The Southwestern Company Alumni Blog
I am very proud to work at Southwestern and stand behind the principles we strive to develop in young people.
This fall, I had the pleasure of working ”check out” for a couple of weeks. Every year I really enjoy getting the chance to see the students as they finalize their Southwestern summer. Every bookperson can recall how crazy big checkout weeks are and what a team effort is required to get all of the students back to campus on time. Through all the craziness, book counts, and number crunching (which I must admit the nerd in me enjoys) is the unique opportunity of watching a hard working young person reap the rewards of their efforts.
Yes I am proud to work at a place where you are rewarded for your results and not just your intentions. Can you imagine if we gave out awards in sales school for those who intended to work hard and have a great summer? What sort of message would that send? An environment where there is no politics or red tape involved in your success brings a certain amount of peace to each day. If you work hard you will get results; if you get results you will be rewarded. What a simple lesson in controllables for young people to understand. Of course in most professional work places there is a little politics going on, however, I learned on the bookfield that good things come to those who work.
Setting goals and thinking big are part of the process, but it is the hard work and results that count. As more and more schools turn to “no fail” policies, simple life lessons are being lost. In my eight summers on the bookfield as a Southwestern salesman my results were not always extraordinary, but the lessons learned always were.
I am proud to be part of the 150 year Southwestern tradition that still believes that results should be rewarded and the lessons learned will always be the biggest reward.
Great message, Becky!
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Well said Becky! Check out is one of my favorite times of year! The looks on student’s faces as they step into the “Big Check Box” are absolutely priceless. I know as they are being introduced they are thinking “I worked hard for this!” What an awesome feeling!
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I have been around SW for over 30 years and I have to agree adamantly with Tabitha–checkout is my FAVORITE time of the year, and always has been. To be able to see the fruition of the hours and hard work is always overwhelming. I am glad to be a part of a company that works with the Best of the Best of college students, and gives those students the opportunity to truly (as Becky put it) be rewarded for their results!
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Well said Becky! My husband has worked just over a decade at Southwestern. The life lessons he brings home and instills in my kids are truly priceless. Success is often the byproduct of hard work. Sometimes, we don’t like the results, but we always learn from them. Great post!
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Great job SW for keeping the capitolism foundation of America alive! In the words of Kid Rock “You get what you put in, and people get what they deserve”.
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