There are few things I look backwards on and wish for a do-over. But occasionally I think how much fun it would be to get a do-over on my first real job. Those were really great days. For starters, there were enough people to do the work that needed to get done. I went home on time every day and didn’t do a lick of work after that. My company developed me; I got to go to training classes and meetings. There was no demoralizing ‘performance process’ that included a rating system. I talked to my boss and got raises when I earned them (or when the union got a negotiated raise!). I learned so much every day, but it’s only years later that I also know how much I didn’t know back then. Not just technical knowledge, but people skills. I still got good things done back then, but if I could do that job over with what I know today I think I’d be positively brilliant.
It’s a nice little dream. Of course I can’t repeat that job. But I could take a plant job again somewhere. In my mind it would be a piece of cake, just a fun little diversion on the down-slope to retirement. But I’m sure I romanticize my salad days. There really is no going backwards; the world has changed too much.
It’s a nice little dream. Of course I can’t repeat that job. But I could take a plant job again somewhere. In my mind it would be a piece of cake, just a fun little diversion on the down-slope to retirement. But I’m sure I romanticize my salad days. There really is no going backwards; the world has changed too much.