[baddmammajamma]

As a spin off to the thread about teen contributions to family holidays...

* Did you work when you were in high school?

* If so, what did you do?

* Approximately how many hours week did you work?

* Do you remember what your hourly wage was (might want to note the era)?

** ETA: Bonus question: Did working in high school seem to help or hinder your educational/career prospects?


I never had the opportunity to work at Maccas, as there weren't any in my vicinity, but I have so many friends who held their first job there ("If there's time to lean, there's time to clean" was the axiom).

During the school year, I probably worked 10-15 hours/week (incl. babysitting). During the summer, unless we were taking a family vacation, I was working a standard 40 hour week.

I started babysitting at age 12 -- which is high school aged here but middle school in the U.S.

$2.00/hour for watching three young boys in the early 1980s.

My first non-babysitting job was in an import/export business. The summer when I was 15, I spent 2 months inside a warehouse, putting red bows on fluffy teddy bears from China. I think I earned $5 or 6 dollars/hour (1983).

From 1984-1985, I worked weekends in an old fashioned "variety" store (called "Dime Stores" in America), making minimum wage at the time: $3.40/hour.

Almost forgot to add that I tutored my next door neighbor's kids (recent immigrants from Hong Kong) for several years, essentially helping them with their homework each week. I think I earned $5/hour for that in the mid 80s, and I also did a lot of random yard work, pet sitting, etc.


Who's next?

This post has been edited by baddmammajamma: 27/12/2012, 04:57 PM

[BetteBoop]

Yes, I started working at Maccas when I was aged 14 years and 9 months.

I worked 5 shifts a week, so about 30 hours.

I think I earned around $6 an hour but that was in the late 80s so probably the equivalent of $14 an hour now.

[soontobegran]

Yes
I worked at our local Chemist Shop.

I was 15 years old and worked there until I left to come to Melbourne to do nursing at nearly 18.

I worked two day after school hours from 3.30 to 6pm and Saturday morning from 8.30 to 12 MD.

It was in the late 60's early 70's BMJ, I can't even take a guess at how much I was earning but I am thinking it was not too much.

[susie78]

I worked at Maccas for 6 years from the age of 15. I think I started on about $6/hr (that was in the early 90s) and did 2 or 3 shifts a week while I was at school. Once I was at uni I needed more cash so was doing 3 or 4 shifts a week. It was pretty tricky fitting it all in (work, study, drinking) but I managed and honestly really enjoyed the social aspect of working. It also taught me a lot about hard work, responsibility, initiative etc which I know laid the foundations for my working life in my 'grown up' career.

Sue

[baddmammajamma]

Need to edit my post to add:

Did working in high school line you up for a crappy job?

[howdo]

Dad paid me the award wage of $4ish/hour to work in the family General Store (small supermarket, technically an IGA before they branded them that) in the mid 80s from the time I was 12/13 until we sold the business when I was about 16. I worked the register, stocked shelves, defrosted freezers and my fave thing was using the clicky gun to put the prices on things. I probably did 5-10 hours a week.

I think that was the sole thing that got me my next job at Maccas when I was 20 It was Maccas that taught me all the good stuff. I tried to go to uni before that and it was a big fat failure! Random optional work when I thought I needed money wasn't exactly good for teaching work ethic and the like!

This post has been edited by howdo: 27/12/2012, 04:55 PM

[Monket]

I too babysat for $2.00 per hour in the late 70s. When I was nearly 15 I worked part time as a candy bar girl at a small independent cinema. I possibly made over a million choc tops during my time there. When I was 16 I was promoted to usherette where I had the pleasure of watching Tootsie during a record run of 51 weeks! I knew the script by heart. I can't remember the pay but it was a really lucrative job, much better pay than friends who worked at Woolworths. I continued to work there after beginning full time work as it was easy to pick up evening shifts. It was such a fun job and I was really sad when I left.

[marnie27]

No. I commuted a fair distance to high school so couldn't get home in time to work nearby, and working near school would've meant public transport for 90+ minutes after 9pm at night.

My first job was relief in a child care centre I was volunteering at in between graduating high school and starting TAFE. Ironically I think not working during HS and then working casually helped my work ethic. I NEVER turned down work and at one point was studying a full time course load at night, completing a field placement on the job for 40 hours a week at working 30 hours a week - this went for 6 months before things eased up.

I have a tendency to be a bit of a workaholic tbh, luckily I love my job!

[soontobegran]

Need to edit my post to add:

Did working in high school line you up for a crappy job?

Not for me and not for any of our children

[CupOfCoffee]

Yes, starting working at kmart when I was 14 and 9 months.

I have no idea what I was paid, I don't think it was very much, but with my first ever paypacket I bought two long sleeved Billabong tops (one red and one white). I was so happy.

I generally worked Thursday nights and at least one weekend day.

Edit: to add Did working in high school line you up for a crappy job?

No, I went through to uni and have a pretty good job and I love part time work.

My son started working at McDonalds earlier this year (just after he turned 14).

There are laws in place in Queensland to restrict how much children of a certain age work.

With my sons first pay he predictably bought a PS3 game.

This post has been edited by CupOfCoffee: 27/12/2012, 05:01 PM