Point out at least two main points the author makes. Why do you think the author may want to convey this idea?
In what way (s) can you relate to this article?
CHoose one argument made by the author and either agree or disagree with it based on your experience or your knowledge of the world.
“Oftentimes, people encourage you to ‘go the extra mile,’” Coleman says. “I’ve learned firsthand that the extra mile isn’t crowded; not that many people travel it!” Why do you think she chose to point this out in her article. What does this say about skill sets, the job market and overall work ethic of the average American in thier 20's.
http://www.primecb.com/jobs-you-had-in-your-20s-what-they-taught-you/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Interview&siteid=Prime_EmFeatArt
Being in my mid 20's I can definitely relate to the people in the article who had different experiences. I also do believe that if you don't you should take all of your experiences with you as you progress. The past and mistakes can be great teachers to young adults. I also love the statement “I’ve learned firsthand that the extra mile isn’t crowded; not that many people travel it!” Its something that I try to live by and it really does pay to take initiative in everything that you do especially the work place.
ReplyDeleteOne main point of this article is that every job gives you experience, regardless of how long you work there. Another main point the author conveys is that you may find that you love the job you have, or maybe just something about that job, which will allow you to find a better match for you in the future. A final point that seemed to be a focus in this article is that going to “extra mile” can help you advance in your career, especially since many people do not put any additional effort into their work.
ReplyDeleteI relate to this article on a few levels. The first job I obtained out of college in 2005 was at a small process serving company. I knew nothing about the business, but was able to learn quickly because of my educational background. After working at Universal Default Services II for 7 months, I had earned a $2K raise in salary (still not what I had asked for in my interview), and had acquired the title of “Client Manager”. Unfortunately, I had noticed a few personal differences forming between my bosses and myself, so I began to search for a new job. Since I liked what I was doing, I had applied to a few of the process serving companies in the area and had landed an interview right away. During my interview at Alstate Process Service, I was asked about my knowledge of certain companies upstate and out of state. To my luck, I had already built a rapport with all of the companies I was questioned about and was hired only 4 hours after I had left the interview, at a much higher pay rate than I had asked for! Six years later, I had worked in almost every position within the company, and had been promoted as high as possible (the only higher positions are held by the owner’s daughters). My skills and knowledge were so well-liked at Alstate, that every time something needed to be done that nobody else knew how to do, it would be dumped on my desk and I would have the task of figuring it out and completing the job. I was also the unofficial memo and letter writer since I was one of the few well-educated employees in the office (most of my co-workers were older married women that needed a second income). I did love what I was doing, but I had grown out of the position. I recently left Alstate in August to begin working full time as a paramedic and to go back to school for a second bachelor’s degree. To this day, my former bosses contact me every so often to ask me when I’m coming back.
I agree with the author about going the “extra mile”. When I started working at Alstate, I was making $15 per hour. After only 2 months, one of my bosses had tried to get me fired because she didn’t like the way I worked. Thankfully, one of the owner’s daughters had noticed my work and actually offered me a new position with a $2 per hour pay raise. From there, I was more than willing to go that extra mile for her and the other bosses (except the one that tried to have me fired), and I left the company making $23.92 per hour.
At Alstate, I witnessed first-hand that many people don’t like to go that “extra mile.” Although I had gotten the pay raises mentioned above, I know for a fact, that there was at least one other girl in my department that was making more money than I was, and it made me angry. Every day, if she wasn’t “sick”, she came into work late, by at least 30 minutes. There wasn’t a single week, within this last year, that she was at work for a total of 40 hours. Also, since she was in my department, a lot of her work came across my desk. It was sloppy and full of grammatical errors. At a process serving company, we had attorneys as our clients and we worked directly with the courts. Typos and grammar errors were not exactly favorable when dealing with the law. It was very frustrating to me to know that she was so careless with her work, yet she made much more than I did.
I am excited about this class.
ReplyDeleteI have seen both sides of the spectrum in my 20's. I was in management throughout my 20's mostly in retail and finishing in sales. Only one job ever rewarded me for being willing to go above and beyond. The other two took it for granted. In the "sales world" I get the impression that you are only as good as your last month. Meaning that once a new month begins you begin with a clean slate again and must work your way back up into good graces with your superiors. THIS is what makes it tough to want to do more and go the extra mile. I try to maintain positivity now because I own my own catering business that my clients see that the extra mile I give them is because I want to succeed for myself. They see this and appreciate it fully, and in turn they give me the best kind of advertising I could ever ask for, REFERRAL business. I didn't let the two other companies that I bent over backwards for and never received any recognition for it deter me from continuing to be better than my position or contract called for. It gives me a sense of pride, but I also know my limitations now to know when and IF I am being taken advantage of.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article it gave some very good examples as to how jobs in your 20's can old you into the worker you are in the future. With any job you will gain experience in many different work environments. this article to me also showed in the first story how giving that little bit extra and going the extra mile can really change the way you are perceived as a worker. i tend to always go the extra mile at work and although it does't always go noticed the times it does it is rewarding. This was the main point i took away from this article considering me being in my 20's i felt i related to the most. Over all this article gives examples as to how kinda not so great jobs in your 20's can help build your work ethic of the future.
ReplyDeleteThe article had a few different themes. The first theme being that skills are transferable, even through different fields. Someone might have learned their people skills from working in customer service or retail and later applied them to any other career. Although the jobs you hold in your 20s sometimes seem unimportant it's about what you take from it. Another main point is that an end can spark a begining. Once you realize a certain job isn't for you it can help you realize what jobs are right for you. Even the skills you learn in a job that you don't enjoy can later be beneficial in a future job that you do enjoy. Another main theme is that going the extra mile counts. Alot of people just do what is expected and required of them. When your boss sees you going the extra mile it shows your interested and you care about your job. Putting your best effort into any job or task you are faced with is always the right thing to do. I often go the extra mile and my job and it does pay off. Although the pay off is sometimes not as much as you wish, eventually putting your best effort into your work will make you ahead of everyone else.
ReplyDeleteThis artcicle provides strong main points that shed light on the fact that jobs we have in our twenties have a much more signifigant effect than we think.
ReplyDeleteThe article mentions that skills are transferable which I can directly relate to. I've had jobs as a cashier and I can remember thinking to myself that this job wouldn't provide me with any experience for future jobs or careers. But after reading the article I now realize that the communication and interpersonal skills I developed there are applicable to almost any job or career.
Another important point in the article is that little actions have big results. I learned this at my first real job when simply going the extra mile to clean up every night got my name floating around the office and led to a meeting with the vice president and a promotion to lead shipping clerk.
Overall the points in this article posses great substance and can be momumental when changing or moving into a new career.
This article has many strong points that the author makes that I believe to be important. One of which are jobs worked by people in their 20's absolutely influence the rest of their life. The experience itself is enough to shape or create a foundation for how someone will work and live. Another idea I think to be important in the article is that even though you may not work at a particular job for a long time, the experience you gain there should be valued. I believe the author wants to convey both these ideas because if someone doesn't take what they've learned from what they do, how could they grow and succeed to be a better worker in the future? It is essential to take one's positive and negative experiences and learn from it. If you continue to make mistakes without realizing why or how to correct them, you will never be able to prosper. The last point, I'd like to address is going the "extra mile" in the work place. I feel that if someone were to put their best and more they will be able to achieve anything. The author states this to educate us. Also, to tell us that if we put in a little more, we will be able to move higher up in the workforce and most likely be noticed by our peers and a senior. I can relate to this because I moved quickly through the ranks at my first part time job because I would push myself to work harder than the rest. In less than three years, I became Assistant Manager of the store. Sometimes, you may give up quickly because you are not progressing as fast or as much as you like but everything pays off in the end. Patience is a virtue, and if you have patience and strong work ethic, you will be rewarded.
ReplyDeleteI agree with many of the points that this author made in the article. Stating that your jobs you experience in your 20’s influence you for the rest of your life couldn’t be more accurate in my eyes.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things in this article that the author mentioned was that a job you have in your 20’s can make you realize that you weren’t meant for a certain career track. One of my high school teachers experienced this first hand. He was a New York City police officer and one day realized that he wasn’t cut out for this line of work; he then went back to school to teach high school social studies. Sometimes what you think you want may not always be what makes you happy, not matter how much money your making.
Another thing the author pointed out was that the skills you acquire from your jobs in your 20’s are with you for life. I previously worked at Coach as a sales associate and after I started my college career I took a job at a hospital in an emergency room working with patients. I have come to realize that some of the social skills I picked up in my retail job like how to handle an angry patient has helped greatly. Without my retail job behind me I am not sure how I would have learned to deal with these situations.
Finally one quote that I really liked from the author was “Oftentimes, people encourage you to ‘go the extra mile,’” Coleman says. “I’ve learned firsthand that the extra mile isn’t crowded; not that many people travel it!” I could not agree more with this quote. Many people will find that in their careers, many of their co-workers will only do the minimum that is required of them. To me I feel that if I go above and beyond it makes me feel that I’ve proven to my supervisors the reason that they hired me and not the other person who was up for my job. Also going above and beyond makes me more than a “dime a dozen” .
An important point made in the article is that going the extra mile is always worth it. Putting more effort and energy into something always pays off, especially if it leaves a good impression with a boss or manager. Another point is that you don’t have to stay locked into the same job in your 20's. There are always options, and if you decide to change professions over time, the knowledge and experience from one field can always help in another field of work.
ReplyDeleteI think the author is trying to convey that jobs in your 20's can vary in a lot of ways. Some are long term careers while others only last a short time. The point is that no matter how long you are at a particular job, you can always gain experience from it, and use that experience somewhere else.
I can relate because the past few jobs I have had including my current job are not long term careers. Even though I don’t see myself working in those fields long term, I still took, and currently take knowledge from those jobs that I can use along the way. The experience
from prior jobs can help me in various ways when I am entering a new environment and career.
I think the idea that little actions have big results is true. In a prior job, I would go beyond what was expected of me, because I thought it left a good impression. Over time it was noticed by my boss, who then decided to give me more frequent raises and more responsibilities because she knew I could handle it and because she trusted that I would put the required effort into making sure things got done correctly and efficiently.
Nice job Tim! Well Said!
ReplyDeleteBeing in my early 20’s I can relate to the article. Two reasons I can is the two main points stated in the article. Going the extra mile and using things you learn in your 20’s in the future, the reason I can relate because where I work. I am always the one to go the extra miles and step outside of my job disruption. Also I notice myself using things I learned when I was young in work today, this could only mean I can use this skills in the future. This may explain why the author used these examples in the article because it shows how we can all relate to the article. This is why I agree with Christiansen when you go the extra mile people take notice, because when you go something extra it tells a lot about your character. This is why the author stated in the article “I’ve learned firsthand that the extra mile isn’t crowded; not that many people travel it!” this says a lot about young adults in today’s society. Many rather do what they have to do then pit in the extra effort. This could be why our generation is considered to be lazy.
ReplyDeleteOne point the author makes is that experiences with jobs determine what you truly desire to be in the future. My future goal in life is to become a computer engineer, as an engineer you must have great communication skills and i thought the only way as a 20 year old i can gain experience in this would be to work as a salesman throughout college. I decided to work at sears where i work in electronics and persuade customers to buy items. I went the extra mile to work at this job only to gain experience for the future. I agree with going the extra mile but unfortunately today in our society people are lazy and think it is a waste of time. american people are being labeled as "lazy" and around the world people think america as a whole does not work hard. i feel many people view "going the extra mile" as not always opportunistic because for example the guy who cleaned the restaurant overnight got a promotion the next day. now this is hard to come by because a lot of factors play into the promotion. not everyone who goes the extra mile is going to be promoted or even given credit. but at the end of the day whatever hard work you put in is what your are going to get out of the occupation or life in general.
ReplyDeleteJobs in our 20's build our work ethic and personal experience. This article points out that jobs have universal skills that can also be applied to everyday life. The author points out that " working with kids teach you how to communicate,use data to meet an end and think on your feet.It gives you stamina, grit and resilience." Working in retail also gave me these skill sets but also taught me how to communicate with different types of personalities.Which is now applied in my current line work. Personally i feel that in our 20's many feel that hard work and perseverance has gone unnoticed and under appreciated. but these jobs are for personal experience for us to learn and use in future endeavors.Jobs in our 20's play a major role in choosing careers.A job that was supposed to be temporary can grow into something you love and stick with or something that inspires you to strive for better .
ReplyDeleteI agree with the points made by Beth Braccio Hering in this article. I feel earlier jobs taken in one’s life can and do influence their carrier path. I know in my personal experience I’ve had some very diverse jobs, form retail sales to fork-lift operator, an office assistant to auto repair mechanic and now a manager of a cell phone retailer. Although my past jobs have been in completely different fields, I feel I’ve moved on from them with another piece of the puzzle, so to speak, to the path of my future carrier.
ReplyDelete-Giovanni Butera
I found this article to be interesting because I am currently in the same position as those people in the article. I find that the idea of working hard and doing a little extra can really help with getting ahead at work. I currently work at Farmingdale State College and I am a student assistant to the facilities manager. I help work sporting events and help maintain the athletic fields. In my experience, I have always worked hard and this has led to better opportunities. One example is that I was offered another job over the summer to make $500 in one day. This was better my boss noticed that I was a hard worker and wanted to award me for it. After reading this article, I will definitely continue to work hard and do the little extra because it in long run, it will only help me.
ReplyDeleteI found this article informative. Two points i got out of it were One: No matter how silly of a job you had in the past what you learned from it can be used in the future, and Two: Experience is very important in all fields..experience is something you have to earn.
ReplyDeleteI think the author stressed these points becasue it is important to not forget where you came from, how you got there, and what you learned from it.
For the most part i agree with this article because not to long ago i had a warehouse job which i hated, but the organization skills i learned from running a warehouse helps me everyday with organizing my life.
-Matt Blaufarb
One of the main points the author coveys is that the jobs you have in your twenties shape you and make you the person you are today. I agree with this because these jobs give you responsibilities that you have to fulfill. They teach you how to work through problems and also teach you how to be respectful and hard working. For example, about five years ago I began working for my brother-in-laws landscaping company. When I first started working for him I went from house to house with the crew and used the blower to blow the grass clippings off the driveways, sidewalks, and streets. Even though it wasn't the greatest job, I was enthusiastic about it and as time went on I learned how to use different machines and equipment on the truck. This job taught showed me how much responsibility there was with landscaping, because when you are using one of those machines you have to be alert and know your surroundings, otherwise something could go wrong which could result in injury. Besides that this job taught me how to be a hardworker and how to show respect to your superiors and fellow workers. As a result from all my hard work I now run one of the trucks with my own route and crew.
ReplyDeleteThe author also points out that going that extra mile and working a little harder than expected can really be beneficial. I agree with this also because as I previously stated from my own experience, through my hard work and doing more than what was expected of me, I showed that I actually cared and wanted to gain something out of my job. This helped me climb the latter of positions in my job and got me to where I am today.
Jobs in your twenties also teach you things that you wouldn't be able to learn from just getting an education. They teach you skills you will never forget and make you a more well rounded person. In my case I my job helped me improve my people skills, communication skills and team work skills.
When the author states, “Oftentimes, people encourage you to ‘go the extra mile,’” Coleman says. “I’ve learned firsthand that the extra mile isn’t crowded; not that many people travel it!”, I believe she is implying that many people working in their twenties are not ry going that extra mile because they have a more layer back work ethic and may be lazier than previous generations. But for those people who do decide to go that extra mile and put in that much more effort the outcome is that much more rewarding.
I agree with the article about how little things often add up. Where I work I have always been the go-getter, the guy that does all the little stuff, I haven't necessarily gotten a promotion from it, but its earned me a stable position with the hours I am available and I am able to take time off on certain weekends when I have things to do.
ReplyDeleteI also believe in the importance of finding a job that you love to do, so it becomes less of a grind and more of something you enjoy waking up for.
Two main points the author makes is If you notice something that has to or should be done, don’t think someone else is going to do it. Take it upon your self to do it and the reward could sky rocket. If you don’t enjoy what your doing at your job, move on to something else. Your still young where you can explore the working field. I believe the author may want to convey this idea because your first job isn’t going to be your last. Find what you enjoy, take chances, and things will all fall into place. Take your time while your young to enjoy yourself.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to Tracy Brisson story. When I was 16 I worked at CVS. I didn’t really take my job that serious do to the fact I worked with friends and I didn’t want to work, but enjoyed earning money at a young age. Once of my co-workers has worked at CVS for 15 years and was miserable. Now after working at CVS for a year or two, I thought to myself I do not want to do this for the rest of my life and definitely not in that type of environment. Therefore I moved on to a different field.
One argument made by the author I agree with based on my experience and knowledge of the world. The author said, “ Figuring out what makes you happy is worth the time.” This statement I think everyone should consider at a young age. If you think about it, this doesn’t just relate to work, it relates to life. Know matter what you do, you are going to do what you feel confident about and enjoy life itself.
“Oftentimes, people encourage you to ‘go the extra mile,’” Coleman says. “I’ve learned firsthand that the extra mile isn’t crowded; not that many people travel it!”
One of the main reasons why she chose to make this point in the article is because all younger kids, 16-20, are lazy and want everything handed to them. Most kids now a days have no skill to help out in the work force nor want to learn a skill.
Two main points the author makes are little actions have big results and figuring out what makes you happy is worth the time. The ideas are being conveyed because the little thing s don’t go unnoticed. Even though you might not realize it, superior workers always recognize good work. Figuring out what makes you happy was also conveyed because it’s the whole point of finding a career. It is a big reason why many people are going back to school today.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to this article because a lot of the main points are something I think about on daily basis. The main point that I think I can relate to the most is the happiness aspect. I don’t want to end up doing something I won’t love. I want to be motivated to go to work every day not dread it.
I agree with the point little actions have big results. Where I work it’s important for everything be done to perfection. Going that extra mile is always ways to show my boss that you are willing to work hard for him.