Your first job

[FootyJunkie]

Badge Engraver. Engraved tons of those name tags for KFC and Subway that at the time I would think I had engraved the one worn by the guy/girl serving me whenever I entered a KFC or Subway.

 

[JuddsABlue]

My first job was bending bananas

I hated it though so I moved onto cutting holes in donuts and I've never been happier

 

[FootyJunkie]

My first job was bending bananas

So you're from Queensland?

 

[Cruyff14]

My first job was bending bananas

I hated it though so I moved onto cutting holes in donuts and I've never been happier

I colour the oranges.

 

[JuddsABlue]

So you're from Queensland?

majority of banana companies send them down to Victoria to have them bent here

 

[Plugger35]

Working at a Fairy Floss/Waffles stand at the Perth Royal Show when I was about 15. It was a terrible job wearing pink outfits, long hours, terrible pay and our boss was an arseh*le.

The boss was kind enough to shout us some rides in Sideshow Alley during our breaks though, he just didn't know about it. We just helped ourselves to some change from the till, they didn't keep proper records like a normal store so he was none the wiser.

Wasn't my worst job though, that has to go to my job at the egg farm, picking eggs *Shudder*

Are you Napoleon Dynamite?

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

The boss was kind enough to shout us some rides in Sideshow Alley during our breaks though, he just didn't know about it. We just helped ourselves to some change from the till, they didn't keep proper records like a normal store so he was none the wiser.

Its part of the carny code.

 

[Plugger35]

Its part of the carny code.

Yeah I guess so.

There is a whole carny culture at those places where everyone knows each other and travels from show to show together.

Seemed like quite a romantic lifestyle when I was younger, like joining the circus, but it would probably get old pretty quick.

 

[Tulip]

First real job was at Maccas. Just...don't.

 

[Tulip]

Steer clear of Hungry Jacks - pack of arseholes who will do anything to save a buck on any given day. You'll be paid at award rates (or lower if you're not informed enough to know better), treated like a lump of shit and have the joy of having to chase them endlessly simply to pay you the pittance they owe you for the hours you've actually worked and they've just decided for whatever reason not to pay you for.

If fast food it must be, do ANYTHING to avoid Hungry Jacks.

One thing I'll say about Maccas is that, while I was paid less than $10 an hour (in 2011!), they were always timely with pay slips.

 

[Doss]

Worked at a fruit/vege shop from the age of 16 to 18, that was my first. It was pretty decent really- they started me on $11 an hour, which is hardly a bad rate for a kid that age.

 

[Neese]

Bi-Lo checkout chick when I was 15. Wasn't too bad

Got paid in cash in little payslip envelopes.

 

[blueboy25]

My first job was at Action Food barns which was a competitor to Woolworths and Coles back in the day, most have been taken over by IGA.

I started when I was 15 and still at school and initially worked on Thursday nights and Saturday's. The money was ok and mainly stacked shelves or helped unload the deliveries out in the stock room.

There was plenty of girls around my age from different schools working there so it was a great opportunity to try my luck.

When I started Uni I ended up doing night fill at the same store for a few years and it was a great job. No customers to deal with, the boss pretty much left you alone as long as you were doing the work and again plenty of chicks around my age to try and crack on to.

Good times

 

[Password is Taco]

I worked at safeway from 14 & 9 months. At the time I loved it, then as I got a little older working at 9 am on Sunday mornings I started to hate it. I stayed for 7 years. Looking back, it was a great job (and pay for what I was doing).
I would recommend a supermarket job as a first job.

 

[JuddsABlue]

Big W for me and it was sweet ($8 an hour yo!). Would def recommend bigger supermarket/retail store jobs over fastfood or small stores

 

[FootyJunkie]

majority of banana companies send them down to Victoria to have them bent here

bananna bending mexicans?

 

[Dazb86]

Paper delivery. First real job painter and decorator.

 

[Shell]

Hoyts.

Loved it, would go back if I could- walkin around watching movies all day.

 

[SugarShane]

First paid job was as a junior at my cricket club, we got paid $20 to be waiters for a premiership reunion.

First real job though was nightfill at Woolworths though. That was a decent gig. Late nights didn't bother me, and got to work with my school mates.

 

[Scotland]

Coles. Worked there as a high school/uni student. Started on $6.65/hr in 2000, finished up on ~$20/hr for no real improvement in output.

Easiest job I'll ever have. Stack shelves, build displays, crush boxes, avoid customers... Not exactly rocket science, and if you're just mildly competent you'll stand out amongst the tens of thousands of low skilled workers they employ. It's a bit like playing for Melbourne in that regard. When I was about 18 our new 'Grocery Manager' (uber lame job title, basically means store 2IC) was 27 or so and we had a lady working on the tills who had been doing so since before he was born. My mind was full of f*ck at the prospect of working a Coles till for 27 years. If you can suckhole your way into a head office gig there is seriously good coin to be made at the big supermarket chains. Our regional manager was getting paid well into 6 figures, and this was a decade or more ago before that became the average salary for unskilled labourers and truck drivers over here.

 

[Holy Foley!]

Would you think the same about Crust?

I worked for Crust for about 6 months. It was pretty well organised and really clean (not sure if it's like that at all stores though). But pay was shit ~$11 from memory (2 years ago), and no super or anything was paid. Plus it was a bit dodgy because I was a delivery driver. We had to get ABN's and work as contractors. Also we got no fuel money or anything, and since no-one really tips here, most of the wages went on petrol. I assume you're under 18 so It doesn't really apply to you, but still.

I've had some pretty shit jobs, and the problem with working as a casual is it's hard to find one with good security. Even now I'm still hopping from job to job because I never got one as soon as I turned 14y 9 months, and I'm paying heavily for it now because I never developed necessary skills and now find it hard for anyone to employ me. I'd strongly suggest getting a job A.S.A.P, doesn't really matter where, but obviously as long as you're not being ripped off or unfairly treated, and doing something you enjoy is just a bonus. If you can get a job early and stick with it and develop good skills, it will help you out so much more in the future.

 

[KP78]

Paper round was good for fitness but paid peanuts. (and I mean peanuts!) At 15 I could get a real job and worked in a bakery (dish pig/pie cooker - multiple steam/oven burns) before moving onto McDonalds which I actually enjoyed. It all depends what you want but they will all pay crap, you will be a shitkicker, and the workload will depend almost entirely on your manager.

If you are young and single, I would work fast food, the parties are awesome and the chance to rack up stats is like you will never have again in life. (and you will make some decent mates)

 

[OzBomber]

Yeah, probably. I'm just trying to avoid any places where things are really bad, e.g some old friends of mine cannot change shifts if they need to at Hoyts.

I work at the cinemas (Village) and really, whilst it is a bit of a pain not being able to swap shifts, if you get your unavailability in then you should be fine. Not to mention the perks are amazing ('Basically' free movies and really cheap food) and it's a really chilled job. If you can get a job at one of those places you'll love it. I worked at Maccas for 4 long years having to experience managers who have got the vocabulary of a two year old and didn't make it passed year 10 shouting at you to make 18 double cheeseburgers at lightning speed, so it's heaven in comparison. Just don't do fast food, I've heard KFC and Hungry Jacks are even worse. You only have to look at the faces of the people serving you to realize how depressing it is.

 

[Duritz]

My first job was very different to most people. It was in WA, way out west where the rain don't fall. Got a job with the company drilling for oil. Just to make some change. Living and a working on the land. I quit my job and I left my wife. Headed out west for a brand new life. Just to get away. Living and a working on the land.

What a change it's been, from working that nine to five. How strange it's been, at last I had the feeling that I'm really alive.

They give you a house made of fibro cement. You don't need no money, cos you don't pay no rent. And it's oh so cheap - living and a working on the land. There's nothing much to do on a Saturday night. But get into some booze - or maybe a fight. Cos it's tough out here - Living and a working on the land.

 

[Gough]

My first job was very different to most people. It was in WA, way out west where the rain don't fall. Got a job with the company drilling for oil. Just to make some change. Living and a working on the land. I quit my job and I left my wife. Headed out west for a brand new life. Just to get away. Living and a working on the land.

What a change it's been, from working that nine to five. How strange it's been, at last I had the feeling that I'm really alive.

They give you a house made of fibro cement. You don't need no money, cos you don't pay no rent. And it's oh so cheap - living and a working on the land. There's nothing much to do on a Saturday night. But get into some booze - or maybe a fight. Cos it's tough out here - Living and a working on the land.

Thank Broderick Smith.