Jan. 26, 2026

Lessons Learned from My First Jobs - Grocery Store Bagger

Lessons Learned from My First Jobs - Grocery Store Bagger
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Lessons Learned from My First Jobs - Grocery Store Bagger

Lessons Learning from My First Jobs - Grocery Store Bagger. This is episode 812 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast.

Did you have a job or two before you entered your career field? Maybe you started in high school and then college before finally entering the path that you were ultimately focused on achieving. Just to be clear, when I say a job, I do mean working for someone other than your father or parent or guardian. Actually, having a boss and getting an official paycheck - you know one where taxes are removed from your gross pay?

My first job that fits this description was grocery store bagger for a local branch of Pantry Pride. A fairly large store that was just about everywhere in Florida during the 70s and 80s.  In this role I bagged groceries and offered to help you take them to your car. That was my main purpose, but the role had many other requirements. Some of them included - spot mopping, straightening aisles and restocking shelves, retrieving shopping carts from the park lot, and assisting customers. It was a great learning experience. I had a great boss and several co-workers that made time spent fun.

While I was a grocery bagger, I learned several skills and lessons that have been impactful to this day. During this reflection I will share those skills that have remained with me all these years. This episode is the first in a multiple part series that looks at these early jobs and what stayed with me as I moved forward in my adult life.

Did you have a first job that created lessons that impact you and your job today? What were those lifelong lessons? It would be great if you shared those lessons with me. If you go to my website there is a box that lets you contact me. There also is a place that you could leave me a voice message.

Thanks for listening. Please share. 

All the best!

Steve

Images downloaded from: 1. Shopping cart and 2. Grocery Aisle

Length - 24:11

01:20 - What I mean by first jobs.

01:58 - The Short Series

03:08 - Being a Grocery Store Bagger

05:03 - Any other assigned duties

08:01 - Lessons learned

11:03 - You always have something to do

17:44 - Important Lesson Learned

20:39 - Two Lessons and What about You?