If you looked back on your life and all the jobs you’ve done, what would you see? Is there a pattern? Do you even remember all the jobs you’ve a part of? Why were you seeking those jobs?
My first job was working two summers on a children’s farm, walking ponies for the pony rides. I did it because I wanted to start gaining animal work experience. Some days, it was rough. We’d be walking in ninety degree weather or on the nice days, we’d walk until our feet fell off. I took a pedometer once and nearly reached 40,000 steps.
My next job was at a Plant Pathology Lab. I needed a job to help me through college and I thought lab work might help the resume. What I didn’t put together is how plant diseases spread. They’re spread through vectors and in this research lab, they’re spread through bugs. I hate bugs. Thankfully, this research involved tiny bugs I couldn’t see the details of. Working with them was fine until I got them under a microscope to inject them with the pathogen. That freaked me out way more than it should’ve. The people at that lab were very nice and they wanted me to go with them when they moved the lab south. As much as I appreciated their kindness, plant pathology was not what I wanted to get into.
My next job was the dairy unit. I helped milk cows for ten hour shifts and sometimes those shifts lasted until one o’clock in the morning. I was there because I couldn’t get a job at the nearby horse ranch and the pay was the biggest paycheck I had yet to receive. Milking cows and working the farm was good experience. I learned to drive a skid-loader, I herded cows when they escaped their pens, and I helped birth a lot of calves. However, I will not go back to working a dairy farm. It was a lot of hard work and often the only reward was the pay.
Moving back home, I got a part-time job at my local library while I tried to find another animal related position. My job was to sort books back on the shelves. The people were nice, the events were fun, and sometimes sorting would be a nice mindless task, but other times, I couldn’t wait for the never ending pile of books to be done. I ended up getting an intern position at the zoo while I still worked the library one summer. I would spend eight hours working the zoo, then go straight to my library job after that. It was a long summer. I was going to quit the library the next summer when I was offered a seasonal keeper position at my zoo, but COVID hit and the keeper position was terminated. I spent COVID reading books and doing online library development to get paid during lockdown.
I quit the library when I got a job working at an animal shelter. I was one tasked with caring for the dogs in the shelter. If you’ve read any of my previous writings, you know it was a rough time for me. I finally got out a year and half later when I was offered the reopened seasonal position at the zoo. I’ve been at the zoo ever since and I don’t plan on leaving this field.
Looking at it, I haven’t had that many jobs in my life. I’m sure there are plenty other people who could tell stories about all the jobs they’ve been a part of. I’m not sure what all my jobs say about me. It’s quite the variety when you look at it. People are often surprised when I tell them I’ve never worked at a vet clinic. It’s not for lack of trying. I’ve applied to dozens of veterinary clinics in the past. Yet, I think it’s for the best. I like where I ended up and I often wonder if I pursued a veterinary position, then perhaps I would’ve found myself “stuck” in that field and I wouldn’t be where I am today.
I’m happy where I am today, and I’m grateful for the road it took to get me here.
nikki diekemper 