1. Where do you currently work?
I work for a computer reseller/service provider/consulting firm in upstate New York.
2. How many other jobs have you had and where?
I have had too many other jobs to count! Let me see, my first job was in Texas delivering ads door to door. (The freebie ads that you get in your mailbox or on your doorstep.) I believe I was about 13 at the time. My brother, our friends, and I, would be driven through a housing track, and dropped off with a bunch of papers on each street, and be picked up on the other side. Next, I had several babysitting jobs. My first hourly job was at Burger King. From there I worked at Finger Lakes Race track, walking horses. Then I worked for a company that ran snack bars and took care of vending machines for local businesses. Then I worked in a department store, first as a cashier, then I got promoted to a position ordering the basic store stock. After the ordering became computerized, I was a customer service manager. When that store closed, I went to work for a grocery store, but they didn't give me enough hours to survive. So I got a job as a night supervisor at a convenient store, and worked both jobs for a while. When I moved to Victor, I got a job as a manager of a shoe store. When I went back to college full-time, the hours conflicted, so I worked at a retail entertainment store (books, videos, music) full-time. While I was a Junior in college, I did not have a job so I could concentrate on school and getting a $10k scholarship. That lasted for only 3 months. Life threw some major curve balls at us, so I found a job at a gift store, then, a month later, found a higher paying job working for a temp agency, then a month later, a little higher paying job working at a doctor's office. My job at the doctor's office was processing all the HMO referals. I worked at the doctor's office for five months, and found an accounting job (after all, that's what I was going to school for!) at a small computer reseller. I didn't feel the company would survive much longer, so I left there for a job doing cash recovery of denied claims for hospitals. I could not believe the number of careless errors that caused claims to be denied! Finally I ended up working where I am now. At first I worked in accounts receivable, and for the last two years, I've worked as a buyer.
3. What do you like best about your job?
I like being a buyer because that is originally what I went to college for, and I've always enjoyed seeking out bargains. I like knowing that if I do my job right, I'm going to save the company money. I like developing relationships with distributors and negotiating. I like working for a privately-owned business. I like the people I work with. I like the friendly and casual work atmosphere, which makes people more productive and team-oriented.
4. What do you like least about your job?
The high cost of health insurance.
5. What is your dream job?
Working as a buyer at an ethical, prosperous company, in a warm climate.
Thanks for reading!
Ann Marie
