Some advice for young people looking for a job

I recently went home to see family back in Southern Illinois (note: anyone about 100 miles from Chicago refers to them being from "Southern" Illinois).  There I heard old stories recounted about the family which I relish even though I have heard many of them over a dozen times.  I heard the story of how my great-grandfather Karl Vogel came over to America when his uncle, who was already here, paid for his voyage and gave him a job working on his farm.  I heard the story about how he slowly earned land from his uncle and eventually had over 120 acres.  I heard about how my grandfather Henry Vogel, eventually took over the farm and he employed a man named Jerry Rockers as a hired hand. Jerry would later get his own land and become one of the areas wealthier farmers.

Then I heard the story of "Hinky".   Growing up (the youngest of the cousins) I never met Hinky but often heard about him.  He was a hired hand that my uncle, Carl Vogel, took on to help on the farm.  Carl had taken over the farm after grandpa had retired (although he never really retired fully and kept working on the farm).  I asked how he met Hinky and I was told the story of Uncle Carl was driving down the road from Centralia one day when he saw a young man walking on the road.  Hinky was one of 16 children and he survived by eating out of trash cans and begging for food.  Carl pulled up and asked if he needed a lift to somewhere.  Hinky replied, "No.  I need a job".  Carl asked him if he ever worked on a farm and Hinky replied "No".   Carl then asked him if he would like to work on a farm and Hinky replied "Yes" , whereby Carl answered him, "Get in the truck".   Hinky came home and became almost one of the family.  He ate at the dinner table (it took him a few days to realize that they ate 3 meals EVERY day and he didn't have to shovel down all the food in front of him) and slept in the spare room upstairs.   Hinky never asked how much he was going to get paid, or how many hours or days he was going to work, or if the work was dangerous or difficult.  He just got in the truck.   He never asked about a pension or healthcare or vacation days... he just got in the truck.  He never asked about job security or who he was going to work for... he just got in the truck.

Hinky worked for several years for Carl and became a very good farm-hand. Later, he went on to the Air Force where he worked for many years and moved to Oklahoma. But it was Carl driving down the road who picked Hinky up and gave him his first taste of work that got him started.  To this day, when Hinky comes to visit his old stomping grounds, he doesn't visit any of his 15 siblings, but instead only comes and visits the Vogel family.

We can learn a lot from Hinky.  He shows us the value of work and taking that first step.  Too many of our youth are waiting for that "dream job" to appear before them which gives them money, security, healthcare, 3 weeks vacation, retirement plans and stock options.  They often pass on that "first job" and fail to "get in the truck".   They then wonder why no one will hire them and how they are supposed to get started. 

My answer to them is simple:  GET IN THE TRUCK!