Associate 45

I was 16 when I walked into a local department store and filled out an application for employment.  I was not thrilled to be there and if my mother had not been sitting outside in the car making sure that I followed through with this life lesson I could have easily made a bee-line for the arcade that was across the street.

The interview consisted of the general manager asking some simple questions and before I knew it I was given the official identity of "Associate 45".

A week later I showed up with my "Don Johnson Tie" (for those of you not of the Miami Vice era...just google it and then hold back the laughter), purple shirt, and my first pair of black dress pants...I was ready.  It was then that I found out that my job would be to learn how to run the cash register and each day stock the beauty product section.  This would be the cause of much laughter from my loyal friends who were known to show up every now and then in order to have the classic store page of "Associate 45 please report to Beauty" be blasted out to the masses.

Work.

It's a concept that we all understand and something that conjures up a myriad of images depending on where you happen to be in your life's journey.  That first job taught me many things that I have carried with me through the years:

• Be on time.  When you have to punch a time card there is no hiding whether or not you showed up at the time you were supposed to.  
• Don't take yourself so seriously.  When the girl that you have been dying to ask out on a date for the last three months walks up to you in the lipstick aisle and you are elbows deep in a box of Maybelline...you have to laugh (and then cry).
• Age is relative.  I was working along side people who had been doing the same job for over 20 years and did not complain about a thing.  They smiled and approached each day as if it was their first..
• Clean up your messes.  I hated hearing "Associate 45 clean up in aisle 8"......
• Pull your weight.  The general manager preached this daily and never allowed an individual to just coast.  When you showed up to work for 8 hours...you put in your 8 hours...full stop.

There were many other lessons that came out of that first job and I could probably do a whole series on how important it is for youth to get that first experience.  The reality is that there are basic principles which we should all follow when we show up or login to our respective work environments.  Whether you are an entry level sales associate or the CEO of a company,  the timeless guidelines of "work" will never go away.

Enjoy the day...make it a good one.

Associate 45