Age (years) Job Location Nature of Job and Skills Acquired Reason For Leaving 7-10 Charlie's Leaf Raking Service Working hard, like my older brothers, provided money for movies and savings. Moved to Florida 7-10 Charlie's Snow Shoveling Service How to find a market niche and make twice what my older bothers made. I offered my service to apartment dwellers to shovel their narrow, short sidewalk for just 25 cents. It took a few minutes, and every customer I asked said yes. My brothers shoveled the big driveways for $2.00; both of them worked all morning on just one, and it took an hour to find a customer. They wondered how I filled my pockets with quarters, but I never told. Moved to Florida 8-10 Paper Boy for the Northern Virginia Sun Newspaper. In those days, the paper boy had to pay for the papers for his route in advance, collect money from customers and find new customers. I had to get the courage to ask strangers to subscribe, learn how to collect money from those who wouldn't pay, and how to run my little business. I also learned that math is a useful skill. Moved to Florida 11-14 Charlie's Lawn Mowing Service I mowed lawns in my neighborhood. Living in Florida, many of my neighbors were elderly, and needed a lawn boy. I learned to maintain my own equipment, repairing it all myself. I learned how to budget for its replacement. I learned the importance of providing quality service. (I should have kept this business instead of taking the service station job.) I was offered a job at a new service station. At first I worked both, but my summer hours at the station went to 100 hours per week. 14-16 Island Estates Chevron Station worker At first I pumped gas, washed windows and checked oil. Within a short period, I was changing oil, lubricating, changing batteries, mufflers, bleeding brakes, doing minor tune-ups, etc. I learned that if I did not quit, I would become an auto mechanic. I also learned more responsibility, and how to run a company. I went to Europe with my parents and the Caribbean with a friend for the whole summer, so I was replaced. (I continued part-time.) 16-17 Pier Pavilion Snack Bar This was a large snack bar located on a resort beach. First I simply took orders, but I was promoted to short-order cook and then manager of the dairy bar. I had to follow quality and safety regulations when running the dairy bar. During the summer, this was an 80 hour per week job. During the school year, it was every weekend. Got a job at Montgomery Wards 16-17 Heilmann's Beachcomber. I was a part-time bus boy during week day evenings. I learned to balance big trays filled with food or dirty dishes. My brother managed this restaurant, so I worked there primarily to interact with him. I learned how to work extremely hard. Got a job at Montgomery Wards 17-18 Montgomery Wards I sold paint, air compressors, above ground swimming pools and managed inventory. I learned how to sell, sell, sell. I needed to decide what I wanted to do, career wise. I took a job at a hospital. 18-19 Morton Plant Hospital I was a patient transporter. I learned the depressing side of life. I discovered that my temperament was unsuitable to a career in medicine. The job paid just $1.90 per hour, which was low, even then. 19-21 La Bonne Vie Apartment Complex, 400 unit deluxe apartment complex. First, I was a painter. I was promoted to assistant maintenance man and then head maintenance man, all within three months. Without being shown how, I was able to fix dishwashers, refrigerators, air conditioners, patch holes, etc. This position paid a lot for those days, $600/month plus a rent-free apartment. The apartment complex sold to new investors. They froze all purchases, even for nails and screws. I couldn't get work done. 21-23 Boyd Industry, a dental equipment manufacturer First, I was an assembly man, then shop all, repair man and designer. I got the position from a tenant at the apartment complex, Mr. Sharp, who was having a home built. This position paid a lot for the day, $800 per month. I moved to Wyoming to attend the University of Wyoming. 23-25 University of Wyoming , Janitor I worked full time nights, when I was a student at UW. I also got high grades and took a full load. I learned one of my mottos, which is "clean, clean, clean". I then got the position with Dr. Smith-Sonneborn, which began my professional experiences. I got the lab tech position with Dr. Smith-Sonneborn.