The First Jobs Report: What Gen Z’s First Jobs Are Really Like

We asked 605 Gen Z workers ages 18 to 21 to look back on their first jobs: how they got hired, how ready they felt walking in, and what they wish someone had told them. Landing the job turned out to be the easy part. Feeling ready for it was a different story.

Most of them started young, a lot of them started in food service, and many were handed real responsibility before anyone trained them. Our take is simple: the safety basics are worth learning before your first shift, not during it.

Jump to: Starting Out · First Jobs · Training Gaps · Food Service · Certification

When Does Gen Z Start Working?

Usually around 16, which was the most common age for a first job in our survey. Plenty of them wish they had started sooner, too. That was true for 55% of the people we asked.

So what kept them from starting sooner? These were the biggest reasons:

• 49% were focused on school
• 45% were too young for most jobs
• 34% didn’t have a reliable ride

That last one hit rural teens hardest, since they were 26% more likely than average to say transportation held them back. If getting there is your hurdle, drivers ed is a good place to start.

And once that first paycheck landed? Nearly half (49%) spent part of it on food or eating out, while 43% put some of it into savings.

What Were Gen Z’s First Jobs?

Food service came out on top. Here’s where the people in our survey got their start:

• Food service or restaurants: 24%
• Babysitting or childcare: 17%
• Retail: 16%

Getting hired wasn’t much of a hurdle for most of them. More than half (54%) called it easy, and almost a third (31%) didn’t have to go looking at all, because someone asked them or someone they knew offered them the job.

Parents were a big part of the story. 64% say a parent helped them get their first job, and the help was often practical, like a ride to the application or interview. For some families it kept going after the hire, with 28% of respondents getting coached by a parent on what to say to a manager or coworker.

A newer kind of help showed up, too. About 1 in 5 (19%) used AI tools while they were applying, usually to prepare for interview questions.

Where Does Gen Z Feel Undertrained?

In a lot of places, starting on day one. 1 in 5 started their first shift without any training, and another 13% got less than an hour of it.

That would matter less if the job eased them in, but it usually didn’t. At some point during their first job:

• 89% made decisions with no supervisor around
• 66% handled money
• 63% were the only person on shift or in charge

Most of them figured it out as they went. 76% say they learned most of their first job by trial and error, and 59% were expected to know things nobody had taught them. For one grill cook, that lesson was painful:

“[I worked] my station alone with very little training… cleaning the grill which was extremely hot, and I burned my hand.”
Age 20, Ohio

Learning the espresso machine by trial and error is fine. Learning allergens, fake IDs, or child CPR that way is not, because in those jobs the first mistake can be the one that hurts someone.

Babysitters had some of the highest stakes of all. Among people whose first job was babysitting or childcare, 83% looked after a child with no other adult around, and 1 in 5 dealt with a genuine emergency or close call.

Did Gen Z Feel Ready on Day One?

Most didn’t. 85% felt anxious before their first day, and 62% felt like they had no idea what they were doing once they got there. Even everyday tasks felt big, with 57% nervous about making a work phone call. And when something went wrong early on, 42% had no one to ask for help.

Why Does Food Service Training Matter So Much?

Because it’s where the most Gen Z workers start, and in a kitchen, a small mistake can hurt someone. That isn’t just true in our survey, either. Food prep and serving is the most common summer job for working teens, at 25% of employed 16 to 19 year olds, according to Pew Research Center.

Even so, the training often wasn’t there. Among people whose first job was in food service:

• 45% never got a food handler or food safety certification
• 36% prepared or served food with little to no training

Here’s where that gap can lead:

“I gave out food that the customer was allergic to. I did not do it intentionally though.”
Age 21, Maryland

Having a certification changes how ready people feel. 66% said they’d be more comfortable applying for a food service job if they already had a food safety certification. If you work in Texas, you can get your food handler card online with Aceable.

Serving alcohol brings even tougher calls. Among food service workers who also served alcohol, 53% weren’t confident deciding whether to keep serving someone who’d had too much, and 40% weren’t confident spotting a fake ID. Seller server training covers both.

Would a Certification Have Helped?

Most of them think so. 84% say training or a certification would have helped them feel more prepared for their first job, and 7 in 10 wish someone had told them what training was even available before they started.

They’d be willing to put in the time, too. 87% would earn a short certification if it improved their chances of getting hired, and 80% say having one would have made them more hireable.

For some, that first job pointed toward something bigger. 47% say it shaped what they want from a career, and 37% became more interested in a path that requires a certification or license, like the trades, healthcare, or real estate.

What Should You Do Before Your First Shift?

If you have a first shift coming up, here’s what we’d do before you clock in:

1. Ask what training the job includes. 7 in 10 wish someone had told them what was available.
2. Get the certification your job uses. 84% say training or a certification would have helped.
3. Sort out your ride. 34% said transportation held them back.
4. Save who to call when something goes wrong. 42% had a moment with no one to ask.
5. Practice one work phone call. 57% were nervous about calls at work.

The job itself will probably come easily. A little prep before day one beats learning the hard way.

Keep Reading

• Drivers ed online: how to take driving school online with Aceable
• Getting your card: how to get a Texas food handler certificate online
• Comparing both certifications: TABC vs. food handler, and when you need each

Survey data: Aceable’s First Jobs Report, conducted by Kickstand, Sept. 8 to 14, 2026 (605 U.S. respondents ages 18 to 21). Some questions allowed more than one answer, so totals can add up past 100%. Teen summer job figure: Pew Research Center, 2026.