The Job That Shaped Me Most isn’t on my LinkedIn Profile
My summer working at a hotel on Route 66 impacted me for life.
I’ve been reminiscing recently about a cherished summer job in 1988. It was not the accounting internship I desired, nor a glamorous position; my job was cleaning motel rooms.
The Route 66 Motel in Kingman, Arizona, was a haven for travelers, nestled roadside to the historic highway. Gene and Ann Kramer, North Dakota natives, were its dedicated owners, spending their waking hours tending to the motel and its occupants' daily needs.
The Kramer’s were hardworking, good people from whom I learned many life lessons that summer. None of these lessons were taught in my business courses, but have stayed with me throughout my career.
The summer of 1988 fell between my junior and senior years in college. A student in the Midwest, I decided to spend that summer with my parents, who had moved to Kingman, Arizona, in 1986. It was an opportunity to enjoy my last collegiate summer out west before entering the working world.
It was also an excellent time to get an internship in my accounting field, or so I thought. My quest to work in accounting that summer was less than fruitful. Pre-Internet, I relied on recommendations from my dad and the good…
