What was your first job?

When I was young, I was always intrigued by how the job title on your contract could differ from the one on your payslip. Then I found out why. For those who seek growth within an organisation, make sure that your interests are in order with HR.
 
First temp job - Delivering newspapers when I was 15.
First actual job after school - Worked 6 month night shift at a Game store in Alberton as part of the shop renovations.
 
Packed bags and pushed trolleys to customers' cars at the local Pick 'n Pay, general dogsbody for a guy that ran a mobile disco and delivering the Natal Mercury at stupid o'clock in the morning. All from when I was about 14. Those early morning newspaper deliveries in Pietermaritzburg in winter on a bicycle were not fun.
 
In 1969 I joined Safmarine in the Loss Control dept (insuring ship's cargo with Lloyds of London)

There were just 2 of us and a typist in this dept. the boss made a big song and dance "estimating" the value of all sorts of cargo to arrive at a sum insured. It could take him 3 or 4 days

14 months into the job the boss suffered an cerebral aneurysm from which he did not recover. The CEO got into a panic as there were 2 ships leaving that week with "secret cargo" which I was not supposed to know about (it was weapons and self-propelled guns going to Iran). He thought I would be unable to manage. I knew all about this cargo, as the labels on the crates sitting in the harbour were in Farsi. All the stevedores knew, it was an open secret

There was a lengthy board meeting at which it was suggested the Loss Control dept be outsourced and I could be made redundant, the argument being "what can a 22-year old possibly know?". After 45 mins I was called in and given permission to speak.

I told the directors that the system that the manager used was inefficient and most often arrived at an incorrect figure. I proposed that every shipper or clearing agent ascertain the FOB value of their cargo and declare it. The CEO wanted to know why this had not always been done like this, so I explained my method would shave 90% off the time it took to value the cargo and the late Hans refused to change his method as he had a cushy job (Hans' wife was related to the CEO's wife).

I was made HOD, got a company car and my salary tripled. I stayed there 9 years. Very well paid but very boring. About 3 hours work a week. I ran the movie club and established a record library (LP records) which staff could borrow free of charge. We had a unlimited account with Hans Kramer Records in Long Street
 
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newspaper delivery on a bicycle after school. Snap @Ecko_1
at the same time, on a Friday and Saturday, packer at Shoprite. .
Friday, get home, pick up newspapers, deliver, go to Shoprite to work until 21:00/21:00. Saturday morning early go work at Shoprite until 14:00. go home, get newspapers, deliver.
 
I sold some bespoke software I wrote for a store when I was 10-12 (in Turbo Pascal, which was brand new at the time). I also wrote some software for another company at 18. My first job with an hourly wage was ComSci tutor at 19.
 
1st work was in the early 70's at our Italian neighbours father printing company. had to carry those large heavy silk screen frames around a freaking massive table all day. :rolleyes:
never forget the daily smell of carbon tectrchloride - but the coffee machine was lekker :D

2nd work was late 70's at Barno plastics in cape town, used to race go-karts with the owners son - sat behind one of those high frequency soft plastic welding machines all day getting burnt & shocked :sneaky:
 
BCoetzer said:
What was your first job? How old were you?
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Started working for my dad at age 13 over weekends and after school for a bit of extra pocket money.
Machine operator (Pantographs and lathe).

First job not for family was age 16, till operator at pick n pay, temp/casual.

Then did the waitering thing at a few places till I turned 18 and it became the bar-tending thing.

Then I got a real job.
 
Started my own software company at 12, sold my first commercial software at 13, then wrote more software for a university and yeah.
 
Packing bags at spar for a whopping R2.50 an hour in the late 90s at around 14. Quit after a week or so.

Then got a holiday job cleaning in a factory for R10 an hour, plus overtime, which was huge money for me.
 
I was fixing people's PCs for money when I was like 12, not sure if that was a "real" job.

At around 15 I started working at a sports/fishing supply shop.
 
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