My first job was cleaning a butcher shop at a small local market. It was a perfect high school job. 2 hours every evening, 6 days per week. It paid 3x minimum wage at the time. I had to scrape the wooden blocks, clean the counters and refrigeration cases, wash down the sinks, sweep the floors, and lay down fresh saw dust for the next day. Once a month, I had to clean the grease trap under the main sink. This last bit was a truly foul endeavor. It smelled so bad when I opened it that the store management wouldn't let me clean it until the store was closed and all the customers were gone.
What I learned:
1) Autonomy and independent judgement. The last butcher on duty would leave when I arrived. No one was around to tell me if the work was done well or correctly.
2) Entropy. Things can get messy / dirty as the result of a busy day at work
3) Perspective. Nothing else I would do in my working life came close to the foulness of the monthly cleaning below the sink.
4) Worth. I learned that I could make good money if I just found the right gig.
Love reading about everyone's first job. Mine was at the age of 13, I worked as an assistant kindergarten teacher. My job was to play with the kids, get them in line, give them supplies and make sure they eat during lunch break. I learned a lot about people and behaviors and behavioral motivation observing such young kids. I could spot a child that was abused at home, or a child that had parental issues and saw how that changes their behaviors and motivations as they interact with others and as they explore their own little curiosities. I also learned how to be responsible for others, keep track of time, how to commumicate for success (the parents and some of the teachers didnt always want to hear the things I needed to tell them) - and finally - how to save up and invest (yes I invested my earnings from then into a startup!)
My first job was cleaning a butcher shop at a small local market. It was a perfect high school job. 2 hours every evening, 6 days per week. It paid 3x minimum wage at the time. I had to scrape the wooden blocks, clean the counters and refrigeration cases, wash down the sinks, sweep the floors, and lay down fresh saw dust for the next day. Once a month, I had to clean the grease trap under the main sink. This last bit was a truly foul endeavor. It smelled so bad when I opened it that the store management wouldn't let me clean it until the store was closed and all the customers were gone.
What I learned:
1) Autonomy and independent judgement. The last butcher on duty would leave when I arrived. No one was around to tell me if the work was done well or correctly.
2) Entropy. Things can get messy / dirty as the result of a busy day at work
3) Perspective. Nothing else I would do in my working life came close to the foulness of the monthly cleaning below the sink.
4) Worth. I learned that I could make good money if I just found the right gig.
Love reading about everyone's first job. Mine was at the age of 13, I worked as an assistant kindergarten teacher. My job was to play with the kids, get them in line, give them supplies and make sure they eat during lunch break. I learned a lot about people and behaviors and behavioral motivation observing such young kids. I could spot a child that was abused at home, or a child that had parental issues and saw how that changes their behaviors and motivations as they interact with others and as they explore their own little curiosities. I also learned how to be responsible for others, keep track of time, how to commumicate for success (the parents and some of the teachers didnt always want to hear the things I needed to tell them) - and finally - how to save up and invest (yes I invested my earnings from then into a startup!)