The A§H Clan

What was the first job you ever got where you got paid to work?
How long did you work there?
What life lessons did you learn?
How old were you?
Would you suggest that someone else have this job as first job also?

The first job that I ever had was a bagger at the H-E-B grocery store. H-E-B is also the same as Cub if you live in the Midwest region of the USA.
I held that job for about a year, and then went on leave for school for 6 months. I came back to the job and worked for about 2-3 months.
On this job I learned that hard work pays off. I learned my first lessons on customer service. I learned how to get raises, and how to be clean & organized. I learned how to honor my superiors and how to make friends away from church, which at the time in my life was the only places that I really had friends.
I was 16 when I started this job.
Being a bagger is a good starting job for anyone that is about 16 or 17 years old in my opinion. It doesn't always pay the best, but the opportunity for tips is there and you learn how to work hard for your earnings.

I never really has a 'real job'. >.> I've done odd jobs here and there.
-Mandalor

my first job was working at the railroad i have gone too pretty much all my life
We used to ride the train and then i started working with the horses that pulled the train so i became a horse driver and then an engineer/brakeman when we would use the diesel engine.
I worked there all last summer and partly the summer before and i work whenever i feel like going in as well xD (which means i was around 18ish working there)
As for life lessons, i pretty much learned that real friends stick to their word and treat you well, as did my coworkers who are some of the best friends i've ever had around here.
It was a super laid-back job with lots of breaks and just being around tons of people. I'd absolutely recommend working at a park or anything similar to where i was. you get to be outdoors, be around people and just have tons of fun.

My first job was in lawn service. I headed a local company that did landscaping for people with yards, doing everything from laying mulch to mowing lawns or trimming hedges. I worked at it for about 6 years, I started when I was 12.

It was a very rewarding job. I learned valuable lessons about small business, especially customer interaction, proper billing and invoicing, and what all you could or could not do as a business owner. Because it was a business that I pioneered, started, and headed, the profit margin was spectacular and I learned how saving earnings from a job was a very powerful strategy that gained you status in the world (and purchasing power!). I also learned that there is glory in the dirt, and that the feeling of accomplishment of doing something you could physically see and be proud of at the end of a long, hot, hard day at work was well worth the pain. Working in lawncare is a great option as a first job in my opinion, as it teaches the values of hard, physical labor and is very forgiving if you make mistakes (as you are bound to as a beginner). Often the hours are flexible, the clients personable, and the superiors approachable.

At 16 years, I handed the company off to a coworker (stepping down to a lower position) and took a job at the University as a laboratory technician. I've worked there ever since. Through it, I've learned many lessons dealing with the internal workings of the university and the state itself, through budgets, restrictions, and inspections. I've learned about the chain of command. I've learned many specific techniques that will help me later in life with my course of study. I've also learned what it takes to obtain and hold respect with your superiors. This is definitely not an introductory level job. This is a position designed for people that already have a large knowledge about the subject, are dedicated, and come with a proven track record of efficiency, tenacity, and a kind personality. It is brutally unforgiving in regard to mistakes (as some may cost the institution upwards of thousands of dollars for a small slip up), and the superiors are often distant, hostile, or just plain unapproachable. However, given the perfect storm, you may wind up with wonderful superiors and coworkers, and if you do, you gain invaluable experience, respect, and academic standing.