First 7 jobs

imgresFred asked this question last week.  I didn’t chime in on the comments but thought I’d share my first 7 jobs.

#1 – Ran the back office for the Montgomery County Recreation Department while coaching soccer, basketball, flag-football and other sports for kids from elementary to junior high school in afternoon activities.

#2 – Worked evenings part-time at a plant store

#3 – Taught guitar lessons to kids

#4 – Summer camp counselor – Archery Head

#5 – Summer job at Neiman-Marcus in DC as a floater

#6 – Bolt Berneck and Newman in the security department giving out documents to engineers and keeping the place organized

#7 – General Dynamics, grounds crew for the summer

There were a few other ones in there to put some cash in my pockets such as a short stint washes dishes in college dining room but these were the highlights.  First 4 were in high school.  What a foundation for my career!

Comments (Archived):

  1. Ella Dyer

    Yes, a foundation of service, initiative and hard work. Mine were 1) Personal seamstress 2) Babysitter 3) Janitor (so not my favorite!) 4) Car jock at Playboy Mansion 5) Secretary 6) Bail Bond agent 7) Truck driver. Hard work helps all careers.

    1. Gotham Gal

      Truck driver. Nice one

  2. Ella Dyer

    Thanks, makes for good driving habits today even though when we’re in Nice we don’t need a car. Keep up the thought provoking content. Your fan, Ella

  3. Pranay Srinivasan

    Cargo LoaderDocument ClerkCartoon CharacterPurchase ExecutiveEvent CoordinatorDoor to Door SalesmanWebsite Designer #firstsevenjobsall before I was 19 🙂

    1. Gotham Gal

      nice!

  4. daryn

    Great foundations. It’s been fun reading everyone’s lists, here are mine:Nursing Home VolunteerYard Boy Data EntryPhotographerIT GuyForest Service Volunteer Web Development Internhttp://blog.daryn.net/post/…

    1. Gotham Gal

      Forest service volunteer. That’s pretty cool

      1. daryn

        Lots of fun for a college kid from Baltimore! Doubtful I would have made it to Alaska, or ended up in Seattle, without that experience.

  5. Donna Brewington White

    I do think these early jobs shape us and/or expose our innate abilities. You are obviously not afraid of hard work, taking charge, or trying something new, from a young age.My first 6 jobs were just before and during high school and #7 started as a college freshman as an HR Receptionist/Assistant — resulting in rapid promotions that prolonged my college completion because by age 20 I was working 60 hour weeks in a professional level role that required a college degree (which I obviously didn’t have).I learned to work hard at an early age but learning to work smart is a lifelong lesson.

    1. Gotham Gal

      absolutely agree.