Diversity In The Workplace

I have always been a pretty self sufficient and determined individual. I started my own lawn care business when I was 12. I was surprisingly successful, for being so young. I started out with only one customer, my neighbor. Then, through recommendations I received more and more customers. Business started booming and by the third year I was easily earning $3,500 each summer. I began to think of myself as a young man. I always had enough money to buy the things I wanted. However, I was about to learn, I was still just a kid and having money in your pocket isn’t what makes you a young man. I was planning my own schedule, and working as my own boss. I always had plenty of time to spend with friends and family. It was hard work for a boy, but easily managed. I wasn’t even remotely nervous about the “real” work world, if it was going to be this easy. It wasn’t until my first job that I re-defined my idea of a young man.

I was offered the job based a recommendation from a family friend. Once on the job I worked 6:30am – 1:30pm, Monday through Friday. I found it stressful working for someone else on their schedule, and trying to meet their expectations in an unfamiliar environment. I knew lawns not air conditioning units and plumbing. I worried that my boss wasn’t satisfied with my work, even though I received many compliments from him. While I was excited about the new skills I was learning, everyday I had to miss doing fun activities with my friends because of my work hours. At the end of each work day I still had to take care of my lawn service customers. At the end of the summer I had worked more hours and earned less than I would have mowing. But, since I juggled both jobs there was still an increase in my income. I was finally understanding what it was like to be an adult and began missing those times when I was younger and had less