Pizza Hut has been a big step in my employment career, as I started off doing general production. Iwould answer the phones, make the pizzas, and assist customers when necessary. However, abouttwo months into this position, my new boss saw my potential and my true passion for working withpeople. After accepting multiple extra shifts when coworkers had called out, or when they justneeded an extra hand, I was there. I also received multiple very positive reviews from customers inperson and through Pizza Hut's "Wow!" Program. (The Wow! Program is how customers can reachus after they have visited our store and we get their reviews as emails.) The praise from ourcustomers and fellow coworkers prompted my boss to ask if I would like a promotion to be amanager. There were some difficulties at first however considering you're supposed to be 21 toobtain a manager position. My boss was able to find a work around with the Regional Manager, andI began the manager position. As Covid became a reality in the U.S my hours at Pizza Hut weredown from 40 hours a week to 10-15 hours a week and I could not provide for myself with thehours I was receiving. I eventually made the decision to move on and find something that I wouldbe able to work full time to be able to provide for myself again.

My father was working at the University of Maine, and brought me to work with him one day. Hisboss asked if I was good with technology like my dad, and I picked up on everything rather quickly.He offered me the job and I accepted. I did not work with my father however, as he was in anotherdepartment, so I was not babysat by any means. I handled customer support over the phone, andalso online. I worked from 7-4 (certain days when I was not working at the deli) and other days Iworked in the morning and then left the college to be at the deli at 11. I ended up leaving the collegewhen I was offered a position at Pizza Hut, which I started at shortly after I left the deli. There wasalso no bad blood after leaving the college, and my dad and I still occasionally go on walks aroundthe grounds with his dogs.

I started this job at the age of 16, working 2 hours every night (Monday-Saturday) to clean andclose up the deli. Within the next year or year and a half I started asking if I could start working inthe kitchen and start to get some more hours, and also help in the event that somebody called outand we needed backup. By the start of 2017 I was working as many hours as I could at the deliwhile also going to high school. My coworkers and managers quickly became like a family to meand they all considered me a little brother, or to some of them a son. I left the deli early in 2018after finding a job that would be able to support me better, provided the deli could only give me somany hours as it is a small business. I still pop in every once and a while and get my favoritesandwiches or soups. There was no bad blood, and they were very understanding about me wantingto leave for an opportunity to better support myself.