Landrum’s Blog

As I worked in my office last week, I watched two young men walk in to apply for positions with my company. They were wearing hoodies and blue jeans, and they had obviously had no experience in how to handle themselves in an interview. It was clear that they never were given any guidance on how to present themselves in an interview, how to communicate effectively through how you look and what you say. I found myself pulled to speak to them, to offer them some advice from a man who had been in their shoes. When I was a young man, I was a custodian. That is not a job that a lot of people will take seriously and be proud of. After suffering through personal trials, I decided to take pride in what I do every single day. When I was promoted in the school district I worked in, I started wearing a suit to work. People asked me why a custodian would wear a suit. I knew that I needed to take pride in the path God put out for me to follow, that I needed to do what I do to the best of my ability. Once I made that change in my heart and mind, success followed. I consider it a responsibility to support programs that help young people build skills, grow confidence, and understand the value of hard work and dedication to whatever job you end up working at.