Your First Five Jobs

[Thermodolia]

I think so. That's the only thing that worries me. My dad is only willing to pay for my tuition up to a bachelor's degree. I don't know how I'm going to pay for a master's degree. My GPA is not the best either right now. So much stress.

The military is the answer.

Ive made some calls the Drill Instructor will be by to pick you up in the morning. You will be trained then dropped in to Syria with guns and ammo and the pictures of some high value ISIS leaders. Bring their heads back to the US and your masters degree will be payed for.

So you called the Marines?

[Wickedly evil people]

1. dish washer
2. golf course laborer
3. store clerk
4. fork lift driver
5. salesman

[Kernen]

Yes.

He's asking which one.

I know. I meant both. Its a joke.

[Turealia]

1) Poet
2) Novelist
3) Assistant in a store
4) Null
5) Null

[Dread Lady Nathicana]

Trying to think back - it has been a while. And official vs jobs I got paid for but weren't a regular thing ... hrm.

Babysitting was probably the first, but that was sporadic, spread among various families, etc. Pretty much the go to back in the day. And there was the manual labor, like yardwork. Neighbors and folks in the church would pay kids who were willing to help out with that sort of thing, back before we had kids starting up their own lawncare businesses and such - snow removal, light housework for homebound folks (though that was often also a voluntary thing we did through the church to help local people out). I worked with a neighbor for a short while helping assemble packages of a product they were selling in a small business as well, but again, was more short term and 'needed help, willing to pay'.

Things got real, so to speak, when me and one of my besties got a job waitressing at a restaurant/hotel up the canyon. Was an experience, let me tell ya. Lots of fun, but when pay day rolled around, you were never sure if your check would clear because the owners were a little sketch. Long story that, with many fun tales to be told, but there ya go.

Went from there after a change of ownership that went pretty smoothly, even if we helped cover a ridiculous sorority party where the first advice we had from attendees was 'you might want to clear the glassware as soon as the meal is over ...' and we had some of the guys apologizing to us for their dates, and hitting on us instead, good times -- to a production job I got turned onto by a soon to be ex boyfriend, and that's where I officially met my hubby, though we'd crossed paths in school. Bourns - Sensors, chips, single and double-inline resistor networks, that. Bunch of little computer components. Worked in several departments before moving on to something else, after the birth of our daughter.

Dunno if y'all are familiar with Icon Health & Fitness, but I was there through a lot of the changes mentioned in the wiki article. Remember clearly the back and forth on trying to corner the market on those Health Rider bits, learning how production companies get around trademarks and all that by changing juuuuust a small thing and then trying to outsell the competition before buying them up, and all sorts of delicious tricks of the trade. Worked in the R&D department doing package art design, some graphics, some users manuals bits, and UPC code generation. Remember coming in to work and checking the New and Shiny Internet stuff (after we'd upgraded a bit from our 2400 baud clunky external modem things) to see the Oklahoma City bombing news ... lotta changes through all of that. Lotta crazy.

There was Logan Manufacturing, formerly - get this - DeLorean Manufacturing, formerly USU-related stuff going back to Thiokol and such on initial tracked vehicle design etc - now all defunct, last I'd heard, and the site empty of buildings. Which really felt weird the first time we drove by it. Snowcats, more or less. Snow groomers, tracked vehicles, all that - was branching into the smaller Bobcat types at the time I left. Was kind of fun never knowing if you were gonna show up to work only to see it padlocked - it was a real worry there for a while.

Even worked for my dad for a while as an office manager/traffic coordinator for several radio stations. No, not that kind of traffic. The kind where you accept, load up, and organize daily logs with all the commercials worked into them, then turned them over to the dj's and programmers to insert voice tracks, music, all the rest - or have open blocks for the live portions of the programming. Took care of monthly billing, did a bunch of graphic arts for various things (continue to do that, now and then, actually - helping my dad and brothers out with advertising, logo design, etc), accepting payments, doing deposits, helping dad sort through finances and organize payments made. Lot of good experience there, all came from the lady they'd hired walking out on them, and him being in a bind and asking if I could 'just cover for a while' - turned into a job for several years.

And then I decided, since I was oldest, and first of the kids to be working for dad, that to avoid some of the rumblings of 'nepotism' and what not, to branch out and do my own thing again. So that resulted in working for a place that made handheld computers (at the time a big thing, man), yield calculators, gps systems, all that for farming and forestry. I was over all of their inventory as manager, which ran around $7-800k worth of parts and product on a daily basis. Held the record for a long time (no idea now) for most efficient and correct inventory record, found all the mistakes the last folks had made, improved flow and introduced better methods, and a whole lot of other things until I got pregnant with son, ended up on bed rest on account, and lost my job while having my pay, severance, and long term disability held hostage for a while, and likely illegally forced to sign something saying I wouldn't sue, etc ... you try having fought all that while worrying about bills, whether or not your baby is gonna make it or not, and depression from the whole goram thing, and remember you actually have rights in that direction. Anyways.

That probably covers the 5, but for those out there struggling and worrying that you're stuck and all, let me tell ya - you can always find a way.

Ended up relocating due to hubby's job, was out of work at the time being a stay at home mom, moved to where we're at now, and eventually, things progressed to the point where I felt the need to find a job and bring some more money in. Had to start all over, in spite of all my experience. No one would take a look at me after a short 3 year break. Pathetic, I know, but there you have it - our employment situation is not fair, not just, but it can be worked through. No pun intended.

Data entry, folks. Ended up doing simple data entry in one of those huge cubicle farms working on medical insurance paperwork. Was soul-suckingly depressing seeing some of the same names come up again and again, seeing the costs, seeing on occasion the reasons, and seeing them all boiled down to numbers and whether or not some goram company was gonna cover it or not. But through this, had an opportunity to move over to a 'new thing' they were branching out in - employment verification for home loans. Was all over that, and made manager of the swing shift within a few weeks. Ended up sticking with this through several changes in the system, an office location move, and other fun and games. And when the time came, took the option to work from home at a higher wage, and give up the management stress. That eventually fell through, they let us all go without warning, and that was that.

Went from there to work at the schools as an associate - playground supervision, helping the kindergarteners at lunch, assisting 1st/2nd graders on some learning skills in the mornings, all that. Was some of the most rewarding work I've ever had. Still have kids come up to me and say 'Aren't you ...' and we talk, and they amaze me with how much they've grown. Good times, all through, worked perfectly with my kids being in school, all of it. Right up until I needed surgery, and rather than try to find subs during the harsh winter months (difficult at best), they came up with a frivolous excuse to release me, which lead to me pushing for my rights, and being told finally 'look - we won't fight your unemployment if you just drop this, but if you go through with court, we'll win because this is a right to work state'. So that happened. Took the unemployment. Went on to work with of all things, a temp company working with that same one I'd started with, doing employment verification again, right back at the bottom. Woot.

Was temporary, got a job with Wells Fargo from there, and excelled dare I say. Was doing loan documentation for the same loans I had previously been doing employment verification for. Ended up unofficial lead, training new folks who came on, being key in teambuilding and morale, implementing new methods of improvement, winning awards, being involved in multicultural efforts, charity efforts, etc. Was working on moving up to an official management position when they started coming down hard on numbers, had a change in my own manager who did not, for whatever reason, like me much, and ended up unemployed when I missed the cutoff numbers by one, after the loan manager decided at the last minute to change the close date. Completely out of my hands, didn't matter, was treated like a criminal, not allowed back to my desk, escorted out, had my belongings mailed to me in a very haphazard way, and - should any doubt the veracity of my claims of unfairness - that manager changed the numbers the very next day to avoid having to let go anyone else. Mmmhmm. Welcome to the wonderful world of 'working for others is shit, but we all gotta do it'.

Egg Council, Poultry Association - largest egg producer in the states, this one. Administrative Assistant. Graphic design and advertisements, promotional, educational, web page info and upkeep, state fair prep and work, over all the incoming money, annual event planning and organizing, cooking contest judging and work, you name it, I did it. Even the usual shopping for office bits including snacks, drinks, groceries, whatever. Keyed them in on how to accept credit card payments with phones, worked with local printers and other vendors, created whole programs, slideshows, presentations, and got let go because of office politics. Oh gods, the office politics. Had stopped doing as many 'favors' for my direct manager, as they had gotten increasingly time-consuming, and questionable. Was seen as 'not being on her team' or the like. Medical emergency took me out for a month, was let go the same day I came back, after she and another lady who wanted my position had a month to cook the books, rearrange things, and make it appear I hadn't done my job. So that was fun.

And you know where I went from there? Working for myself. No, not in the black yet. No, not going to be rich any time soon off of it, but it's rewarding, hubby makes enough to support us, keeps me busy, and I love it. And haven't gone into debt over it. Bath and body products, mainly handmade soap. Go artisinal craftsmanship! So there you have it, folks - from small things ... something something? But really, the message is Don't Give Up, Muscle Through, and You Can Make This Work Somehow. That, and Don't Let the Bastards Get You Down. Longwinded, yes, but hopefully the idea that even if y'all have turnover and disappointments that you can make it, helps someone out there.

Good luck, and knock 'em dead, folks.