My first job is actually two jobs – I started them both about the same time. At 16 there were few things I loved more than snowboarding – to be honest the same could be said for now – but snowboarding, that was my passion, so my first few jobs complimented this love perfectly.
I worked for 6 hours a week, on a Sunday, at Sheffield Ski Village in what was the boot room, handing out ski and snowboard books and measuring people for skis and boards for their lessons or slope trips. We weren’t paid in money, but if you worked, you got to ride for free all week…..plus I got to hang out with some amazing people, make some great friends and develop some swoon worthy crushes! About a year go, the ski village burnt down. Such a sad time
I also worked for a company called Free Spirit, an outdoor clothing store in Meadowhall. It sold all the snowboard brands I loved, walking stuff, biking stuff, climbing stuff and I got a hefty discount too. I worked for the company, in it’s various guises for years and years, I started with them at 16, working one day a week, mostly for the free clothing, until I went on my first season and I finished my last job with them at 23 after I’d moved to the Leeds store during uni. At one point, in the second year of uni 3 of my housemates, my then boyfriend and 3 of my other close friend all worked there – pulling a sickie was always easy as someone would always cover for you!
Not bad for my first jobs, hu?