Teaching an old dog new tricks

You hear the expression “transferable skills” here and there. In the work world it basically means something to the effect of taking whatever you learned in your previous job(s) and seeing what fits with the new endeavor. 

An old dog like me learned a lot by doing, improvising, creating and adapting while running my own trucking company for some 22years.

But old dogs get tired and instead of chasing cars that fly down the road, the old dog gets the desire to stay on the porch for a spell.

So, after I sold my equipment, I took a job basically doing the same thing. Surfing the white line. The difference was it wasn’t my equipment. I just drive it and help maintain it. Kinda sorta  a “steering wheel holder” but with a lot more “give a damn.”

But somewhere deep inside this old dog was wanting to rest on the porch for awhile.

So many miles. So many winters out there. Out there away from the family and what one could call a “normal” life.

When the road didn’t seem to seduce me like she once could, I decided to apply for a job locally. Just driving 360 km a day. Have evenings and weekends off. Get paid for every hour I worked. Good benefits. Why not?

Now, all the things I learned running my own company (transferable skills) came in real handy at my new position as…a Truck Driver.

This was a simple position hauling AG production from the manufacturer to our huge storage sheds. Big bulk loads. Been there, done that.

However, I wasn’t told that June, July and part of August are the slow periods. So, what does a truck driver do when he’s not truck driving?

He pounds the pavement at the main yard. Carries tools. Fixes trucks, changes oil and greases. Greases trucks, augers, tractors, bearings. Cleans pumps, runs fire hoses, climbs ladders and mixes liquid fertilizer and delivers it to farmers. And at the end of the day has gathered more dust, dirt and grease on his clothes than any white line surfer ever gathered.

I thought I was hired to drive a truck. But I suppose when you are working alongside a few hands are 20-25 years younger who don’t know much about trucks. Well, I guess my transferable skills come into play.

Grinders, wiring, thinking solutions through. Finishing what you start. Hammers, drills, running payloaders, long days, customer satisfaction…even if you’re just an employee because we all work for somebody.

Been doing this job for two months. Up every morning at 5AM. At work by 6. Not because I’m told to, but because this old dog is enjoying this job and like showing up. Worn out ragged and beat at the end of the day. Sore muscles but the satisfaction of a job well done. Even though I’m just an employee this time around.

Yah! When the end of Augusts rolls around Ill be back on the white line doing what I’ve done for years. But I get home every night in my own bed.

What I didn’t realize, or I may have missed during my employment interview was the referral to the slow seasonwhich is June, July and part of August.

This the season to fix, service, repair, clean, push brooms and anything else that needs doing.  Because in late August all those transferable skills I brought with me from the years of improvising, creating and adopting to solve problem are going to be put to the test when the gates swing open and trucks, augers, payloaders, pumps, widgets, gadgets and thingamajigs get pushed hard until the following June.

I never really understood the term “transferable skills” until I stepped outside my comfort zone and took this job on.

What I learned was this. Everyone has transferable skills. We are not just truck drivers. We are not just labourer or just technicians.

Every job we ever hold gives us some skill set that we can take to a new employment opportunity.  Every job.

I’ve been doing a lot of dirty grunt work the last few weeks. Some would dare to say  the work I’m doing is beneath them and they would never do that type of job.

Hell. I’m 62 years old. My body is sore at the end of the day, but my health is good.

But best of all is what I’m learning:

Your job doesn’t define you. You are more than your job. Each and everyone of us has skills we take with us to a new job.

And now and then its good for an old dog to learn a few new tricks, and then relax on the porch for awhile.

Blessings

MLM