My First Job: How French Fries Fueled My Career
With internship season and summer job hunting upon us, I followed Arianna Huffington's lead and reflected back on how my first summer jobs shaped my career.
It occurred to me after reading Arianna Huffington's post on a successful intern hire experience she had that we tend to refer to our careers officially starting with our first jobs after college. Always looking to rekindle that early first job emotional magic before we got promoted and had to get serious and lead teams and major initiatives - you know be real working adults.
For me it was an entry level recruiting job working for Aerotek - one of the largest staffing companies in the U.S. I had the good fortune of working for a great leader in Ayman Hamid, a former professional soccer player who was a real player's coach - the kind of leader I've always gravitated towards, aspired to be and for whom my best performances have always come from. I loved that job.
I often wonder what my career would look like had it not been for my fellow #VFL, teammate and friend Mark Weaver setting me up for an interview with Aerotek. I do consider my "I owe you" debt fulfilled though as years later I got him a role at another company I had moved on to where he subsequently met his future wife and now has two beautiful twins with. Not a bad deal considering.
It has been almost 13 years since those Aerotek days, but even longer since I worked in the University of Tennessee Football office assisting in the recruitment of high school athletes, and then for my Capstone college internship program where I worked as head gopher at a Sports Agency assisting in the recruitment of professional athletes while hoping to become the next Jerry McGuire.
What gets lost in that timeline is that I actually completely missed the impact my summer jobs as a youth had on my professional career and how much they shaped my interests and the pursuits of where I am today.
The Good Old Days
I grew up in a very middle-class family in a suburb outside of Atlanta. A true child of the 80's I loved the things I loved and didn't care for much else. Nintendo, pizza, sports, comics, cars and building things.
I was always asking my parents for money to buy stuff. It started early begging and pleading for Contra and Ikari Warriors when they came out as a youth. Didn't matter if they just bought me Tecmo Bowl - I had already mastered running around with Bo Jackson every game.
Then it was money for baseball cards (hunting for an '89 Upper Deck Griffey Jr.), or five bucks to ride my GT Interceptor to the arcade to chuck all my coins at Altered Beast and Street Fighter 2, a couple more bucks here to buy the next Wolverine comic, a few bucks there to visit my local Turtles music store to buy a Guns N Roses CD.
Then POOF. It was all over. The day my parents told me to get a job.
I was 15. I said a job is for old people I just want some money to go to the arcade. How am I supposed to work when I have soccer, tennis, football and school too? What about hanging out with my friends? I remember my dad looking at me and telling me that if I want things I can get a job, work for them and get them myself. I thought that would last for a week.
Slinging Fries, Bagging Groceries and Renting Movies
My first job was as a cashier at McDonalds. It was intimidating work as a 15 year old. I loved McDonalds' fries and could eat them all day with every meal so having the chance to fill someone's fry container and bring that joy to them too was a powerful thing. Ok, kidding - I was focused on having front row seats to the world's hottest, best french fries. Unlimited refills? Yes, please. When is break?
Anytime I would ride around with my dad as a kid he would stop by the golden arches and order a large fry for us to share. It was our thing. I realize now in my sub-conscience, my passion for Mickey D's fries and those childhood memories, guided me to that job.
I then wondered why the next year I got a job bagging groceries at Kroger? I remember loving going to the grocery store as a kid with my parents and tugging at my mom's cart to head towards the bakery for free cookies (my daughters do it to me now - interesting twist of fate) and then meandering nonsensically around the store on a scavenger hunt to find free samples. Another childhood memory singed into my mind guiding me towards a fun employment decision.
My third summer job was at Blockbuster Video. I think I was 17. I LOVED movies as a kid and grew up where what you were doing in the 90's was making it a Blockbuster night. We used to rent movies every single weekend. I still have my Blockbuster card - seriously. This job was awesome. I really enjoyed it. Another childhood passion turning into a fun job.
I realized a few things today:
- My earliest summer jobs had zero strategic thought to their selection yet had one undeniable consistency - they were all made because of experiences which had left an indelible mark on my heart and soul as a kid
- Last year I wrote about my decision to join The Home Depot. Of all the places I've worked - I've always found the most joy at the ones where deep passion and inspiration for the brand or experience fueled me
- I have been chasing my passions since childhood and they have led me exactly to where I am today - at the world's greatest company in my humble DIY'r opinion
My #MondayMotivation if you are a Millennial or even an old X'r like me and weighing your internship decisions or just a general career move - don't spend too much time focusing on the money, role particulars or exposure to certain projects. That stuff comes and goes with the weather. Get really scientific and focus on your childhood.
What were you were doing when you had some of the most enjoyable memories as a kid that last to this day?
Skills can be built anywhere, but passion and inspiration for a company, product or purpose that you live for and believe in takes much longer, if ever, to find. The funny thing is we are all looking outward for it, yet it's right there inside us all along. We just never realize it.
As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the topic. Advice to other readers? Suggestions? Your comments and ideas are welcome below!
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Here are some recent posts I've written:
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About the author: Philip is a proud dad to two daughters, husband and avid DIY'r who is deeply passionate about recruiting and enjoys putting pen to paper every now and then in the hope that someone reading finds a pebble of humor or inspiration within an ocean of much more credible content widely available.