Yesterday,
we hired the neighbor’s kid
to shovel our walk and driveway.
We agreed to pay him monthly
AND
we offered to be his first reference.
His snow shoveling mini business
will be the first line on his resume.
Yes, we could have hired
a more experienced person,
someone less likely to break windows
with the end of his shovel,
but I remember
how difficult it was
to land that first job.
I remember the feeling
of leaving the experience part
of the resume blank,
of having NO work references.
And I have a weakness
for budding entrepreneurs.
I’m flattered to be
his very first customer.
No matter what happens
in his life,
how successful he becomes,
this won’t ever change.
Consider being
someone’s very first work reference.