Some of you may still be in that first job, and others may have had to get through a couple different things before settling into your career. Well whatever your destination in employment may have been and no matter what route you took to get to where you are, I have quite a story of my own.
My first real job was when I was 14 and living in Winter Garden, FL. I was fortunate enough to look older and hung around Hungry Howie's pizza until they finally gave me a job. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world to be getting paid to make pizza and after a while I learned all the different aspects of running the restaurant. With an unofficial title of Asst Manager, I was able to go in and open up in the morning or close at night with paperwork and all. With running shifts, it meant I had to tell people twice my age what to do. I was responsible for prep work, ordering supplies, making pizzas, and handling cash and daily paperwork. My paychecks weren't huge making $2.95 an hour, but it helped my mom a little.
The trip from my first job at that little pizza place on the corner in a small suburb of Orlando to being a Personal Assistant/Certified Surgical Technologist for an Orthopedic Surgeon today has been a long and twisty road. As you look over my past work history not only you see a numerous amount of jobs, but the variety is quite outstanding. Starting out in food service was a no brainer. Pizza was just the beginning, and I hit all the major pizza places, Domino's...Pizza Hut...Little Caeser's a few times...Papa John's...Sbarro's...and Godfather's
Of course with food service you have to hit the mainstream, including McDonald's...Taco Bell...Wendy's...Burger King...Subway... and Arby's. But there were also some not so well known like Captain D's and Flamer's Burgers. At one point, I was going to open a Sobik's sub shop in a mall food court, but the financing fell through and it never got anywhere.
Then there was the retail side of things. Wal-mart, K-mart, Joann Fabrics, and convenient stores. I was an Asst Manager for 7-Eleven at a little neighborhood store in Orlando, where I was held up 4 times in a 3 month period. At one point I sold Christmas stockings at a kiosk in the middle of a mall. It was part of the job to write the name on the stocking with Elmer's glue and glitter.
Some other job choices I checked out while I was trying to raise a family could be seen as questionable. I worked briefly as a 'doorman' at a club where the patron's were mostly men and clothing was less then necessary for the women on stage. Another employment opportunity I had that didn't land on any resume was at a video rental store. The only thing this store had in common with your local Blockbuster rental was it had tapes to rent. It was a 24 hour rental establishment and if it was legal porn we offered it. I never knew there were so many different categories in porn, or the clientele that rented it. I would have people stop in on their way to church to drop off their 'selections' from the previous night. It got me through school, but I don't think I would want another job that has to have a sign on the bathroom door that says, 'If you are in the restroom longer than 15 minutes we are calling the police'.
My first job in healthcare was as a Medical Lab Assistant. I work as a Specimen Processor for Quest Diagnostics. It was my job to prepare bodily fluids to be tested for various reasons. After a year I decided I wanted something more. I remembered that on the same floor where I took my MLA classes was the Surgical Technologist program. I applied and was granted an interview with the instructor. Her name was Betty Arnett and she had a definite passion for the role of a CST(Certified Surgical Technologist). This passion and discipline was what she intended to instill on her students. The year I spent in her class taught me more than just about the medical aspect of my career choice. I learned about responsibility, confidence and self respect. I took everything and hit the ground running, but with running can come stumbling and I did that. I went through several hospitals over the next 6 yrs. Everything from Trauma One Centers down to quaint Ambulatory Surgery Centers. After years of experience and having done at least one surgery on every part of the body, both in every age group and gender I settled down at hospital that was world renowned for its Total Joint Surgeons and Colorectal Care. I had found my niche and its now the longest job I have ever had. On my third anniversary I made a big deal and bought Arby's for everyone. I am now working on year number eight and have moved from working in the OR all the time to working for one of the Total Joint Surgeons. I get to work with the patients in the office setting as well as assisting in surgery.
Hungry Howie's *McDonald's Wendy's *Burger King
Taco Bell *Subway Domino's Papa John's Pizza Hut
Captain D's Flamer's Burgers Sobik's Subs Big Lake Restaurant
Stockings,Inc Walgreen's CVS Kmart *Wal-Mart
Big Foot Convenient store *7-Eleven Jiffy Lube Exotic Video
Crazy Girl's Sbarro's pizza *Little Caeser's Arby's
Godfather's pizza Orlando Regional Medical Center
Health Central Medical Facility Wishard Memorial Hospital
Joann Fabrics St Francis Hospital Columbus Regional Hospital
RN Specialties Quest Diagnostics St Vincent Hospital
South Emerson Surgery Center Door to Door perfume sales
Volunteers of America ABC Fine Wine and Spirits
Winn-Dixie Sand Lake Hospital
Winn-Dixie Sand Lake Hospital
I would really like to elaborate on so many of the things I have seen in all my careers, but I would never get this posted if I tried. Hopefully one day I will get around to sharing some of the more interesting things. And as far as my careers in the future, the only change I would make is becoming a Nurse to enhance the job I currently have. Otherwise I am happy right where I am....
