KEY POINTS:
DAVID McGREGOR
Senior partner and head of the environment/resource management practice, Bell Gully
What was your first job?
I had a combination of temporary unskilled positions to subsidise my university studies including being "Santa", a pickle puller and an oven assistant at a Rotorua bakery.
How old were you? And how much did you get paid?
Some of the remuneration was in pounds, shillings and pence. I worked every university holiday from 1966 until graduation.
How did you get your first job?
I responded to a misleading advertisement - "Model. Good with children."
What aspects of the job did you enjoy?
I enjoyed the physical work initially but needed a mechanism to combat the tedium. I enjoyed the people I met.
What parts of the job didn't you like?
The menial nature of many of the tasks.
What did you learn from your first job?
The value of money, importance of interpersonal skills and humility.
How long did you stay there?
Part-time over five years.
What was your boss like?
At this level, they were always pretty basic. A lot of emphasis on team work.
Why did you leave?
To go back to university.
Any advice for someone starting out on the first rung of their career ladder?
Remember that their reputation is their most important attribute. Actively develop standards, ethics and manners.
