This month, a conversation about first jobs started on social media, inspired by the hashtag #firstsevenjobs. Celebrities joined in, listing out their (oh so normal!) first occupations, like these:
#firstsevenjobs construction, bus boy, cafeteria server, library data entry, futon frame maker, futon salesman, waiter
— Stephen Colbert (@StephenAtHome) August 7, 2016
#firstsevenjobs
Dish washer
Camp counselor
Fighter pilot
Astronaut
Commandant
Speaker
AuthorNow Global Space Statesman!
— Dr. Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) August 7, 2016
A number of CEO’s joined the conversation, as well:
Barista
Sales associate
Receptionist
Camp counselor
Brand strategist
Marketing Director
Founder/CEO#firstsevenjobs— Debbie Sterling (@debbieblox) August 7, 2016
https://twitter.com/jeffweiner/status/762298477841879040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Cafe hand
Sales assistant
Retail administrator
Editorial assistant
Online editor
Digital director
Marketing director #firstsevenjobs— Kate Kendall (@KateKendall) August 7, 2016
The exercise was certainly fun and interesting, but hidden beneath the curiosity are a few important lessons for all aspiring Biz Kids.
1. Your first few jobs may require more grunt work than you expect. Want to be a CEO? You may need to learn about customer service first by working at an ice cream shop. Want to be a millionaire? Learn to budget while making minimum wage, and you’ll be ahead of the game.
2. The road isn’t always clear. Some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs climbed a ladder of various positions to get where they are today, but some of the stops along the way surely felt like setbacks at the time. Don’t feel defeated if the “next step” feels like a setback.
3. Successful people can learn from anything. If you find yourself in what feels like a “dead end job,” the easiest way to turn it into something is to find something you can learn from the experience. Perhaps about people, sales, or dealing with difficult customers. Every season has a lesson.
Bottom line, Biz Kid? Give yourself a break. Have patience with yourself in your first few jobs, learn what you can, and then remember, even the celebrtieis of the world had boring jobs at first.