First Meaningful Employment

Life-Path Interview 03

Purpose: Identify the point when work first became more than income - when it created competence, dignity, identity, responsibility, belonging, or purpose.

Approximate ages are fine. The participant may skip any question.

Participant code: ____________________ Date: ____________________

Interviewer: ____________________

□ The participant agrees to have these responses recorded and stored privately for Union support planning. Questions may be skipped. The participant can ask the administrator to review or correct the record, or discuss withdrawal.

1. Finding the Moment

Was there ever a job, project, responsibility, or period of work that made you think, "I am actually good at this," or "People need me here"?

What was it? How old were you?

2. Why It Mattered

What made this work different from other jobs?

• Someone trusted me

• I could see the result

• I was learning

• I was respected

• I had responsibility

• The crew or customers mattered

• I was helping somebody

• I could use my own judgment

• Other

3. Recognition

Who first recognized that you were good at the work?

What did they say or do?

Did their confidence in you change your confidence in yourself?

4. Mastery

What part of the work did you become especially good at?

Was there a moment when someone newer was learning from you? What did that feel like?

5. What Happened to the Work?

Why did that job or period end?

Could anything have kept it going?

What parts of that experience would you want again?

6. Identity

Did this work change how you described yourself?

What identity did the work give you?

7. Looking Forward

Could this skill become part of your life again?

What would be needed?

What related skills would you like to learn?

Would you enjoy teaching this skill to someone else?

8. Participant's Own Interpretation

Finish: "The first work that really meant something to me was..."

Finish: "It mattered because..."

Interviewer Notes

Meaningful employment / project: ____________________________________________

Core demonstrated skill: ____________________________________________

Source of recognition: ____________________________________________

Conditions producing success: ____________________________________________

Possible mastery / mentorship path: ____________________________________________