As summer faded, looming over me was the reality that the school year was about to begin. Not only that, but I was strapped for cash after recently purchasing a new car. I needed a job. After turning in my third application, I got hired at a large retail clothing chain. Unknown to me were other benefits that I would receive as a result of getting the job. The experience helped me develop the foundations of some important qualities which I need now, and in the future, to get me through college and a successful career: respect, time management, and self-control. .
Prior to this job, I had been self-employed in my entrepreneurial undertakings in e-business. The new job required me to deal with the close scrutiny of seven managers and supervisors, something I was not accustomed to as I had previously been my own supervisor. When different managers asked me to complete multiple tasks simultaneously or expected me to finish a project in an unreasonably short amount of time, it caused differences to arise between us. But these experiences helped me to learn compromise and to honor their requests to the best of my ability. If they wanted me to do something that I disagreed with, I just had to respect their wishes and do what they asked me. Just as quickly as they hired me, they could fire me. .
Time management was also a very important issue that I had to gain some control of in my life. Always one to procrastinate, I waited until the night before to study for a test or write an essay. I often came up with an excuse to rationalize my delays. For the most part though, I got away with it. But once school started, working 20 hours a week .
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left me little time to complete my nightly homework assignments. As a result, I was forced to plan a daily schedule. If I failed to live up to my obligations, disaster awaited me - either a decline in grades or getting terminated from my job for tardiness or poor performance.