I have been employed for two and a half years this coming November. Now, working in a grocery store, of course, has it's ups and downs, but what doesn't? When I was hired, just a little 16 year old kid, I was overwhelmed. That was because it was my first job, and I knew my family were wanting me to start to develop that "independence" from their money (two years later and it still hasn't happened yet ;P). I still remember being trained with a few other people who were quite a bit older than me, which also overwhelmed me.

But now, two and a half years later, I can look back and see that I have grown. Where I was once a introverted, shy, quiet girl, I have been replaced by someone who isn't afraid to start conversations with unknown people, and I can speak at a proper volume and speed so that I am understood well.

Before working as a cashier at a grocery store, I had absolute zero customer service. If I had waited until I was older to get a job, I wouldn't have been able to tend to customer's and their needs in a way that would be seen as under policy. If someone asked me, "Where is your icecream located?' My answer as a kid without my skill now would most likely say, "I don't know," and offer no kind of help on trying to find said item. But now, I can easily and helpfully locate all items, and if I am somewhat unable to do so, or if we are out of that item, I can find someone who is able to do the task or able to order the needed items.

Also, I have developed the skill of codes. Ah yes, codes. If anyone reading this has worked as a cashier at a place that has fresh produce, you will know exactly what I am talking about. I no longer see a bundle of bananas, I see a bundle of 4011's. I don't see navel oranges, I see 4012's. My sight of fruit has been turned into numbers. Even when I'm not on the clock, and possibly at a different store, if I'm next to, or around, fresh produce, I'm probably telling myself the numbers. Learning the codes is something we have to do, because it is how we scan out most fruits and veggies.Not only that, but if you're proficient on the codes, you're transaction speeds will increase, meaning that you won't have customers staring at you like, "Really? Cmon,", which happened to me when I first started, (which makes you think you can't do your job right).

And finally, I have learned a skill that will help me beyond my cashier life: problem solving. Be it that we are out of an item, somebody got the wrong sale item, somebody got a ruined package of something, or maybe someone dropped a jar of pickles and now the whole front end smells like vinegar, I can help with all of those problems, or I can find someone who can. I have no problem with fixing things that customers do because most of the time they don't realize, and after all I am there to help them buy things and make sure it's all accurate, right? But this skill of solving problems will also help me in my future career, whatever it may be.

So, when I go into work, not only am I there to do a specific job, but I am developing skills that could help me in the long run. Two years ago, I wasn't the same person, but two years later, I am someone who has acquired skills that I can use later in life.