#52 Stories--Story #23

How did you earn your very first paycheck as  a teenager or young adult? how did that first job influence the career choices you've made since?

My first paying job--besides babysitting for people in our ward--was a summertime childcare/lifeguard job at Goldsmith's Seeds just outside of town.  I was hired because I told them that we had a pool and I knew how to swim.  Looking back now I think they were vastly overestimating my lifesaving abilities.  Luckily I never had those skills tested.

I watched the employee's primary school aged children at the company pool, on site, for the summer days while the kids were out of school.  It was fairly easy work, and for only a few children at a time,  I believe I made about $3.50/hour.  I enjoyed the sunshine and the pool.  And played with the kids or watched them play in the water to kill the time.

My next real job was as a sales clerk at the local Beverly's Fabric shop in town.  I had to demonstrate my ability to sew--brought in some of the things that I had made--and also was required to show I knew how to count back change as the register didn't tell you the correct change amounts like they do now.  I also was quickly assigned to close the shop after the evening or weekend shifts. It wasn't exciting work, but I did get to practice my minimal conversational Spanish skills as well as my math and calculations in adding lengths and widths to figure sizes for people.  I got pretty good with fabric content and use and wear of it.  I did more sewing and developed those skills well enough that once I left for college and started my sophomore year, I found another fabric clerk job as my first job in Utah.  I remember when I left home I was making $4.75/hour and my sister took my job at Beverly's for the same starting rate I had when I left.  (ARGH!)