Selected Other Work Experience 

As long as I've been old enough to work, I've found a strong sense of pride and satisfaction in working. Throughout high school, I worked a number of jobs, mostly keeping a full-time schedule, and continued working throughout college. Although many of my jobs during these times were not related to the field of education, I value them for the experience they provided, and feel that they have played a large part in making me the successful student and diligent worker that I am today. For this reason, I include these experiences in my portfolio, along with brief explanations of their value to me.

**-Not included on this list are jobs that I held for 1 month or less during winter breaks from college.

October 2002-August 2003

Andy Frain Services

761 Shoreline Drive

Aurora , IL 60504

(630) 820-3820

Fax: (630) 820-3819

Contact: Harry Payne

My position at Andy Frain was primarily as a security officer. During my time there, I worked a number of trade shows at Chicago 's famous Merchandise Mart ( World Trade Center ), including roles that involved supervising and monitoring other workers. In addition to these trade shows, I also worked in roles that involved securing parking and loading dock areas, and large public festivals. However, these types of roles did not provide a stable schedule, and I was eventually able to secure a fixed position securing Signature Flight Support (a Fixed Plane Office) at Midway Airport , where I served many of the city's (and nation's) most important business, entertainment, and political clientele. This job gave me experience interacting with larger amounts of the public than I ever had been exposed to before, and contact with many municipal, state, and even federal employees that greatly increased my knowledge and familiarity with a number of occupation and operations throughout the nation.

February 2001-August 2003

Skinnyguy.com

Company no longer exists

Chicago , IL

Contact may be made with Bill Conway, (312) 287-9156

My position at Skinnyguy.com spanned the majority of the company's existence. The company was an internet based company that sold movies (in VHS and DVD format), and near the end, musical albums as well, through its own website, amazon.com, and e-bay. I was based primarily in shipping and inventory, although was involved in one way or another in nearly all aspects of the company's operations. This experience gave me vast exposure to popular culture, and immersion into the world of a small business. In addition to knowledge base, this role also increased my skill working with computers and the internet.

October 1999-August 2000

Imo's Pizza

Creve Coeur , MO 63146

(314) 878-9200

Contact: John Huff

Of all the jobs that I have had, I found this job most enjoyable. My role at Imo's was a delivery driver, which included both my love of maps and adoration of driving. Although no experience is worthless, other than the most basic elements of the experience, I doubt I gained much more than pay and practice driving.

April 1998-August 2000

Dairy Queen, franchise of 3 stores.

Franchise no longer exists.

Chesterfield , MO , Creve Coeur , MO , and St. Louis , MO

No contact available

This job was perhaps my most formative work position, and I find it greatly unfortunate that I do not have it as a reference. In the time since I left (to attend college), the franchise sold its stores. Throughout my nearly two and a half years working for this franchise, I was a major part of two stores, with a number of interactions with the franchise's third store. As early as June of 1998, I assumed supervisory roles, and eventually served as a role as assistant franchise manager. This involved the near complete managerial duties for one store ( Chesterfield , MO ), including scheduling, accounting, inventory, customer service), and the preparation and service of food products. I also had authority and service to another store ( Creve Coeur , MO ), that included the same duties, but only on an as-needed basis. Occasionally, I would be needed to assist at the third store of the franchise, but of simpler duties (primarily transportation of surplus inventory between stores). This experience, as with any managerial position, involved extreme responsibility and involvement with the public, often in confrontational situations (as is common with any “fast food” restaurant). It is no doubt to me that balancing this position with high school class work and sports was the key to my success in handling the responsibilities of a student and worker jobs I held later, and will continue to aid me in my career as a teacher.