Ted Alling, Roger Layne and Carolyn Jones, from leftFirst jobs rarely are glamorous.
Whether standing next to the deep-fry machine at a fast-food restaurant, running like crazy to serve customers at the mall or doing time in the family business, most everyone has had a job that gave him an idea of what he does and, more often than not, does not want to do in life.
Several of Chattanooga’s business leaders remember those starting positions. Though they may have dreaded them at the time, many say they learned a lot from the experience and were better for it.
“If you’re looking for your first job, don’t look for the ultimate job. You’re not going to find it,” said Dan Frierson, chief executive officer of Dixie Group. “Nobody starts doing what they’re going to do for life. You’ve got to work yourself by performing and showing interest.”
U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., is touting his experience as a $2.10-an-hour worker at McDonald’s as a teenager in his re-election commercials.