The First Jobs of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

You’ve gotta walk before you run. Earn your stripes. Pay your dues.

We’ve all heard these things growing up, though it can be hard to see the big picture while keeping your head down in the nitty gritty of your first job. Aside from babysitting gigs, my first paying job was at a café pouring coffee, slicing bagels, and assembling sandwiches. Many, many steps led me to my current role as a writer, but I gained a lot of skills from that first one: customer service, multitasking, food safety, cash handling, and, on some days, functioning effectively at 5:30 am.

If you’re feeling discouraged in your job search or stuck in your current career, take a look at where two of today’s most influential people got their start in the working world and remember: we all have to begin somewhere!

Wikipedia

Hillary Clinton: At age 13, Clinton worked three days a week during the summer overseeing activities at a small park near her home in Park Ridge, IL. She hauled recreational supplies such as balls, bats, and jump ropes back and forth.

As unexciting as this job may sound on the surface, serving the community in any capacity can be rewarding. Plus, if you’re an outdoor enthusiast, staying active and enjoying fresh air while being paid is a pretty sweet gig.

While Clinton didn’t ultimately pursue a career in the parks service, you can find a variety of opportunities on iHireSportsandRecreation or iHireEnvironmental if your passion lies in those fields.

Wikipedia

Donald Trump: Trump’s father took him and his brother along to real estate construction sites to gather empty soda bottles and redeem them for cash. This was his first form of income, and while he didn’t make much, it taught him the value of money and hard work despite growing up in a wealthy family.

Though performing a highly menial task, Trump was exposed to the real estate business and was able to observe professionals in the field. There’s no replacement for real-world experience and mentoring/shadowing relationships can be invaluable. Even if you discover you strongly dislike a certain industry, you still learned something.

If you’re considering a career in real estate or want to find your next great opportunity in this sector, check out iHireRealEstate.

Ready to explore careers and head down a new path? Find your iHire community and get started today!

Sources:

Rachel Gillett & Richard Feloni – The unglamorous first jobs of Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and 18 other highly successful people

Carol S. Hook – 10 Things You Didn't Know About Hillary Clinton

Tom Van Riper – First Job: Donald Trump