MY FIRST JOB A — James My first job was delivering newspapers before school. Dragging myself out of bed at dawn nearly finished me in the first week — I had never realised how early five o'clock actually feels. But I stuck at it, and after a few months I had saved enough from my wages to buy the racing bike I had been dreaming about for years. My boss was strict about punctuality, but always fair. In the end I gave the round up when my final school exams started getting closer; there simply weren't enough hours in the day for both. B — Emma I spent two summers waitressing in a busy café by the river. At first, rude customers would ruin my whole shift — I took every complaint personally. Gradually I learned to take a breath, smile and deal with the problem instead of letting it upset me, and that skill has been useful ever since. The pay was nothing special, but counting my tips at the end of a shift taught me how hard every single pound is to earn. The best part? Three of the people I worked with that first summer are still among my closest friends today. C — Tom When I was fifteen, I helped my uncle on his fruit and vegetable stall at the weekend market. He had promised me a proper wage, but when payday came it was always a little less than we had agreed — there was forever some excuse about a slow morning or a broken crate. It taught me a lesson I have never forgotten: agree the money clearly before you start, not after. The big surprise was discovering I was actually good at selling. I could talk a hesitating customer into a full bag of apples, and I loved every minute of it. D — Sophie The summer I turned seventeen, I worked as an assistant at a children's holiday camp. I only applied because my mother insisted, and I was convinced I would spend six weeks hating every minute — I had never been particularly patient with small children. To my amazement, I loved it from the very first day. The work was exhausting and the days were long, but watching a shy little boy finally join the others around the campfire made me prouder than any school certificate ever had. Before that summer I had planned to study economics; I am now in my second year of teacher training.