Take a chance on me....

The Great Dax Montana has been relating the adventures of a new guy at his place of employment. The new guy has never had a job and cannot pull his own weight. I was reminded of my first job.

I went to college with every intention of being a lawyer. In time I found out that:

1. Lawyers are scum
2. I was sick of school
3. Lawyers are scum

I graduated with a Liberal Arts degree, no prospects, and a declining economy. I applied for lots of jobs, but I had no experience. I lost out on a customer service job to a guy with 15 years experience as a manager. That is how things were.

I took a job at the local library as a librarian. I managed a branch library three days a week and was the audio-visual librarian at the main branch the rest of the week. It sucked. Let me be the first to clue you into a secret -- librarian conventions are not nearly as fun as you imagine them to be. In time I found myself married. I continued to look for a better job.

One day one of the local factories advertised for a Quality Manager. Of course I was in no way qualified. I did some research on Quality and learned some of the terms etc. This was no mean feat, there was no internet. I was a librarian and research was not a problem. Somehow I scored an interview.

I met with the plant manager and engineering manager. In no time all of us could see I was not qualified. The Plant Manager tried to let me down easy. "You seem like a sharp guy, but we have more qualified candidates..." You get the idea.

In those days I was a shy, meek individual. I needed out of that library. I looked at him and I pointed out that I probably was not qualified. I told them I was a fast learner, I could do anything. I asked how in the world does a guy like me get experience if he cannot get hired? They told me to just keep plugging, something would happen. I told them thanks for their time...meaning fuck off, assholes.

About a week later I got a call from the Plant Manager's Secretary. She said that Fred wanted to know if I could come in to see him. I arrived and the Plant Manager said he had talked to the corporate people in New York. He was prepared to offer me a newly created position as a manager trainee. The pay was not much, but he would ensure I got experience. He was impressed with my candidness in the interview and decided that he would give me a break. I learned later he used up a lot of favors to get me a job. I did not make much, less than most of the hourly workers.

For the next three years I did every job imaginable in that injection molding business. I ran machines, I drove a lift truck, I did payroll, filing, production control. I did quality, warehousing, inventory management. I supervised, I did recycling, picked up trash, painted, called customers to move in orders so we could make the month. You name it -- I did it. I performed every job except heavy maintenance and the plant manager's. I worked my ass off. At one point the factory hired workers to just work weekends. I supervised a weekend shift (11:00 pm to 11:00 am), I continued to work my weekly shift at the same time. I averaged 70+ hours a week. I learned. I got experience.

After three years I parlayed that experience into a Customer Service Manager position. I was 27 years old. In just a few years my new employer trusted me with an enormous responsibility. I succeeded in that project based on my previous broad experience. I owe a debt to that first plant manager I can never repay (Thank you Fred). He took a chance on a smart-assed kid with no experience. He put me in a position where I could learn. At times I hated it. At times I loved it. I have promised myself if I am ever in that position, I will give a young kid a break. I will tell him the story of a plant manager 20 years ago.

Do not fire him Dax. You never know what legacy you are creating.