What's a good job for an 18 year old?

"scoob" (scoobsti)
09/03/2014 at 12:30 • Filed to: ScoobSTi Wants to Acquire Money and The Females, Joblopnik

Said 18 year old is yours truly. The only "experience" I have is volunteering at a hospital. Moreover, what jobs did you Opponauts have at 18? If you can remember that age. :P

Here's the girl in my avatar for your time.

"Are you sure you're not from South Korea? Because I know you're my Seoul-mate."

DISCUSSION (63)

For Sweden > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:33

How do you feel about adult film acting?

Brian Silvestro > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:33

You should intern at the CCC

Leadbull > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:34

Investment banker.

dogisbadob > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:35

I worked at Subway, but that was quite awhile ago!

Unfortunately, we're in a depression, so you'll be competing with adults for the same jobs. But of course, if you tell them you're on oppo you'll cut to the front of the line :p

Good luck though!

LappingLuke > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:35

When I was 18 I nabbed my dream gig working at the Hobbytown USA near me. At the time I was hardcore into hobby grade r/c vehicles and had a buttload of experience with parts, troubleshooting and repairs and I was able to work there for about 6 years until college started eating up most of my time. Moral of the story is, find something you really like and have some baseline skills and an eagerness to learn and you'll be happy.

scoob > Brian Silvestro
09/03/2014 at 12:36

I'm not special enough like Aaron, is the answer I received lol.

BJ > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:36

When I was 15, I worked on a dairy farm cleaning the milk palace.

When I was 16, I worked in a tire shop fixing flats and installing new tires.

When I was 17, I worked at a Ford dealership in shipping & receiving, stocking parts and occasionally running parts to customers.

When I was 18, I don't remember. I was in college, I must have worked somewhere...

When I was 19, I graduated college and got a "real" job related to my education.

scoob > For Sweden
09/03/2014 at 12:36

You mean like casting?

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:37

Well I'm only 16 but as of now I bag groceries and will most likely stick with it for a while. Hopefully by 18 I'll be a cashier.

Its a good job for a person still in school. I don't know if this is what you wanted or not.

f86sabre > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:37

I worked construction from 11-21 when off of school. Good work, but I was working for my dad, so he tolerated my work schedule.

Try and find experience in something you enjoy, but don't be afraid to WORK. It will serve as motivation when you are older.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:37

I was a cafeteria student supervisor at the college I attended.

For Sweden > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:38

The money is in front of the camera.

Firewrx234 > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:38

The job I had at 18 was factory work, shipping department specifically. In that job I would prepare skids for transit. I'd stack boxes of books into nice stacks and wrap them for delivery. My coworkers at the time, didn't exactly care for organization and their skid would fall over then we'd all have to run over and fix their skid disaster.

Not a whole lot of fun but I was getting $10/hr when min wage was $5.25

TheCraigy > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:45

Definitely college, preferably at a low-tuition state school, so you can get the most expendable income from student loans. Don't worry about the fact that you'll be saddling yourself with lifelong debt.

yamahog > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:45

When I was 18, I worked in an Italian deli the summer before starting college. During freshman year, I got a work-study job at my university's art museum.

thebigbossyboss > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:46

When I was 18 it was my last year of flipping burgers. I went into construction after that.

Construction is really great, even as the lowest guy on the totem pole, you learn a lot about how to use tools, how to build things, how to finish concrete, and so forth.

Sn210 > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:47

I worked full time in a footwear department in a department store. It was a lot of work for shit money but I was able to work my way up to manager, which also sucked but paid rather well for a 20 year old. I had enough money saved to put a down payment on a house after I graduated college.

CAR_IS_MI > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:49

When I was 18 I had just left college and was working at a best buy...

Diesel > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:49

Work as a car detailer at a car dealership.

jariten1781 > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:51

From about 14-16 I worked on a sod farm cutting, rolling, and loading sod. I was one of 3 non-illegals working there. It was arduous, but it was a full time paycheck.

At 16 I got a job working for a call center by conveniently not admitting that I was <18 and hadn't graduated high-school. My shift was overnight and I got yelled at a lot, but hey I wasn't out in the sun breaking my back and it paid ~18 bucks an hour. My deception was discovered when I was being promoted (which was really easy to do since the vast majority of people there hated their life and were terrible employees) but because I was a top-performer our GM kept on covering for me.

At 18ish I took a job working for RGIS. We did inventory services for stores from as small as locally owned gas stations to Wal-mart. Again overnight so it didn't screw with HS and later college and the pay was good. If you can count and press buttons you can do that job, and there was never a time that we didn't have open reqs.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:51

Check out your local grocery store. It might seem like a last resort sort of job when you can't find anything else, but there's plenty of advancement opportunities. I started bagging groceries at the Stop & Shop in town at 16. I quickly graduated to cashier, and by 18 I was working the customer service desk.

Now, four years after I started as a lowly bagger I've moved up to Cash Office. At the tender age of 20, with just a GED and no degree, I'm making $13 an hour, and I'm entrusted with the safe combination, thousands of dollars in cash, and the key to the whole goddamn store.

I never really intended to make a career out of this job, but now it seems I am and it was surprisingly easy to do so. You just have to apply yourself, go above and beyond your responsibilities wherever possible and eventually you'll be noticed by the management.

macanamera > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:55

Just manage a hedge fund or something.

macanamera > For Sweden
09/03/2014 at 12:55

You won't be getting paid today, but if the producers like what they see...you could make 1000 to 5000 dollars a day.

Jayhawk Jake > scoob
09/03/2014 at 12:59

Real job, or part time?

I worked at Academy Sports and Outdoors when I was 18. It sucked. Don't do that.

A few years later I ended up working at an apple store. It was awesome. Strongly recommend that. Don't worry about not being an apple person, I straight up told the manager who interviewed me that I wasn't an apple guy and I hadn't used a mac in 10 years and he said 'no big deal, we can teach that'

EDIT: Side note, whatever you do don't just treat it as cash flow. Every bit of work experience is valuable in some way. I'm an engineer, working at apple has basically nothing to do with engineering, but I did gain a lot of experience talking to the public, explaining complex ideas to inexperienced people, and selling products. 'Apple Store Concierge' doesn't look all that impressive on the resume, but the 2 summers I spent there were very valuable experiences.

D > scoob
09/03/2014 at 13:08

DELIVER PIZZA, dear god deliver pizza. How does leaving work several times per day, doubling your salary with tips, learning your city, and TONS of autonomy sound to you?

If you're looking for a job right now, now's a great time to look for a position in the delivery game. A lot of young people are quitting for school or slashing most of their hours right now. My restaurant just hired two new people and will need to hire a few more in the next month.

I had very little experience when I applied as well, but as long as your restaurant is desperate for employees, that's okay! It's how I got in. Good luck with the hunt man.

T5Killer > scoob
09/03/2014 at 13:12

I worked as a Barista at a Airport coffee shop. Awesome job for a single 18year old guy. Best day was when there was a plane full for french HS cheerleaders at the airport.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > scoob
09/03/2014 at 13:15

Worked at a grocery store all through high school - felt like that was a good job at the time. Started as a sacker/cart boy, worked up to checker and stocking shelves. In college, my English teacher asked if I wanted to work at the university's writing lab, so I did that for a few years, monitoring the room and doing some tutoring. After I transferred, I worked at Sherwin-Williams while I finished my degree.

What are you naturally good at, and what do you enjoy doing?

Klaus Schmoll > scoob
09/03/2014 at 13:16

Delivering pizzas, washing cars/the shop at a VW dealership, that's what I did at that age.

scoob > For Sweden
09/03/2014 at 13:21

Are there couches involved?

scoob > T5Killer
09/03/2014 at 13:26

Fuck yes LOL

yamahog > TheCraigy
09/03/2014 at 13:31

Not necessarily lifelong! I was lucky enough to graduate with only five figures of debt and I'll have it all paid off by my 25th birthday.

yamahog > macanamera
09/03/2014 at 13:32

Hedge fund, you say?

Kinja'd!!!

71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors > Leadbull
09/03/2014 at 13:32

I'm guessing you're joking, but my housemate actually became a certified investment banker at 18.

macanamera > yamahog
09/03/2014 at 13:35

Kinja'd!!!

Traded on the New York Cute Exchange.

Textured Soy Protein > scoob
09/03/2014 at 13:40

When I was in high school, I found myself working as a page at the local public library. I put the books back on the shelves, in their proper spot according to the Dewey decimal system. It sucked, because I was the only person on any of the library staff who put the books back on the shelves, and I was just some high school kid working a few hours a night. You'd think a busy public library would have more people than just high school me putting books back on shelves, but no. Lazy ass librarians.

One of my best friends in high school worked at Best Buy. Selling appliances. He liked it because he got the employee discount.

In college I worked for my school at their fundraising outfit. Basically calling up alumni and bugging them for donations.

macanamera > yamahog
09/03/2014 at 13:41

Out of curiosity, do you have like multiple hedgehogs? Why do you have hedgehogs?

yamahog > macanamera
09/03/2014 at 13:42

No, I just have Annabelle, on the right. The rest are her stuffed animal friends.

macanamera > yamahog
09/03/2014 at 13:44

Oh I thought you had a lil baby hog too...

So why hedgehogs? I think you are the only person I know, internet or non, with a pet hedgehog.

yamahog > macanamera
09/03/2014 at 13:49

I don't know. I've always wanted one, but my mom wouldn't let me get one when I was younger, and then my senior year of college I was living in a house that allowed pets, so I went out and got her. My boyfriend at the time commented that "you would get the only animal that can physically prevent you from picking it up," so I guess he was saying we're both a bit prickly. She's the best.

macanamera > yamahog
09/03/2014 at 13:50

That's pretty cool.

...what does a hedgehog eat? Pinecones? Prickly pears?

yamahog > macanamera
09/03/2014 at 13:55

LOL. Mostly chicken-based kibble, but she also likes crickets. They eat bugs in the wild.

TurboSloth > scoob
09/03/2014 at 13:58

Customer Service in a supermarket. For minimum wage, you can learn to deal with angry customers, while feeling disgruntled. Seriously, it makes any other job feel great.

Brian Silvestro > scoob
09/03/2014 at 13:59

I'm sure that's the answer I'll receive too when I ask.

macanamera > yamahog
09/03/2014 at 14:01

Ewwww bugsss

Nah, I'm jk. That's cool. 10/10 would play with. Wearing gloves.

AM3R > scoob
09/03/2014 at 15:57

You're in the NY area right? Get a job at wegmans.

Jonathan Harper > scoob
09/03/2014 at 16:36

The one where you work your ass off and don't get paid much.

Mine was at a patio furniture store. I sold so much teak and canvas that summer, it was outrageous I didn't get any commissions.

scoob > AM3R
09/03/2014 at 19:06

I don't think where I'm located has Wegmans, but there are tons of other supermarkets. Plus, every other answer here has been supermarket so I should try that haha.

AM3R > scoob
09/03/2014 at 19:16

Cool, I got a job at wegmans when I was 15 as a cashier. Awesome place to work. Pay is nice and they give you a 40 cent raise twice a year. You also get paid time and a half on Sundays. They were incredibly flexible, I played lacrosse in the spring and they had no problem with it at all. They'll give you time off for anything, and everyone was nice to be around.

Saving for anything in particular? An STi?

scoob > AM3R
09/03/2014 at 19:21

That sounds great! I'll have to check out Stop & Shop and whatever else is around.

And an STi as a first car seems insane. Plus I live in the city, so sadly driving isn't necessary.

AM3R > scoob
09/03/2014 at 19:25

Yeah man good luck, let us know how the search goes.

Think about it like this, because driving isn't necessary you don't NEED something practical!

But yeah, I'd rather just get a WRX and call it a day.

scoob > AM3R
09/03/2014 at 19:29

MIATA! Or if I had the money, maybe a new Mazda3 hatch! Hell there's too many to choose from.

AM3R > scoob
09/03/2014 at 19:34

Kinja'd!!!

I'm currently in love with the 2nd gen mazdaspeed3. It's practical and looks like a ton of fun.

Miata would pretty much be my choice, and I don't even really like verts. Only thing that might suck is winters and no back seat.

davedave1111 > scoob
09/03/2014 at 19:50

Winter's coming up fairly soon, so go work a ski season. If you don't spend all your money partying there's normally nothing much to spend it on, so you can save a little bit. It's also really good fun.

Another job that can be good fun is working in the right kind of kitchen - the bad ones can be hell, but the good ones will be a real eye-opener onto life for a young'un.

Alternatively, you might be able to make more money doing your own thing than working for anyone else.

As far as I can remember, when I was 18 I spent the summer as a bicycle courier - never been fitter in my life, but I wouldn't recommend it - and the winter in the French Alps skiing, partying, and cooking for people.

scoob > davedave1111
09/03/2014 at 21:08

I don't drink or party or smoke, so yay more money! I guess seasonal jobs might be better, thanks!

Conan > scoob
09/03/2014 at 21:40

I worked as computer sales/tech support at the bookstore of a women's college. It was a great job.

Once I got to college I was an education professor's research assistant. Not quite as epic but a lot of the things I use in teaching now came from stuff that I picked up during that time.

A. Something that'll help with what you want to do

B. Cool fringe benefits

Consider both.

scoob > Conan
09/03/2014 at 21:55

Thanks!

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > scoob
09/04/2014 at 00:16

Im turning 18 in 2 months, but what I do is I do a lot of yard work for people, pulling weeds, mowing lawns, shoveling snow, I just recently made $110 unloading a UHaul (no I dea the length, but it was a long uhaul, longer than 17 ft, Im guessing 21 ft). etc. I don't have an official "job" per se, I don't file taxes, I just do odd jobs

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > yamahog
09/04/2014 at 00:19

Hah, I'm going to go to the local state college (University of Idaho) and I live close enough, I can live at home, and tuition is only like $7000 a year, and they have a good engineering program, which is good, because I'm doing electrical engineering.

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > jariten1781
09/04/2014 at 00:23

There is a guy who goes to my church who is a year older than me, (he is just starting freshmen year of college) and he was working at a grain elevator company dealing with samples of wheat, and he was making like 4000 a month (granted he was putting in like 70-80 hour weeks).

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > scoob
09/04/2014 at 10:19

When i was 17 i work for Sony. As a TV salesman.

It's quite a hard job, since you have to stand and continuously explain a feature on a TV, but i knida like it. Plus when i explain a thing i can play top gear on it.

Top Gear on 50" FullHD TV. In 2007.

Mattbob > scoob
09/04/2014 at 12:49

I was working at the photo counter at the walgreens when I turned 18. Later that year I was a co-op for the company I work for now. I suggest doing something that may provide skills later on. Don't be afraid of applying anywhere you think would be good to work even if you think you might not have the skillz. They can be learned on the job.

ACESandEIGHTS > scoob
09/04/2014 at 13:15

Laid asphalt when I wasn't framing. Don't do some stupid bullshit behind a counter or in a kitchen unless you want to. The real key is to show up and act like you care like you're interested, and that's hard or impossible to fake.

Want to use a little graphics or computer skill? Work at Kinko's. Like working outside? Work for your city's grounds crew (you know, landscaping for their park system or whatever). Love motorcycles? Shag for your local dealership.

Don't get roped into something just 'cause you feel like you need money. If the real goal is to kill time during college or before college, do something you can at least stand.

scoob > ACESandEIGHTS
09/04/2014 at 14:24

Thanks! It makes sense. I know a few people who hate their jobs, even though they need the money.