by Paul Peterson, Research Analyst
My first job came about more as a whim than a planned affair. I was more interested in spending time with my crush than serving up pizza. I asked for an application and filled it out quickly, as I had nothing more than a paper route for experience. I was initially worried as I handed the sparse application across the counter to the owner only to be relieved when I was offered the job after a cursory glance at the nearly empty sheet.
Fortunately, my interest in the job grew quickly since the crush was ousted within two weeks for failing to show for a shift. And although I wasn’t earning the big bucks (minimum wage to be exact), for the first time in my life I had my own money for dating, food, and fun, not to mention, all the pizza I could eat. The job was simple, and the training was completed within a few weeks. Despite the simplicity of the tasks, most took a great deal of sweat and elbow grease. And after a lot of effort and diligence I was given incremental raises and eventually promoted to night manager.
For two years I made and sold pizza before moving on. As I mentioned, the pay was low and the work was hard. But I learned some important things about life, such as how to be on time, work hard, and cooperate with others. I also learned about self-discipline and sacrifice. Most importantly, I learned that I wanted something more. The experience I had gained helped me to move into my next job which, in turn, paid for training for the next job. So, if you are unsure about taking that summer or after-school job, my advice would be to go for it.
1. Childcare Workers
2. Restaurant Servers
3. Sales Associates
4. Lifeguards
5. Office Assistants
6. Hotel and Resort Staff
7. Amusement Park Attendants
8. Home Improvement Workers
9. Landscapers
10. Camp Workers
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/worklife/05/21/ten.summer.jobs/index.html
