10 Unexpected Jobs of U.S. Presidents Before Politics

Before becoming leaders of the free world, many U.S. presidents worked in surprisingly unusual and unexpected jobs. While some followed the traditional paths of law and military service, others held positions that seem entirely out of place for a future commander-in-chief. From working as a bouncer to wrangling alligators, these early careers shaped their character, work ethic, and leadership skills in ways no one could have predicted.

Here are 10 lesser-known jobs that U.S. presidents held before stepping into the Oval Office.

Related: Ten Things You Never Knew About American Vice Presidents

10 Abraham Lincoln – Wrestler

Before he became the Great Emancipator, Abraham Lincoln was a well-known wrestler in his youth. Growing up in the rough, rural frontier of Kentucky and Illinois, Lincoln’s tall, lanky frame and exceptional strength made him a formidable opponent in the local sport of catch-as-catch-can wrestling.

This style of wrestling was common in the 19th century and far more brutal than modern wrestling, allowing grappling, throws, and even some striking. Lincoln’s long arms and incredible reach gave him a natural advantage, making him a feared competitor in his small town of New Salem, Illinois.

His most famous match took place against Jack Armstrong, the leader of a local gang called the Clary’s Grove Boys, who were known for challenging newcomers to fights to test their toughness. Armstrong, confident he could beat the tall, lanky Lincoln, was quickly overpowered and thrown to the ground.

The fight nearly turned into a brawl, but Lincoln defused the situation with his legendary wit, earning Armstrong’s respect and solidifying his reputation as someone not to be messed with. Over his lifetime, Lincoln participated in over 300 matches and reportedly lost only once. His skills were so well-regarded that he was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1992.^[1]

9 Andrew Jackson – Orphan Turned Saddle Maker

Andrew Jackson, famous for his hot temper and military prowess, didn’t have an easy start in life. Born into poverty on the American frontier, he was orphaned by the age of 14 when his mother died from cholera while caring for soldiers in the Revolutionary War. Left completely alone, Jackson had no family wealth or connections to rely on, forcing him to find work to survive.

One of his first jobs was as a saddle maker’s apprentice, where he learned the art of crafting and repairing leather saddles for horses. This skill was essential for transportation and commerce in the late 18th century. Saddle-making required precision and patience, two qualities that Jackson did not particularly have at that young age.

He frequently got into fights with co-workers and even challenged a few people to duels, a habit that would stick with him into adulthood. Though he eventually left the trade, his brief experience exposed him to the struggles of working-class Americans. He later took jobs as a schoolteacher (despite barely having an education himself) and a lawyer before entering politics and shaping the Democratic Party.

Jackson would later become a war hero and the seventh president of the United States. Still, his early years were spent making saddles, teaching students, and trying to survive on the frontier.^[2]

8 Herbert Hoover – Chinese Translator in a Mining Camp

Before becoming the 31st president of the United States, Herbert Hoover had a career that took him halfway around the world. After earning a degree in geology from Stanford University, he worked as a mining engineer, working in gold, silver, and coal mines across the globe.

In 1899, he was sent to China as part of a British mining operation, where he found himself in the middle of political turmoil and war. His job required him to negotiate with local workers and officials. However, to do that, he had to learn Mandarin Chinese—a skill that most Westerners at the time did not have.

During his time in China, the Boxer Rebellion erupted—a violent anti-foreigner uprising that threatened Western businesses and settlements. Hoover and his wife, Lou, were caught in the middle of gunfire and riots, forced to barricade themselves inside a foreign compound for weeks. Even amid the chaos, Hoover’s language skills made him an invaluable resource, helping to translate messages and coordinate evacuations for foreign engineers and their families.

After his time in China, Hoover became a highly sought-after businessman, making millions before shifting his focus to humanitarian work and politics. He remains the only U.S. president fluent in Mandarin, and he would occasionally speak Chinese with his wife in the White House when they wanted privacy.^[3]

7 Jimmy Carter – Peanut Farmer

Before Jimmy Carter became a Georgia governor and later the 39th president of the United States, he was deeply involved in agriculture. Born in Plains, Georgia, Carter’s family owned a modest peanut farm, and he spent much of his early life working alongside Black farmhands, plowing fields and harvesting peanuts.

The work was backbreaking, and his father, Earl Carter, instilled in him a strong work ethic, expecting him to wake up before dawn and put in long hours in the fields. Despite segregation laws, Carter was exposed to the harsh realities of race relations in the South early on, forming beliefs that would later shape his civil rights policies.

After serving in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear engineer, Carter returned home to run the family farm after his father died in 1953. The business was deep in debt, and Carter had to modernize farming operations to make it profitable again. He personally handled finances, crop rotation, and land management, becoming a respected figure in Georgia’s agricultural industry.

His farming background helped him connect with rural voters, branding him as a humble, hardworking Southerner. Though his political opponents often mocked him as a “peanut farmer,” his early struggles in agriculture gave him an economic perspective that later influenced his policies on rural development and conservation.^[4]

6 Ronald Reagan – Lifeguard Who Saved 77 Lives

Long before he became a Hollywood actor, governor, and the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan spent seven summers working as a lifeguard in Dixon, Illinois. Stationed along the Rock River, Reagan took his job seriously, constantly scanning the water for swimmers in distress. Over his tenure, he reportedly saved 77 people from drowning, an astonishing number for any lifeguard. He kept a tally on a wooden log, marking each successful rescue as a point of personal pride.

The Rock River was notoriously dangerous, with strong currents and sudden drop-offs that often caught swimmers off guard. Many of the people Reagan saved panicked in the water, requiring him to fight against their flailing arms and heavy drag to pull them to shore. In some cases, he had to dive from precarious heights or swim long distances against the current to reach those in need.

Reagan’s quick thinking and physical endurance made him a local hero long before he ever set foot in Hollywood. His experiences as a lifeguard reinforced his confidence and leadership abilities, shaping the persona that later made him one of America’s most charismatic presidents.^[5]

5 Lyndon B. Johnson – Elevator Operator

Long before Lyndon B. Johnson became a master politician and president, he worked a series of odd, low-paying jobs to help cover his education costs. One of his earliest and most unexpected gigs was as an elevator operator in San Bernardino, California, while he was a student at Southwest Texas State Teachers College (now Texas State University).

His job required him to stand for long hours, open and close the elevator doors manually, and make small talk with passengers—a skill he would later perfect as one of the most persuasive political figures in American history.

Johnson, always ambitious, wasn’t content to simply press buttons. He memorized the names of frequent riders and used his position to strike up conversations with influential businessmen and politicians. He quickly realized that networking and understanding people’s concerns were just as important as hard work.

Though his time as an elevator operator was short, the people skills he developed would serve him throughout his career, from winning elections to passing landmark civil rights legislation with his infamous “Johnson Treatment”—a mix of intimidation, charm, and relentless persuasion that he used to pressure lawmakers into voting his way.^[6]

4 Warren G. Harding – Newspaper Publisher

Before Warren G. Harding became the 29th president of the United States, he was an aspiring journalist and newspaper mogul. In 1884, at just 19 years old, Harding and two friends scraped together $300 to purchase the struggling Marion Star newspaper in Ohio.

At first, Harding was both editor and reporter, writing articles, selling advertisements, and even hand-delivering newspapers to subscribers. The business was nearly a complete failure, with unpaid bills piling up and local rivals mocking the young publisher’s lack of experience.

Instead of giving up, Harding became an expert in sensationalism, covering small-town scandals and political gossip that captured readers’ attention. He used his charm and connections to secure exclusive interviews and boost circulation, slowly turning the Marion Star into a respected local paper.

By the time he entered politics, Harding had mastered the art of media influence, using it to control his public image and win elections. His background as a newspaper publisher gave him a deep understanding of how the press shaped public opinion, something he leveraged extensively during his presidency.^[7]

3 Calvin Coolidge – Toy Store Clerk

Before being known as “Silent Cal” for his reserved and stoic personality, Calvin Coolidge spent part of his teenage years working in a toy store. The 30th president of the United States took the job in his hometown of Northampton, Massachusetts, where he was responsible for selling dolls, puzzles, and games to customers. The position required him to constantly interact with people, which may have been challenging given his quiet and introverted nature.

The experience taught Coolidge basic business skills, including handling money, managing inventory, and dealing with demanding customers. While he rarely spoke about his time as a toy store clerk, it was likely one of his first lessons in public service, patience, and quiet observation—traits that defined his political career. Coolidge would become a lawyer, governor, and eventually president.

Still, his time selling toys was one of his first glimpses into how people behave under pressure, something that shaped his calm and collected leadership style in times of national crisis.^[8]

2 Barack Obama – Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Scooper

Before he became the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama had a classic teenage job—working at a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop in Honolulu, Hawaii. As a high school student, he spent long hours scooping ice cream, cleaning counters, and handling impatient customers. He later admitted that his time at Baskin-Robbins wasn’t exactly glamorous, but it gave him an early understanding of hard work and responsibility.

The job required him to memorize dozens of flavors, master the perfect scoop technique, and deal with demanding customers, all while working for minimum wage. Obama often joked that the physical strain of scooping so much ice cream gave him permanent wrist pain and actually killed his love for ice cream.

However, his early work experience reinforced his belief in the dignity of low-wage jobs. It helped shape his later policies on economic opportunity and fair wages.^[9]

1 Thomas Jefferson – America’s First Archaeologist

Thomas Jefferson is best known as the author of the Declaration of Independence, but he also had a lifelong obsession with archaeology. Long before the field of archaeology was even officially recognized, Jefferson was conducting scientific excavations on his Virginia plantation, Monticello. Fascinated by fossils and ancient history, he spent hours digging up prehistoric bones, carefully documenting his findings.

One of his most famous digs occurred in the 1780s, when he excavated a Native American burial mound, carefully studying the skeletons and artifacts within. Unlike most researchers of his time, Jefferson took a systematic, scientific approach, making detailed notes about stratification and excavation methods—techniques that would later become standard in modern archaeology.

His early explorations helped debunk myths about indigenous civilizations, proving that Native Americans had a long and complex history in North America. Though he is rarely credited as such, Jefferson is often regarded as one of the first true archaeologists in American history.^[10]