What was your first paid job?

[purpleowl]

Tutoring - I started getting paid to do that when I was 15.  First job with An Actual Paycheck, teacher's aide at a summer school when I was 16.  That summer was awesome - in the mornings I would go to the summer school and do grading or make copies or assist students individually, whatever the teacher needed me to do, and then in the afternoons I would go to the home of a kid who wanted to learn Algebra I over the summer so he could test out of it and into Geometry, and his mom had hired me to teach him the entire course.  I used that teaching experience as the basis of my college application essay.  

 

The next summer, after my junior year, I got a more normal-ish job working at a movie theater.  I worked there for over a year, until I left for college.

[Joules]

I did some tutoring.  Actually I did lots of tutoring, but most was volunteer.  I just had a few people pay me.

 

My first official job was a little shop in the mall that sold aerobics outfits (tights, leotards, leg warmers...)

[Guest]

My very first jpbs were pet sitting and leaf raking. I think the very first one was when a neighbor had me care for his cats while he went on vacation. I think I was around 10 or 11. He wasn't pleased though, because I forgot to bring in the mail. Also, one of the cats failed to make an appearance at first when he returned. I couldn't tell him how recently I had seen the cat; it was the shy cat and I just didn't know when he had last been around. (The cat was fine and surfaced eventually.)

 

My first real, weekly paycheck job was when I was 16, at a clothing store. That was a pretty cool job. It was a privately owned store called Tylers and was roughly equivalent to what would now be American Eagle Outfitters. I made min. wage, which I think was $3.25 at the time.

[dancingmama]

Babysitting. Then I worked for a family friend that had a business at a flea market. I was his helper and eventually worked it alone on Saturdays and "helped" on Sunday's. I would earn some flat rate plus a percent of what I/we made the weekend. Under the table, of course.

 

First legal job was at the library as a "page". Basically we shelved books, sorted, cleaned up, and organized. I think I made $4.15/hr, or maybe a bit less when I started. I believe min wage went up while I was there.

 

 

 

I started at $3.80 and shortly after I started min wage went to $4.25.

[Loesje22000]

Weeding and picking yellow leaves in the greenhouses.

[elegantlion]

I worked at the toy store during Christmas. Then I worked at an ice cream shop and added the toy store back in next Christmas season. I worked both jobs for the season, working from 6am to 9pm. I saved a lot of money. I may 3.35/hour which was minimum wage back then. 

[Ottakee]

I posted about my job in the nursing home but I guess my first job was really at 11 when I started picking blueberries for 20 cents a pound. If we worked really hard we got $15-18/day. We were supposed to be 12 legally but were tall so it worked.

 

Many kids also poxed chickens, caught chickens, baled hay, washed veggies, etc. I got out of most of that by babysitting so much.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Age 11 - babysitting, teaching English in Japan at first one-on-one in a tutoring situation and then as a teacher of 10 - 15 kids in a cram school.

 

[Lawana]

Babysitting starting at age 11 for the going rate of $0.25/hr! One time I babysat for a family with 6 children, and upon requesting $0.35/hr, was informed that even the college girls only got $0.25! Good grief!

 

My first on-the-books job was for minimum wage ($1.60/hr) doing outside cleaning at an apartment complex. (Mopping exterior hallways including lugging a filled metal janitor mop bucket up a couple flights of stairs, and hosing down the partially covered parking area.) I was 14.

[gingersmom]

I worked at a bakery that did not actually bake anything.

 

I still feel guilty for selling someone a frozen cheesecake. 

[lynn]

delivering the newspaper walking, door to door through snow and all when I was 10.

[Saraswati]

My first paid job was running the cremation machine at the veterinarian's office. I also had to prep dogs that came in for immediate rabies testing - I won't go into detail there. Let's just say they definitely didn't pay me enough for that job!

 

Then I graduated from nursing school and worked in various areas in that field for 10 years before I became a SAHM.

[Debbi in Texas]

Babysitting.

 

Then WalMart.

[Lizzie in Ma]

I was 13 and I washed dishes by hand at a little Finnish restaurant.

[MyThreeSons]

I did some babysitting for money starting when I was in junior high. And I worked at Jack-in-the-Box for a few days during a heat wave, but the manager never scheduled me again when business dropped off. And then I worked one Spring as a stringer for a small local newspaper, writing up articles about the local Little League baseball games.

 

But my first "regular" job was working as a cashier at a drive-in movie theater.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I had a paper route at 12.

 

 

[ScoutTN]

Lifeguarding.

[Daria]

My first paid jobs were delivering a little local paper that came once a week, "mother's helper" watching kids when mom was home, and walking people's dogs and feeding their cats when they were away.  All of those started around 9 or 10.  

 

Those jobs paid in handfuls of coins, I'm so old that I was paid 35 cents per hour for my first mother's helper job.  The newspaper would pay me with an envelope through the mail slot.  They made sure it was always fun coins, I think I had one route that paid a half dollar and a bicentennial quarter a week, and then worked up to another that paid a Susan B Anthony dollar.

 

My first job where I earned a check was day camp counselor when I was 14.

[Reefgazer]

Babysitting for $1 per hour. When I was 16, I got a job at an Italian deli for legal minimum wage (whatever that was in 1978-can't remember).

[TrixieB]

Paper route.  Too bad that now all routes around here are 18+ with car.  IMO paper routes are great first jobs for kids.  I learned responsibility, reliability, accountability, customer service, money management... all starting at age 11. 

 

Lots and lots of babysitting.

 

First hourly-pay job (that wasn't babysitting) was food service at university.  Yuck!

[Jean in Newcastle]

I just realized that my first official job was a modeling job for the Japan railway system.  But it was a one day, one time shoot.  I still have the poster they gave me in addition to my paycheck.  

[Guest]

My dad used to pay me for helping with his carpet cleaning business. It was a pittance for coming along and I didn't do much work, but still.

 

Outside of family employment? I worked at a bubble tea shop in San Marcos, California.

[JFSinIL]

As young teens, my kid sister and I spent a summer  afternoon at the home of the owner of a local fabric store putting together fabric sample swatches to mail to all the local home ec teachers so they'd send students to her store.  Got $64 dollars.

 

First real (non-babysitting) job was Karl's Toys store over Christmas season while in high school. Then worked at a mom and pop donut store, frying donuts, decorating donuts, selling donuts, cleaning up and closing each afternoon. We closed before the local high school let out on purpose, as the teens were too obnoxious to deal with. That was followed by working at Disneyland, then at another mom and pop business, a camera/photo store. 

[trulycrabby]

My first paid job was running the cremation machine at the veterinarian's office. I also had to prep dogs that came in for immediate rabies testing - I won't go into detail there. Let's just say they definitely didn't pay me enough for that job!

 

Then I graduated from nursing school and worked in various areas in that field for 10 years before I became a SAHM.

You poor thing! I know it was worse for the animals, but still, that's an awful job! :grouphug:

[trulycrabby]

I worked in a ladies' clothing store at 16, and then was a lifeguard and water safety instructor.

[Hunter's Moon]

Pet store - I quit after two weeks upon realizing the owner was a jerk.

[Cindy in FL.]

A small, locally owned bookstore. It was great!

[Kareni]

I baby sat for $0.25 an hour in the early seventies.  I distinctly remember the wife of the bank manager that said, "I owe you $1.25 for five hours, but I'll give you a dollar now and pay you the quarter next time."  And didn't.  She also had the table set with dishes stolen from the hotel my father managed as well as hotel towels in her bathroom.  Hmmph.

 

My first job with a pay check was for working at a country club; I sometimes checked coats but in the summer, I worked at a small building adjacent to the tenth tee making sandwiches and serving drinks to the golfers.  The caddies I served from a window in the back.  I HATED the latter job as there were mice in the building.  Minimum wage then was, I think, $3.35 per hour.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[bettyandbob]

I babysat for $1/hour. I cleaned houses for $3/ hour. My father didn't like me cleaning houses so I had to stop. Then, I worked for the HOA planting trees, picking up trash and pulling weeds. We got less than minimum wage because the program had soe educational component that gave it an exception. I don't recall any educational component. Then I got into lifeguarding.

[Daria]

I baby sat for $0.25 an hour in the early seventies.  I distinctly remember the wife of the bank manager that said, "I owe you $1.25 for five hours, but I'll give you a dollar now and pay you the quarter next time."  And didn't.  She also had the table set with dishes stolen from the hotel my father managed as well as hotel towels in her bathroom.  Hmmph.

 

My first job with a pay check was for working at a country club; I sometimes checked coats but in the summer, I worked at a small building adjacent to the tenth tee making sandwiches and serving drinks to the golfers.  The caddies I served from a window in the back.  I HATED the latter job as there were mice in the building.  Minimum wage then was, I think, $3.35 per hour.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

You beat my $0.35 an hour!  That's probably because I wasn't babysitting until the late 70's, when I turned 9 which was apparently old enough in those days. 

 

I can match your memory with the memory of the father who came home and calculated that my 4 hours of work meant he owed me $1.40, and so he gave me six quarters and asked for change.  When I didn't have it, he stood there debating whether he should give me $1.25 or let me have the extra 10 cents.  I've always thought that was the definition of cheap, especially since I was working for 11% of minimum wage!

[Kareni]

You beat my $0.35 an hour!  That's probably because I wasn't babysitting until the late 70's, when I turned 9 which was apparently old enough in those days. 

 

I can match your memory with the memory of the father who came home and calculated that my 4 hours of work meant he owed me $1.40, and so he gave me six quarters and asked for change.  When I didn't have it, he stood there debating whether he should give me $1.25 or let me have the extra 10 cents.  I've always thought that was the definition of cheap, especially since I was working for 11% of minimum wage!

 

Yes, I hear you on the definition of cheap!

 

And I was babysitting at age ten.  Now having had my own child, I wonder at the parents who chose to leave their children with me.  I had no experience with children as I was the youngest in my family.  I was not a good babysitter.  I can recall on one occasion setting the clock forward an hour and telling the children it was time for bed.  I also got an education reading one family's Playboy magazines.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Tsuga]

Janitor, minimum wage which was $4.90 at the time, but which rose quickly. I was 15 when I started. I never babysat much. Then I worked retail, waitressing, barista, data entry, back kitchen, tutoring, and then did work for the church like trimming trees, paving driveways, etc. I have never been paid less than minimum wage! That is illegal here.

[KrissiK]

Packing fruit starting the summer between 7th and 8th grade. Did that every summer through high school and college.

[Laura in CA]

I baby sat for $0.25 an hour in the early seventies. 

 

Hey, me too! I wouldn't have believed it myself, except I still have a careful list I wrote up totaling my hours and calculating my earnings at a quarter an hour.  :coolgleamA:

 

At age 16, my senior year in high school, I got my first "real" job, at the national lab in my town. I rode my bike out to the lab after school every day; I don't think I realized how lucky I was. The pay was minimum wage ($3.10/h), but it was a great place to work and I returned for several summers during college, at progressively more interesting jobs.

 

[ksr5377]

First paid job was bailing hay and stray.  First paid "real" job that required filling out paperwork etc. was as a sales associate in a department store at the mall.  

[Chess Dad]

My first job was the day I turned 16 years old, McDonald's Restaurant.  I was paid the minimum wage of the day of $3.35 per hour.  It was a great first job.  My first real job was Briggs and Stratton making Lawn Mower Engines.  Great pay but I hated factory work, so I completed college and became a cop and a soldier.   :patriot:

[Mom2OandE]

Babysitting an infant and toddler when I was 11 years old. I worked for them M-F from 5:30an-7am. They lived next door. I got both kids up, changed and fed. $20/week. I worked for them for about 6 years.

 

McDonalds at 14 for $2.10 an hour was my first job complete with taxes. Lol

[AimeeM]

Hooters. 

 

 

ETA: I vaguely recall that I babysat around age 12 for a short time, for a family. I'm not sure what I was paid. It didn't last long.

[Desert Strawberry]

Pet sitting. I was 9. 
I worked for my parents, but didn't get paid. 
Babysitting.

My first official job was Summer sports camp junior counselor at the local college. I was 17. 

[TechWife]

My first paid job was working in the family dry cleaners. I had worked there since I was 13 and started getting a paycheck when I turned 16. I started at minimum wage - $3.35 per hour. 

[Farrar]

Babysitting. I cleaned up for years as a kid.

 

My first "real" job was my college work study job. All first years were required to work in the kitchens for work study unless there was a reason not to (like, say, a serious food allergy). I did all the tasks, but mostly I washed pots. I was the fastest and best pot washer.

 

The first job I got for myself was fixing computers in the college computer lab. I had that job for two years and it was great.

[Guest]

I babysat a lot, but my first actual job that taxes were taken out of was as a CNA at a local nursing home. You were supposed to be 16 to work there, and I was still 15 when they hired me. One of my favorite jobs as far as the residents. The charge nurses were another story....

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

Teen dance club in my town.

[MomtoCandJ]

Babysitting and then dishwasher for a bar/grill that is across the street from my mom's house.

[Little Nyssa]

"Summer Jobs for the Environment" canvassing door to door for a political action committee, getting people to donate $35 to become a member. They gave us teens a "patter" speech and bussed us out to neighborhoods. But we did not know enough to answer any questions, and the victims did not know that we got a large cut of their money. They just signed up because of our nice innocent young faces. It was so hypocritical. It was awful. I lasted 4 days.

[LisaKinVA]

I guess technically, the first "job" I ever had was cat/house checking/mail grabbing when my neighbors went on vacation.  They brought me back a minnie-mouse cap with a small bouquet of flowers and my name embroidered on it.  I still have the hat.  Not long after that, we moved and I started mucking stables.  I'd load the manure into a wheelbarrow and cart it back to my dad's garden.  I worked, so that I could ride the horses.  After that, it was babysitting, then I worked in a mall selling housewares/clocks/stuff around Christmas, and then McDonald's was my first place of "long-term" employment.

[Melissa in Australia]

Ironing. 75 cents for a washing basket. for my mum and one of her friends

 

I was 11 or so I think.

[tori@thehomefront]

I did some babysitting as a pre-teen, but my first paid job was as a DJ at the local radio station when I was 15. It was awesome, most of the time. :)