My first job: I was originally supposed to just sub in a few shows for the ASM but at the last minute, there was some staff reshuffling, the ASM became the Company Manager of the theatre and I got the gig full time. Can't remember what I was paid, something like $350/week. I won't get into the gory details but it was a horrible experience. I didn't know what I was doing, the PSM was a little crazy (I've had people comment "Oh, you worked with her? You can work with anybody...") It was unbearable hours (with my commute, I was only getting a few hours of sleep a night. Showed late to a day of tech because I was so stressed and tired that while getting ready to go in, I started throwing up...). I hated it. I finished the show but resigned and didn't do the second show (they never had me sign a contract.) I was done with theatre. After 1 show.
About a year later, I got a call from another theatre about a job. I knew I couldn't go though that again. But my boyfriend at the time (a very smart man) knew that I'd feel like a quitter and kick myself wondering "what if". He encouraged me to take this one-more-show. If I still hated it, then I'd know theatre/SM wasn't for me. 3 years later, I got my Equity card. 3 years after that, I was working on a Broadway production. 3 years after that, still working...