Articles
Internet Celebrates Unlikely Beginnings With #FirstSevenJobs Hashtag
Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda was a Slushie slinger. How about you?
08.12.16
Trending hashtags on Twitter tend to be good for a few quick laughs or a burst of heated political discourse. But the #firstsevenjobs tag falls somewhere inbetween, shedding light on users’ backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, and unusual opportunities they’ve found along the way.
<p><iframe class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-763073464530001924" data-rm-shortcode-id="69JT1J1564674744" frameborder="0" height="150" id="twitter-embed-763073464530001924" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-763073464530001924&created_ts=1470765865.0&screen_name=noaheverett&text=%23FirstSevenJobs%0ASold+fitness+equipment%0AGrocery+stocker%0AGas+station+clerk%0ADirectv+support%0AProgrammer+%2F+Sysadmin%0AWeb+dev%0AFounded+%40Twitpic&id=763073464530001924&name=%E2%9A%A1%EF%B8%8F+Noah" width="100%"></iframe></p><p></p><p>If you’ve spent any time on Twitter this week, you might be wondering whether any successful businesspeople <em>didn’t </em>start out as <a href="https://twitter.com/noaheverett/status/763073464530001924">gas station clerks</a>—or, given how much you probably have in common with <a href="https://twitter.com/AstroTerry/status/762409458920140801">astronaut Terry Virts</a>, perhaps you’re trying to pinpoint the moment your life went astray. </p><p><iframe class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-762409458920140801" data-rm-shortcode-id="P5SL0N1564674744" frameborder="0" height="150" id="twitter-embed-762409458920140801" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-762409458920140801&created_ts=1470607554.0&screen_name=AstroTerry&text=My+%23firstsevenjobs+1%29+paperboy%2C+2%29+orchard+laborer+3%29+sneaker+salesman+4%29+%23USAFA+student+5%29+fighter+pilot+6%29+test+pilot+7%29+astronaut+8%29%3F&id=762409458920140801&name=Terry+Virts" width="100%"></iframe></p><p>Men and women, it would appear, have tended to fall along stereotypical gender lines, with the former taking on a lot of the <a href="https://twitter.com/yegCopywriter/status/763779608944582657">heavy lifting</a> (until they didn’t anymore). </p><p><iframe class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-762829975632302080" data-rm-shortcode-id="KEE2SG1564674744" frameborder="0" height="150" id="twitter-embed-762829975632302080" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-762829975632302080&created_ts=1470707813.0&screen_name=tonygoldwyn&text=Farm+hand%2C+hoagie+maker%2C+ice+cream+scooper%2C+gas+station+attendant%2C+pipeline+surveyor%2C+waiter%2C+actor+%23firstsevenjobs&id=762829975632302080&name=Tony+Goldwyn" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><iframe class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-763415882533974016" data-rm-shortcode-id="7FNFZ71564674744" frameborder="0" height="150" id="twitter-embed-763415882533974016" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-763415882533974016&created_ts=1470847504.0&screen_name=Schwarzenegger&text=%23firstsevenjobs%0AIce+cream+salesman+%28age+10%2C+at+the+lake%29%0AFarmhand%0AGlass+factory+custodian%0AHardware+sales%0ABaker%0ATank+driver%0APersonal+trainer&id=763415882533974016&name=Arnold" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><iframe class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-762722748019855361" data-rm-shortcode-id="JZH4NP1564674744" frameborder="0" height="150" id="twitter-embed-762722748019855361" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-762722748019855361&created_ts=1470682248.0&screen_name=DavidAGoodman&text=Paperboy%0AStock+boy+%0ADishwasher%0ABellhop%0AWaiter%0ASecretary+%0AWriter+for+Golden+Girls%0A%23firstsevenjobs+%28I+like+that+last+jump%29&id=762722748019855361&name=David+Goodman" width="100%"></iframe></p><p>The latter, of course, has had plenty of experience dealing with employment’s <a href="https://twitter.com/itsgariele/status/763763346466275328">softer side</a>—even if they’ve gone on to shatter a glass ceiling or two. </p><p><iframe class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-763763346466275328" data-rm-shortcode-id="HSZTIA1564674744" frameborder="0" height="150" id="twitter-embed-763763346466275328" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-763763346466275328&created_ts=1470930346.0&screen_name=itsgariele&text=%23FirstSevenJobs%3A+housekeeper%2C+grocery+store+cashier%2C+hallmark+cards%2C+virgin+mobile%2C+proactiv%2C+surf+shop%2C+blogger+%F0%9F%8E%89&id=763763346466275328&name=Gariele+Wright" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><iframe class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-762411056060731393" data-rm-shortcode-id="L6A2871564674744" frameborder="0" height="150" id="twitter-embed-762411056060731393" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-762411056060731393&created_ts=1470607935.0&screen_name=KathrynFinney&text=%23firstsevenjobs%0ABabysitter%0AStirrup+pants+expert+%0ACashier%0ACashier-Marshall%27s%0ADenim+expert+at+gap%0AResearch+Assistant%0AWhite+house%2Fsenate+intern&id=762411056060731393&name=Kathryn+Finney" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><iframe class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-763017079154958336" data-rm-shortcode-id="0K90FV1564674745" frameborder="0" height="150" id="twitter-embed-763017079154958336" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-763017079154958336&created_ts=1470752422.0&screen_name=KellywithaY&text=%23firstsevenjobs+%23first7jobs+%40sherylsandberg+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FQu8Y8n6qKX&id=763017079154958336&name=Kelly+%28with+a+y%29" width="100%"></iframe></p><p>The war between millennials and pretty much anyone who came of age before the 2008 recession has been fierce. The winner? Probably the people who are paid for their work.</p><p><iframe class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-761918981649362944" data-rm-shortcode-id="HPAKQ81564674745" frameborder="0" height="150" id="twitter-embed-761918981649362944" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-761918981649362944&created_ts=1470490615.0&screen_name=KhanStopMe&text=%23FirstSevenJobs%0AUnpaid+internship.%0AUnpaid+internship.%0AUnpaid+internship.%0AUnpaid+internship.%0AUnpaid+internship.%0AUnpaid+internship.%0ADeath.&id=761918981649362944&name=taha" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><iframe class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-761876895013015552" data-rm-shortcode-id="7B7ZUK1564674745" frameborder="0" height="150" id="twitter-embed-761876895013015552" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-761876895013015552&created_ts=1470480581.0&screen_name=bubblyphil&text=%23firstsevenjobs+%0A%0A-+nothing+%E2%9D%8C%0A-+pls+employ+me+%F0%9F%99%8B%F0%9F%8F%BB%0A-+i+need+money+%F0%9F%92%B8%F0%9F%92%B0%F0%9F%92%B5%0A-+help+%F0%9F%97%A3%0A-%0A-%0A-&id=761876895013015552&name=kristina+%E2%AD%95%EF%B8%8F" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><iframe class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-762076958100484096" data-rm-shortcode-id="9D8KVG1564674746" frameborder="0" height="150" id="twitter-embed-762076958100484096" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-762076958100484096&created_ts=1470528280.0&screen_name=Lin_Manuel&text=%23first7jobs+%0ASlushee+machine+at+my+aunt%27s+store%0AIntern+for+WNET%0AMcD%27s...register%0AData+entry%0ADrawing+1+model%0ACommunity+paper+writer%0ATeacher&id=762076958100484096&name=Lin-Manuel+Miranda" width="100%"></iframe></p><p>It turns out that <a href="http://www.marketplace.org/2016/08/08/world/firstsevenjobs-twitter-meme-began-song">hashtag started</a> with a <a href="https://twitter.com/mariancall/status/761366330511544320">songwriter</a> looking for inspiration. Now, it’s turned into an anthropological study of American ambition.</p><p><iframe class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-761955533083455492" data-rm-shortcode-id="TSICLF1564674746" frameborder="0" height="150" id="twitter-embed-761955533083455492" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-761955533083455492&created_ts=1470499330.0&screen_name=Hawkietta&text=The+%23FirstSevenJobs+trend+is+really+great%2C+especially+for+those+of+us+who+are+still+in+our+first+couple+and+are+struggling+to+see+the+future&id=761955533083455492&name=Hawkietta" width="100%"></iframe></p><p>(Well, that—and an opportunity to mock a certain orange politician and his privileged upbringing.)</p><p dir="ltr"><iframe class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-762061993448607744" data-rm-shortcode-id="OUTSRM1564674746" frameborder="0" height="150" id="twitter-embed-762061993448607744" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-762061993448607744&created_ts=1470524712.0&screen_name=georgedovel&text=%23firstsevenjobs%0ASpoiled+rich+punk%0ABankruptcy+goer+into+of%0AMeat+salesman%0A%22University%22%0ASome+reality+TV+B.S.%0ACandidate+for+Prez%0AWalmart+greeter&id=762061993448607744&name=George+Patrick+Dovel" width="100%"></iframe></p>
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