What
inspired you to write this book?
"The thing I like about first jobs is that
they’re a great equalizer. Everyone starts somewhere, right? So, talking to
people about first jobs gave me a chance to talk to everybody I could think of:
my mayor, my mattress salesman, my mom… They’re all in there. When you talk to
someone about their first job, you get to learn a little bit about how they grew
up and what kind of kid they were, which is always interesting. Plus, when
someone is reflecting on an early job, they usually can’t help sharing a few
gems of career advice they picked up along the way, which I found incredibly
useful. They’ve lived through these mistakes, so you don’t have to."
How
did you find all these people to talk to about their first jobs?
"I started close to home, interviewing my
family and friends, but once I saw how excited people were to take this trip
down memory lane, I was emboldened to walk up to strangers and start chatting
with them. I met people on buses and planes and at bars. First jobs are really
the ultimate icebreaker. Then, I started approaching people I admired. Jeni
Britton Bauer, for example, of Jeni’s ice cream, is such a cool, creative
entrepreneur (and her ice cream is to die for). The fact that her first job was
actually scooping ice cream was a fun coincidence, and she had some smart
advice. Then, I started filling in holes I saw in the larger first-job picture.
For example, I wondered what would it be like if you legally couldn’t get a
first job, and that led me to interview an undocumented immigrant. What if you
never thought you’d be working, and then found yourself starting a first job
unexpectedly? That’s how I got in touch with a Rosie the Riveter."
What
is the craziest story you heard? What is your favorite?
"It’s so impossible to pick a favorite
story! I approached this book like an oral history project — taking my tape
recorder everywhere I went to ask people about their first jobs. So, it’s hard
for me to separate the stories from the memories I have of the interviews. For
example, I’ll never forget sitting in the inspiring Rosie the Riveter museum in
Richmond, CA, listening to a real-life riveter talk about how
much it meant to her to be able to work during World War II. I’ll also never
forget sitting around my dining room table interviewing my mom about her first
job in the bacon-packing factory, and learning all sorts of new things about
her and my grandparents.
"The book includes some odd jobs, like a pet-grave-digger or a dating-service receptionist, but the truly crazy jobs I heard about were always crazy
because of the people someone worked with. Being an after-school office
receptionist, for example, is a pretty normal job, but not when part of your
job is helping your boss rig up a tape recorder in her underwear so she can
covertly record a conversation with her ex."
Why
do you think a first job is so important?
"For plenty of people, a first job is the
first time they are interacting with an adult who is not invested in their
success. It’s not a teacher, a parent, or a coach. They don’t necessarily care
how you feel; they just want you to get the job done! To me, that’s the first
taste of true independence. More than
a first car or a first kiss, or any of that stuff, a first job is the moment
when you’re really out in the world, to sink or swim.
"But, I was surprised to learn there’s
actually a biological reason that a first job is so important. The teenage
brain goes through a period of growth that is second only to the level of
development we experience in the first 18 months of life, when we learn
to walk and talk. That’s a pretty big deal! This second period of growth gives
us the opportunity to form thousands of new neural connections, increasing our
ability to learn things like decision-making, self-discipline, and emotion
management — all that fun frontal-lobe stuff. But, in order to actually develop
these sought-after skills, we have to be in the kinds of situations that force
you to learn and practice them. That’s where a first job comes in."
Did
you have to leave any stories out?
"I left plenty of
stories out. Not because they weren’t great, but because I really wanted the
book to have a wide range of stories from different eras, industries, and
backgrounds. I did keep one overlap, though: There are three ice-cream scoopers
in the book. I wanted to keep them all in there because it’s such a
quintessential summer job, and each of the scoopers had such a different
experience. One scooper was fired, but learned important lessons that are
still helping her in her role as a manager at a hospital. Another scooper hated
every minute of that job, and it compelled her to find something she was truly
passionate about, which was how she got into fashion. (She’s now a big-time
fashion editor!) And, another conquered her paralyzing shyness by scooping ice
cream, and now owns an award-winning line of artisanal ice cream and ice cream
stores."
The book includes interviews with people who worked jobs in the '40s/'50s/'60s, as well as from people who just had their first jobs a few years ago. How have things changed in the workplace over the years?
"One main difference is that early jobs
today are harder to get. There’s been a 40% drop in youth employment in the
last 12 years. Sure, part of that is kids being busier with camp and soccer and
all that stuff. But, the other part is that, as the economy contracts, there are
fewer temporary entry-level jobs available. Today, so many people depend on
these formerly entry-level jobs to support their families. So, for first-time
job seekers, getting your foot in the door can be even more challenging. I
think that makes it even more of a milestone, and it also means teens take
their first jobs more seriously, because it’s not a given that they’ll get one
in the first place."
You talk in the introduction about your first job as a telemarketer. How did that experience prepare you to become a journalist?
"It’s funny — when I was working in the
call center for a summer, cold-calling people to ask, 'Hi, do you have a few
minutes to talk to me about your health benefits?' I never, ever
thought I’d use that skill again. But, when it came time to get serious about
reporting this book, I found myself cold-calling people saying, 'Hi, do you
have a few minutes to talk to me about your first job?' and it kind of all came
flooding back! At least my phone now doesn’t start auto-dialing the next number
as soon as someone hangs up on you…that was the worst."