lizziej
Active member
Robin, what a great post! It's so interesting to read about everyone's jobs!
When I was a junior in college, I had to get a job because I ran out of money. It was my first job. I worked part-time at McDonald's and soon became the S.T.A.R. - Store Activities Representative. I was in charge of promotions (I was working there when Chicken McNuggets came out!) and the birthday parties. My boss knew I was going to college and had aspirations other than working in the fast food industry. But when I turned him down to become an assistant manager one time too many times, he cut my hours.
Then I graduated from college with a music degree. I wanted to go to grad school, so I had to save up a bunch of money.
I then got a part-time job at Sears working in the shoe department, and I earned commission. Then my supervisor transferred me to the plumbing department where I sold plumbing parts, water heaters, and window air conditioning units. I got great commission, especially in the summer, and then it turned to a full-time job. That job wasn't quite paying the bills and allowing me to save money, so I found a full-time job as a legal secretary. That changed everything.
I worked at that legal job for 7 years. After 5 years, my bosses sent me to paralegal school and paid for everything. It was a 24-hour graduate-level program that I attended at night. I had to quit Sears because the legal research class I was taking took up a lot of time. After I got my certificate, they knew I would be leaving, and I left about 6 months after that to become a full-time paralegal.
I've worked as a civil litigation trial paralegal for over 37 years, with a total of 43 years in the legal field. I loved being a trial paralegal, especially sitting through and assisting at entire trials, including helping pick the jury, but now I don't want to do that. I don't mind preparing for them, but I hate that it takes up a lot of time. Right now I work at a job which is probably the best I've ever had, I have a fantastic boss (I've had a few horrible ones) who recognizes my abilities and challenges me, and I hope to retire from there in a few years. The commute is very nice - I can count on it taking me the same amount of time going to and from work almost every day. I don't like that we don't have enough experienced staff to help pick up the slack for me when I am preparing for trial.
As for my music degree, the voice lessons I took in college helped me become a member of the official chorus of the now-defunct (which happened 20 years after I left - so sad) San Antonio Symphony. During the time I was a member, the chorus made its Carnegie Hall debut. That was a fantastic experience! My degree also helped me get paralegal jobs that required a bachelor's degree.
When I was a junior in college, I had to get a job because I ran out of money. It was my first job. I worked part-time at McDonald's and soon became the S.T.A.R. - Store Activities Representative. I was in charge of promotions (I was working there when Chicken McNuggets came out!) and the birthday parties. My boss knew I was going to college and had aspirations other than working in the fast food industry. But when I turned him down to become an assistant manager one time too many times, he cut my hours.
Then I graduated from college with a music degree. I wanted to go to grad school, so I had to save up a bunch of money.
I then got a part-time job at Sears working in the shoe department, and I earned commission. Then my supervisor transferred me to the plumbing department where I sold plumbing parts, water heaters, and window air conditioning units. I got great commission, especially in the summer, and then it turned to a full-time job. That job wasn't quite paying the bills and allowing me to save money, so I found a full-time job as a legal secretary. That changed everything.
I worked at that legal job for 7 years. After 5 years, my bosses sent me to paralegal school and paid for everything. It was a 24-hour graduate-level program that I attended at night. I had to quit Sears because the legal research class I was taking took up a lot of time. After I got my certificate, they knew I would be leaving, and I left about 6 months after that to become a full-time paralegal.
I've worked as a civil litigation trial paralegal for over 37 years, with a total of 43 years in the legal field. I loved being a trial paralegal, especially sitting through and assisting at entire trials, including helping pick the jury, but now I don't want to do that. I don't mind preparing for them, but I hate that it takes up a lot of time. Right now I work at a job which is probably the best I've ever had, I have a fantastic boss (I've had a few horrible ones) who recognizes my abilities and challenges me, and I hope to retire from there in a few years. The commute is very nice - I can count on it taking me the same amount of time going to and from work almost every day. I don't like that we don't have enough experienced staff to help pick up the slack for me when I am preparing for trial.
As for my music degree, the voice lessons I took in college helped me become a member of the official chorus of the now-defunct (which happened 20 years after I left - so sad) San Antonio Symphony. During the time I was a member, the chorus made its Carnegie Hall debut. That was a fantastic experience! My degree also helped me get paralegal jobs that required a bachelor's degree.
