work

         

I have learned much from my experiences in the work force.  When I turned sixteen, I was expected to get a job to pay for my car insurance and gas.  I ended up working at Dairy Queen as a cashier, soft serve prepper, ice cream cake maker, and assorted other jobs.  My time there taught me about teamwork and responsibility.  I also met many different kinds of people and learned to interact with them in a positive way.  This first job paved the way for my second job working at Hastings, the entertainment store.  At Hastings I was a customer service representative, but I also restocked the rental VHS and DVD movies.  I learned more about working with money and helping customers. 

  I left Hastings to become a merchandiser for American Greetings, the greeting card company.  As a merchandiser, I was able to set my own hours.  I was responsible for at least three stores, but sometimes I had up to six stores.  My job was to make sure all my stores’ cards and party goods were stocked and straightened.  I also had to order new cards and set up new displays.  Being a merchandiser was by far my favorite job because it was very flexible and I could exercise my creativity.  I would never have quit that job, but certain events transpired to change my life.  I worked a few jobs for very brief periods of time, including selling vacuums door to door and temping in a fabric warehouse. 

Finally, I took a job with Wal-Mart as a cashier.  I learned how to operate the self-checkouts, the customer service desk, the cash office, and I also stocked at night.  I foiled a few late-night robberies when I worked the graveyard shift.  Sometimes I was the only cashier scheduled to work, and I would hang around the front door to discourage customers from stealing.  I caught one woman who tried to walk right out the door with a shopping cart loaded full of diapers.  Even though it was fun being the only cashier in the whole store, my favorite task was stocking.  I loved to open boxes and find where each item went on the shelves.  On the cereal aisle, the boxes would be stacked taller than me, and when I was finished I had a great feeling of accomplishment. 

I eventually moved back to my hometown and took a job on the nearby Air Force base.  I worked at the Popeye’s Chicken in the food court.  Military men love chicken!  We were always swamped when the other fast food places on base weren’t even busy.  Working at Popeye’s was a true test of my teamwork skills.  Every employee worked very fast and competently in order to keep the line of customers moving smoothly.  I ended up learning every position in the establishment.  I was a cashier, dishwasher, food prep person, and fry cook.

I left Popeye’s to become a stocker at JC Penney.  I started working there before the store was even open.  It was completely empty, and I felt special stocking it from the ground up (starting in the home department and ending in women's clothing).  Everyone who worked there in the beginning had fun, and the atmosphere was exciting.  After the store opened, I stayed on as a stocker.  Sometimes I worked thirteen-hour shifts because I loved the job so much and they needed help.  I met the true love of my life at work.  He was the receiver at JC Penney.  He mostly worked on the dock receiving trucks, and I was often there throwing away trash or crushing cardboard.  He taught me to make a bale, and I fell in love watching his strong hands bend the wires.  After a few months, I discovered I was pregnant.  I could not be a stocker anymore, so I was a pricing associate for the duration of my pregnancy.  I was part of the team responsible for pricing and marking every item in the store.  I worked right up until the day I went into labor.  I worked an eight-hour shift, while having contractions the whole time. 

I am currently back working for American Greetings, and I have 7 stores.  I love that my hours are flexible, because now I have 2 kids to take care of.  What I have learned from all this work experience is that I am not too good for any job.  A job is a job is a job.