# What was your first job and how old were you?



## Marty333 (Jan 29, 2011)

I am planning to audition for the look a like of Rapunzel at Disney World once I turn sixteen in April. I am so excited!!!!! So that got me thinking what were your first job? How old were you?


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## Kristina (Jan 29, 2011)

I was 12, and it was detasseling corn during summer break. Long, hot, itchy days.


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## zzzdanz (Jan 29, 2011)

I was 12 and it was washing dishes and making pizzas


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## CtTortoiseMom (Jan 29, 2011)

I was an oyster shucker (i opened oysters) in a seafood restaurant when I was 13. I worked under the table for $3 an hour.


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## pdrobber (Jan 29, 2011)

I was either 14 or 15 and it was at an italian ice, ice cream and gelato store.


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## Tom (Jan 29, 2011)

I mowing lawns and washing cars at nine. My first real job was at pet store in Hawthorn, CA at 14. I lied and said I was 16. I didn't even remotely look 16.


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## dmmj (Jan 29, 2011)

Official first job was the school cafeteria at 14 unofficial I worked summers for my grandpa's gardening business and I believe I was 9. Started my first business at 10 selling earthworms and night crawlers to fishermen on the weekend.


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## russianhenry (Jan 29, 2011)

Braking horses and I was 15. Also called cutting.


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## terryo (Jan 29, 2011)

I was 17, fresh out of High School, and worked as a secretary in a bank. I met my husband there, who was a teller at the time. When I walked across the platform, he used to throw pennies at me.


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## dmmj (Jan 29, 2011)

terryo said:


> I was 17, fresh out of High School, and worked as a secretary in a bank. I met my husband there, who was a teller at the time. When I walked across the platform, he used to throw pennies at me.


was he being mean throwing pennies? or was it the old wives tale of giving a penny to redheads for good luck? My dad always carried pennies in case he saw a redhead he would go up and give her one and explain it to her.


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## DoctorCosmonaut (Jan 29, 2011)

I don't even know when I began (13?), but my mom is an orchardist/farmer and we used to have several acres of cherries, and I would help sort during harvest... It was my only job until I got one at a cafe when I was about 16.


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## Cfr200 (Jan 29, 2011)

I was 14 worked in a wood salvage yard pulling nails out of old lumber. I think I got like 3 bucks an hour.


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## terryo (Jan 29, 2011)

dmmj said:


> terryo said:
> 
> 
> > I was 17, fresh out of High School, and worked as a secretary in a bank. I met my husband there, who was a teller at the time. When I walked across the platform, he used to throw pennies at me.
> ...



I never knew that David. He was just trying to show off to get my attention. Eventually he succeeded.


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## Edna (Jan 29, 2011)

I babysat for 50 cents an hour when I was 14-15, then got my first real job when I was 16. I was a high-school dropout, so could waitress during the day at the Swedish Crown restaurant in Lindsborg, KS. I had long blond braids that I wrapped around my head and the old ladies there swore they knew and remembered my dad (not true, as I was raised in C. Springs and my dad never went to Lindsborg). I learned how to polish the silver candlestick by dipping them in a can of hot water, how to make bulger wheat salad and fruit soup.


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## Marty333 (Jan 29, 2011)

Wow! I wish I could have gotten a job younger! Keep them coming!


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## DeanS (Jan 29, 2011)

Worked for a reptile wholesaler in SoCal. Same situation as Tom...said I was 19, but was actually 15...but I looked 19 Wound up breeding Cuban crocs in my folks' backyard...what a time that was!


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## Neal (Jan 29, 2011)

My first "real job", at least where I got paid an hourly wage was a two week stint at burger king. I hated it, I would squeeze peoples hamburgers before putting them on the warmer.


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## exoticsdr (Jan 29, 2011)

10...chopping weed's out of bean fields in South Dakota.


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## Tom (Jan 29, 2011)

exoticsdr said:


> 10...chopping weed's out of bean fields in South Dakota.



Weeds?! You mean free tortoise food?


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## tortoisenerd (Jan 29, 2011)

From age 18-22 I worked in my university's library...that was my only work experience until starting my career...where I'm still at my first job, and almost 25! I have way less work history than average (I guess it's good I stick with stuff?), have never had to do manual labor type stuff (I'm spoiled!), and started pretty late.


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## pugsandkids (Jan 29, 2011)

Gosh, babysitting started at 11. The neighbors had three awful kids, and I was paid 2.50 an hour. My mother owned a bookstore from the time I was 12, so retail and book keeping...Rode for a cutting horse trainer 14-16, simply in trade for lessons. 16 yrs old, got married, and worked for an animal entertainment company...training ponies, and taking care of the obnoxious animals they could not take on tour with them. The last one was probably my first "official" paid job. 

My oldest is almost 15, in theory I want him to have a job. But you have to work all your life, you should have fun while you can.


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## froghaven5 (Jan 30, 2011)

I was 12 and worked on a farm packing corn. $0.25/crate. The boys got paid by the hour. They were supposed to pick the corn, put the crates together and then load them up on the truck. Us girls packed, and ended up putting together the crates and loading the truck. Farmer Andy wouldn't pay us the same "because the girls didn't pick the corn." 
1st taste of male chauvinism.


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## wildponey21 (Jan 30, 2011)

My frist job was at 16 and i walk ponies all day giving poney rides. I love the ponies hated the kids and the onwer of the stable. Let me put it this all of us hated the owner he was not a nice person and he made real hard. But i did lern alot about ponies and horses.


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## Isa (Jan 30, 2011)

I was 18 and worked at Mexx, I worked there for 2 years.


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## Angi (Jan 30, 2011)

My first real job was custodial help at a high school during the summer. I had just turned 16 and it was through a summer youth program for low income kids. It was awful. I was the only girl and the boys were pretty rough. I was paid $3.32 an hour.


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## -ryan- (Jan 30, 2011)

I started teaching private drum and percussion lessons at around 14, and when I was 17 I got got my first job teaching in a music store. I still teach privately and at music stores (not the one I started at when I was 17 though). My first time making decent money playing music was when I was 17, and looking back it wasn't really all that decent when I consider the time and energy I put into it.


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## GBtortoises (Jan 31, 2011)

My first legal, paying job was as a laborer for a construction company where my father worked. At 12 & 13 a friend of mine and I used to cut firewood and sell it. His older brother would cut all the trees, we'd do the rest. I also grew up on a small farm so the "work" began way before that at an earlier age!


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## zoogrl (Jan 31, 2011)

I did babysitting when I was 14 & then at 16 worked for a guy training horses. My first real job with a paycheck was at Dairy Queen when I was 16, the funnest job I could've had! I worked for some great people who owned that store!


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## ChiKat (Jan 31, 2011)

I started babysitting when I was 12 but I got my first "real" job when I was 16. I was a hostess at an upscale restaurant and I got paid REALLY well!! I loved that job. I worked there for 2 years and then decided to work with kids since I was going into education. I started working in a daycare when I was 18, and I loved that job too  I spent one entire summer in the infant room and it was heaven.


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