Career Advice

January 18, 2008

My First Job: NJ Shelsby

NJ Shelsby

Now: President of HastyChef.com

Then: Data-entry operator

Current position: President of HastyChef.com, an online meal-planning service.

First job: Data entry for a direct-mail company. I sat for hours entering handwritten addresses into a computer. When one of the mailing machines wasn't working, everyone in the office would pitch in. We set up the operation like an assembly line. One person pulled open the flap on the envelopes; the next person folded the insert; the next one stuffed the envelope and the last one laid envelopes out – overlapping so the glue on the flaps was showing. A damp sponge was used to wet them. We could stuff thousands of envelopes in no time at all!

What I learned: It takes a lot less effort to complete a task when you do it efficiently.

Want to tell us about your first job? Fax the above information to 206-382-8879 or e-mail business@seattletimes.com

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