The Best Job I Ever Had Was Working for My Mother

Unfortunately, most of us are coerced into choosing a career early in life. I can remember being asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" when I was only 8 years old. I knew that telling people I wanted to be a doctor was the best answer. So, that is the answer I gave most people. As I grew older, I realized that choosing a career was not as easy as a quick answer to tedious question. Choosing a career takes introspection and investigation. I learned the hard way that a career path should be lead by passion and common sense. Not necessarily in that order.

Although I have had many jobs, the best job I ever had was working for my mother. I claim that experience as the best because that is where I learned the most. As anyone who has worked for a family member can tell you, working for a loved one is a challenge that prepares you for any other job that may come after that. When you work for a family member, you are at their beck and call 24 hours, 7 days a week. Often times you are obligated to work the hardest, yet are paid the least.

While under my mother's employment, I swept the floors, ran errands and performed various other remedial tasks. My mother made it clear early on that "if you are 10 minutes early to work than you are on time; and, if you are on time than you are late." Thus, timeliness is a habit that is engrained in me.

My first job helped me develop a great work ethic. It made me realize that no job is too small to take seriously. It was my responsibility to keep the floors clean and free of debris. Although that might seem like a simple task, it becomes a challenge when there is a constant flow of traffic.

The most important thing I learned on my first job is how to properly interact with people. My mother, who is very outspoken, never missed a beat in a debate. She kept up with current events, sports, politics and entertainment. She understood the importance of being well versed on various subjects. In business, one must be prepared to discuss any topic. Having had the experience of working with my mother taught me to read everything that I could get my hands on. This also helped prepare me for other career opportunities that would come my way.