Hello,
Today I thought a lot about the various jobs out there and considered a few things. But before getting into that I thought I'd recap my job journey until now.
2016 - 2017
In reality, in 2016 I just finished up two years of delivering newspapers to my neighborhood. But for as surprisingly labor intensive as that was, I wouldn't consider that as my first job. I properly started work at the fast food chain, "Burger King".
It was okay. Good coworkers and free food are sick, but being so greasy in my already greasy teenage years was not so fun. I worked there for a year and for the latter half of that year was taking lifeguard lessons. I'm honestly not sure why but I all of a sudden had an interest in becoming a lifeguard.
2017 - 2022
I got the job as a lifeguard and swim instructor and was exposed to a completely different work environment. Lifeguards are fun, there's a lot of tomfoolery that goes on behind the scenes but it's nice to work in a team. We did trainings every so often where we'd practice lifesaving situations, renew our skills, and work on how to teach children. I loved my time as a lifeguard and met a lot of great people. It's also a bonus to get to work in shorts and a muscle shirt all the time.
I worked as a lifeguard until 2022 but for a few months in between I worked a completely different job, as a railway laborer.
My dad has been working at CP Rail (one of the major railway companies in Canada) for many years. It's with that through that I was able to land a summer job with CP Rail. I often look back at this job as one of the hardest jobs I've ever done. I'm talking 12-16 hour days, night shifts, swinging a hammer in rain, hail, burning heat, and freezing cold. Just a brutal blow to a kid who has previously been teaching children to jump in the water just a few months prior. But it's here I became resilient. Where I learned the value of hard work and the harder work of pushing through unfazed. Things are hard, for everyone there, and I'd look at my coworkers and know that they're also going through a tough time. That's when helping others is most valuable. I have one experience there I always remember. It was raining heavy and me and two other guys were hammering away at these plates that lay on top of track ties. There was a spike pulling machine following us and we took turns going in to stay warm. I remember seeing my one coworker really going through it. He was tired and upset and just completely soaked. I could see he needed a break so I skipped a few of my turns in the machine so he could get his head back in the game. It's in those moments where things are hard, but you gotta look out for one another. Do good where you can, even if it's hard.
2022 - 2024
2022 is the year I graduated from film school. I decided that I should leave the pool and try to work in my field. Well, that was tough. I had some connections and would occasionally work on film productions in my town. It was very exciting to be in the film industry but the only movies shot in my city were these rom-coms. I found the crews to be very cynical; they were worn out and bored, it seemed. It felt like the magic of filmmaking was gone. A magic that was abundantly present in the indie scene.
I started 100PStudios with some buddies from school. We made short-films, documentaries, and a few ads. It was a nice group to be in, but it's not always easy to run a company with friends, especially while the challenges of life hit the bank account.
Film work was fulfilling, but was inconsistent at best. I had a car, an apartment, a stomach, so I knew I needed something stable. That's when I started working at a liquor store.
A bit of a wild change of scenery but it was honestly very fun to work there. I got to learn a ton about beer, as well as had a great group of coworkers and boss. Customers here differ from those at say a grocery store. I felt as if people coming in were happy to be there. Of course there's a few sourpusses here and there but in general, our clientele were nice and chatty. But I think working in an industry like this has this double-edged sword where you see your customers at their happiest, and their saddest. Being a regular at a liquor store is not great. People love to chat and it's sometimes disheartening to hear the stories people have. While all the while selling them what is essentially a coping product. That part wasn't so fun.
2024 - 2025
So I left the company, on good terms, left the liquor store, then left Canada. I moved here, to Vienna. I looked for a while for work and honestly, as a kid with a film degree and no German, it's near impossible to find work here. I sent out hundreds of applications and could count the number of interviews I had on one hand. It was rough. It's rough cause I feel as if I don't have a chance to prove myself. I think hey, "Every job I've been at I've excelled." I may not have many skills on paper but I know I'm capable of adding value to any workplace. Skills like quick learning and producing quality work don't show up on a resume.
I eventually did land a job working in a warehouse where I'm at today. But I sometimes feel trapped. Since my goal is to become a Software Engineer, having little time to learn that is tough. I do what I can when I can but I hope I can find my break into tech. I'd love to see how far my wings can spread. To explore this field as in-depth as I can.
I guess tech was always a big part of my life. The past eight months have just been working toward accepting and pursuing that. That's what this blog is all about. Documenting that journey.
I'm confident I can make it. And for the many others out there in similar situations, I know you can make it too. Thank you for reading me yapping about jobs. See you tomorrow.