How old where you when you got your first job?
@UpsideDownPineapple (643)
United States
December 20, 2009 7:08pm CST
Hi,
I'm 23 and I have never had a "real" 9-5 type job, I've just never been able to find one and I make money by writing. It seems like people find it strange that I haven't had a job before but I feel like it's not that big of a deal. So, how old were you when you got your first job.
14 people like this
96 responses
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
21 Dec 09
I got my first job right before I turned 18. I worked in a daycare. I stayed there for almost 2 years then we moved out of state because my husband got a good paying job. Then we ended up moving back. I worked at another daycare after that till I became a stay at home mom. I'm glad I got to wait to have a job. my mom didn't think we should have to work till we finished school.
1 person likes this
@RAVENBLADE0842 (493)
• United States
21 Dec 09
Well to answer your question first, I got my first paying job in highschool through the Summer Youth Employment Program run through my high school. It was working in the office for the local branch of the U.S. Forest Service. I worked through this program for 3 summers. However I went to college after high school and was lucky enough to not have had to get a regular full time job until I was 22 years old. That started my career in the call center industry, which I have worked in for the last 13 years, up until July 08. At the moment I am looking towards getting on long term disability due to serious on going medical problems, but I would like to go back to school and train towards a degree in digital media design. With this degree I can freelance, and work from home. As for your situation, If you can work from home, and use your writing skills to make a living that works for you, than don't worry about not having had a "Real Job". If you work at it, make money, and are successful doing it, then quess what...It is a real job, and it really doesn't matter what others think about your work history.
@applefreak (3130)
• Singapore
31 Dec 09
well i guess it'll depend on the definition of a job. if it's something that i get paid for, then my first job was when i was 5 or 6. my parents brought me to this place where i sat with other children and we were given a few dollars as remuneration. it seems to be an audition of some sort but i cannot remember the details.
i started working part-time when i was turning 14 at a fast food restaurant. since then, i've worked part-time throughout my school years. got my first permanent job at 23, and that was 10 years ago.
1 person likes this
@nenyalorien (899)
• Philippines
22 Dec 09
Hi! I'm 25, and just like you, I've never been tied down to a 9 to 5. I was 22 when I got employed by an academic paper company, then from that time on, I've been writing for various clients, eventually "graduating" to becoming a virtual assistant. Today, I'm a volunteer admin assistant for my church, and I hope to find a part time job soon that will help me meet my financial needs. :)
I guess, the bottom line is, if it feeds you, go for it! ;)
1 person likes this
@kimbers867 (2539)
• United States
22 Dec 09
I got my first full time job right out of high school, it was just a job not a career. After working there for 2 years, I did go back to school and then became a secretary.
I am glad I did it that way, I knew I was not college material so I went and brushed up on my secretarial skills. I took two years to work a job so I could still go out and have fun and then I got serious about what I wanted to do for a career.
@lakerfanster (2577)
•
22 Dec 09
I left School at 16 and in the September I started a Princes Trust Course. I then started my first job which was at McDonalds. I was only there for a couple of months to earn some money before I started a college course.
1 person likes this
@dolce_vita78 (8062)
• Philippines
4 Mar 12
Hi UpsideDownPineapple!
I got my first job when I was 21. It was a job offered even before I graduated from college. It is, until now, my job. Isn't that great?
@TheNightFox (235)
• New Zealand
21 Dec 09
Writing for a job? Interesting. Does that pay well? Because I've heard of writers who really struggle for money, and ones that are really, really rich.
@olliekobra1 (1825)
•
6 Apr 12
I thought about writing for a living, what do you write books,magazine articles, reviews?.
@pengbubu (1011)
• China
21 Dec 09
That is cool, to be a writer.
I had my first job when I was 22 years old. I worked there for half a year. There are too much work and stress which is I can't handle, so I quit. By the way, I have to work overtime for free. I think that is the main reason for me to resign.
Have a good time!
Pengbubu
@dmrone (746)
• United States
21 Dec 09
Hi, UpsideDownPineapple! I had my first paying job in a family business when i was 11 years old. I would go to school in the morning and work at our service station in the afternoon and on the weekends. That was 27 years ago, and i no longer work in the family business. Good luck on your writing!
@UpsideDownPineapple (643)
• United States
21 Dec 09
WOW 11! Good for you, you must have learned a lot about being responsible that way.
@madteaparty (2748)
• Japan
21 Dec 09
Don't worry about being late or not, I got my first real job when I was 22, so I think you don't have to hurry much.
Some people have many different sources of income so they are for long with many short term jobs instead of a full time one, it depends on the person.
1 person likes this
@myramae19 (667)
• Philippines
19 Jan 10
wow..that's impressing,keep up the good work.
I was 19 when I got my first job, and it was at jollibee, I worked for 6 months, the contract is renewable but I didn't renew mine..I decided to find another to gain another job experience. It was a good experience for me, I learned so many things, especially the value of money.
@olliekobra1 (1825)
•
6 Apr 12
Writing is a job. If you have a enough money to pay the bills then your doing ok. I was 18 when i started a full time job i started working in a local supermarket but now i have got a better job. But maybe you could look at doing writing for a full time career if its something you enjoy.
@sminut13 (1783)
• Singapore
1 Jan 10
for me, i was 17 but i would call that a real job either. i did it for only 1 week. hehe it was a telemarketing job, it was quite tough but i might have continued it as i wanted to pass time. but my mom was a little worried due to the timing of the job which was at night. it only ended at 10pm and by the time i reached home, it would be 11pm already. thus she told me to quit it. i was reluctant but i did to ensure peace to her mind. also, i was doing part time courses then so it was alright in a way though the timings wouldn't have coincided.
now, being married, being a full time housewife is my job. but i do tutor children on a part time basis to pass my time and to help weaker students get better. it doesn't have to be excellent as not all children are academically inclined.
@neildc (17239)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
7 Jan 10
i think i was 20 when i got my first job that really earns me money, regularly. that was a technical job in a computer related business. but before that, even in age 16, i know how to earn money by driving a motorcycle with attached cabin, called locally as tricycle.
@acematthews71 (1084)
• India
2 Jan 10
I was around 19 years old when I got my first job. I had taken a break from studies and so tried to earn some money so that I could have some savings to buy something in the future. I had given an interview for a job at call center for the first time and I gt selected. It was a 9-5 job which was mostly fun as it involved calling to the customers which was our daily work. Earlier, it seemed to be much fun, but later we were made to work for long hours, so after a certain period of time, I left the job as I had to pursue my career. I can say that it was a good experience for me doing something which made me independent for sometime
!!
!! @harmonee (1228)
• United States
27 Dec 09
I got my first job when I was 15. My parent's said that I had to start buying my own clothes, so off to work I went! I think there are more and more people that are your age that are just starting to get into the work force. I know a couple people that got out of college and had never worked a day in their lives.
@knkshrt (26)
• India
2 Jan 10
My First job was when i was 17 years old..i was working for a weighing company as a office assistance.My job was to attained the telephone calls and forward it to my boss,it was 9-5 job,that time my monthly income was Rs: 1800/- only...i still remember the day when i got my first payment,it was really the happiest moment of my life.That day i was very exited to go home and show my first payment to my parents.thanx
