What Was Your First Job?

[AMHWKI]

Thought this might be fun for today... what was your first job that you actually got paid to do?  It was the summer I turned 15 and I worked at a concession stand in my neighborhood park.  I got really good at making sno-cones and cotton candy!

[sabrinas]

Oh this is fun!! I was 16- I worked in a grocery store in the "cut fruit" department as they called it- Aka I chopped up veggies and fruit to make those pre-made platters with either a fruit yogurt dip or a ranch dip for veg.  I also made this taco dip stuff and pre-made parfaits, basically anything you could grab and go which was made from fruit, veg, yogurt or taco dip lol I actually really liked it since I was mostly in the back room and didn't have to deal with crabby people 🙂 

[RJami1]

When I worked at a zoo's petting zoo, I had to take care of the animals[url=https://pettihome.shop/products/tappeto-cucina-passatoia-cucina-farfalle-a-metraggio-3-84-al-metro]....] I learned how to use a manure scoop, a shovel, and how not to groom a horse or llama.

[JoSometimes]

My first job ever was working at Staples (office supplies for those outside of North America). I started off working in the copy centre and became really great at processing even the most complicated orders and clearing out jammed photocopiers (skills that have transferred over to my current career.) Management played the gender card when it came to who worked in the copy centre, so I was eventually transferred to electronics (which I hated), then stationary, and finally furniture. By the time I left, I could work in any department at the store. 

[CocoLancome28]

oh geez ...I vaguely remember my first job ever.. but I know  I was exhausted after doing it.. my first job was cleaning dishes and wiping tables at the university cafeteria at the commons where I live. It was hard work but somewhat rewarding.  That was my first job ever. @AMHWKI 

[GennX]

I worked at an optometrist's office for about 2 months starting when I was 15 1/2 which was located in a strip mall within walking distance from my house - since I had to get there on foot after school every MWF afternoon because the main reason I was working was to save up the deductible for car insurance before my parents would allow me to get my drivers license...having a job close enough to walk to and from home was a must.

I wasn't bothered by the fact that there was a 'dress code' so I had to wear either dresses or skirts, it was the part where the optometrist kept having me scrub spots on the carpet with a toothbrush (which of course meant I was on hands and knees) and he would be in his back office with the door open even when he was using the toilet when he'd call for one of the other ladies or myself to have us come back there so he could talk to us about something only to find him pants down around his ankles with his *unit* in his hand. Once I told my high school work adviser I never went back to the job and my last paycheck I picked up from my adviser who had already gotten me set up for a new job working as a hostess for the Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant just outside the theme park. And there I stayed until I found a job working as a teacher's assistant that paid a lot better than either two of my previous jobs - I was at Knott's for almost 3 years and my hourly was $4.98 up from $4.35 - then finding a job that paid $10/hr...I would have quit Knott's without giving notice if that had been asked of me by the school district.

[pakisstani]

• When I was in high school, I told my career adviser that I never worked at the job. My last paycheck I picked up from my adviser who had already gotten me set up for a new job. I was hired as a hostess for the Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant just outside the theme park https://ectipakistan.com/. And there I stayed until I found a job working as a teacher's assistant that paid a lot better than both of my previous jobs 

[AMHWKI]

OMG that's awful - I hope he doesn't still practice and someone sued his arse for harassment!

[DrProducts]

I did babysit , work as an Avon lady, and clean houses, but my first actual paycheck job was 1/4 filing clerk 3/4 cleaning lady at a welding school on a construction site.  Daniel Construction building a P& G plant.  The welding school was run by a straight up good ol' boy, with whom I entered into spirited debates concerning women's rights and rights to work construction jobs (some of the welding students were women). It paid a wonderful rate of $4.30 an hour when the minimum was $3.15. Really. We won't talk about the lack of safety precautions in those days, and what sweeping up welding dust does to one's lungs. Sometimes I had to go on site to get supplies, and as you might know, some items are oddly named (beginning with "female plug" and going onward). The guys at the supply would always rag me, saying "Are you sure it's an XXX? Sure it's not a YYYYY?" with as much vulgarity as possible. I learned to keep a poker face and a nonchalant attitude.  It only lasted the summer (because I went to college; otherwise, I could have worked till they finished), but it had quite an impact on me.

[vegchililover78]

I took stats for a local basketball summer league. $35 total!

[blackkitty2014]

Ooh.... This is a fun thread. I had the coolest first job everrrr. It was 2.5 hrs work as a fashion show helper. My job was to help the models get ready for a runway of a fashion show at a local mall. I got paid (I think) $50. This was yrs and yrs ago but that $50 felt liked 5 grands to me at the time. Sadly, my real current job is no where as fun 😉

[AMHWKI]

Awesome first job!

[Anonymous]

I skated as a principal in Disney World on Ice during college vacations. It was an interesting job, and probably sounds a whole lot more glamorous than it actually was! 😉

[AMHWKI]

It does sound glamorous actually!  I really wish I could ice skate.  Anyone who can do it makes it look so easy and I'm sure you are no different!

[RandeeBT]

Aside from babysitting, my first job was working at a clothing store. It was a really fun job! I had the best coworkers and I loved the music and trying on the clothes. Sadly, the clothing store went bankrupt a few years ago and closed all of their locations. The spot where the clothing store used to be in is now a fabric store! 

[kalex]

Besides babysitting?  If not, I was 12 when I started doing that.  Otherwise, I was 14 and got a job at a little restaurant bussing tables and washing dishes.

[4Ali4]

When I was 17 or so I worked as a teacher's aide for an after-school language program. The school brought in 3 or 4 teachers to teach French and Spanish to middle-schoolers. I would bounce between the classrooms helping with activities, corralling kids, distributing snacks, etc. I had a blast, since my favorite former teacher was one of the Spanish teachers, and I got to learn some basic French.

[malday]

I was 15 and I worked as a parking lot attendant at an amphitheater. I got to go into all of the shows for free during my break (which was pretty much from 8/9-11 pm). That's the first time I saw Mötley Crüe, Journey, and a few other bands perform haha.

[RandeeBT]

That sounds like an amazing first job! 

[AMHWKI]

Sounds like a great gig!!

[Zpsid91]

I worked at a barn mucking stalls, and riding horses for other people when I was about 12-13…then I started working in a vet clinic around senior year of high school 🙂