How many years of your life have you worked?

48 years according to my Social Security records. Probably really 50 years as the neighbors across the street built apartments and paid their son and I to put the handles on the kitchen and bathroom cabinets. That was cash and limited hours as I was only 14.
 
Got my first paying job when I was 9 - and my first ‘real’ job that counted towards SS when I turned 16 and then retired at 66 - so either 57 or 50 years - depending on how you count.
 
I need an algorithm to answer
Age 12-18 3 months a summer in the agriculture fields of Stayton Oregon

18-22 as a university student 3 months a summer to can/freeze agriculture products

No jobs available in degrees so worked retail for 2 years... needed a paid vacation ..so joined the Army for 3 years

Then worked 15 years until I heard in 1998 about the eBay gold Rush.. that was work!!!!... retirement came 2017
 
I got my first paying gig at 16. Worked weekends and holidays for a couple of years.
Started full time work at 18.
I'm 68 now and still working full time.
So 52 years?

But I've always been in entertainment so I've never had a real job.
 
Yikes! When I read the above I thought, "I better retire."

But I ain't got time for that.
 
I worked for nearly 18 years, from the year I graduated high school to the time I became pregnant. I stopped working to be a stay-at-home mom and never worked outside of the home again.
 
Started at 14 with a paper route and still going strong 50 years later. Not planning on retiring for another 6ish years. I really like my job and have great benefits and get to work remotely 2 days a week, so no rush to retire:)
 
Had my first job (part time) at 16 years old and the last time I worked for a pay check (also part time) was when I was 70. I guess that adds up to 54 years. If you are asking about full time. My first full time job was the USAF at 20 for 4 years and I retired from my last full time job at age 62 or 42 years. I've always had at least a part time job in the 16 to 70 category. Those early years were through High School and College.
 
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I have come full circle. I started working consistently for pay at age 13. That was typically 14 hours a week during school months and then 5 or 6 days a week in the summer.

Now I am working 15 hours a week during school months and off summers.
 
44 years. Started when I was 14 and have had a job ever since. Looking at the answers, it looks like many that started in their teens started at that age. Makes me wonder if that was the minimum age decades ago. Now, in my area, you have to be 15 with a work permit to be hired.
 
As a semi "farm kid" I started helping as able before I was 10. My siblings and I worked as free labor for the family business, our pay was a house, food, electricity, and whatnot.

I got my first job with an actual paycheck at 14, I was a telemarketer. :teeth:

Not counting my time as an unpaid laborer, I will say 40 years this year. I have worked as a paid employee (now partner) of the family business for 25 years this fall. My goal is to semi-retire at 60, which will be in 5 years...
 




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