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My first career coach
My first job got off to a rocky start, but my father coached me through it.
My first summer job was as a cashier in a household appliances store. I was 17 years old.
On the first day, I returned home completely shaken: a check had been missing and my manager thought I was to blame. They had made me look for it everywhere. And by everywhere, I mean everywhere, including in the trash. In front of the staff. The place was a total mess so I never found it.
I felt humiliated, so I told my parents I would drop out the next day. My dad acknowledged it was upsetting. Still, he told me to suck it up, go back and give it my best effort because quitting this early on this first experience would induce limiting thoughts for a long time.
The next morning I was keeping my head down while entering the store. It turned out the check had been found, and I got an apology.
Shortly after, I created an onboarding document for newcomers to ensure no one else would have to navigate this mess again. My manager was stoked. From there, their attitude underwent a radical shift. They asked me to onboard their daughter who started working with us weeks later. On my last day, they brought a bouquet for me, and the next summer, they proactively recommended me for a position at a different store.
This experience durably shaped how I see the workplace, what I am capable of, and my career difficulties. I am forever grateful that my father didn’t encourage me in self-pity and avoidance.
I started this draft 2 months ago, and eventually hit publish today thanks to Medium’s Draft Day. More here: MediumDraftDay.com
