For my interview, I spoke with an employee of the Carmike Cinema in Vestavia. He asked that I use a pseudonym when referring to him in this assignment, so I will refer to him as Jared. He began working at the theater in June and had recently completed the training program over the last two weeks. A typical shift for Jared involves working at one of three stations: concessions, box office, and floor. In concessions he is responsible for taking and filling customer orders, making popcorn, and stocking supplies. In the box office he sells tickets and checks ID to enforce age restrictions. On the floor he may direct customers to the right theater, clean theaters after the movie ends, and keeps the bathrooms in good order.
Jared said his favorite station is the box office because it is the most straightforward task and has the best air conditioning in the building. He seems to genuinely enjoy his job at the cinema and told me he really likes the people he works with. While cleaning messes around the theater can be unpleasant, he said that they usually form cleaning
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I learned very quickly that he highly values positive relationships with his coworkers. I also learned that there are some great perks to working at a movie theater including free popcorn, free drinks, and free movies for yourself and immediate family members. I was surprised at how much the theater job had encouraged Jared. It may not be connected to his ultimate career goals, but he was able to find purpose and value in it all the same. I tend to see work primarily as a goal in itself, but Jared saw his present employment as a tool to help him work towards his dream job. I came away from the interview feeling more positive about my own job situation. Like Jared, I am starting to view my current job as a helpful means toward my landing my dream job. It is amazing how seeing one person 's job satisfaction can increase your own sense of happiness at