How far back do we go? First 'job' was at 12 years old doing a local paper round. After that:
14-16 - Hairdressers assistant, washing hair, cleaning up, running errands. As an aside, the shop was part of a chain of three that was essentially set up as part of a drugs ring. My mate and I were paid £10 every Saturday then the boss would come round and throw designer gear and aftershave at us to keep schtum!
16-18 - Working Saturdays and holidays in my local guitar shop. Got paid £20 a day, 100% pay rise on my previous job, living the dream.
I wasn't academically led, plus I wanted to be a musician and my school told me that wouldn't be possible, so left after my A-Levels in a blaze of glory.
18-20 - Worked full-time at aforementioned music shop, then 3-4 evenings a week in the pub across the road. Also a writing and performing musician around London. At 19 the pub offered me an AM position for more money, so swapped roles and went part-time at the music shop.
20-22 - went full-time with my band, gigging, recording, touring etc. We were largely unsuccessful, got signed up but ruined it with believing in our own hype and taking the 'musician lifestyle' too seriously. Disbanded when I was 21, did some solo stuff for a while.
22-23 - took out a loan and spent 11 months on a media course up in Yorkshire. They didn't just focus on skills, but also personal development. Was a bit weird, like a boot camp, but I did a lot of growing up in my time there.
23-24 - got a job at a small tv channel, churning out all that really crap Call TV stuff. Learnt a hell of a lot though as I was moved up the ranks quite quickly. A lot of current TV personalities started at the channel, so was a good breeding ground for both in front of and behind the camera talent.
24-29 - worked as a freelance cameraman/director. Did everything, TV, sport, music, corporate, weddings etc. Favourite jobs were all the music stuff and of course, up in the gantry at The Lane doing cameras for the jumbotron. I would imagine all of you have seen some of my handiwork at some point
Also, got a second wind for songwriting again at this time, worked with a couple of really cool musicians, but now doing it more for the love than an actual career.
29-31 - moved to NZ. Couldn't get any camera work for love nor money. Ended up temping and then going full-time at Auckland Council! In the building department. Actually one of my favourite jobs. Start at 8, finish at half 4, and I still felt like I had half the day to do whatever I wanted. Lovely lifestyle. Started gigging with some NZ acts and got a tiny deal with a very small label. Best time of my life so far.
31-32 - had to leave NZ due to visa issues. Went to Sydney for a year. Back to freelancing, first job in Sydney was a Dr Who Symphonic Spectacular at the Opera House, shooting for screens. Couldn't believe my luck! Did quite well out of freelancing in my year there and worked on some pretty awesome stuff. Also regularly gigging, both as an originals and covers act.
32-33 - Couldn't get the visa to go back to NZ, so now back in London. Another twist, a mate of mine owns a headhunting agency for advertising/creative and asked me if I wanted to join. I told him 'absolutely not', couldn't think of anything worse than recruitment/headhunting. He told me to come in for a chat and I entertained him. Been working at the agency for a year now! Really awesome company, very little in terms of actually having to be sales-y or as my boss calls it, a 'coked-up estate agent', like so many recruiters are. Quite bespoke searches which I find attractive.
Also, just got a band together for the first time in a while (I used to go out as a solo artist after my original band split). Still have the deal in NZ, they're happy to wait for me to record with the band in the New Year and they'll distribute it. The end goal is to get back to NZ within the next 5 years, either as a muso or through the skills list in recruitment (will probably go back to camera work or dare I say it, Auckland Council when we do go back).