A First Job Should Open More Than a Door

We hire a lot of young people at Ocaquatics Swim School. For many of them, this is their very first job.

That means we are not only teaching them how to greet a family, teach a child, or show up on time. We may be helping shape how they see themselves at work for the rest of their lives.

That is a responsibility I do not take lightly.

Our career path is designed as a flourishing tree. When someone new joins us, I like to tell them they are a seed. We can create the environment: training, support, feedback, opportunity, and people who believe in them. But they also have to choose to grow.

Some people stay with us for many years. Others move on to a different career, school, or chapter. Both outcomes can be a success.

My goal is not to make every person stay forever. My goal is for every person to be better than when they arrived if they choose to leave.

That means learning how to receive feedback without feeling defeated. It means understanding money, communicating clearly, solving problems, and seeing that leadership is not reserved for people with a certain title.

One of the best compliments a business can receive is not just that people want to work there. It is that people become more capable because they did. And we love when our current and former team members tell us that they grew because of their experience with us!

When we invest in people this way, the business benefits too. They become more engaged, more confident, and more likely to bring solutions instead of waiting for answers.

And I would do it even if there were no business case.

A first job is often the first place someone learns whether work can be meaningful. Let us make sure the answer is yes!