Not Working Out by Jose

Not Working Out by Jose - February 2017 Scholarship Essay

Jose Hernandez
Josehernandez99.jh@gmail.com
2/2/17
Scholarship Essay

There are many times when some people will fail in life. Those who aren’t interested just give up and they aren’t bothered. Others fail and they get back up and make themselves determined to succeed and try their best not to fail again. A time in my life that I have failed in is one of those things every one struggles with throughout their lives. That failure was finding and being able to obtain a job. That failure made me realize and understand the importance of many things to be able to accomplish the most of what my goals are for my future.
Throughout the years I found myself owing my friends and family money and I never liked owing people money and I wanted to buy a truck so the only solution was to begin searching and applying for a job. I remember searching up YouTube videos on interviews and searching on how to fill out an application properly and how to make a resume working with whatever I just had at the time. I began on with my search spending hours upon hours on requirements for many places that I would soon apply for. Once I understood the basics I was ready to apply with full support from my family.
I first applied to a small restaurant close to my home. This place was very small but I thought I would be best for the job cleaning tables after customers left. I had gone in filled out a small application and they were able to bring me in for an interview. They had told me I was most likely going to get the job up until they had asked me if I was able to speak Spanish since it was the language of most of the customers. I wasn’t super frequent in Spanish but I could speak some words at the time but sadly that was the deal breaker after that question I knew that job would not be mine.
Throughout my search I had found another place to work a large grocery store. It was perfect being close to home and I didn’t have to know much Spanish I would just assist people with their carts and load their groceries into their cars. So I went in and filled out the application and was called later that week for an interview but it had been a bad day. To begin with I was late and had forgotten just about all I was supposed to take like a copy of my resume and ID. With that said I was lectured by the manager that if I was going to be late to an interview that I would probably be late to work as well so I was told id be considered but i knew it wouldn't happen.
I was just about ready to give up and I didn’t want to go through what I had already had. The next morning, I asked my dad if I could work at his store for and give it a try and I believed it would have been interesting to learn about the family company. So we show up to the small hardware store with 3 or 4 employees. At the time I didn’t know anything about hardware or any of the things that my dad sold like plumbing electrical and lawn and garden. It was a small store but It was packed with many things and specialties. On that day I enjoyed it I just walked around and greeted people helping them with what I could, met the staff which treated me so well and that next day I was taught to use the register and ring people out. My dad could tell that I liked being there so he asked if I was going to go again the next day because he had more for me to do. I went and kept on going forgetting about any other job that was planning to apply for. I loved being there and I liked helping and meeting new people around that neighborhood. so before I knew it I was handed a paycheck and that was what made it official, I had my first real job.
In conclusion, at age 14 I had gotten my first job now I am still working there knowing just about everything there is to know about things customers may need. I am now able to cut keys with precision, color match paint, find any standard or metric bolt, and calculate hours with ease. I still can’t believe how I was able to get to where I am now in that company the employees treat me with so much care and customers know me by name and as the kid who grew up working there. I now plan to keep the family business going and hope to also open one of my own after college when I receive proper guidance and learn what there is to know about managing a business properly. Now I believe just about anyone can do what I did which was to take something that I had failed at and turned it into a lesson to succeed and to not give up keep strong and pursue the things that call out to you.