First Job Series: Greg DeBacker

First Job: Sirloin of America

14 | $1.50 per hour

Responsibilities:

“Bussing tables, dishwashing and assisting in the kitchen.”

Why did you choose this as your first job?

“It was close to where I lived. I rode my bike to a new restaurant under construction. It was nearly completed, and I asked about a job. I never filled out a job application. He told me to come back the next day and unload a semi-trailer full of chairs and tables.”

What memory pops into your head about your first job?

“I have never had to fill out a job application.”

What life lesson did you learn from this job?

“I used a portion of my first paycheck to splurge on a banana split at the Dairy Queen. It was hot and I rode my bike to the DQ. I had never had a banana split and I imagined it to be a very great treat. About halfway through eating it, I was getting quite full. It was melting quickly in the hot weather. I could not let it go to waste, as I had spent hard earned money on it. I finished it before it melted completely. I then had to pedal my bike home in the hot weather with a stomach too full of a dairy product. Indulgence in a life’s pleasure is not always necessarily a good thing.”

What advice would you give to a kid starting their first job?

“Work harder than what the boss expects. Always find something to keep busy. Do not stand around. Do something.”