I was younger and still living at home. It had to be my junior or senior year of high school. My dad asked me to help him write up his resume. I said sure, just assuming that he had been a government meat inspector his entire life.
I was wrong - and amazed - at the number of positions my father had actually filled. And they were not all high level. You look at your parents as if they have always been old, successful, confident in what they are doing in life. You never expect that they once shined shoes, sold door to door, or worked as a grunt.
My father had many jobs, and it showed me one thing, He was never too proud to do a job. All that mattered to him was taking care of his family and being able to retire comfortably. It was cool finding out that he once worked for the Chicago Bears - yup - the one in the same. No wonder he was never a true Packer fan.
You know, it isn't until you start writing a blog that you realize what an influence your parents had on you. I never really had the chance to know my mother, but I've heard stories so I know that she was caring, giving, and had a great sense of self. I carry those characteristics and exercise them often.
My dad was always busy, a member of the VFW, Lions and American Legion. He was never just a member though, he always took a leadership role.
My life hasn't been too different from my dad. I have been babysitting since I was able to pass the First Aid and Babysitting classes offered by the Red-Cross at the ripe old age of 12.
I have had a number of jobs and clubs that I belonged to. During high school I worked three jobs at once, I would ride my bike to school at the crack of dawn. During the fall I would start out with a swimming work out, the rest of the year I would use the morning hours to work in the school cafeteria. Helping prepare the breads and cookies that would be served for the day. I worked there over my lunch hour too. After school I would either lifeguard in the pool or ride my bike to Cudahy and work at Kentucky Fried Chicken. When time allowed I would also babysit.
By the look of my grades I must have had quite the bank account, but I didn't. I would help others with that money or pay for my daily needs. It was a rule at home, once you were old enough to work you had to support yourself (with the exception of rent - you didn't have to pay rent).
After graduation I moved out with Judy and started working at First Wisconsin National Bank, a career that would span 16 years and keep me financially set during the birth of both of my sons. In the early years I also worked some part-time jobs. Waitressing and customer support for Toys R Us. While I was working at the bank I held a number of positions. Every three years I would re-invent myself. From clerk typist, word processing specialist, programmer librarian, programmer, database design specialist, teller trainer, technical help desk support, implementation specialist. When I got bored with my current status I would look at the job board and find something else to do.
I left that job to stay home with my sons and opened my own childcare. As Judy stated, I never did anything halfway, so I set it up right. Certifying, getting involved with pre-tax pay (legit, I just can't remember the program) and food programs through 4C Childcare. Over the next three years I watched anywhere from 3 to 15 children. I really enjoyed the time doing childcare. While I was watching children, Jim was still working at Seville Flexpack for less than a living wage. We started to fall behind in bills so I took a job at Dealrite Tarps. I worked in the heat in a warehouse with no air conditioning and no breaks. It was tough but it helped me move ahead. I also worked as a playground supervisor for the elementary school in my area.
It was that job that helped me leave the childcare behind and take a position as a teachers assistant in the special education department at the high school. I was so proud taking that job. I also rejoined the community theater and began teaching at night for Parks and Recreation as both a swim instructor and drama coach.
My sister Judy came to my rescue once again and talked her employer, School District of South
Milwaukee to give me a chance as a technology support specialist. And after a few years I became an integration specialist. Computers were just entering the school system and the teachers needed to learn how to add them into the curriculum. Judy and I started an after school computer club and I started a theater club. I remember those early days of helping the teachers create websites - the first virtual learning - the year was 1999. The boys loved that job since we had access to the gyms in the schools so they could come to work in the evenings and play in the gym while I setup computers. They were also good for rainy or snowy days.
South Milwaukee led me to Marquette University. The big time - no more 'hormone high' with smelly middle schoolers. Higher Education and research were in my future. But even with a great job like that I still didn't stay put for too long. I moved from Technology Support Specialist, to Application Specialist, to Technology Director.
The years of pushing myself began to take a toll. I needed to continuously learn to stay ahead. My family was suffering and I would spend weeks on end working non-stop. The pace couldn't continue so I left and took a few months away from the world.
When I started into the workforce again I decided it would be doing something I loved. I found The Art Institute. I was one of many Adjunct instructors, teaching others the skills I had been packing away while at Marquette. I would still be there if the school didn't close.
I didn't want to let my father down. He had taught me at a young age that there was no shame in doing any job - so when Potawatomi Casino had a job fair for their new hotel I applied and was hired as a front desk clerk. Here's the weird part - through all of my past careers, this was my favorite. I was able to help people travel and have a good time. Sadly the pay would not keep my bills paid so I needed to move on.
Of all the jobs I've had my next one would have surprised my high school teachers the most. Especially Mr. Stark who taught the one class I failed - Accounting. I just couldn't get the debit and credit thing figured out. I never mentioned that to the person that hired me at West Allis-West Milwaukee School District. The job I was going to do? Grants Administration. It required the knowledge of budgets and following rules. Neither of which were my strength. But surprisingly enough, by the time I left three years later, I was really good at it. I enjoyed the paperwork and administration of the grant requirements. WAWM also gave me my next career.
At PBS I would be the person that takes care of the social media accounts and work on the website. The HTML code is the closest I've come to my early programming days. The social media should be helping me fulfill my need for creativity and digital storytelling.
I've been at it for at least three years and I am beginning to become antsy. I sense a time of another reinvention approaching in my future. Back in high school my aptitude test came back that I should not be in an office and should, instead, look for something outside like forest ranger.
Perhaps it's time to check in on Smokey Bear and see if he's hiring.
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