Boomers’ First Jobs vs. Gen Z’s First Jobs

First jobs are a steppingstone no matter what decade you were born in. Many skills can be learned whether you get your first job at 13 or 19 or even after. Most jobs are typically a way for young people to earn extra cash, learn about the workforce, and build skills and experience. When a person gets their first job, they will learn how to communicate, manage their time, work hard, and much more. Generation through generation, jobs have changed; what was deemed necessary 50 years ago may not be as popular today. Furthermore, available jobs now weren't necessarily available 50 years ago. In this article, we will look at Boomers' first jobs vs. Gen Z's first jobs.

The Boomers', or the Baby Boomers', are the generation of people born between 1946 and 1964. They received their generational name because they were all conceived after World War II. This results in a significant boom in the number of babies being born.

Today, the Boomers are between the ages of 61 and 79. Throughout their upbringing, they experienced a time of economic flourishing and are often described as having a strong work ethic and influential as you can see based on Boomers' first jobs. This is because they had a hand in influencing social change.

Gen Z is the population born between 1997 and 2012. This means that they are between the ages of 13 and 28. Gen Z is growing up in the age of technology. This has led most of them to be very tech-savvy. Additionally, many from this generation aren't scared to take risks, leading them to entrepreneurship.

Gen Z values self-expression, inclusion, and collaboration. All these skills have come in handy as this newest generation enters the workforce.

If you are unfamiliar with generational names or want a refresher, here is the breakdown:

• The Greatest Generation (1901-1927)
• Silent Generation ( 1928-1945)
• Baby Boomers ( 1946-1964)
• Generation X (965-1980)
• Millennial Generation ( 1981-1996)
• Generation Z (-2012)
• Gen Alpha (2013-2024)
• Generation Beta (2025-2039)

Throughout the years, first jobs have been a rite of passage. While some may have changed over the decades, the purpose remains the same. To introduce the concept of working, the importance of managing time, communication, and many more positive skills.

Boomers' have always been described as hard-working. They grew up during a time of economic prosperity.

Gen Z is the newest generation to enter the workforce. As the numbers roll in, more and more Gen Z teens are choosing to work, more so than the generations before them.

Look at Boomers' first jobs versus Gen Zer's' first jobs.

Being a newspaper boy was a typical first job for young children and teens. Every morning, these kids receive their bundle of newspapers early in the morning. They would take their papers on a set route, utilizing their bikes to help make the route faster.

Starting young helped instill a sense of hard work in these children.

Today, many Gen Zers choose to work at a local grocery or retail store. Often, their first job includes working at the cash register.

While this job didn't pay, many teenage girls would volunteer their time to become Candy Stripes during this period. A Candy Striper volunteered at a hospital to help care for patients, grab documents, and clean up.

The name Candy Striper came from their uniform, which was a red and white striped dress. These dresses looked a lot like candy canes.

As work-from-home jobs become available, customer support has become increasingly popular. While this isn't a job for a young teen, young adults entering the workforce may choose this occupation as an entry-level job.

Not all customer service positions are work from home, but many are. Their responsibilities include asking questions from customers, resolving complaints, and setting appointments.

A soda jerk was popular between the 1920s and 1950s. This occupation began to disappear in the later decade, although they could still be found in the 1960s.

A soda jerk's primary responsibility was prepping the sodas and ice cream for customers.

Fast food is often the first choice for young teens entering the workforce. These positions include taking orders, preparing the food, and cleaning the restaurant.

One everyday job for young kids and teens included yard work. While many helped their parents in their yards, it didn't stop there. It wasn't uncommon for a boomer to go from door to door and ask people in the neighborhood if they could take care of their yard.

Tasks included mowing the lawn, trimming bushes, gathering leaves, and more.

Another first job choice that has always remained popular is waiter or waitress. The waitstaff is often the first people that customers see. They take their table orders, bring their food, and are the ones who will resolve any issues that come up.

Another popular first job for Boomers' that is still popular today includes bagging groceries. This job allowed young teens to learn social skills and how to talk to customers. Additionally, the work ethic gained during this job helps prepare the way for future positions.

Gen Z is considered the technological generation because they are the first generation to grow primarily with technology. They are tech-savvy because they have seen how quickly things change.

Content creators are precisely what it sounds like. They create content for those on the internet to consume. These include videos, audio, articles, or blog posts.

This is an excellent first job for Gen Zers because the social media landscape is constantly changing. Gen Zers are adaptable and attuned to the diverse way content can be distributed. Not to mention, content creation has no ceiling for how much income is possible. There is a wide range of possibilities, with top content creators making millions.

For young girls, a typical first job was often babysitting. It wasn't abnormal for older sisters to care for their siblings while their parents were away. This job often extended to the neighbors and family members.

Babysitting is still a common first job for many teenagers today.

Working in retail is still a popular choice for those looking for a first job. Typically, this job includes working in sales in some form. Responsibilities may include stocking shelves, pricing products, maintaining the stores, and interacting with customers.

Today, bowling alleys have automatic pin setters to make life easier. However, it wasn't always this way. Bowling alleys used to have young boys set up the pins manually after each turn. They would also bring the balls back to the people playing the game.

Today, a theater attendant works in some capacity at the movie theater. This includes those who scan and sell the tickets. Movie theater attendants are also responsible for helping customers, cleaning the movie theater, prepping refreshments, and keeping track of stock.

Theater ushers were there to ensure every person was having a good time. They would often stand at the front of the entrance and usher each person to their seats.

Additionally, they were responsible for checking tickets, giving playbills to customers, and taking care of anything that may be considered disruptive.

Today, theaters still technically have ushers. However, their jobs look a bit different.

Gen Z is often described as bold and not scared to take risks. This means that for many of them, starting their own business doesn't scare them away. They are willing to take a chance to open up an e-commerce shop and their own business, which can be very successful with hard work and consistency.

However, working in e-commerce doesn't always mean setting up their own e-commerce shops first. Typical first e-commerce jobs can include working for another company in digital marketing, customer service, or fulfilling products.

A typical first job often included being a shoeshine boy. Their responsibilities were cleaning a person's shoe and applying shoeshine afterward.

Most of Gen Z are online and many of them have no fear of taking their shot as a social media influencer. A social media influencer is precisely how it sounds. Someone who has built a large social media following, who can influence their followers' behaviors, opinions, and habits.

While this isn't necessarily easy, several Gen Zers have taken the risk and become highly successful. A few Social Media Influencers that are also Gen Zers include:

• Khaby Lame
• Addison Rae
• Brooklyn and Bailey McKnight
• Sydney Adams
• Zach King

The job landscape has changed in several ways, from when Boomers' entered their first jobs to when Gen Z took to the stage. However, in some areas, they have remained the same. There are still needs for workers such as babysitters, cashiers, or retail workers.

However, as new tech has risen, many newbies are choosing a new way, including social media influencing and content creation. Although change is a common theme, work ethic is still prevalent as each new generation takes on their first jobs.