First Job Memoir - Pizza Delivery

When I was 18, I wanted to get a summer job. I applied to several places but none of them were eager to hire me. Turns out it is not that easy for an 18 year old with no experience to get a job. After many applications and a few interviews, the summer was almost over. Then with 2 weeks before I would leave for college, I get a call from a pizza place I had applied to. I was surprised when they asked if I could work for them. I let them know that I was leaving in 2 weeks but they must have really needed people because they still wanted me. So I thought, why not, and I accepted the job.

I would be a delivery driver for one of the popular chains in the area. I was nervous of course as this was my first job and I had never done anything like it before. I met the people in the store and they were very friendly to me. I got a uniform and quickly learned the basics of what I would be doing. Then it was time to go on a delivery with one of the drivers to see how it was done. I asked a lot of questions and tried to learn the exact process from start to finish.

Then it was time to take my first delivery. I was so nervous, but it was close by and it wasn't busy so I figured I could do it. I got my order and my address and I was off. Within minutes I found the house. I pulled up and rang the door bell. The customer opened the door. I greeted him and told him the total. He gave me enough to cover it, plus about $2 for a tip. I gave him the pizza, said thank you, and that was it! Pretty simple.

Over the next couple weeks I took more deliveries and started learning the area. I got to know my co-workers and all the procedures around the store. I liked the job and I was earning money each day. Then it was time to go to college.

Months later when winter break came around and I had a month off, I called back to the store and asked if they wanted me to work. They said yes. I ended up working there for the summers and breaks for the next 4 years and even full time for a year and a half after that. I even expanded my territory by working at another store which was managed by the same owner. I became one of the top drivers and learned every street in the town and surrounding area, and this was before navigation systems!

Overall it was a good job, but there were shortcomings. One, there was no health and dental insurance provided by the company. Two, earnings were heavily dependent on tips so if it was slow, or you didn't get good tips, you wouldn't make much money. Three, you often had to work late hours and sometimes go to neighborhoods that were not so good.

While I worked in an area that was generally pretty safe, there was always the possibility of danger. Even in good towns there are pockets that have higher crime rates. Delivery drivers are known to be targeted for robberies because they carry cash on them. During the time I worked there, our store was robbed one time at gun point and there was an attempted robbery of one of our drivers while he was on a delivery.

That last one was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to stop delivering pizzas and find a new job. Even though a robbery was rare, I didn't want to take the chance of something like that happening to me.

A short while later, I got the opportunity to apply for a teaching assistant job at a school. I got an interview and a couple days later I was offered the job! A few months later I resigned from my delivery job. I was sad to be leaving, but it was time to move on. I met a lot of nice people while I worked there and they are the ones I miss the most. If you are looking for a job food delivery is not bad and I would recommend it, but you just have to make sure you are safe out there.