First job experiences: What motivates Americans?

Whether you’re stepping into a job straight out of college, or you decided to take a little gap year to experience the world and work out what is you want to do, every single one of use has experienced what it’s like to step into their first job. 

Whether it’s fast food, retail, or childcare, these early roles play a huge part in shaping our work ethics, skills, and independence for life, as well as whether or not it motivates us to change our career away from where we might start out. 

Right now, stats provided by Statista show that 41.5% of 16–24-year-olds are currently working in the US. With that in mind we wanted to get an insight into what sorts of jobs they were working, and what their experience was like stepping into their first full-time role. 

Simply put, we want to know what drives some Americans to start working as soon as they’re old enough. 

So, to find all this stuff out, we conducted a nationwide survey to reveal the most common first jobs across America, as well as the key reasons why people decided to take that all-important first step into the world of work. 

Let’s get into it! 

What are the most common first jobs for Americans? 

It goes without saying that the majority of first jobs are often entry-level position – the kind of work that give young people their first taste of financial independence without overburdening them with workplace responsibilities. 

Case and point, our data reveals that many Americans began their working lives in familiar roles we’ve probably all heard of, with the most common first jobs across the country being in the fast-food (15%). 

In fact, this industry dominates our data as the go-to first job for many Americans, offering entry-level opportunities for teenagers across the country without the need to niche or trained skills sets they might not have. 

Following on from this, fast food was closely tracked by the classic teen job of babysitting (12%), before capping off our top 3 with working in retail (11%). The, just below these, we had restaurant server (8%) and grocery store cashier (7%) – again, all jobs we’re no doubt familiar with as being our first step into the working world. 

First job preferences by gender 

Besides looking at which jobs are most common overall, we wanted to see how first jobs differed on a gender basis. And while there were some differences between the first jobs men and women tended to take, there were also notable similarities. 

For example, fast food roles proved a popular choice for both genders, with 16% of men and 15% of women starting their careers as fast-food workers, potentially because these jobs offer flexible hours and easy entry into the workforce. 

Alongside this, the retail sector proved to be another common starting point for men and women, with 8% of men we spoke with stating they began work as retail sales associate, alongside 13% of women, showing that retail offers a wide range of opportunities for young people regardless of gender. 

However, the biggest difference with gender and work comes in caregiving roles. Babysitting is the top choice for women, with 21% starting in childcare, while very few men reported it as their first job. Men, on the other hand, are more likely to take on manual labor roles, with 8% beginning as dishwashers in local restaurants. 

First job preferences by age 

So, there’s a clear divide for some jobs when it comes to gender, but how has the job market and societal influences impacted on which sort of jobs younger generations are starting out with compared to senior staff? 

Well, according to our survey, among the 18-24 age group, fast food workers were by far the most common first job, with 25% of people surveyed in this age range starting there. This was then closely followed by retail sales associate (15%) and babysitter (13%) 

Again, all three of these are likely so popular because they offer flexible hours and opportunities to gain valuable experience while also balancing school and other commitments. 

Perhaps more interestingly, however, these results actually share a striking similarity to the first jobs picked by Americans aged 65 and over, with babysitter coming out as most common first job at 13%, followed by retail sales associate at 10%. 

But our results also show how some first time jobs simply don’t exist anymore, with older generations being far more likely to have started work as newspaper delivery workers (8%), reflecting job trends that have shifted with time as technology and job markets have changed. 

First job preferences by state 

When it comes to first jobs, where you live can make a big difference – after all, not all places offer the same work opportunities as others. 

For example, in states like Arizona, Mississippi, and New Jersey, working as a retail sales associate was the most common way for young people to enter the workforce, with retail being a big player in these areas and therefore offering lots of entry-level roles. 

Alternatively, in states such as Texas, Georgia, and Indiana, fast food is king. Fast food worker is the top job here, with plenty of opportunities for teenagers looking to gain work experience in the industry. 

Meanwhile, in states like California, New York, and Ohio, babysitting takes the lead. These areas seem to have more demand for childcare, making Babysitting a popular first job for many young people. 

Regardless, these trends show that the local job market plays a big role in shaping the kinds of opportunities available. Whether it’s retail, fast food, or babysitting, each state has its own unique job landscape that gives young people a start in their working lives. 

What motivates Americans to get their first job? 

While the types of first jobs people may hold inevitably vary, it turns out that the reasons for getting them are often similar. Financial independence appears to be the top motivator for young people, with 32% of Americans taking their first job to earn their own money. 

Naturally, this was then followed by those looking to gain work experience, with 31% seeking to build their skills early on so that they have the tools they need to excel later in life. 

But alongside these two expected reasons we also had many young people being driven by the desire to take on responsibility (28%), as well as those seeking to achieve personal growth (19%). 

Other common reasons include wanting a sense of independence (18%) and contributing to family finances (16%). And for some, encouragement from parents (15%) or the opportunity to learn new skills (14%) played a big role in taking that first step into the workforce. 

From first jobs to leadership: Joanna Swash’s career journey 

Whatever your career aspirations, first jobs almost always serve as a steppingstone for future achievements. And Joanna Swash, Group CEO of Moneypenny, is a perfect example of how early work experiences can shape future success. 

Starting in various entry-level roles, Joanna has risen to lead a global company that specializes in answering services, one driven by the values of responsibility, customer care, and innovation – values that she learned early on in her work careers. 

Her leadership journey can offer inspiration for young workers everywhere, demonstrating how the skills and ethics gained from even the most basic roles can pave the way to long-term success. 

Laying the foundations for success 

As our survey shows, first jobs in America do more than just provide a paycheck for teenagers and people leaving home for the first time – they help young people build essential skills like responsibility, teamwork, and problem-solving. Whether it’s fast food or babysitting, these experiences shape their future careers. 

Of course, sometimes the skills we develop are not enough for us to succeed on our own, and we might need a helping hand from others – and that’s exactly where an answering service like that offered by Moneypenny can help. 

Specializing in helping businesses of all sizes deliver great customers service, with Moneypenny’s virtual receptionists at your side, you’ll never miss a call. Get in touch today to find out more about what our team can do for you!