Life is full of firsts. First walk, first word, first kiss, first job, first love.
Everyone has experienced having a first job, whether it's a family business, or otherwise, you remember earning your first paycheck with sheer excitement. I have so far lived an unconventional life and I didn't "get" my first job until I turned 20. I wouldn't consider this job a typical first-job experience as it wasn't in a fast food place, and I received more than minimum wage (thank-you college!) Regardless of how I paved my way to finally building a resume, there are things I wish I would have done differently when I earned my first paycheck.
1) Saved every penny
This sound kind of unrealistic, but when you're 20, living with your parents, not paying for school, and literally have zero responsibility, I had no excuse to not save every penny. There were times when I didn't spend a paycheck, but there were also times where I worked overtime and felt I deserved to splurge a little. With the amount of time spent working with the said company, I should have been a little more frugal.
2) Work with the company longer
As mentioned in 1), I wish I stayed with the company longer. Today, I realize it doesn't look good on your resume if you cannot stick to a single job for more than six months. This shows the hiring manager your inability to commit or multitask between your life and work. It is understandable if you are in school, but it may be easier to just ask for weekend hours and limit yourself respectfully.
3) Learn to balance work and school
Again, this correlates to 2) though this can be a give or take. Learning to balance work and school can only be done if you are in school and work. I feared this notion and decided to leave because I was worried just how would it be possible to go through school while working? Well, it is possible and I have seen it, though never experienced. I think if I went through college working while studying, I would have gained a lot more than I know today -- however, I know my grades wouldn't have been as good through this.
4) Appreciate in the present of working
With work, I was always wondering how many hours I clicked in, and what my next paycheck will be. I can fully admit I was a workaholic and I tried to get as many hours as I could for the week because 1. I loved my job and 2. I loved the money, and I felt I had a responsibility. It is important to enjoy and appreciate what you're doing, and worry less about how many hours you're working and the money your making.
Everyone has experienced having a first job, whether it's a family business, or otherwise, you remember earning your first paycheck with sheer excitement. I have so far lived an unconventional life and I didn't "get" my first job until I turned 20. I wouldn't consider this job a typical first-job experience as it wasn't in a fast food place, and I received more than minimum wage (thank-you college!) Regardless of how I paved my way to finally building a resume, there are things I wish I would have done differently when I earned my first paycheck.
1) Saved every penny
This sound kind of unrealistic, but when you're 20, living with your parents, not paying for school, and literally have zero responsibility, I had no excuse to not save every penny. There were times when I didn't spend a paycheck, but there were also times where I worked overtime and felt I deserved to splurge a little. With the amount of time spent working with the said company, I should have been a little more frugal.
2) Work with the company longer
As mentioned in 1), I wish I stayed with the company longer. Today, I realize it doesn't look good on your resume if you cannot stick to a single job for more than six months. This shows the hiring manager your inability to commit or multitask between your life and work. It is understandable if you are in school, but it may be easier to just ask for weekend hours and limit yourself respectfully.
3) Learn to balance work and school
Again, this correlates to 2) though this can be a give or take. Learning to balance work and school can only be done if you are in school and work. I feared this notion and decided to leave because I was worried just how would it be possible to go through school while working? Well, it is possible and I have seen it, though never experienced. I think if I went through college working while studying, I would have gained a lot more than I know today -- however, I know my grades wouldn't have been as good through this.
4) Appreciate in the present of working
With work, I was always wondering how many hours I clicked in, and what my next paycheck will be. I can fully admit I was a workaholic and I tried to get as many hours as I could for the week because 1. I loved my job and 2. I loved the money, and I felt I had a responsibility. It is important to enjoy and appreciate what you're doing, and worry less about how many hours you're working and the money your making.
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