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Mar 13, 2023
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A door factory! Until this moment I have never thought about a door factory.

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I was fired from my first job. I had been told exactly what to do and specifically what NOT to do. I did the reverse. They were completely justified in firing me. I would like to think that today, I would fire me too.

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Hahaha You would have!

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My first job was working at the gym at church. I worked the front desk. Basically, I was paid to do my homework. It was really the best first job, and I feel like I’ve been confused ever since as to why I can’t get done my personal work while at work. Ha!

After years doing that then working in student ministry, I spent a summer doing an internship in Australia and came back home to no job. I applied everywhere and finally got one at Kirkland’s. I hated that job. I had to wear awful khakis, and the smell was awful. My first weekend working there, I had to climb up on a ladder to get something that was on display. I was near the front of the store, and there was a long line to check out. Everyone was watching me. And they watched me as I broke some sconce or something of the like. It was miserable.

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The smell of Kirklands. NO.

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I worked at an ice cream shop (Bruster’s!) and waitressing at a local Italian restaurant which I was only okay at but I actually really enjoyed.

My most favorite job was assisting the archivists in UNC’s Southern Historical Collection as a undergrad. But the job itself took too much time away from general campus activities sooooo I ended up leaving after a semester. The loveliest bosses though - and workplace.

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That archival job sounds lovely!

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I've been offering up my firstborn to the mechanic at my garage and the drywaller I know from church. My own jobs as a youth were less practical in substance: drive through window worker and church bulletin folder.

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It's always practical to know how to fold a bulletin. You never know when you're going to need that skill.

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Babysitting...so much babysitting in high school. Most of it was fine, and it meant I could plan the times which was helpful.

In college, I tried to get a summer job at a restaurant or store and kept striking out. The Wendy’s manager actually said, “We can’t hire you, because you’ll leave at the end of the summer!” I said, “But at least I’d BE here all summer!” I finally ended up with a temp company and spent excruciating weeks stuffing pamphlets on a warehouse assembly line.

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I was a temp one year! I was mostly administrative help and they kept sending me home because I would finish stuff early.

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I wish mine had been something like that! The assembly line was mind-numbingly boring, and no chance of finishing early.

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My first non-babysitting job was working at an RV rental company cleaning RVs... in the summer. It was about as bad as it sounds. I was never much of a nascar fan before that, and working there made me loathe race week. It was our busiest week of the year and all the RVs came back the dirtiest that they ever were. I always thought I was a detail person, but it turns out I only love the details when working on things I actually care about...

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You always have the winning story, Danielle. This sounds horrible!

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Babysitting

Childcare

Babysitting

Childcare

College Donor Data Entry

College Admissions Data Entry

Gift Basket Store Employee (including maker of gift baskets—I can make a mean handmade bow)

Resident Assistant

Missions Teams Assistant (planning travel logistics for MANY teams)

Dean of Women (I jumped up the ladder real-fast there)

Starbucks Barista (how the mighty have fallen)

Writing Center Consultant)

Adjunct Instructor

Communications Specialist

Freelance Editor

Communications Specialist

Communications Manager

CEO (again with the jumping up the ladder!)

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Dean of Women! That's so cool. (I mean, all of this is cool but the academic titles are somehow cooler)

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It sounds very impressive until I tell you there were only six female students. ;)

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