Your first few jobs

I'll start!

First Job + Cleaning:

So my first job was working at a laser tag arena at 15. I would always go and hang out at the laser tag arena when I was younger and I thought since I enjoyed laser tag I would enjoy working there. Oh how wrong I was.

We had parties there every weekend and had a couple of party rooms. Now I wouldn't mind this except the kids left a huge mess. I'm not talking about paper, left over cake and stuff, but I'm talking about vomit thrown up all over the place, pizza on the ground and on the walls, and ice cream on the seats. I mean shit people control your children.

I would also work at the counter to register people. They would decide on a "codename" for themselves and check in. For obvious reasons we didn't allow them to choose swear words, however when they tried one swear word they would probably try it a few times.

Me: Poor Student
SC: Sucky Customer

Me: Hello, what would you like your codename to be?
SC: Fucker.
Me: Sorry your codename can't be a swear word.
SC: Then dumbass.
Me: Like I said, your codename can't be a swear word.
SC: Shitface.
Me: Please choose a name that isn't a swear word.
SC: :Ass-
Me: Next!!!! (and put his name down as "Loser")

We also had parties for corporate events which were sometimes worse than the parties with kids because these guys thought they could do whatever they want even if it meant breaking things such as the guns or sensors.

Me: I want to quit this job
SC: Idiot corporate guy

The guy was in the arena thinking it would be funny to act like a monkey and climb on the base walls.

Me: Sir you can't do that as it is a safety hazard.
SC: I am paying you good money, so I should be able to do whatever I want.
Me: (No you aren't paying for it, your company is...) Sir, it is dangerous and you could get hurt.
SC: Oh shut up!
* Guy falls down on this back, breaks the sensors and gun*
Me: How did you like doing whatever you want?
SC: OUCHHHHHHHHHHH
Me: Oh btw those guns and sensors cost $1500, cash or credit?

My next job was working at an Art theater when I was 17. I say art theater as we only showed really niche films like anime films when they weren't popular, but we also showed other ones that were just plain boring and only old folks would walk in.

Me: Why am I here
GC: Some teacher

Me: 2 tickets? That will be $18.00.
GC: Oh I am a student.
Me: Can I see some ID?
GC: Here. *He hands me a faculty ID* Sir you are on the faculty, not a student.
Me: Yeah, but we make about the same as a student.
*Gave him a child rate for that* haha

Me: That'll be $9.00
SC: $9.00!?!?! That's a ripoff, why I remember when I was 15, blah blah blah blah insert movies cost 10 cents story.
Me: That's great sir, that'll be $9.00.

Me: That'll be $27.00.
SC: *Hands me a credit card*
Me: I'm sorry we don't accept credit cards (It's written there in huge letters) But you can use the cash machine behind you.
SC: *Goes to the cash machine* $3.00 fee, WTF!?!?!?!?!? I'd rather not see the movie. You should be ashamed of yourself for taking advantage of people like this!
Me: (Yes because I make the policies) Have a nice day!

Me: That'll be $18.00.
SC: Oh I'm a senior (now policy says that we can't ask them for ID since it might humiliate them or something). I know I look like I'm under 55, but..(cue boring story about their life).
Me: Ok that'll be $6.00.
SC: $6.00!!!!! Why I remember when going to the movies (cue another boring back in my day story)
Me: Sir the line is getting long.

We got Spirited Away in one day and it was subtitled. Of course this didn't sit well with some parents and customers.

CP: Cranky parent
Me: sigh

CP: Two tickets to Spirited Away, one child (probably was 11) and one adult.
Me: That'll be $15.00.
*Hands me the money and I give her the tickets*
CP: This is dubbed right?
Me: It is presented in subtitles (as I point to the sign right in front of her that reads PRESENTED IN SUBTITLES).
CP: Well my child won't be able to understand it then! I want a refund!
Me: (no wonder children are having a hard time reading, it's the end of the world when they have to read something).




Ok sometimes I have to clean the theater and help the customers there.

*REALLY HOT DAY*
SC: Excuse me can you turn off the air conditioner in the theater, it's blowing directly on me and it's annoying.
Me: *Walks into the theater and she is the only one there sitting right below the air conditioner*
Me: (I'm thinking THEN MOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE TO ONE OF THE OTHER 300 SEATS)

So we were closing one day and we started cleaning.

Me
Manager
Female Employee

Other Employee: *Comes running out of the girls bathroom screaming* I just saw the worst thing ever in there.. Come and look!
Me: What is it?
Manager: Oh geez....
*We walk into the bathroom and she throws open a stall* It literally looked like a horse just took a dump on everything except into the toilet. I mean the ceiling, the walls, the floor, the door, the toilet paper, everything except into the toilet.
Manager: Ok who wants to clean it?
Me: If you make me do it I will quit right now.
(They were lacking employees so if I quit then they would have a huge staff problem)
Manager: Fine I will leave it to the morning crew.
*We got yelled at by people in the morning, but it was the worst thing I had every seen*

I also had to work at the concession stand which was just fantastic and we have free refills on large popcorns.

ME
FDP: Fat Dumb person

Me: Hello, can I take your order?
FDP: Yes I would like a large buttered popcorn with extra butter filled to the top.
Me: Would you like anything to drink with that?
FDP: A small diet coke. I'm trying to cut down.
Me: (Really? You think it's the diet coke that's making you pork out?)
*She comes back about 10 minutes after the movie starts and wants a refill..she does this 10 times, count them 10 TIMES during the movie. I'm surprised she didn't die in there...*

Random Story: People bringing their own things I can understand (even though it's not allowed) as prices are expensive, but don't make it look so obvious by chucking your plastic bags full of popcorn on the ground and coke cans all over the theater...it's very annoying you cheapskates. Really...... cold popcorn in a plastic bag?

Cleaning... man thats a job I don't even want to do. It's amazing how some people can be.

It's as if they don't even think of the people that clean up their messes as human or something.

I did the cleaning thing for while. Cleaned offices after hours mostly, but even the mess I would find there was too much.

So I go into this office and start to clean up and there is like some greasy stuff all over the bathroom sink. I started in the restroom, and this stuff was on the sink, door, and light switch.

I clean up in there and move onto an office. This greasy mess is on the back of the chair and on the desk. So I'm like some ass had this stuff on their hands and just smeared it everywhere.

I get into the lounge and there is a big greasy smear on the glass door going outside and this same shit all over the door.

As sad as it sounds I kind of was like.. thats an ass print. And well fuck me this stuff is on the leather couch along with a nice slimy ass print and snail trail.

Best of all on the table there is a big ziploc bag with an open jar of vaseline in it, and an empty box for a huge dildo laying next to it.

I just walked out at that point.

My first job was a summer program at the sheriffs dept. doing courier stuff, basic filing, etc. 15yrs old.

The head detective (or whatever the department called him) liked showing me the crime scene photos. He would get a kick out of my reactions.

Not my first job, but I used to be a cook at a little sports bar in my town. We always used to have these two people come in during the day, a heavier set guy and his girlfriend who was so large she needed a wheelchair to get around. They usually came in right around shift change. The other cook and I would usually rock, paper, scissors or take turns dealing with these people if they came in at shift change. They ate a ton, were incredibly obnoxious, and never tipped. Everyone hated dealing with them.

One day they came into the bar, immediately sat at a table across the restaurant and did nothing. We were busy and I was staying a bit late to help out with an early dinner rush. We had signs all over the place that said "please order at the bar". They chose to ignore this and wait patiently for one of the two staff members to realize that they were waiting to be served.

I went over to take their order, it was fish fry day and they decided to have a fish basket each. A serving of cod and 8oz of fries. Except, they wanted double the cod, and asked if it would be extra. I told them i'd have to bill them for a double order, but I could deduct a dollar for the fries since they didn't want a double order of those. OK.

$26 so far.

Then they asked for a shrimp basket each. Which is the same portion size as the cod, so they asked for a double order of shrimp a piece. Still no extra fries. OK.

$52.

Then they wanted a 1/2lb garlic cheddar burger a piece.

$68.

Having taken their order a million times, I was expecting two pitchers of root beer. They didn't drink at all. I was incredibly surprised when they each ordered a Zima. I had no idea they still made Zima (even in 2007) and had never had anyone order it. It took a minute to find, and I have no idea how old it was.

$73.

So the other cook and I get to making their food. The guy decided to sit in the kitchen window and watch us make everything, asking about every ingredient going in, questioning how I was stirring up the sauce (we made them all from scratch) and just generally coaching us on how to cook their food. The same food they ordered all the time.

We serve it all up. I help clean a bit and get packed up. 20 minutes or so has gone by and they're done with their food.

As i'm about to leave, the man walks up, leans over to us and says "you'll have to excuse me, but she just threw up in the bathroom... You may have to take care of that."

Knowing there was probably no way she could reach any proper place to throw up in her wheelchair, I slowly walked away and started out the door. No rock, paper, scissors. No turns. I just walked away as I left him to take care of it.

I was off the clock, and I did help him plenty on his shift. But I still feel really bad about that day.

I called the bartender later to check, no tip.

First few jobs, eh? Well the first job I got two weeks out of highschool is the same job I have today. I'm a mailclerk for one of the many insurance companies in Minny. I enjoy my work; fair pay for what I do, solid benefits, I love my hours (6am-2:30pm), and I work with great people.

Twice in my life I also had a second job. Both taken to save up enough to purchase new consoles when I wasn't making enough at my work at that time. One was at a United Artist theatre. The other was at the Post Office.

The United Artist job was more for the cinema than the pay, which was minimum wage. Thankfully, I don't have horror stories like Fox. The job was cool...until they ceased their agreement to schedule me around my college courses. Oh what a tale that is.

So there's a newly promoted shift manager. I tell him my upcoming class schedule. He tells me that those days won't be available to me, that I don't have enough seniority to choose my days. I tell him that's not going work and in return he says, "too bad, I don't care".

Alright, time to look for a new second job, enter the Post Office. The pay was triple UA's pay, but it was temporary work for the holiday rush. Monday rolls around, before I clock in at the Post Office I get a call. It's the shift manager for UA asking where I am. I tell him that I found a better job and wished him well in running the reels, the ticket box, the concessions, and theatre cleaning all by himself (and whoever he could call in last minute).

He calls a second time...says he really needs me. I tell him, "too bad, I don't care".

My first job was pretty damn sweet. I was a spa runner at a swanky resort in Florida. The pay was kind of meh, but the job wasn't all that taxing. All I really had to do was check in clients and keep the women's locker room/shower area clean and stocked. The best perk was one free spa service (anything I wanted) a month. I just had to leave a tip for the masseuse, etc. But of course, I was let go since it was a seasonal position.

After that, I was thrown into retail and the Cheapo Depot. I have some pretty stupid customers at the liquor store today, but GOOD GOD the office customers were some of the worst I've ever dealt with. Seriously, if your customers threaten lawsuits because the store is sold out of $1.50 roll of tape, something's wrong.

I delivered newspapers from age 11-16, mainly to pay for skateboards and video games. Once I turned 16 I waited tables for a couple years before moving on to other jobs.

One of my first "real" jobs was starting and running an eBay store for a local skateshop. They had no online store or online rep, so I built their eBay store. I was a one man operation, photos, listing, billing, shipping, everything. I worked there for nearly a year with no paypal disputes, and no negative feedback. One day they decide they want me to train the owners wife on everything I had set up. I said sure, pay me more, and I'll teach you everything. They didn't want to pay me more, and I was making at best a couple bucks above minimum wage at the time. Long story short I told them to shove it and I walked. I'm not going to give up my job security for no increase in pay. The next person they hired got screwed over by at least 2-3 scammers.

After that I actually went down to New Orleans after Katrina. I was a security guard at the FEMA trailer parks. I could tell stories for days about that trip.

Came home from that, worked in a screen printing shop making t-shirts until I landed a job as a cable installer. Worked that for a couple years to get something tech related on my resume, and then I've been doing Linux system administration ever since.

this thread started with a wall of text. and ended with me reading nothing and posting anyways..

First few jobs, eh?

Let's see...first job was working in an arcade, then worked in another arcade...then another.

Then bacame manager in one for a couple of years, then worked at Golfland under the game tech, then another 20 years working at Pistol Pete's Pizza as a game tech.

Today...yep, still work in an arcade for a franchised Peter Piper Pizza and do game repairs for a couple of skating rinks.

First job was in a big hardware store. I started of selling picture hooks and door stoppers, they then put me in the electrical department, at the age of 15 I was giving customers advice on how to wire up their homes when I had no idea what anything was so I winged it anyway. Needless to say the customers would come back extremely pissed when the speaker flex I sold them didn't seem to power up their spot lights.

Arcademan said:

First few jobs, eh?

Let's see...first job was working in an arcade, then worked in another arcade...then another.

Then bacame manager in one for a couple of years, then worked at Golfland under the game tech, then another 20 years working at Pistol Pete's Pizza as a game tech.

Today...yep, still work in an arcade for a franchised Peter Piper Pizza and do game repairs for a couple of skating rinks.

Click to expand...

Sounds like you're living the dream.

I worked in a namco arcade for a few years doing the repairs and trying to manage that mess. Awful company to work for.. they killed the arcade.

First official job I had was as an accounts receivable manager for a surgeons office. The doc was brilliant but a huge dick. I kept late hours at the office thanks to going to school during the day. The doc liked to cheat on his wife and would actually use his office to fuck whatever whore he was after at the moment. There were many nights where I was actually getting shit done only to have that fucker arrive announced and kick me out so he can get his groove on.

The guy would drop money on us like crazy and one time he took all of the staff out to a lobster buffett. Seeing as I was 30 years younger than anyone else there I decided to read a book while everyone else chatted about surgery. Come monday the doc stomps into my office and announces that if ever do that again he will "cut my fucking balls off." Needless to say I flew into a rage as 18 year olds do and told him we could continue this outside where I was planning on smashing his teeth into brick walls in front of his wife right before I told her about the cheating sack of shit she was with. Unfortunately the office manager and another employee ran into my office and held me there until I calmed down.

So many bad memories of that office. One of the last times I was in that office, I was being interviewed by a scary FBI agent with a snoopy tie about a hate crime I did not commit. Scary stuff..

First job was at Subway, then at Wal Mart (both while i was in high school)
Then I got a job out of HS working for a cable contractor. I've been doing it for 9 years now in the Tampa area. I've worked all kinds of low voltage jobs with my company and love the kind of work I do. I'm not good at telling stories but I can say I've seen some of the weirdest shit you can imagine. I did residential installs for years and commercial installs so I've been in every kind of person's home and every business you can imagine.

One of my first jobs as a teenager was at a roller skating rink. Being an aggressive rollerblader (even to this day), it was a dream job. Free tokens for the arcade wasn't bad either.

Beyond that, I have worked on a lot of tech support staffs as well as IT staffs over the years. Pretty basic nerd stuff.

First job? A cook at Western Sizzlin, pretty boring job. Nothing crazy ever happened. Then I worked for my uncle and got my Class A welding license. Now I work in a grocery store and make pretty good money doing ho hum work. Oh well.

16 when I had my first job working in a food place doing dish washing for a year. Quit after getting a car accident and the manager wanted me to walk to work for 15 hours a week.

Then I worked for a real estate company on the weekends doing phone calls and stuff. After the real estate bubble burst they closed the office down.

Few months later starting on my 18th birthday I was doing CSR work in a magazine call center. You start off doing official customer service phone calls for Penthouse and Playboy regarding their subscriptions. From that place I learn to always read the find print before signing anything. Also some magazine companies will send your account to collections if you don't pay your subscription.

When college started I worked for the University for 3 1/2 years working on student accounts. Parents just don't get once the student is 18 they are an adult, they need to learn to handle their own affairs. Also if you don't pay the college your account get sent to collections.

Then I did my brief stunt running a record store (good times).

After college I'm doing collections/repo work for a car finance company making around $30kish. Could be worse out of college but this job is awesome for entry level. For example: You need to call the estate of Jovan Belcher because his Bentley that he just finance with the company is in default (second payment default). Oh wait, he killed himself. It was interesting talking to his mom and stated we are going to repo the Bentley and we are demanding the unit back. Long story short management went legal/replevin on the estate in order to get the unit back. Fun times when looking for peoples cars....

Mine was carting around, renting out, and setting up 50lb tables (5 to a dolly at a time) every weekend at a flea market for it's owner/proprietor when I was 11. It was mainly outdoor with a mid-size hall for "collectibles" vendors, and it was typically between 28 and 36 degrees Celsius. I used to work 8-9 hours a day Sat. and Sun., and I always got paid in cash; 10$ an hour was pretty sweet for an 11 year old back in '93!

My first job was working at a 800 MW power plant. was right after high school and it was a scholarship type program to help get Black seal boiler license. Almost 20 years ago and paid like $15 hr. It was a tough job with 12 hour shifts and indoor temps of 100° + . Wish i followed through though.

My first job was delivering a christian magazine ("Heinrichsblatt") to elderly subscribers which was quite lucrative as tips were plenty and work was easy. The next one was at a warehouse of a brewery, I had to clean out empty bottles all day and put them back in store. Ridiculously tough work that was, did it to be able to afford a Commodore C64.

First job was working at a pineapple cannery on Maui. Did the trimming job (trim the crap the peeler and corer missed on the fruit). Fucking hated it. It sucks when you accidentally cut through your work gloves and the pineapple juices are burning the shit out of a fresh cut. I also did reclaiming, where we open the cans of juice to get refiltered or something. I've seen workers hock loogies into the trough...never trusting canned pineapple anything anymore.

Next job was working at an arcade. Just like Fox1's experience at the laser tag arena, I though it would be fun to work there...It sucked balls. The tech was only there once a week, so we'd have a shitload of games down. People taking that shit out on me because TMNT wasn't working or Virtual On's controller was bad. Kids puking in the ballpit, teenagers taking balls from the other games and throwing it all over. Manager was a piece of shit, lazy ass coworkers...good times....

Unofficial job as a 15 year old was picking tomatoes on 6 acres with other kids about the same age.
After that, official paid job was fast food at the bell for 2 years on the weekend through college.
My fave was working at an indie game store off and on.
Same place merc worked, after he worked there.

Am I the only one who read the thread title as "Jew Jobs" ?

When I was 15, I worked for my uncle while on vacation in Chicago. 8 hours of work = $20. Little to my knowledge, it was more or less a rehab program for me since I thought I was hot shit and thought I could get off by not doing half assed work and get by. That moment helped me wise up and shaped me to be the hard worker I am now.

After that, I worked plenty of other crap jobs that taught me many life lessons. Working as a server at a bazaar taught me there are places that don't care about your education because there are those that never had the opportunity to get one; working as a bus boy at a restaurant taught me to take college serious; 2.5 grueling years at Blockbuster taught me how to NOT be a spendthrift (this lesson has GREATLY helped me here in Korea); 10 months at Micheals taught me my city was horrid and there are those that will hold material objects over human beings; 2 years at my school district showed me my city was crap because my students had either stupid and/or uncaring parents.

Through all the jobs i've worked, I learned many things that were crucial to my survival right now. Those moments were not the best but they were necessary.

my first job was at KB Toys. I actually had a lot of fun there. Worked with alot of fun people there. I especially liked working the night shifts unloading the trucks etc.


I also used to mow people's lawns - and no, i am not referring to cutting pubic hair...

My first job was cleaning the dinner trays in the cafeteria of my boarding school. (5€/h)
I was 14 at the time, so a little bit on the side was nice, plus the job was easy and we always had fun on the job.

Second job was warehouseman in a big dialogue marketing agency. (8€/h)
Very good working atmosphere, wish they had hired me full time with better pay.