You never forget your first job, do you? Well, I’m certain I won’t forget mine, or the boss that made it what it is. My Jimmy John’s career started at a young age of 15. The first day I had even heard of Jimmy John’s, ate my first Jimmy John’s sandwich, and became familiar with the atmosphere was the same day I fell in love with it all. Minutes after stepping foot into the hippy, exotic, flamboyant sorta- kinda place, I wanted to be there. I envied every employee in that facility. The store was meticulously clean, the people were trained to be loud and obnoxious, and the music was enjoyably loud and the food hit the spot. That was home to me. I immediately filled out an application and was anxious for a response.
In a matter of hours, I got my interview request with Dan. My interview with Dan was far from spectacular. I was freshly fifteen- years- old and was definitely unsure of what I was actually getting myself into with a job. I came to the interview with short shorts and a tank top. Classy eh? I thought that would have been an automatic fail. To this day, I’m still wondering why I did that. The interview started and I met this Dan character. He was my size with striking positive attitude and definitely and ex weight lifter. I thought to myself, that’s seriously going to be my boss? He looks like a meat head that needs to go back to the gym. After a few basic background questions and exchange of information, the interview closed with a, “when do you want to start?” I did it. I became a gourmet sandwich artist and a pro cashier in just a matter of weeks. By working there, I had grasped the concept of work ethic, responsibility, and maturity.
Dan is not only my boss, but my inspiration as a leader. He understands my abilities and strives for perfection. When I first started there, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. However, each day he taught me the ins and outs of the store and I fell in love with it more and more each day. Some days he would assign me to make a sandwich, and others I would be at the corner of a street with a giant Jimmy John’s sign dancing. He has never once got upset with me, not even when I sliced two of my fingers open at work. I may be the biggest liability of his life due to my accident prone self, but I know he will never give up on me. This job means the world to me and it was all made possible by the encouragement and loyalty of my boss Dan Mont. I am two weeks to age 18, and I am currently employed there today. It’s no surprise why I’m still there.