When you’re a college student hustling to make ends meet—by flipping burgers, cleaning houses, babysitting, hauling couches, you name it—it’s easy to feel impatient. What you’re doing right now is far from what you’d like to do someday. We get it! Keep your morale up by remembering how many ultra-successful Americans started off with jobs that were less than glamorous. Keep working hard and the sky is your limit, too.
Oprah Winfrey’s first job as a teenager was working at a local grocery store.
Mark Cuban sold garbage bags door-to-door at age 12.
Stephen King spent many years working in factories and working night shifts as a janitor before his writing career became sufficient to support his young family. (Flexible job opportunities that fit any schedule are what QuadJobs is all about. Only have a few hours each week to make some extra bucks? You’ll be surprised at how many local job opportunities can still fit the bill.)
Jerry Seinfeld sold light bulbs over the phone. (QuadJobs has many virtual jobs—meaning jobs that can be done anywhere, like Jerry’s first gig—so take a look if that works well for you!)
Growing up, Beyonce’s mother owned a beauty salon. Her first job was sweeping up hair.
Michael Dell washed dishes at a local Chinese restaurant.
Keith Richards worked as a ball boy at a local tennis club.
Tina Fey worked at a swim club snack bar. (QuadJobs has lots of posts for summer and seasonal employment opportunities, including jobs at local country clubs and summer camp counselor positions, so take a look!)
Barack Obama scooped ice cream for Baskin Robbins. Julia Roberts worked the ice cream counter, too!
Matthew McConaughey shoveled chicken manure.
Honestly, compared to the way that many high achievers got their start, the local jobs on our site look downright fabulous! Take some time to polish up your profile and start applying. The world is your oyster, but you’ve got to start somewhere!
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QuadJobs is an online platform connecting college and graduate students to local jobs. From Saturday night babysitting to moving a couch to helping a local business during a busy time, students find flexible jobs that fit into whatever free time they have. By streamlining the employment connection between campus and community, QuadJobs unlocks jobs particularly well-suited for students’ busy, often changing schedules. The platform tracks every job a student takes and gathers performance reviews. Small jobs matter—they help a student network, earn income, and build a track record of work experience. Local employers can hire with efficiency and confidence.