difficult. Although many websites and programs aim to make their services available to people of all backgrounds, sometimes the reality is a little different. And when this person came across a survey, they fell at the first hurdle. How would they get past the first question? They didn't want to take the survey in "español," that's for sure.
However, they also didn't want to take the survey in "Spanish." This didn't leave them with any other option, so we can only assume that they gave up and went to buy ice cream instead.
Yeah, the Floating House Didn't Go as Planned on Opening Day
Although many people dream of being rich beyond their wildest dreams, money isn't everything. Sure, you could buy a Ferrari or hang out in the Bahamas for months on end if you had millions in the bank, but money doesn't buy sense. And it definitely doesn't buy the ability to build a completely unsinkable floating home. So, don't do what this person did and sink $1.5 million into a prototype that was doomed from the get-go.
Although this unveiling was supposed to be "seamless," this floating home decided that it wasn't going to play ball. Instead, it was going to take the money and set up a new life under the ocean.
This Is the Leading Cause of Childhood Nightmares
It's ok if you're not good at drawing. You don't have to be. But if you know you're not good at drawing, why terrorize others with your creepy creations? The person who drew this picture obviously didn't get that memo, as they decided to share their artwork with the world. And while the grey color has led us to believe that this is an elephant, we can't help but see a carrot leaning on a rock.
But things seem to get worse the longer you look. Above the elephant, there's a butterfly that's equally as uncomfortable as it seems to have large human ears attached to it.
That's One Dirty-Looking Door Handle
Whether you're a regular gymgoer or whether you simply use your gym card to cut another slice of cake, we all know that these fitness centers are full of motivational posters, signs, and even stickers. These are there to encourage your next workout and to show you what you can achieve if you keep going. And while it's not uncommon for gyms to use stickers like the bodybuilder below, we do have to question the placement.
Whoever chose to stick the sticker here surely knew that the door handle would get in the way. If they did, this is genius. If they didn't, this is a total fail.
"Restaurant Logo Here"
They say that if you want a job done right, you need to do it yourself. And maybe this restaurant should have thought about that before sending their new menus to the printers. They wanted their restaurant logo to be printed on the front cover of the leather jacket, and that request seemed simple enough. After all, that's normally what you find on a restaurant menu. This request obviously got a little lost in translation, though.
This could either be the ultimate "you had one job" fail, or this restaurant was actually called Restaurant Logo Here. It would be a strange name for a restaurant, but stranger things have happened.
That's Gonna Be One High Air Conditioning Bill
When you first look at this "you had one job" fail, you might think it's just a normal apartment building. The windows are all intact, the bricks are still standing, and the door's ready and willing to open up for its residents. But take a closer look at the air conditioning unit. And then you'll realize that it seems to be conditioning the outside air instead of the inside air.
Maybe this person wanted to get ahead of the climate crisis. Perhaps they decided to try and cool down their neighborhood. Whatever the decision, it's an epic fail of not-so-cool proportions.
Someone's Losing Their Job
Nowadays, you can buy anything you want online. Whether it's a handwoven rug from India or moldy cheese from France, anything can be delivered if you're willing to pay the price. But sometimes, that price isn't financial. Sometimes that price means that your fragile items end up torn, cracked, smashed, crushed, or completely ruined, even when there's a huge and unmistakable "fragile" sticker front and center on the box like this one.
We can't imagine that the purchaser of this item was too happy with the condition of their "fragile" package, and we have to wonder whether the courier's boss was too happy with the complaint they received either.
We Love Some Moldy Anti-Mold Paint
Living in a house or apartment is a lot of hassle. Sure, it's great to have a roof over your head, but it's also a lot of upkeep. This is especially true if you find mold in your property, as this can be a nightmare to remove. Because of this, we don't blame this person for shelling out on some anti-mold paint for their walls. You have to try everything, right?
What they weren't expecting was to find mold in the container of this anti-mold paint. Of course, you could argue that the paint itself isn't moldy; so is it doing its job?
When You're Great at Drawing Adults but Not so Much Babies
There are three kinds of people in this world. There are those who can't draw to save their lives. There are those who are expert drawers. And then there are those who can draw, but they find certain things a little difficult, a bit like this cartoonist. Although they were tasked with drawing a baby in a bathtub, it seems as though they skipped the baby-drawing lesson at art school.
They were present for the lesson on adult humans, though, so they decided to implement what they had learned into the baby drawing. The end result is downright uncomfortable to look at. It's no wonder the duck's looking away.
It's What We're All Waiting for
You've got to love bad translations. The text on this sign actually translates to "The work permit system for foreigners in China is faulty; please be patient." But we quite like the alternative translation of this sign. It's much more ominous and pretty accurate to the world that we're living in today. After all, we're all waiting patiently for the failure of the system. It's coming soon; we can feel it.
In terms of the words used, this translation isn't too far removed from the original. But the differences are striking and probably left many people scratching their heads while they waited patiently.
We've Never Seen That Kind of Baboon Before
Although it's important to live harmoniously on this planet with other animals, it's also important to know when to steer clear of animals that could do you more harm than good. After all, nobody wants to be sucker-punched by a kangaroo. That's why you'll often find animal warning signs around the world, warning you of potential dangers. They look a little like this one, but they're a little more accurate than this one.
While we're sure baboons are probably dangerous, this sign is a little deceiving. These animals aren't baboons, so is the sign referring to the human race? Are we the baboons?
Hope They Like It Hot...
At first glance, this picture seems to show some pretty impressive construction work on the side of an apartment unit. The siding is neat and impeccably installed, and it looks like an apartment that many people would be happy with. But if you look a little closer, you'll see something isn't quite right. And those who are familiar with air conditioner units will know exactly what's wrong with this picture.
Yes, that box on the side of the apartment is an air conditioner. And yes, it has been completely covered in siding. We hope the people in this apartment don't expect to use their AC anytime soon.
The "PA0" Was Actually Supposed to Be "PAO"
You don't have to be a worldwide wanderer to know that McLovin-style fake IDs won't work when you want to leave the country. Passports need to be accurate, up-to-date, and pass stringent rules and regulations; otherwise, you're not going anywhere. This is especially true when it comes to your passport number, but it seems as though the people in charge of the last batch of Spanish passports didn't get that memo.
In this batch, the employees behind the scenes made a typo that left Spanish natives fuming. They wrote "PAO" as "PA0," and this small mistake left keen travelers unable to board their flights.
Make up Your Mind - Are These Watermelons Potatoes or Onions?!
Let's be honest; grocery shopping isn't fun. From surging prices to fussy eaters, buying groceries is a very stressful experience. Because of this, most people rely on the structure and the accuracy of grocery stores to stop them from throwing a shopping cart through the window. The food in grocery stores is normally very well labeled, the prices are usually front and center, and everything is mostly where it needs to be.
Not on this occasion, though. Was this box supposed to house onions, potatoes, watermelons, or all three? This mix of fruits and vegetables is a suitable situation that we just can't get behind.
Hey, Get a Room!
In every parking lot, there are designated spaces. From parent and child parking to handicapped spots, these spaces are distinguished by their markings on the tarmac. And while the picture below seems like the kind of marking you'd find on a handicapped parking space, there's something about this specific painting that is a little off. Sure, it shows a person in a wheelchair, but what about those other naughty additions?
It seems as though the person who painted the new handicapped sign did so on top of the old one, making this failure the epitome of "you had one job."
Good Thing That's Actually a Map of Australia
Let's be honest; we don't know what we would do without the internet. Gone are the days of consulting textbooks and watching live television, as we now have a wealth of knowledge and entertainment at our fingertips. It's great, but we do also need to take the internet with a pinch of salt. Sure, 80% of what we read on the internet is factual, but sometimes things can get a little confusing.
While it's pretty interesting to learn that there are 130 million Japanese speakers in the world, people reading this fact might also like to consult a map. That's not Japan; that's Australia.
Hello, This Is WcDonald's, May We Take Your Order?
When your superior asks you to do something, you have to do it. There's no question about that. But there is a gray area when it comes to deciding how much effort you put into that job. And on this day, it seems as though the person who was asked to put up the McDonald's flag by their boss decided that they wanted to put minimal effort into their task. They were feeling a little tired, you see.
This person had one job, and they did complete it. But they didn't do it well, so do they really deserve a telling-off? Even when the golden arches are upside down, we still recognize them.
When the Option Isn't Actually Optional
Don't you just hate it when you're filling out an online form and forget a key bit of information? Normally, the website acts as though you've committed a crime, offering bold red letters and flashing warnings for your displeasure. But these sites don't make things easy, and the one below definitely gave the internet user mixed signals. So, we have one question: Was the last name optional or not?
Things like this happen all the time, and it's beyond frustrating when you can't continue with your form. Let's hope this person simply wrote "optional" in this box and moved on with their life.
Stay in Shcool, Kids
Some jobs give you a chance to make mistakes. If you're a writer, you can simply delete the last word you wrote. If you're an accountant, you can re-do your sums. But if you're a sign painter, you have to be on it. The first try has to be perfect. You can't make mistakes, and you can't spell anything wrong. If you do, the whole world will know, and they will laugh at you.
The person who painted this "Shcool" sign probably knows that they did wrong. Their colleagues have probably never let them forget it. And they probably get phone calls from the kids' parents every day.
It's Pretty Scary How Pulling on One Wrong Handle Made This Happen
It's not hard to understand why so many people are afraid of airplanes and flying. The whole thing just doesn't make sense. And what makes even less sense is the picture below. This disastrous "you had one job" fail happened when ground staff accidentally pulled the wrong handle. In doing so, they pulled off the butt of the plane. It fell to the floor and left the rest of the plane completely open to the elements.
It's a good thing this plane was grounded at the airport when this happened, as "death by plane butt" would be a very strange thing to put on your gravestone.
Shhh, It's a Surprise
Planning a surprise for someone you live with is almost impossible. You have to hide credit card statements, you have to take secret phone calls, and you have to try and convince them that you're not having an affair. On top of all that, you also have to secretly order things for the surprise at your house without them noticing. Luckily, special delivery instructions are available, but they don't always work.
This person ordered secret party supplies for their mom, and they hoped that their special delivery instructions would be noted. In the end, they were, but not in the way they hoped.
Time to Burn the House Down
If you take pride in your house, things like this will probably make your eyes twitch uncontrollably. And we don't blame you. If you had to look at these door handles every day, you'd soon be tearing your hair out and burning your house down. But that wouldn't be enough. You'd also have to go to the house of the person who installed these wonky door handles to offer them the same wonky fate.
Let's hope that the person living in this house managed to get these door handles fixed before they suffered too much and that their door handles are now perfectly in sync.
When You Become Exactly the Thing You Set Out to Destroy
The cyber-world is a place of wonder and excitement, but no world would be complete without some kind of security - and that's where ad blockers come into play. Most people have ad-blocking software on their computers, laptops, tablets, and even their phones, and the picture below shows one of the many apps you can use. But with many of these companies, you also have to be prepared for a bit of ad-ception.
Sure, this software will block the other ads on your device, but only if they show you their own ads. They've really become the very thing they're trying to destroy.
We've Never Seen an Acronym Get It Oh so Wrong
Hands up if you want to be a champ. We certainly do. And it seems as though the students of Wharton High School want to be champs, too. But we can't help but think that the teachers at this establishment need to go back to school themselves, as it's quite obvious they don't know how an acronym works. However, we have to admit that QTABTS doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.
With a bit of mind power and creativity, these teachers probably could have come up with something a little smarter than this. But teaching kids is hard, so we'll let them off.
Time to Get a New Dispatcher
While many of the "you had one job" fails on this list are downright hilarious, others are pretty alarming, just like this one. When a store in Buffalo was targeted in a shooting, one brave individual rang 911 and asked the dispatcher for help. Due to their situation, they didn't feel comfortable talking normally - so they whispered into the phone. Then the dispatcher called them out for speaking so quietly.
After telling the customer that they didn't need to whisper, the dispatcher's actions made their way into national newspapers. She was eventually fired for her response to this 911 call.
The Famous Antarctica Pigeon
There are so many birds in this world, and they can get a little confusing. Many of them look identical, and most people don't know the difference between a cuckoo and a sparrowhawk, and they probably never will. So, we can excuse people for getting more obscure birds confused. But a pigeon and a penguin? Now, that's something we can't excuse - especially as this person didn't fact-check before publishing their textbook.
The last time we checked, penguins and pigeons were totally different birds with completely different characteristics. Unless there's a new kind of Antarctica pigeon, we weren't aware of, of course.