I was 14 and worked setting up (putting silverware) on tables at a Holiday Inn Restaurant during summer vacation. Had to be there before 6:00 AM and because my parents refused to wake up and take me I got to drive a car!!!
My first real job with a paycheck was as a cashier at a grocery store in high school. Before that I was babysitting, when I was younger I did a lemonade stand with my brother. Let's just say sales is not our field.
Field work - all damn summer. Strawberries, blueberries, cukes, grapes, etc., from the time I was 8 until I was old enough to get a "real" job in town. By which time we had moved back to the city. THANKS, MOM! (J/k. It was a character builder. And the child labor laws were a joke back then. If the field boss saw a government vehicle pull up, she blew a whistle and we all ran for the ditches.
Worked at local movie theater selling candy and popping the pop corn that I sold for 25 cents buttered and 15 cents plain. Got free admission to movies, all the goodies I could eat, and $1.25 per hour. This was in the late 60s in Chicago and I was about 16. Loved my job!
At a record store during high school, back when they still existed. Got an employee discount and got to listen to new music as soon as it came out. Plus cute high school boys shopped there. Best first job ever!
Worked in games at Astroworld amusement park when turned15 y/o. One of only places that was legal to work under age of 16. All my friends worked there too. Never felt like work. Was more like a daily teen social.
a farm when I was 13, worked full time all Summer long on a farming exception that allowed me to work even though I wasn’t 14. Saved my money all Summer and bought my first computer. WWG1WGA
When I was 15 I was walking through a mall and a guy who ran a very successful children/prep clothing shop (with the monopoly on school uniforms and the best selection of Levis and Izods and Polos at the time) called me down and told me I looked like Cybill Shepherd in The Last Picture Show. Then he asked me how old I was. He told me the day I turned 16 he would hire me, and he did. I worked for their family while I was in high school. It was a nightmare. They had me do the HUSKIES dept because I was diplomatic and articulate and basically had to go in dressing rooms with fat boys and pin their pants for alterations.
I also was in charge of the Danskin dept. and they at that time were the ONLY place with ballet shoes in town, too. Those were really hard departments that were a HUGE mess I had to clean up every night before I could leave. This was in the late 70s/ our cash register was old time, where if something was 7.77 you had to hit 7$ button and then 70 and then 7.
I worked until I went away to college and I had more polo shirts and shit than anyone I knew. I got a 30% discount which was very generous given the Kaufmanns reputation. They just wanted us all to look good, which we did.
I never did retail again. It was horrible, especially dealing with back to school parents with multiple children trying to do it all at once. That free alterations thing was a real pain in the ass too.
Sorry for all the TLDR folks. I never answer these your turn things so I figured I may as well throw it all down.
In the office at a Collections Agency. Guys would routinely yell at people on the phone DEADBEAT PAY YOUR BILLS OR ELSE. Much later I realized that the blonde bombshell "office manager" who spent her time shopping and getting her hair done was "general manager" Joey's toy away from his wife. He was an ugly 300 pound beast who took his scary posse out of the office to do unknown stuff all the time..
Babysitting, technically. I made a lot of pocket money with that. But my first real job, with deductions and everything, was a cashier in a doughnut shop.
dishwasher at a real ritzy restaurant where the waitresses shared their tips. i came home with my pockets full of cash no change just 5's and 10's, next morning my mom shook me till i woke asking me if i was selling drugs. it was like that all summer long!
Just Jeans in a nearwest 'burb of Chicago in the late 60's/early 70's. Our trainer said 'oh, in my store (where the hip folks are Shytown uptown)we can measure them ourselves. Here you better let them handle the tape measure.) I hadn't enough self-love at the time to understand...pretentious bitch. Instead I thought, gee I wish I was that cool.
Wrote a couple of articles for the youth suppliment for a national newspaper when I was 15 (I had to ask for permission to step out of class to accept a phone call from radio show that wanted to interview me about one of my pieces—this was back in the day when they still allowed mobile phones in class). Awkward. 🤷🏻♀️😹
Babysitting and mucking stalls at an Arabian horse breeder. Then cashier at a little independent gas/convenience store where the owner would sit in a rocking chair behind the counter and stare at my ass. He would drink beer in a coffee cup starting in the morning and get so wasted that he would lose himself by afternoon. He paid me less than promised. I was 15. He also had a blowup doll girlfriend that he popped.
cashier at Hallmark
ReplyDeleteunofficially - I started babysitting for families in the 7th grade
ReplyDeleteofficially - hostess at a restaurant
bagger at a grocery store
ReplyDeleteIn-N-Out Burger
ReplyDeleteDishwasher at a small, popular Mexican restaurant. It was great!!
ReplyDeleteWorking at a national newspaper. In advertising.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletewell technically a silversmith apprentice in Boston, but that ended badly
ReplyDeleteBabysitting. First job that required an application and interview was Carvel.
ReplyDeleteI was 14 and worked setting up (putting silverware) on tables at a Holiday Inn Restaurant during summer vacation. Had to be there before 6:00 AM and because my parents refused to wake up and take me I got to drive a car!!!
ReplyDeleteProgramming Apple II computers for the Cal State University system. Age 17
ReplyDeleteWaffle House Waiting tables at 16
ReplyDeleteShoe salesperson. I was Al Bundy
ReplyDeleteThe very first job I had was as a paperboy. I was 10 or 11 years old.
ReplyDelete(Child labor laws weren't enforced like they are now.)
I remember making like $2.00 for a week's worth of delivering papers via a bicycle.
My first real job with a paycheck was as a cashier at a grocery store in high school. Before that I was babysitting, when I was younger I did a lemonade stand with my brother. Let's just say sales is not our field.
ReplyDeleteField work - all damn summer. Strawberries, blueberries, cukes, grapes, etc., from the time I was 8 until I was old enough to get a "real" job in town. By which time we had moved back to the city. THANKS, MOM! (J/k. It was a character builder. And the child labor laws were a joke back then. If the field boss saw a government vehicle pull up, she blew a whistle and we all ran for the ditches.
ReplyDeleteWorked at local movie theater selling candy and popping the pop corn that I sold for 25 cents buttered and 15 cents plain. Got free admission to movies, all the goodies I could eat, and $1.25 per hour. This was in the late 60s in Chicago and I was about 16. Loved my job!
ReplyDeleteDishwasher at a nursing home.
ReplyDeleteRubio's Fresh Mexican Grill- YUM lol
ReplyDeleteCar hop, A&W Rootbeer stand, 14 years old.
ReplyDeleteI was a cashier at an Easter bunny stand in the mall at 15.. my younger sister was the Easter bunny 😂
ReplyDeleteStock girl / tech at a large pharmacy servicing nursing homes, 19 years old.
ReplyDeleteI worked in a fast food joint for a short time while in high school. My first "real" job was a jr. pr gal to college radio for a music label.
ReplyDeleteI made popcorn at a Drive-Inn movie theater! I'm old lol!
ReplyDeleteNurses aide.
ReplyDeleteShop worker at Chelsea Girl in Glasgow...all those 80's trends!
ReplyDeleteLobby hostess at 16. 260 Madison ave.Liquid lunches every day in the Blarney Stone! Underage drinking wasn't such a big deal back then around 1982.
ReplyDeleteAt a record store during high school, back when they still existed. Got an employee discount and got to listen to new music as soon as it came out. Plus cute high school boys shopped there. Best first job ever!
ReplyDeleteDietary Aide and Porter at my local hospital.
ReplyDeleteConsessions at a movie theatre.
ReplyDeleteLifeguard
ReplyDeleteRadio DJ
ReplyDeleteI was 15 and 8 months (legal working age here) and was a sales clerk at Sam Goody's. haha
ReplyDeleteSelling drug paraphenalia in a hippie clothing shop in Los Angeles when I was 14 (under the table) in the early 70's
ReplyDeleteWashing dishes in the college cafeteria.
ReplyDeleteWorked the salad bar at the local Eat n' Park here in the Burgh
ReplyDeleteWorking at a candy shop/variety store in a museum up the road from my house.. I started there when I was 14.
ReplyDeleteCashier at a hardware store and it’s still one of my favorite places to smell.
ReplyDeleteWorked in games at Astroworld amusement park when turned15 y/o. One of only places that was legal to work under age of 16. All my friends worked there too. Never felt like work. Was more like a daily teen social.
ReplyDeleteWaiter at burger joint. Boss tried to corner me in the cooler. Quit same day I was hired.
ReplyDeleteWendy's drive thru, age 15.
ReplyDeleteFixed watches at Sears :-)
ReplyDeletea farm when I was 13, worked full time all Summer long on a farming exception that allowed me to work even though I wasn’t 14. Saved my
ReplyDeletemoney all Summer and bought my first computer. WWG1WGA
Dairy Queen!
ReplyDeletePainting roofs a hideous shade of green.
ReplyDeleteKay Jewelers, late 80’s, age 15. Too young to make the good commissions from diamonds but sold the heck out of gold chains and nugget jewelry.
ReplyDeleteStuffing envelopes as a student
ReplyDeleteWhen I was 15 I was walking through a mall and a guy who ran a very successful children/prep clothing shop (with the monopoly on school uniforms and the best selection of Levis and Izods and Polos at the time) called me down and told me I looked like Cybill Shepherd in The Last Picture Show. Then he asked me how old I was. He told me the day I turned 16 he would hire me, and he did. I worked for their family while I was in high school. It was a nightmare. They had me do the HUSKIES dept because I was diplomatic and articulate and basically had to go in dressing rooms with fat boys and pin their pants for alterations.
ReplyDeleteI also was in charge of the Danskin dept. and they at that time were the ONLY place with ballet shoes in town, too. Those were really hard departments that were a HUGE mess I had to clean up every night before I could leave. This was in the late 70s/ our cash register was old time, where if something was 7.77 you had to hit 7$ button and then 70 and then 7.
I worked until I went away to college and I had more polo shirts and shit than anyone I knew. I got a 30% discount which was very generous given the Kaufmanns reputation. They just wanted us all to look good, which we did.
I never did retail again. It was horrible, especially dealing with back to school parents with multiple children trying to do it all at once. That free alterations thing was a real pain in the ass too.
Sorry for all the TLDR folks. I never answer these your turn things so I figured I may as well throw it all down.
In the office at a Collections Agency. Guys would routinely yell at people on the phone DEADBEAT PAY YOUR BILLS OR ELSE. Much later I realized that the blonde bombshell "office manager" who spent her time shopping and getting her hair done was "general manager" Joey's toy away from his wife. He was an ugly 300 pound beast who took his scary posse out of the office to do unknown stuff all the time..
ReplyDeleteBabysitting, then working in a record store (they don't exist anymore !!!!)
ReplyDeleteSizzler at the salad bar.
ReplyDeleteSizzler at the salad bar.
ReplyDeleteCashier at Sweet Factory.
ReplyDeleteCollecting entrance fees from spectators at the drag races.
ReplyDeleteBabysitting, technically. I made a lot of pocket money with that. But my first real job, with deductions and everything, was a cashier in a doughnut shop.
ReplyDeleteI sanded the hulls of boats at a marina/boat yard. I was 12 and was paid $2.25/hour in cash.
ReplyDeleteStockgirl at Casual Corners. Is that still around anymore?
ReplyDeleteDealing with tickets and prizes at a freshly opened Dave and Busters. ugh
ReplyDeletedishwasher at a real ritzy restaurant where the waitresses shared their tips.
ReplyDeletei came home with my pockets full of cash no change just 5's and 10's, next morning my mom shook me till i woke asking me if i was selling drugs.
it was like that all summer long!
Just Jeans in a nearwest 'burb of Chicago in the late 60's/early 70's. Our trainer said 'oh, in my store (where the hip folks are Shytown uptown)we can measure them ourselves. Here you better let them handle the tape measure.) I hadn't enough self-love at the time to understand...pretentious bitch. Instead I thought, gee I wish I was that cool.
ReplyDeleteWrote a couple of articles for the youth suppliment for a national newspaper when I was 15 (I had to ask for permission to step out of class to accept a phone call from radio show that wanted to interview me about one of my pieces—this was back in the day when they still allowed mobile phones in class). Awkward. 🤷🏻♀️😹
ReplyDeletePutting rings together during the summers and keeping as far away from Pat Patterson as I could.
ReplyDeleteI don’t get the reference and I feel like I’m missing out on a really good butt joke. 😿😭💔
ReplyDeleteAbercrombie kids ... closest thing to hell
ReplyDeleteBabysitting and mucking stalls at an Arabian horse breeder. Then cashier at a little independent gas/convenience store where the owner would sit in a rocking chair behind the counter and stare at my ass. He would drink beer in a coffee cup starting in the morning and get so wasted that he would lose himself by afternoon. He paid me less than promised. I was 15. He also had a blowup doll girlfriend that he popped.
ReplyDelete