Dear First Job,
Our journey began the summer after my sophomore year in high school. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when it came to you. All I knew was that all of my friends were starting to get jobs and I wanted to make money. You simply seemed like the next step in my routine of life. Out of all of the possible jobs I could have chosen, I decided to work at a popular ice cream shop.
I never really thought that I'd gain anything from you other than getting my feet wet in the world of work, and making some extra cash to spend when I went out with my friends. Little did I know that you'd be giving me much more than that. I roll my eyes now when I hear people say that summer or part-time jobs for teenagers are useless, because I know that without my first job I would not be the person I am today. I want to thank you for all of the things you've taught me these past five years or so.
Thank you for teaching me how to be a responsible human being. I learned pretty quickly (my first day on the job, in fact) that my parents aren't going to be there all of the time to take care of every little detail of my life. You taught me that when I have a scheduling conflict, I have to handle it myself. I can't just ask my mom to call my boss and get me out of something. Thanks to you, I'm more responsible when it comes to taking care of everything I need to have done.
On that note, thank you for teaching me the importance of time management. When you get a job, there really aren't any valid excuses for being late to work, except for in the event of an emergency. You taught me how to manage my time wisely, and that being ready to go earlier than expected really helps me out in the end. Once I figured that out, I found myself applying this to everything in my life -- getting to school on time, making sure my homework is done well in advanced, planning out my list of things to do each day so I'm not scrambling before bed. College life probably would have been a train wreck if it weren't for you.
Speaking of college, thank you for giving me something to put on my college applications and future job resumes to show how experienced I am. It surprised me to learn that not every teenager has had work experience prior to going off to college. To me, that just seemed like a no-brainer, but thanks to you I had a leg up against the other kids who hadn't gotten that far yet. It looks good when you can say you've been able to hold down a job, do well in school, volunteer, and still have time for a social life.
Thank you for also introducing me to some wonderful people. These past five years, I've made so many connections with people I never would have met had I not worked with them. You made it so easy to go to work each day. I never dreaded coming in because I knew I was always going to be surrounded by amazing friends, not just your everyday co-workers. You've blessed me with some life-long friendships that I'll be eternally grateful for.
In regards to interacting with others, thank you for teaching me how to put up with difficult people. Before my first job, I had no clue what it was like to be yelled at, degraded, and treated with disrespect by total strangers. Unfortunately, that comes with the territory when you work in food service, like I have, or retail -- two very popular work environments for young adults when they first get a job. The truth is, though, I would have faced these jerks in my lifetime one way or another. Thanks to you, I learned early on how to deal with people who are just plain rude. Whenever I was yelled at by a customer (I never knew people could get so bent out of shape about ice-cream!) I simply went through just one more experience that would teach me the problem-solving skills I'd need all throughout my life long after this job was gone.
Thank you for teaching me how to manage my money wisely. The first year I had my job, I was an idiot and spent each paycheck basically the same week I received it. That summer, I had made close to three thousand dollars, not including all of the tips I had wracked up, and I probably spent about 90% of that on frivolous things. After watching all of my money go down the drain, I learned the importance of putting a good chunk of it away in savings. With the money that I did spend, I was still extremely careful when deciding what I really needed and what I simply wanted. I wouldn't have learnt all of these money-saving skills if it weren't for my first job.
Lastly, thank you for being such an amazing workplace. Five years later, I'm still happily here, and I wouldn't change that for anything. I lucked out when I got my first job. What was meant to be something to just get me by for a few years has turned into a second home that I return to every summer when I'm back from college. I always know I have a place here, and I'm so grateful for that feeling. Not everyone can say they're in love with where they work, but I can. Thank you for teaching me life lessons for five summers which will ultimately last me a lifetime, and shaping me into the person that I am today.
Forever in your debt,
Your happy employee.
