My First 7 Jobs

My First 7 Jobs You may have caught wind of a Twitter topic, â€Å"First 7 Jobs,† where celebrities and entrepreneurs have been sharing the list of †¦ obviously †¦ their first 7 jobs. What struck me about the lists I saw is that people didn’t seem to have as many â€Å"starter† jobs as I did. Buzz Aldrin’s third job was as a fighter pilot, and by his 4th job he was already an astronaut! I wonder if the following list shows a lack of focus on my part? Or perhaps on the bright side, a sense of curiosity? It’s possible that I started with my moment of fame and am only now rising back up to a position that meets my capabilities! Here’s the list: 1. Sesame Street My parents took my sister and me to audition for Sesame Street when I was 6 years old or so, and we both got the job. I learned that Oscar and Big Bird are the same person, and how to say Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers many times fast. I learned how to put my checks in the bank and start saving. I also learned that I was not very good at voice over reports on what animals were doing. It’s harder than it looks! 2. Baby Sitting How a mother would trust the safety of a 2-year-old or 7-year-old to me still baffles me. Thankfully there were no mishaps that I can remember. I learned to keep  emergency numbers on the fridge, and not to argue when someone wanted to give me extra money. I discovered that I like kids and am pretty good with them, in small doses. 3. Helping out at my dad’s real estate management office At my dads office,  I learned how to file, collate, and copy. These paper-focused skills are, well, not as useful as they once werebut sometimes I am still the one to figure out how to clear a paper jam. I’ve always been great in an office environment. 4. Cashier at Carrot Top Bakery I got this job because my dad was friends with the owner, and was introduced to the world of bulk baking. I learned that even though I can do math in my head, I need to punch the actual numbers into the cash register so the business has a record of what was purchased (see my blog, How I Messed Up On My First Job- and What You Can Learn From My Mistakes!). When the phone company across the street went on strike, I learned that when you depend on one client for most of your business, you are at great risk. Perhaps this insight sowed the seeds of my entrepreneurial bent. 5. Counselor, Lifeguard and Swim Instructor at a summer camp To explore my â€Å"crunchy granola† side, I went back to my old, favorite summer camp as a counselor. I learned that the place was just as magical as a counselor as it was as a camper. And how to stay out all night without my 12-year-old bunk of campers finding out. Later in life, I used my lifeguarding skills to get free gym memberships when my salary didn’t support that luxury. Later, I shifted to a preference for monthly payments and more free time. 6. Assistant to a Director at the Yale Alumni Association This was a pretty great part-time job when I was in college. I learned how to suck up, and that when you have a position of power, no one will bat an eyelash when you can ask your student employee to run to get your dry cleaning. I also learned how to pick up dry cleaning. This trick of squeezing personal tasks into the workday has served me well as an entrepreneur. 7. Naturalist at Glacier National Park I volunteered for a summer after my sophomore year of college with the Student Conservation Association. In the remote mountains of Montana, I learned that not everyone appreciates my New York attitude. More practically, I gained skills in how to tie food high up in a tree and   make a lot of noise in the woods to warn the bears; and lets not forget the upside-down map tours of the park from behind the visitor center desk. I learned what crampons are. I also learned how to survive for a summer on the food available in a Montana corner store. I liked this outdoorsy type of job, and it led to my 8th job as an environmental education instructor. After that I went back to office jobs. What do you think my first seven jobs say about me? What do yours say about you? I’m curious to hear!