My Very First Job

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Exchange personal work histories to identify shared themes and lessons from early work experiences.

Use it when: Use during team launches, onboarding sessions, or community cohorts to build mutual understanding across diverse backgrounds.

Skip it when: Skip when group members are experiencing active workplace distress or when personal storytelling would create vulnerability risks.

Group arrangement: Individual reflection, then trios or quartets, followed by whole-room debrief

Timing: Source suggests 45 to 90 minutes. This 45-minute UWT plan uses small breakout groups so all participants can share within the allotted time.

Materials and tools

• One index card or notepad sheet per participant
• One pen or pencil per participant
• One countdown timer visible to the room
• One pack of sticky notes per subgroup of 3 to 4 people
• One flip chart or white board with dry erase markers

Before participants arrive

1. Arrange chairs in clusters of 3 to 4, or set up breakout spaces.
2. Distribute one note card and pen to every chair.
3. Draw two columns on the main flip chart labeled 'Common Themes' and 'Work Lessons'.

Say this to open

Today we are looking back at our very first jobs, whether formal, family chores, or informal neighborhood gigs. The focus is not on prestige or job titles, but on what that experience meant to you. You will take three minutes to reflect on what you did, how you felt, and one thing you learned. Then you will share your story in small groups.

How to run it

1. Introduce purpose and boundaries 4 minutes

   Read the opening script. Explain that informal work, such as babysitting, yard work, or unpaid family labor, counts equally. Remind everyone that sharing is voluntary and people may choose how much personal detail to disclose.

2. Write personal reflection 5 minutes

   Ask participants to work silently on their note card. Provide the three prompt questions: 1. What was the work? 2. How did you feel doing it? 3. What did you learn that still matters? A neutral example: 'I bagged groceries at 15, felt overwhelmed by the fast pace, and learned how to talk to strangers under pressure.' Anyone who prefers not to share their own first job may reflect on an early volunteer role or observe silently.

3. Share stories in small groups 20 minutes

   Form groups of 3 or 4 participants. Set a timer for 4 minutes per person. Group members take turns sharing their story with no interruptions while others practice active listening. While listening, group members write recurring feelings, values, or lessons on sticky notes.

4. Collect themes on the wall 6 minutes

   Invite one representative from each small group to post their sticky notes under 'Common Themes' or 'Work Lessons' on the main flip chart. Have groups group similar notes together as they place them.

5. Facilitate whole-room debrief 10 minutes

   Gather everyone back together. Call on 3 to 4 volunteers across different groups to answer the debrief questions based on the posted themes. Conclude the session on time.

Debrief questions

• What common patterns or surprising differences showed up across our early jobs?
• What skills or values from those early roles still influence how you work today?

Finished output: A flip chart or digital board populated with sticky notes detailing shared themes and lessons from the group's early work experiences.

Remote

Use main room for introduction and debrief. Send participants into breakout rooms of 3 to 4 people for 20 minutes. Use an online collaborative board (such as Miro or Google Slides) with designated workspaces for each breakout team to post digital sticky notes with their key takeaways.

Hybrid

Keep in-person attendees in on-site small groups and place remote attendees in virtual breakout rooms. All groups post their themes onto a shared digital board displayed on the physical room screen so both cohorts can see and discuss the collective output simultaneously.

Access and participation choices

• Participants may choose informal labor, family duties, or volunteer tasks if they have no formal first job.
• Participants may pass on verbal sharing and simply contribute an anonymous lesson on a sticky note.

If the session gets stuck

One person speaks for too long during the small group storytelling round.

Provide a clear 4-minute time signal or prompt the group to use a timer on a smartphone to ensure each speaker gets equal time.

A participant cannot recall their first job or feels uncomfortable discussing their early background.

Invite them to describe an early group project, family responsibility, or community task instead, or to act as the group scribe.

Terms used here

• Informal work: Work performed outside formal employment contracts, including babysitting, yard care, odd jobs, or helping with family responsibilities.