Discussions: First Employment
My First Employment:
The Miracle Job
I've always known that the Lord was with me in my life and that He was guiding me to where He wanted me to go. But when I got my first job, I saw His work in action. He led me to Kansas and to my first work experience. I know it wasn't my doing because I never even would have considered moving to Kansas, much less finding work here.
After completing two years at Otero Junior College, I was unsure of where to go. I thought maybe I would try to take the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification test and then add another two years of college for my Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certificate. While going for that I would also get my Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) certification. While I had studied for parts of the Microsoft program already, most of the curriculum was changing to Windows 2000 just before my graduation.
All of this was going through my head as I tried to find work for the summer months in Las Animas, Colorado. However as the money dwindled and no jobs came, I found myself heading to Pueblo, Colorado to find work down there. I still hoped to be able to continue my studies either at Otero or the Colorado State University-Pueblo. My dad lived there so I stayed with him. I hated driving in the traffic and was enjoying myself watching TV and playing video games all day. It was a blast, and I justified it by saying that I was using the Internet to find jobs, which I was, to some degree.
I then went to live with my mom. She lived in Garden City, Kansas and worked as a teacher for a school. I really never wanted to end up in Kansas, but making the best of the situation I did look for jobs for a couple of weeks. Every day I left the house and filled out four or five applications. Most places never even called me back. To this day I have yet to hear from any of them. I have to admit I was picky in my selection, but I knew what kind of a job I could keep and that's what I was looking for. Cooking and manual labor jobs would have let me go within days of hire.
I was hoping for something with a computer background that would allow me to use what I knew from college. But I was starting to give up after a while. My mom thought that I was being lazy and not looking. That was partly true, as I had TV shows that I wanted to watch each day, but I was looking still and trying to find a job.
Then one day a miracle happened. I received a call from my Aunt Drew, who lives in Syracuse, Kansas. She had asked me to help her with her computer. She had just gotten a new printer and needed a cable to connect it to the computer. Promising to pay me back, she had me buy her the cable she needed from Wal-Mart. I was happy to help in any way I could. I love computers and enjoy working on them. After buying the cable, our family went to Syracuse for the weekend. I looked at my aunt's computer and immediately knew I had mistakenly bought the wrong type of cord. But I also knew which type she needed now. I promised to return the cord, get the right one and return the next week. Her need was urgent though; she couldn't wait that long.
"Can you get one at Radio Shack," she asked me.
"Yeah, they should have one," I replied.
"Then will you come with me to get the cable?"
"Yeah, sure." I was shocked that small towns like Syracuse would even have a Radio Shack store.
So my sister, my aunt, and I got in my aunt's car and drove to Main Street. Sure enough, there it was. Walking in we asked the storeowner, Stan, if he had the cable we needed. Aunt Drew then made the comment that it looked like he needed a little help in running the store.
He replied," Yeah, do you know anyone who's looking?"
Immediately both my sister and aunt pointed at me. Smiling I told him that yeah I was looking for work and asked if he had an application. After getting the part, we headed to my aunt's house. On the way I thought about the job offer.
I was sure that he wouldn't hire me anyways (besides, I was looking for jobs in Garden, not a town fifty miles away) but decided to fill it our anyways. I had some problems with it that I thought for sure it would be tossed out. For example, I somehow got grease or a similar stain on it. Although I had mind not to turn in it, I finally decided to go ahead and turn it in the next day before leaving Syracuse.
A day later Stan called me up and left a message on my answer machine. I immediately was excited. He said to call him back, which I did. We set up an appointment for Monday morning at 7:30 AM. I was happy, but nervous. My mother calmed me by saying that if its Lord's will for you to have this job, He will give it to you.
Monday, I left home around 6:30 AM. I was still turning knots in my stomach, but I had faith in God. Getting in Syracuse, I checked a clock on a bank up the street from where my interview was to be. My to my amusement it was also 6:30 AM. I had forgotten about the time change! So as I waited for the hour, I tried not to think too much and relax.
After I saw his car pull up and him walking into his shop, I got out of my car and walked into the store. Both Stan and his wife, Linda, were there. They asked me a few questions, which I answered. Then they said to comeback at 8:00 (it was only 7:45) while they discussed it. I was more confident now, but still didn't expect to get the job.
After 8:00 I walked back in. He said that they had decided to hire me part time to start off. He also asked if I could start later that day.
"Yeah, definitely," I answered, grateful for the chance. After I found out what time he wanted me to come in, I left and decided to hang around Syracuse. He didn't need me until 4:00 but it seemed silly to me to drive all the way back to Garden and then come back again. So I went over to my aunt's house, but she was gone. So I hung out at my great grandpa's house. Around 4:00 I left to head to work for the first time.
That first day I learned how to ring customers up on the Point Of Sale (POS) and where some things were located. I continued to come in everyday for the next two weeks at 4:00 and gradually learned more and more. Soon I was running the shop from 8:00 to 6:00 everyday and on some of the weekends.
As I continued to work I was allowed to advance many of my college skills and strengths. I often was given letters to proofread and revise, I helped out on repairing computers in the shop. And my favorite part of the job (which I miss a lot) was going out on computer service calls. We would travel as far as Dalhart, Texas or Quinter, Kansas to look at a computer and when needed replace parts. I was fun to get away from work and spend the whole day going to a site and maybe working on a computer for about an hour (although, one of my later infamous service calls lasted as long as 8 hours) and them head home.
I didn't know then that for the next two years I would be helping Stan with the business. I didn't know that we would increase our business and move to another building across the street. While working at Radio Shack I learned to be responsible, hard working, and committed to excellence. These traits I feel will serve me for the next job I get and my career.
I know that it was with God's help and guidance that I found my first job and came to Kansas. He showed me that with Him all things are possible if we are willing to go where He leads. I don't know what He has planned for me next-but wherever He leads, I'll follow.
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