Tim Cook reveals his surprising first job - as the Apple CEO says he has been working since he was just 11
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He is best known for being CEO of one of the world's largest companies. But before Tim Cook took the reins at Apple, he started his career in a very surprising place. Speaking on the Table Manners podcast, Mr Cook revealed that he started working when he was just 11 years old.
![[Tim Cook grew up in the rural area of Robertsdale, Alabama, which had a population of just 2,000 people at the time. Tim says his first ever job was delivering papers, a job he started aged just 11. Pictured: Tim Cook in his high school yearbook]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/14/16/94086151-14283881-Tim_Cook_grew_up_in_the_rural_area_of_Robertdale_Alabama_which_h-a-28_1736872865580.jpg)
He says: 'A lot of [his upbringing] was centred on work and the belief that hard work was essential for everybody, regardless of your age. 'And so I started working when I was probably 11 or 12 on the paper route.'. After years spent 'throwing papers', Mr Cook says he 'graduated' to his next job flipping burgers for a local restaurant at the age of 14.
![[After spending a few years 'throwing papers', Mr Cook says he 'graduated' to flipping burgers at a local restaurant called Tastee Freez, a chain of burger and ice cream stores which still has a few locations in the US]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/14/16/94086219-14283881-image-a-27_1736872291894.jpg)
'I worked at a place called Tastee Freez. It was the only fast-food place in town, and so everybody congregated there,' he explained to Jessie and Lennie Ware. 'I wore a little hat, and I wore an apron, and I was making $1.10 an hour at the time, it was sub-minimum wage, which was legal at that point in time.'.
![[During this time, Mr Cook also worked on the high school yearbook as the business manager in his senior year. Pictured: Mr Cook in his high school yearbook, class of 1978]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/14/16/94086153-14283881-During_this_time_Mr_Cook_also_worked_on_the_highschool_yearbook_-a-29_1736873143312.jpg)
While he is now known for being the leader of one of the world's biggest companies, Apple CEO Tim Cook (pictured) started his career in a more humble position. Tim Cook grew up in the rural area of Robertsdale, Alabama, which had a population of just 2,000 people at the time. Tim says his first ever job was delivering papers, a job he started aged just 11. Pictured: Tim Cook in his high school yearbook.
![[Since graduating from Auburn University, Mr Cook has gone on to become one of the world's most well-known businessmen and has even met King Charles III (pictured). However, he attributes his hardworking attitude to his parents and 'extremely modest' upbringing]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/14/16/94086045-14283881-image-a-25_1736872258734.jpg)
