Comments on: First Jobs: From Volunteer to Paid Employee http://www.tjhirst.com/2008/06/27/first-jobs-from-volunteer-to-paid-employee/ Illuminate Everyday Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:17:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Paula http://www.tjhirst.com/2008/06/27/first-jobs-from-volunteer-to-paid-employee/#comment-459 Paula Sat, 28 Jun 2008 02:30:29 +0000 http://www.tjhirst.com/?p=398#comment-459 The summer my friends were all 16 and working their first jobs, I was 15 and not old enough to work at most places. However, my grandmother owned an old fashioned general store so I would work four days a week for her. After work I stayed with her and my great grandmother. I not only learned about getting along with other employees, how to service customers, but also how to live away from home if only three nights a week and about helping my great grandmother. I learned her formal education ended at third grade but she was still able to own a business with her husband. I learned injustice in the world when my grandmother would lend credit and sell to Chippewa Indians when other stores would not sell them goods and this was 1969. They could only purchase goods from reservation stores at much inflated prices or drive 20 miles to the nearest town in unreliable cars if they even owned one. I learned how it is possible to kill seven flies with one swat of a flyswatter if you are patient. The town was only 20 miles away but being much smaller and a resort town, it seemed to be 30 years back in time. The summer my friends were all 16 and working their first jobs, I was 15 and not old enough to work at most places. However, my grandmother owned an old fashioned general store so I would work four days a week for her. After work I stayed with her and my great grandmother. I not only learned about getting along with other employees, how to service customers, but also how to live away from home if only three nights a week and about helping my great grandmother. I learned her formal education ended at third grade but she was still able to own a business with her husband. I learned injustice in the world when my grandmother would lend credit and sell to Chippewa Indians when other stores would not sell them goods and this was 1969. They could only purchase goods from reservation stores at much inflated prices or drive 20 miles to the nearest town in unreliable cars if they even owned one. I learned how it is possible to kill seven flies with one swat of a flyswatter if you are patient. The town was only 20 miles away but being much smaller and a resort town, it seemed to be 30 years back in time.

]]> By: Rachel Corbett http://www.tjhirst.com/2008/06/27/first-jobs-from-volunteer-to-paid-employee/#comment-457 Rachel Corbett Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:43:33 +0000 http://www.tjhirst.com/?p=398#comment-457 Baskin Robbins! Following in the legacy of my big sis! Whew, I learned a lot there. How to love ice cream, how to flirt with boys :) and a few other good thing like punctuallity, responsibility, and how to spend money wisely (and not so wisely too)! Baskin Robbins! Following in the legacy of my big sis! Whew, I learned a lot there. How to love ice cream, how to flirt with boys :) and a few other good thing like punctuallity, responsibility, and how to spend money wisely (and not so wisely too)!

]]> By: Minna Dyer http://www.tjhirst.com/2008/06/27/first-jobs-from-volunteer-to-paid-employee/#comment-456 Minna Dyer Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:57:07 +0000 http://www.tjhirst.com/?p=398#comment-456 All I remember from my first job (about 20 years ago) was how cool it was to have my own money- shallow, I know. All I remember from my first job (about 20 years ago) was how cool it was to have my own money- shallow, I know.

]]> By: Ryan http://www.tjhirst.com/2008/06/27/first-jobs-from-volunteer-to-paid-employee/#comment-455 Ryan Fri, 27 Jun 2008 18:05:27 +0000 http://www.tjhirst.com/?p=398#comment-455 My first real job was flipping greasy burgers at A&W. Those were the days.... Before that, though, I worked several summers for people with yard work, garden work, or field work (hauling hay). Before I ever had "paying" work, I was involved in a lot of service projects, and the one thing I noticed about those and payed work was that payed worked was 83 1/2 times worse. I don't know what it was; maybe the obligation, the expectations. I work better without that sort of thing. Hence the reason I would rather work at home. My first real job was flipping greasy burgers at A&W. Those were the days….

Before that, though, I worked several summers for people with yard work, garden work, or field work (hauling hay).

Before I ever had “paying” work, I was involved in a lot of service projects, and the one thing I noticed about those and payed work was that payed worked was 83 1/2 times worse. I don’t know what it was; maybe the obligation, the expectations. I work better without that sort of thing. Hence the reason I would rather work at home.

]]> By: Alison http://www.tjhirst.com/2008/06/27/first-jobs-from-volunteer-to-paid-employee/#comment-453 Alison Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:17:13 +0000 http://www.tjhirst.com/?p=398#comment-453 My first job was when I was 13, volunteering at Village School's camp - the preschool where I had graduated from nine years prior! With the exception of the next summer (candystriping at the hospital with you!) every other summer was spent working with kids, mostly at camps. And as you know, my career path has been entirely education-based, from teaching to curriculum development. What am I doing this summer? 23 years after volunteering at Village School's camp, I'm volunteering at Zac's preschool's camp. Guess I'm not one for change... :-) My first job was when I was 13, volunteering at Village School’s camp - the preschool where I had graduated from nine years prior! With the exception of the next summer (candystriping at the hospital with you!) every other summer was spent working with kids, mostly at camps. And as you know, my career path has been entirely education-based, from teaching to curriculum development. What am I doing this summer? 23 years after volunteering at Village School’s camp, I’m volunteering at Zac’s preschool’s camp. Guess I’m not one for change… :-)

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