First job

[snowman*150*]

Dad is a mechanic so I always worked on cars

Started mowing lawns around 12 while still being successful in school.


At age 15 I got a full time job in the summer and part time when in school at a snowmobile mechanic shop they also had everything with a motor there to work on so that was nice. Got to put together bran new sleds right out of the box and put them in the show room.

Started my own little lawn care business after a year. Total jobs I had was 9 and worked part time at a wine press.

Did logging when I was in 12 grade on the weekends in Chelan

at age 17 started working construction till the economy went to sh*t. Got layed off so Stupid me I made my own business and started traveling all over the fing place taking oddball jobs. Good money but way way too much driving. I also had a little snow removal business so every time it snowed over here I would drive 2 or three hours to work a 15 hour day then drive back to my other job on the other side of the mountain lol...

So I got tired and wore down looked for a full time job.
Long story short I am working in a Hydraulic machine shop. Great job great people to work with. So now I also can run a C&C machine.

I got skills

 

[winter brew]

First job was at a Arctic Cat dealer at 16....was a certed Cat technician before I was out of high school. I did the fast food thing in the off season....I'm not too proud. Bottom line I have always done whatever was available to make $$ and learn new things. Settled in the aviation test industry and do sled work on the side because I enjoy it.

 

[The Fourth Wolf]

I started mowing lawns and shoveling driveways when I was 12. My stepdad made me rent the lawn mower and buy my own gas. $7 a lawn. $2 went to overhead. I made $5 for a single driveway and $10 for a double. I did that until I was 15.

At 16 I went to live with my dad in the sticks. During high school I milked cows and put up hay at 65 cents a bale.

My first tax paying job was joining the Air Force. I ended up doing 21 years and got to travel the world which is a priceless education in itself but I never made any money to speak of.

 

[diggler]

started out at a body shop, learned alot of good basics of life and mechanics-5.15/hr
then construction for a summer 7/hr
and been doing stuff in the electrical industry since
started in the electrician field in 06 at 10/hr and now i work 2 weeks on and get 1 week off and make a great damn living, never get a better job than this, im an electrician on the oil rigs.....love it except for all the damn sub zero temps in ND

 

[zach477]

My first job was helping a local farmer lay tree barrier fabric the summer between 6th and 7th grade, made $10 an hr and it was crappy work but it was a good way to establish a good work ethic. Now I'm 28 working as an engineering manager for a company that does nearly $1 billion in sales and employs 1500.

Words of advice:
#1 - Be smart about your college major; understand the job market and what you will make and what your student loans will cost you. I have a friend that HAD to go to a private college. She is a teacher making $35k a year with a $1200 a month student loan payment which she will have for 15 years. Do the math and over half her salary goes to student loans leaving her with about $1200 a month to live off.....and Minten, $1200 a month may sound like a lot to your 14 year old ears, but my mortgage is $2300 a month alone and I spend $900 a month to feed my family.
#2 - Shut your mouth and work hard. Nothing pisses your elders off more than a know it all brat in HS, just out of HS, in college, or just out of college who never shuts up thinking they know everything about anything.
#3- Never burn bridges
#4- Build a foundation early in your career, do as many different jobs as you can while learning and taking something from each of those jobs. When you want to start making the big bucks your possible future employer isn't going to give a s**t what your college GPA was or what Frat you belonged to. They want to see your experience and your accomplishments while in those roles.
#5- Volunteer for everything you can....this is the best way to get a great reputation in any size organization
#6- Respect your elders…..this goes with #2, they know a hell of a lot more than you think. When they talk, shut your mouth and listen.
#7- Be an approachable person no matter what kind of day you’re having. No one wants to work with a b*tch or a dou*hebag.
#8- Don’t take your job too seriously. Get your work done, but don’t let your job consume your life. Family and friends are the best gifts you will ever have; your family is priority #1, not your job.

My regrets: I wish I would have done some construction work in HS, basically because its something I have recently found that I enjoy and I wish I knew more about it or was introduced to it sooner.

 

[xrated]

My first job was helping a local farmer lay tree barrier fabric the summer between 6th and 7th grade, made $10 an hr and it was crappy work but it was a good way to establish a good work ethic. Now I'm 28 working as an engineering manager for a company that does nearly $1 billion in sales and employs 1500.

Words of advice:
#1 - Be smart about your college major; understand the job market and what you will make and what your student loans will cost you. I have a friend that HAD to go to a private college. She is a teacher making $35k a year with a $1200 a month student loan payment which she will have for 15 years. Do the math and over half her salary goes to student loans leaving her with about $1200 a month to live off.....and Minten, $1200 a month may sound like a lot to your 14 year old ears, but my mortgage is $2300 a month alone and I spend $900 a month to feed my family.
#2 - Shut your mouth and work hard. Nothing pisses your elders off more than a know it all brat in HS, just out of HS, in college, or just out of college who never shuts up thinking they know everything about anything.
#3- Never burn bridges
#4- Build a foundation early in your career, do as many different jobs as you can while learning and taking something from each of those jobs. When you want to start making the big bucks your possible future employer isn't going to give a s**t what your college GPA was or what Frat you belonged to. They want to see your experience and your accomplishments while in those roles.
#5- Volunteer for everything you can....this is the best way to get a great reputation in any size organization
#6- Respect your elders…..this goes with #2, they know a hell of a lot more than you think. When they talk, shut your mouth and listen.
#7- Be an approachable person no matter what kind of day you’re having. No one wants to work with a b*tch or a dou*hebag.
#8- Don’t take your job too seriously. Get your work done, but don’t let your job consume your life. Family and friends are the best gifts you will ever have; your family is priority #1, not your job.

My regrets: I wish I would have done some construction work in HS, basically because its something I have recently found that I enjoy and I wish I knew more about it or was introduced to it sooner.

to go with #2 ^^^^

My old/first boss gave me some advice when I left home to go to school and my future work place.

He said, knowing I can be out spoken and come off as arrogant when it is really confidence, "Robb when you get there, just stay low, keep to yourself and be quiet until THEY come to you, because eventually they will see what we all ready know and THEY will come. Then open up and let buck".

9 years later, 7 on the job and I am known as one of the best workers and a go to guy for problems over people who have 30 plus years. I have been involved in several groups that drastically changed how things were done and that ain't easy at the place I work.

 

[togwotee9]

Worked as a janitor for my parents business.

 

[X2Freeride]

Worked at an Auto body shop fixing cars. Was into it long before I could actually work. My Junior year I went to work at a manufacturing company working in their powder coating facility.


Here is what I consider CRUCIAL to being a good employee.

1. Punctuality. Show up ON TIME ready to work every day. Be at your work station ahead of start time and work until its time to go. Dont spend your day sitting around and shooting the breeze with anyone you can find.

2. Safety. Dont take short cuts or do things that are dangerous or stupid. Your no good to yourself or your company if your hurt. Plus you want to go back home in the same or better condition than you came to work.

3. Quality. Whatever you do, do a better job than what everyone else around you does. If your making some thing or cleaning something, or organizing something whatever the case may be, do the job to the best of your ability, or beyond the set standards.

4. Quantity. ALWAYS do more than what is expected of you... Advancement comes from going above and beyond what is expected of you. To many people now days only work as hard as they think their pay dictates.. Thats such BS. You took the job for X pay work as hard as you can.

5. HONESTY! Don't lie to your boss about ANYTHING EVER. be honest and strait forward... It works wonders.

6 KNOWLEDGE. Get familiar with all aspects of your job. Make it your mission to understand EVERY part of what your doing or what your working with. The better you understand HOW and WHY things do what they do, the better you will be able to MAKE them do what you need them to do. It blows my mind how many people go to work everyday and just go through the motions like a robot, no though put into their jobs at all.

 

[xrated]

4. Quantity. ALWAYS do more than what is expected of you... Advancement comes from going above and beyond what is expected of you. To many people now days only work as hard as they think their pay dictates.. Thats such BS. You took the job for X pay work as hard as you can.

5.

I disagree. At some point in some places you will look around and see that you are doing a better job and working harder then others but they receive the same pay, etc and maybe even more benefits because they "play the game". At this point I see no problem with no longer going above and beyond if you can provide the same service as the others being equally rewarded while putting in less effort then it takes them.

And yes I will freely admit that is an example from my everyday work.

 

[X2Freeride]

I disagree. At some point in some places you will look around and see that you are doing a better job and working harder then others but they receive the same pay, etc and maybe even more benefits because they "play the game". At this point I see no problem with no longer going above and beyond if you can provide the same service as the others being equally rewarded while putting in less effort then it takes them.

And yes I will freely admit that is an example from my everyday work.

I guess I dont agree with that mentality. If that's the case. Go in and ask for a raise on your own volition. Present your case and give prime examples of why you deserve to make more money than the others working there.

One of two things will happen.

1. They will realize that they need you around and will do what they can to keep you there. Weather it be through raises or opportunity for advancement.
Which will make you more money.

2. They will tell you that its not possible or your not worth it, and to go pound sand. In which case either way its time to find a new job.


Your right about having to play the politics end of it. Thats in everything your ever going to do. I wont lose or change my morals and ethics because someone else wants to play games. That makes you no better than the other slackers and *** kissers working there.

At the end of the day/ job/ your life you have to be willing to go home/ retire/ die knowing you always did the right thing to the best of your ability. Id like to always be able to answer that question with a yes, and know that I never had to take a short cut or change who I was to get there.

 

[aebsledder]

My first job was at a golf course near the Sea-Tac airport. My mom lived out there at the time and I was 13 years old. I had to lie about my age to get it. Kind of funny, my parents didn't really seem to mind. I basically did anything the Supt wanted me too. I started out weed-whacking around all the trees on the course, and it was pretty monotonous. I remember after about my 4th or 5th twelve hour day I looked around and saw all the other members of the grounds crew golfing away at about 1 pm in the afternoon. We started at 5. I just kind of kept on a going. After the first week the super told me that I didn't have to work twelve hours a day, and I could leave at one or golf for free if I wanted too. I worked there 3 summers. I learned how to drive tractors, fix sprinklers, kill geese, and all sorts of other stuff. I have also worked on farms, a greenhouse, ag-chemical plant, furniture store, hockey camp (best job ever), and eventually wound up in construction. I know quite a few teenagers these days and it seems like very few of them work. Something wrong on a very basic level there. Work hard, if for no other reason to set an example for other lazy bastards that may be around you.

 

[AZ800]

Soon enough I will be looking for a job. I really want to start my career but then again. I'm only 14.... So what were some of your guys early jobs and what was oh voice of career? If there is anything you could hanged about your self or work ethics what would they be? If you could change our occupation and go back to school to learn some new studies for the ever changing world?

All good to great advice so far, especially the work hard, work ethic parts.
My first advice though would be to study harder and pay attention in school.

Your grammar and spelling sucks for a 14 year old. Don't get all bent out of shape over this. You asked for advice and if you stop and think for a second, that is very sound advice, as you will likely not get too far in life if you keep letting school slide to the back burner as you currently are.

Don't worry about a career yet. Worry about finishing high school with the best possible grades you can achieve. As far as jobs go, try to find jobs that educate and challenge you physically and mentally. This means no fast food, convienence store, or pizza delivery jobs.

On the same note, I live in Auburn, WA and if you're truly interested in working and making some money, I have a ton of projects around the house that need to be done and unfortunately do not have time to do them all myself. Please call me. I'd be glad to help you out, give you some part time work around the house on weekends and after school, if you're interested.

-Thrall
(970)319-0630

 

[mageston]

I worked as a promoter and handed out leaflets in supermarkets and near the subway. A job I used to be shy about, but now I realize that thanks to it I have stepped over the barrier of shyness and shame. This job taught me to communicate with other people

 

[Dobber1]

Seems as though everyone Googling “xrated” has ended up on SnoWest the last couple days... ?