8 sex workers share what happened on their first day on the job.

Like accountants, journalists or retail assistants, sex workers offer their services, in exchange for payment, and as with any other job, things like contentious clients, questionable bosses, and first day job jitters, are also commonplace.

Writing about their initial experiences on a recent Reddit thread, various sex workers from erotic text line operators, to escorts and strippers shared their first day on the job.

This is what they had to say.

1. “Getting partially naked in front of strangers for the first time is very unsettling.”
First day on the job stripping — I was 19 and worked in a very tiny club (used to call it my shoebox club) with a wobbly pole from Lowe’s that went through a gaping hole in the ceiling.

Had a panic attack in the dressing room before it was my turn to go on stage cause getting partially naked in front of strangers for the first time is very unsettling, and then came out to see people that I vaguely knew sitting by the tip rail (I used to live in a small city).

I had actually biked past them on the way to get there! Proceeded to awkwardly roll around on stage and accidentally kicked an ash tray off the tip rail at them. Not my finest hour haha.


2. “I got VERY lucky.”

I got VERY lucky. My first ever client was an attractive, middle aged man who lived in a huge and pristine house. After all was said and done, I divulged that he was my first client. He looked me in my eyes and said ‘you shouldn’t be doing this.’ I only did it for about six weeks.


3. “Much less than minimum wage.”

I once worked for a company where I would reply to explicit text messages. First day I thought it was really funny and kinda cool, I did it from home so I would tell my partner about some of the messages I would get. It was explained to me that I would handle several ‘profiles’ of women. I was sure the men knew it’s a fantasy line as the manager told me it was clear on their website. But she would not tell me what the name of that site was.

Anyway as time went on I realized that the Johns were texting what they thought were real women. They kept referring to it as a dating website. I kept getting general emails from my manager repeatedly to say we must always say we “liked the idea of meeting sometime” but never agree to it, and to keep saying we wanted to talk longer first to keep them replying for longer. Some of these men had been texting ‘one woman’ for YEARS, when in reality that profile could be handled by 20+ women a day.

Found out from one John that it was advertised as meet local singles for sex, and they had to spend £3 (AU$5.41) per message and were getting frustrated that the women never met up.

Edit: Lots of people asking about pay. It was £0.15p per message (AUD 27 cents). Even going as fast as I could it was much less than minimum wage per hour as I often had to read through the message history or look up info (e.g the John might ask what the weather was like where ‘she’ lived).



4. “Lasted only three days.”
At one point in my life when I lost my job and car I stripped (lasted only three days) and I remember my first day, technically night, like it was yesterday. I was very shy, awkward, clueless, desperate, and ashamed.

I never thought I would turn to dancing (stripping). After I danced the five stages, this [doctor] asked for a private dance. We go to the very back of the building where no one can see. So I’m dancing on him and then he asks could he insert his penis in me. I freaked out!!! I said NO! And he said “okay, can I jack off while you dance, I’ll give you $200”. I agreed, and a few seconds later, he jizzed in his pants…. they were khakis.

I made $250 in about three minutes. I was scarred, and was only able to dance two more nights before I realized I just couldn’t do it anymore.


5. “Sex work saved me.”
So, I started off doing erotic massage back when I was basically homeless and just couch surfing…, working any odd jobs I could find. I had no idea what I was doing, but I was living off stale food left forgotten in random peoples fridges, so I went for it.

I posted an ad on a website with a friend and within a few hours got an inquiry. I didn’t screen or take any precautions because I didn’t know any better, and in retrospect I was INCREDIBLY lucky. I was so nervous. I got all dressed up in the only halfway decent thing I owned.

I went to his hotel and when he opened the door my mouth nearly fell open. He was so fucking handsome and I was floored. He was a 30 something businessman from Iceland. He was absolutely delightful. He was charming, intelligent, immaculate, and funny. I had an amazing hour with him and walking away with what I normally could make in a week working my ass off at a shit cafe getting abused by rich customers who were fine with spending $7 on a latte but not tipping a single cent. The 180° change in my job status was shocking.

After that I started posting ads every day and was able to get an apartment and go back to school. I’m now at a great university and my life is wonderful. It’s been over five years and I’ve never been more grateful for anything in my life. Sex work saved me.



6. “He made it easy.”
I was very nervous. No one in my life knew I was going to work as a sex worker. The madam at the brothel knew it was my first time but she gave me very little useable advice. An older experienced SW told me what I needed to know to get through my first client.

My first client was a young man, he treated me well and the sex was vanilla. It wasn’t scary or anything. He made it easy. I think I had a few clients that night, I can’t remember.

Edit: The advice she gave me was about not telling the clients that it was my first time or that I was new in the industry. She said that the clients would immediately try to take advantage of that. She told me how to use lube to fake enjoyment, and that when I got my period I could still work I’d just need to wet a small sponge and use it as a tampon. She let me know the brothels that where the girls were so competitive that they’d sabotage your jobs, spread shut about you and cut the straps on your shoes. And most importantly she told me that even on your worst night the money would make it worth it.

7. “My coworker had to show me how to give a lap dance.”
I’m a dancer, my first day was kind of awkward but I think I got the hang of it quickly. I was interested in pole tricks before I started the job so I was pretty good at those already, but had no idea what to do for the actual dancing part.

My coworker had to show me how to give a lap dance lol. Talking to customers was also nerve-racking but I quickly learned to just ask questions and they would spend the rest of the conversation talking about themselves. It got easier once I developed a fun, confident persona that was separate from my actual everyday self (I usually have a lot of anxiety and body image issues).

I also learned some very effective ways to shut down creeps.


8. “My feet absolutely killed me.”
My first day stripping was terrifying. I wore off brand stripper shoes so my feet absolutely killed me. I was scared out of my mind to talk to people I was a nervous wreck. Luckily the girls at the club were nice and helped me figure out what to do.

I’m still stripping a year later and it’s pretty much second nature now I love it and I’m pretty good. I also do porn now and my first day doing that was addicting! I loved it I had so much fun it made me feel invincible.

Almost forgot to mention I’ve gotten to meet so many amazing people. All my close friends now are girls I met at the club. Everyone at the club is like a weird, f*cked up family.