Justin Stankus

Here, I organize the boxes and smaller packages that arrive off of the trucks from the loading dock. Using a scanner I wear on my hand, I scan the code on each one individually and place them in organized loadout boxes so another crew, aka the delivery drivers, can take them to their designated location. I awake at 12:05am to start my day, punch in at 1:15am, and proceed to work until 11:50am. This is a very difficult job to do and I see new faces everyday. I however have been able to hold the job down no problem. I know all areas of the warehouse as it is broken down its various sections, and these sections I can always fill in for if someone is missing. Therefore I would not just say I'm talented in what I'm assigned to do everyday, but moreover talented in every department, making me a valuable asset. There is what I do, then unloading the trucks, separating packages based on letter number and color, and removing broken inventory, all while communicating with leadership on what needs to be fixed in certain aisles. I can do all of these things.

Here, I started off in the grocery department and received a promotion to manage the liquor department. I knew how to organize wine boxes and beer, stock all of the product, build displays, and would order $40,000 worth of product about every week. One of the bosses even congratulated me on the fact that ever since I started, sales had been up by 13%. This made me most pleased. My job ended when I found out the raise they promised me after 6 months never showed and I told them that wasn't right because that is what was promised. It wasn't a pleasant experience but I only say the truth and that is what happened. I was very good at this job, knew all the vendors, ordered from Schamberger bros, Winebow, Southern, Glunz, etc. I ordered everything, stocked it, rotated it, cleaned underneath all the shelves, would constantly dust off the bottles, would print tags, it was very strenuous. Needless to say I was shocked when I heard they were going to pay me my intro pay for a managers job and all the work I did. I even signed for the manager of liquor on orders and used pallet jacks to take in all the beer. At the end, they simply claimed "you weren't REALLY a manager." To which my jaw almost hit the floor like a cartoon character. I rest assured you, I was the liquor manager, and the best they had hear until they didn't give me the pay raise promised. They knew I was looking elsewhere by the time the separation occurred. I was immaculate at what I did here.

I was the Deli lead years ago for Mariano's in Westmont. I was very good at my job here, starting off as a level 1, being promoted to level 2, then 3. I ran my team with two others, another level 3 and a level 4. Together we made sure that the department was properly worked, the meats and cheese were cut and arranged on a daily basis, and the customers were happy upon leaving. I was then transferred over to the specialty cheese island, as they called it, where I worked with a gentleman know as Keith and our level 4 Marissa. We all worked incredibly well together, in unison, synchronization, and happiness. I worked here and would shrink out the expired goods, would make cheese platters, shred cheese, cut gigantic wheels, know what was popular to suggestive sell, rotate, display, sample, etc. There were so many tasks to do there was never a dull moment. I received a compliment from my main boss of the store that said "We have never seen the olive bar so clean and stocked until you arrived here." That made me most happy. However, the room to move up and receive more money was not there, so I was hired onto Pete's fresh market team for another dollar more per hour as a simple stocker. I had to take the offer and depart. I miss working with these individuals and would find great solitude being apart of a functioning team like that again.

I started out as a line cook here. I received the basic training and would make pico de gallo most of the time. I was put on the salad station and would make salads. I made wings and burgers but because I was so young they mostly wanted me in the back with the other gentleman they hired. When I was offered the job as dishwasher, I left because they just wanted that all along and I knew I was capable of more. I didn't receive the proper training or oversight. This is where I learned how to wrap a perfect burrito however, from all the BLT's I made. I was good in plenty of areas but there were some nepotism issues going on which pushed people like myself all around while keeping others, even on their first day, in the front. My time here wasn't too long but I learned how hard it was to work in a kitchen and how precise things have to be for cooking etc. I picked up many useful techniques along the way, however.

This was a great job, but just wasn't my fit. I did receive the most canned food donations for animals, which my boss congratulated me on. I found myself to depart for a job with higher pay just over a year. I did some stocking in the back as well, where I changed from cashier to morning stocker. Morning stocking was difficult but I grasped onto it in the long run. I was still young and had much to learn so I kept seeking new employment until I "Found my nest".

I was excellent on the front end ringing customers up, checking for liquor as I was not twenty one at the time, scanned all of the products appropriately, and worked with my baggers nicely. I then received a raise and moved into the Dairy department, where I worked with my manager Craig. The operation was a team of five but with how we worked we only needed each other. We had a great time working together. The environment was fast paced and decent, but I decided to leave for a better offer, making more money.