Who's Watching You?

You never know when a potential employer might be watching you, as I learned this past Friday. Fortunately, I had been doing my job with verve and gusto since day one, getting as fully-involved and pulling as much enjoyment out of sign-waving as I possibly could.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that the job they are doing does not matter if it doesn't pay much, doesn't require any education, or requires wearing a uniform or costume. These are the people who think of their jobs as dead ends. They show up late for work, leave early, do as little as they can to get by and collect their paycheck. They don't concern themselves with the health of the company. They treat the job like a chain around their ankle instead of using it as a platform to showcase their potential.

Waving a sign while wearing a costume is not a job that many would even consider doing. Driving traffic into a business is the first step to its ability to thrive, however. Done well, sign-waving causes potential customers to associate your business with having fun, getting things done without a hassle, and being treated with dignity and respect. A waver who smiles, dances and greets everyone, either by making eye contact with drivers and passengers or by speaking with everyone who passes by on foot establishes rapport before your customer ever decides whether to use your services.

A business owner came up to me this week, gave me his card and told me he had been watching me work over the past three months. He complimented my enthusiasm, commitment, attendance and the way I treated people and said that he wanted me to consider working for him. I was both floored and relieved, since the waving job is due to end on April 17 and I had not yet nailed down my next job. So on Monday, I have an interview to decide what my duties in that new position will entail, and to figure out how to fit the new schedule around my current one.

So don't be afraid to give a so-called "dead-end" job your all. You never know who's watching and where it might lead.