Have you ever thought about the first job you had and how accomplished you felt in landing it?  There was a certain importance in actually earning a bit of money on your own.  Everyone’s work history starts a little differently. Some, with a little entrepreneurial drive, started their employment journey mowing lawns, selling lemonade or doing chores for an elderly neighbor.  Others of us, followed in the footsteps of our siblings by applying where they had gone before.  This is actually a bit of brilliance – easier to market your work ethic if an employer has a frame of reference.  Hopefully, your siblings were stellar examples of hardworking employees!

After a brief stint of selling our homegrown avocadoes on the street corner opposite the local flea market, I ventured out to get a real job.  Following the footsteps of my brother and sister, I applied at a heritage canning company focused on small batch marmalade, jams, syrups, brandied fruits and hand-packed specialty olives.  Most staff worked Monday thru Friday; I was only available on Saturdays.  This gave me the unique opportunity to work directly with the family of owners.

After taking the bus and walking the last few blocks, I was ready to work!  My day consisted of hand stuffing olives with almonds, cheese or onions.  On a good day, I could stuff eight gallons of olives!  Other days, I capped hot jars of fresh preserves, peeled onions for the relishes or labeled jars.  I was often alone and never had a way of gauging what was a good volume of production so I tended to push constantly, feeling the unspoken pressure of perfection.  I worked with three generations of the founding family. The senior gentleman scared me – he was a bit gruff around the edges.  The son was kind, but quiet.  His son was a typical teenager, goofing off when dad and grandpa were out of sight.  He now runs the company.

Thinking back to those days, it was tough to be disciplined to get up, catch the bus, walk up the hill, put in eight hours, walk down the hill, catch another bus to head home.  There was also a peer pressure factor.  My friends were working retail, fast food, or in their parents’ businesses.  My job wasn’t cool like theirs; it was just plain odd.  Now, I would reference it as unique – it’s all in the maturity of perspective.

There was something very satisfying about receiving the corresponding paychecks.  As most first jobs, it taught me patience, bravery and determination.  I had to step outside of myself, learn to communicate with adults and be brave to admit when I made a mistake.  With so few people on staff, errors were fairly obvious and owning up to them was inevitable.

First jobs set the foundation for growth on our path to finding our place in the working world.  It builds character and motivation.  God bless the people who hire the gangly, awkward teenagers learning to manage their time between school, social activities and work.  If you’ve had the opportunity to hire youth pursuing their first jobs, it is good to take a trip back in time and remember the challenges you faced venturing out. The empathy goes a long way to coach this next generation to success.  Throw smartphones into the mix and now, employers are the ones learning patience, bravery and determination to keep these first-time employees on track!

What was your first job venture? Comment below to share!

Interested in learning more about E. Waldo Ward & Son, my first employer? Follow the link to their website and online store. Check out their Facebook page for more photos.