[Athena E.]

General Discussion Thread 05.05.2025​

G’day, lovely members! We’ve been reminiscing here at SDC about our very first jobs—the ones that taught us a bit of responsibility, gave us some pocket money, or still make us smile (or laugh!) years down the track.

When I was a kid, I used to sell peanuts to the neighbours! My mum would buy and pack them, and I’d head out in the afternoons trying to make a few sales. It was just one of those things my parents did to teach me about the value of money.

How about you? What was YOUR first job? Was it a paper round, a shift in retail, helping out on the farm—or something completely unexpected?

We’d love to hear your story. Pop it in the comments and let’s see just how many different first jobs we’ve all had!

Source: shattha pilabut / Pexels

 

[GBishop66]

My first job was commission based, selling subliminal tapes for weight loss or giving up smoking. Many people thanked me and said they worked but there i was selling tapes with sounds of the ocean with some messages apparently being sent to the subconscious mind, bypassing the conscious mind and unable to be heard . Scam or not ? I'll never know. Ha ha

 

[Kegtwo]

My first job was a paper run.

I was very fortunate as the run included the hospital, so many captive and bored patients.

The price of the paper was 15c, so I often got a tip of 5c on top of the newsagent payment.

 

[SirExton]

I was put out to work at a young age. This is a picture of me at the time, with my business advertisement, at age 5.

 

[Quintilio]

My first job was a paper run.

I was very fortunate as the run included the hospital, so many captive and bored patients.

The price of the paper was 15c, so I often got a tip of 5c on top of the newsagent payment.

Hi
I was also a paper boy at semaphore in SA
When I started the news and advertiser were 5 cents and the weekend papers were 8 cents I did this job for 9 years and it then lead to my first full time job at the Adelaide news

 

[B penman]

When I was at school I started my own business selling bundles of fire
wood to start fires around my area I employed two school mates and delivered papers 7 days a week in England In 1958 Bert

 

[chesterdrawers1704@gmail.]

My first job was working in greeting cards factory. Wages $22 per week. Currently still working. Though now a clinical nurse.

 

[debear53]

First job in1966, Christmas holidays working as a brickies labourer, Only problem, I was 12 yrs old and I had 6 brickies to cater to. After 4 days I'd had enough. Bye bye.

 

[KerrieO]

My first job was in Luknow near Orange selling mushrooms at the side of the road. Dirt cheap back then but threepence bought an aweful lot of lollies lol

 

[William 58]

My first job was picking potatoes on a farm it was back breaking stuff I was 15.

 

[lynstacker]

Basketball referee

 

[Vickers]

My first job was commission based, selling subliminal tapes for weight loss or giving up smoking. Many people thanked me and said they worked but there i was selling tapes with sounds of the ocean with some messages apparently being sent to the subconscious mind, bypassing the conscious mind and unable to be heard . Scam or not ? I'll never know. Ha ha

Delivering papers

 

[Remo53]

My first job was blowing up balloons and putting them on a conveyor belt ready to be printed at Hanna Match in North Richmond for $13.50 a week 56 years ago

 

[Shellface]

Helping in my dad's butcher shop

 

[gamiry]

my first job straight out of school in 1957 was a florist in Drummoyne nsw and it took 2 buses to get me there. My pay was 4 pound 5 shillings per week of which I gave my Mum 2 pound for board, put another 1 pound in the bank and the rest was taken up with bus fares.

 

[Gus]

My first job was as a lolly boy in the local picture theater when I was about fourteen years old. The young toddlers would reach up and swing on the box of goodies which hung from a strap around my neck. When my childhood love came with her mother on Saturdays, I let my friend do the more financially viable downstairs while I did upstairs in order to serve them. Unfortunately I could never convince her mother that I was good enough for her daughter so I still think of her all these years later and wonder if we could have had the ideal life if things had been different.

 

[janj]

My firs job was working at lifesavers PTY, bagging up their lollies.

 

[Adela83]

I was 15 and worked at Colgate Palmolive in Balmain, Sydney (where I was born) in the office licking envelopes and delivering mail around to people. An auntie got me the job over the Christmas holidays as she worked in the office also. I don't think I got very much pay. I am now 83 so it was a long time ago!!

 

[Arran697]

A part-time telephonist/receptionist for an Aged Care Facility, great fun plugging in and connecting calls. I was able to do it for 15 years alongside my eventual full-time job as a Typist! How time has changed, thankfully!

 

[Ivory]

My first job as a thirteen year old was helping feed the bread slicer in the local bakery. My. Mum told me if I wanted to work I. Had to get myself there, which was daunting for a 01:00. Hrs start time. It was a three mile walk to get there. I was paid the princely sum of $1:00 hr. I was in my late teens when I found out the machine I was operating had an 18 year age limit and $4:00 per hour. Ripped off!