My First Job
Summer 1985
Chicago, Illinois
My first job, at 12, was in telecommunications. I did customer satisfaction surveys and marketing analysis surveys. I got my worker’s permit, thanks to my dad’s signature, and it was the first job I applied to. It would set a precedent for years to come.
I started off with pen and paper, filling out answers as I went. I did really well with my numbers and got promoted to a terminal, filling out the responses electronically.
Several of the respondents told me I had a really pleasant voice and that I was easy to talk to.
I got bored of the job pretty quickly and only worked there for a few months.
On my last day there, I spent two hours on my last call talking to a retired female police officer in Arizona. She only had nice things to say and was really interested in me. I thought, hey, why not get paid to enjoy my last day?
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