Some visitors may find my employment history interesting. This list includes every job I’ve held all the way back to high school. I’ve actually loved every job that I have had (yes, even Best Buy).
Best Buy - Retail Sales for Computers.
I really enjoyed being able to sell customers exactly what they needed.
Claim to fame: I’d have customers come and ask for me specifically based on referrals they had received.
When my manager asked why, customers said that "they heard David wouldn’t force them to buy warranty extensions".
This didn’t make my boss too happy - but it’s hard to justify a $200 service plan on a $300 eMachines PC.
AirLogic - Support and installation technician.
AirLogic was a wireless ISP in the Chicagoland area.
By working there I was able to convince the team to build the network out to include my house. This was my first experience with broadband internet!
Website no longer exists, but this Wayback Archive is from when I worked there.
Re:sources IT - Support specialist for user management.
I took a semester off from university and worked in downtown Chicago.
This was the "IT Company" for the North American Publicis Groupe companies at the time.
I don’t think I have ever worked near as many good lunch spots as this job.
I remember watching Zidane headbutt Materazzi from the office kitchen.
After playing for only half of the season, I still managed to snag third place in the company poker league.
Camp Timber-Lee - Camp counselor.
I loved summer camp as a kid; being able to be a counselor was even more fun.
Soundtrack to the summer: Rockapella.
Bennigan’s - Server.
Being a server at a restaurant is a great way to learn to manage a queue.
Free french fries, potato soup, and chicken fingers? Sounds like a poor college student’s dream job.
I was somehow set up on a blind date with a customer’s daughter (or neice?) once.
I thought I was giving this person a tour of the city - "Hey, welcome to Denver. Here’s a good spot to find a coffee shop. There are great urban hikes near this area." etc.
It turns out she thought we were on a date (I was likely oblivious, so the error is on me), and to save face I took her to a restaurant with a nice wine list.
This is the evening I first found out what a nice wine list was cost.
It went about as well as most blind dates go (or so I’ve heard).
Colorado Christian University - Resident Assistant and Tutor.
Overlaying map searches for "ski resort" and "university" is a great way to ensure you have plenty to do in between classes during the winter.
I’d love to tutor or teach again; I was studying to become a Math teacher until the guiles of tech lured me away.
WellcomeMat - Lead Web Developer.
I joined for a summer to write some code to rebuild the video players; they ended up convincing me to stay for a bit longer!
I loved working for a startup in a garage!
I lost count of exactly how many Chipotle burritos I ate in the 1.5 years I was there - but it was more than 100.
The proper Chipotle order:
Barbacoa Burrito. Black Beans. Brown Rice.
Every salsa. Extra corn salsa. No dairy.
Green Tobasco sauce drenched on every bite.
System76 - Lead Web Developer.
Hands down the best place a geek could work. Everything exuded nerdiness.
Best commute I’ve ever had: riding my bike 2 miles downtown in morning traffic.
Also best breakfast food: the burrito cart on 16th and Champa has the best green chili I’ve ever tasted!
Getting to go to Ubuntu and Intel conferences every year I worked there was a blast!
I’d love to cross paths with System76 again someday! (I moved on only because life was taking us away from Denver.)
Moz - Principal Engineer.
This was my first experience working for what was essentially a silicon-valley-esque startup.
Going for walks on nice days near the waterfront or Pike Place market was a great way to give my brain a rest.
I’ve moved out of Seattle and still work for Moz as a full-time remote employee.
Moz is likely the single best place I will ever work. The company cares deeply about its employees and what it stands for.
My time at Moz has grown me as an engineer and a leader - and made me an overall better person (both in and out of work).