How Brian Rekindled His Customer Service Passion
Some people like working in customer service, but not Brian. Brian loves it. In fact, it’s his passion. A native of the West Coast beaches, Brian recalls working in customer service since he was 16.
“I started as a cashier at a local burger joint and stayed for ten years,” he says. “Then, in my twenties, I worked as a guest concierge for a casino, accommodating gamblers and getting them whatever they needed. I’ve been assisting people my entire life.”
Brian believes that one of the things that makes him likable to customers is his willingness to talk to anybody and help however he can. “It only takes a supervisor at a new job one day to see that I can be an asset because of my positive attitude,” he says.
Not long ago, Brian's positive mindset was tested when he found himself in a negative environment. On the day he was sentenced to two years in prison, the judge urged him to reflect on his choices, and he took that advice to heart.
“I approached being inside as an opportunity to work on myself, and I took that self-awareness and applied it to areas in my life that I wanted to change,” says Brian. “I read some self-improvement books that allowed me to step back and see how the choices I make affect my future and those that I love.”
Upon his release and return to San Diego, he was determined to focus on his recovery and overcoming his substance use disorder so that he would never return to that dark place again. He knew he had a tough journey ahead, so he started looking for a good job to help him get on his feet.
“I was living in a residential treatment center because I was on parole, and somehow I heard about the Center for Employment Opportunities that hires justice-impacted people,” says Brian. “So I applied and was hired to work on a transitional work crew, beautifying the streets of San Diego for the California Department of Transportation.”
Brian continued to live at the treatment center and work for the transitional crew, meeting with a CEO job coach weekly to polish his resume, conduct mock interviews, and search for any openings that fit him. Over the course of four months, Brian would turn in 120 job applications with no results, but he persisted nonetheless.
“There was a sense of urgency because I needed money, but also, I was trying to find my purpose in life,” says Brian. “Then, one day, somebody in my Narcotics Anonymous group referred me to a Circle K convenience store looking for help, and I was hired on the spot.”
Brian’s enthusiasm helped him get hired as a Circle K store associate not long after returning to San Diego. The new job built his confidence and earned him enough money to feel stable.
“I still go to the CEO office to check in and say hi,” Brian says. “They reimbursed me for my work clothes, bought me work boots, and next week I will start receiving incentive checks every month for keeping a steady job.”
Brian adds that CEO takes a lot of weight off the shoulders of returning citizens.
“Someone who gets out without resources should take advantage of what CEO has to offer. The program assists with transportation vouchers, employment services, food and clothing, and mentorship,” says Brian. “It’s an encouraging and positive work environment, and the staff will always be ready with a smile.”
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