Past Jobs

I have joked with my wife and a certain sister-in-law that my current job as a manager means that I have no skills. In many ways this is true, especially when compared to past jobs. In reality, the manager position only requires organizational, leadership and communications skills. Those usually do not equip you to succeed in non-management positions. Certainly not in the jobs I held prior to my current one.

Paperboy - I had 2 different gigs. The first was delivery of the Kansan to approximately 100 subscribers around my home. I was an entrepreneur. I purchased the papers-rubber bands-bags, rolled or bagged them, delivered them from my bicycle each day, and collected the monthly subscription fees. In the second job, I got up at 2:00 AM every Sunday morning to deliver the Kansas City Star to residents at the Barcelona apartments. Pay was very low per hour, but they were my first paychecks so I was happy.

Busboy/Cook - At 16 years of age, I began working at Red Lobster, first as a busboy for $1.60 per hour. I soon moved back to the kitchen and worked in various positions. I enjoyed the job because of the variety of people I met. I was also very good at it and was given the opportunity to train new employees at new Red Lobster restaurants.

Association Services - Pay was not great, but autonomy was fantastic and stress level was very low. I worked for a property management company, and was responsible for clubhouse maintenance, all common area lighting, sprinkler systems and other general maintenance. I knew what I was responsible for and planned my day accordingly. I learned to be handy, something that has served me well as a home owner.

Draftsman - I was the poster child for why good interviewing skills are critical for any boss. I was able to talk my way into a job I was nowhere near qualified for. My mediocre drafting skills learned in junior high school wood shop were exaggerated into a job offer. It was my first white collar position, and I found it very uncomfortable. Since I was not qualified for the job, stress was extremely high. The end came 2 weeks after I started and was a relief. I went back to my former handy man position.

House Painter - I took the job because the pay was better.I worked for and with friends, which was another benefit. I had a lot of fun on the job, but took nothing of value away other than how to paint a house.

Cable TV Technician - This was my first real job with benefits. I started as an entry level installer and moved into increasingly knowledgeable service functions. The job was challenging, and required patience when dealing with end user customers. During the first few years of this job, I became an expert in a technical discipline, and learned customer service skills. During the second half of my cable TV career, I learned how to develop, test, maintain, and document software applications. I was a one man development shop with lots of autonomy to decide what value I should develop next. This was my most favorite job in my professional career to date. The job had great personal satisfaction level and provided immediate gratification every time I compiled new code.

Of my past jobs, paperboy and busboy are the only ones I am still qualified to do.