How I Got My First Job in Hawaii at Pearl Harbor

[@HelloFromHawaii]

This is more a video about my first job at Pearl Harbor, but still wanted to illustrate how connections in Hawaii help in finding jobs. 🤙

[@dukenguyen863]

hello. Thankyou for all the videos, i just got some questions , can i asking you some things in private mail? Appreciate

[@gwillis01]

Thank you for a pleasant, interesting video

[@janclimo2284]

Gotta love da Glenns in the world 🤙🤙

[@HelloFromHawaii]

😂

[@Cruisingfoodies]

So nice your auntie had connections and you ended up doing something better than excel sheets

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Yeah, it was a great experience. Glad I got to switch jobs.

[@Cruisingfoodies]

@@HelloFromHawaii that's awesome! Gathering knowledge from everywhere

[@johnsotelo3125]

It true , it's not what you know, it who you know.

[@patrickkemp8047]

Awesome story. My first job was at the sub base bowling alley snack shop flipping burgers. Lol. I hated it but no aunty connections.

[@Threewolfs-]

God Bless Ohana (most important), always 😊. Aloha 🤙🏼❤️🇺🇸🤠

[@momiau-keliikoa4975]

What a great story! Thanks for sharing!

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@malama8981]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I also got my start as an intern with the Navy at Pearl Harbor. In Hawaii, it's definitely who you know. Never forgot the kind people who helped me along my life path. Pay it back and forward...our island way of supporting community works. Aloha.

[@tleeg74]

Ive gone to Hawaii every summer for vacation for the past 5 years, and i hear so many people mention Zippys. I still haven't tried them, but one day i will.

[@alexcarter8807]

It's basically fast food, burgers and chili and spaghetti etc. They specialize in the "Zip Pac" which is like a package of food assortment. I remember the old TV commercials where they urge the viewer to try "One'a those Zippy's omelets" which a shot of one of the cooks, who looked just like Ebisu, serving one up.

[@tleeg74]

@@alexcarter8807 I see

[@HelloFromHawaii]

I'll be making a video on Zippy's soon.

[@tleeg74]

@@HelloFromHawaii sweet ...I'll be watching.

[@nwboarder253]

Is the one in Vegas open yet?

[@stanleyho6464]

Great video and your story reminded me of my first job working at Hickam (50 years ago)! My father took me to see a lady he knew in personnel and she said I could work at the base gas station. Before I could say anything, my father asked if there was something else. She said there is also a stock handler job at the base exchange and I quickly took it! Best “1st job” ever, earned higher than minimum wage and learned life experiences that have stayed with me to this day! Thanks for all you do on your channel!!

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo for sharing 🤙

[@amiruzfadhlan3478]

In Malaysia, we called this "using cable"

[@kennoma7998]

It's all about "Amae" (closeness, creating a bond with people). Your Auntie created those bonding networks that helped you that summer....so Japanese. Thanks again, Chris.

[@alexcarter8807]

Hawaii is like an extension of Japan culturally and you really need to understand these things.

[@melanieathwal4038]

My first job was Del Monte Cannery on Iwilei Rd …. back when there were still canneries. They hired anyone who walked thru the door…. No connections needed. My next employer, was thru my brothers friends mother who was having a hard time finding good employees. At the very least, my cannery job was evidence 16-year-old me was teachable and could be depended on to show up for work. It took me in a direction, career wise, I had no intention of going in but that’s life. Sometimes we accidentally bumble into a decent job. After going thru the school of hard knocks, I got an education and eventually ended up in State Government in WA State. Retired now, but I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. Figuring THAT out is sometimes the hardest part. Must say the best job ever was that of MOM.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

My Mom and aunties also worked at the cannery. I'm sure that was a part of a lot of people's childhoods.

[@gordonames1892]

ME TOO!! WORKED AT DEL MONTE CANNERY!!!

[@edrictong1350]

Another great local story. So true. Connections. Loved all the role playing. I got my first job when I was a junior in high school (1979). My mom's coworker's son owned the Kailua Magoo's Pizza franchise. No interview. My mom just said, "Hey. You start working next week." Perfect job for me. I loved to cook (and eating free pizza was a bonus). As it turns out, the son who owned the franchise was a nuclear engineer. A year or so later, he sold the franchise to work on the nuclear subs in PH NSY.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Wow, great story. Glad to hear that there are nuclear engineers here and that they don't only come from the mainland.

[@hillyseattlenarrowstreets6087]

A U.S. Federal job on Oahu is the Fortune cookie job. The fortune says ... "You will never need to worry about Obtaining a Steady Income" Which is a very true statement. Pay every 2 weeks, great benefits, Sick leave, Annual leave, Health insurance, a 401K called TSP (I know there are several people in the Shipyard who have a Million dollars in their account, of course they've been with TSP for over 30 years) and a Government Pension (FERS) when you retire. You also get to keep your Health insurance and get Social Security too. Work in the shipyard is relatively easy because IT'S GROUNDHOG DAY - you see the same things happening over and over again. Which why you got bored. Also you would have to screw things up pretty bad or P.O. the boss bad to get to get FIRED. You just have to deliver RESULTS. Cost is a factor, but Uncle Sammy has deep pockets - usually you don't see a layoff, but are first re-hired due to your skill set and Security Clearance you've earned. Ask anyone working as a private Contractor or has a small business, is this a good job? And most people would say YES. You got a job for life with good pay - that will make Oahu affordable. Experience is how you make your Money, it represents your Education, Skills, Drive, Awareness, Charm and Opportunities in Life. Wisdom is what you do with your Money, once you have it. All the smart guys got into investing and real estate. The dumb guys spent their money at the Korean bars, Nightclubs or expensive Toys that go into the Closet of forgotten toys. Work is important to life since it enables your lifestyle - but there's much more to life than work. You suffer that job due to what it gives you. Humble people will recognize that. People with Egos that they're a hotshot will despise the job because they see it below them. They have to Compete for their Ego. When you're young, you're vital with energy and want to prove yourself as being good - you can do anything. When you're older, you kind of like the same stuff and want to do things easy. You're looking at living a long nice life. You Rent a house or Own a house - which one do you Maintain Better? The one you Own. Well I've seen lots of Homeowners and not all are Good Owners. Know and recognize what it takes to be a good owner. If you apply that to your Work, people recognize that and you'll go up in the organization. Apply that to your Children and also have fun with them, you'll probably have great kids. You were a Timekeeper and your job was hard due to High Maintenance people who wouldn't do their timesheets. Ask them ... Are you renting this job or Do You Own It. I'm an ex-kama aina and enjoy your channel. Congrats on being a Zippy's brand ambassador. They like your style and presentation - it represents the Island spirit they want to see and you communicate it well. "Welcoming and good host" is what Hawaii people are known for. Your collaboration video with the other KZbinrs showed the world - Zippy's is that. Great Ownership on your part with your channel is what attracted you to them - keep it up, you're doing well with me.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo for the comment and kind words. 🤙

[@francismansinon7002]

So you know Justice Vannata! lol cool bruddah

[@francismansinon7002]

We in the yard call him J Moon lol

[@ChrisClark_808]

I feel like no matta where you at, it’s always who you know. So treat everyone with respect, you never know when it will come back to you. I feel like it’s more pronounced in smaller communities. 🤙🏼

[@alexcarter8807]

There are whole sectors of industry that I never even knew existed until I met people who worked in them.

[@francismansinon7002]

Yea bra. Like my friend that was one supervisor at Pearl Harbor quit because he got into stevedor over at Matson because his unko. Its all about who u know.

[@zachjones6944]

So very true. I was given a job offer over a drink because mutual friends.

[@FoodFiend]

I was once told by a supervisor, "Take every opportunity given to you. Even if you don't want to do it." And it's true. You may not want to do it, but you'll benefit from it and it will open doors. I'm not into nepotism, but if offered to you take it. You'll at least learn from it. I've taken opportunities and groaned with displeasure, but when looking back it benefited me in some way or at least made me grow.

[@StyleshStorm]

So true. In Hawaii you can't really go far in any industry or business without knowing someone who's already established or something. I only thrived for so long because I got on that internet scene in 2006 as a teen at 15 years old. After awhile though that fizzled out and around 2010 I had to find a real job and that was difficult without knowing anyone around Hilo side big island.

[@issacbrown1087]

You can if you have a commercial drivers license.

[@StyleshStorm]

@@issacbrown1087 If you live on Oahu, yeah that's a decent way. On Big Island especially Hilo side though commercial drivers license type jobs like Uber isn't worth it because the overall area is small town city. Not sure about the other islands but in general to benefit from that it almost guarantees you'd have to be an Oahu citizen specifically.

[@issacbrown1087]

@@StyleshStorm I mean CDL Class A. 18 wheeler jobs. Starting pay in Hawaii is $26 an hour. Yes i live on Oahu.

[@frederickvee3496]

My grandfather worked there for 30 years as a civilian employee, put it this way he was called in to work when Japan bombed the harbor. I have a newsletter that was written back in the 1950s.

[@LoveOldMusic808]

My dad had the opposite thing happen to him. After the bombing, he was fired from his job there and didn't go back to work at Pearl Harbor again till after the war. It was a really different time back then.

[@lynnvia3943]

Great outlook on finding a job where you feel valued. My first "real" job came through connections my mother knew. I'm thankful for that opportunity. It looked good on my resume going forward. I hope some day you will take the material from all your videos and make movie that will show in theaters. But, please never stop making your videos. I look forward to watching your videos. I get excited when I find one I haven't seen yet.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo for the kind words.

[@rollercoasterfweak]

It's unfortunate my networking wouldn't be good enough for Hawaii. But have I had help from others? It took a random post to get noticed and relocate.

[@304Hibachi]

The call with Auntie was so funny 😂😂😂 nice one bro. Im left wondering how that next job was haha...

[@jameskawaikaupejrcwo3usmcr573]

It’s amazing on how us local folks get our first job. I got mine through my mother because she was a fore lady boss at the Dole Cannery iwilei. Sorry about the spelling because I’ve been gone from my home in Hawaii for the last 29 years and living in Cali since I retired from the Marine Corps in 1993. Go Mules!

[@gordonames1892]

BRAH, HAD SAME EXPERIENCE AT DEL MONTE CANNERY. MY COUSIN WAS A LUNA OR MANTANCE MANAGER. THROUGH HIM, I WAS ABLE TO WORK UP TO A HIGHER PAID JOB FOR THE SUMMERS IN COLLEGE.

[@janclimo2284]

HA! I had the best job right after graduation.. I was helping out with the After school A+ program. Paid $8 an hour, played with kids & got to be outdoors. Let's not to mention my mom got me that job 😁

[@kozk6013]

Hawaii sounds like a small village

[@user-sg8kq7ii3y]

It is. Hawaii has about 1.5 million people, but it functions as a small village. I can randomly pick ANY local from anywhere in the state, that I don't even know, and I can GUARANTEE that if we sit down and "talk story" for 10-minutes, we will find a mutual friend, relative, or coworker that will connect us. And it simply starts with the question, "Wea u wen grad? Wot yea? Ho! Brah! You know my cuzzin den!!"

[@alexcarter8807]

@@user-sg8kq7ii3y Was just gonna say, Hawaii's got like 1.5 million people and they're not all on Oahu, so Oahu is an even smaller pool. And Oahu's its own world - I plan to retire back there and have no interest in any of the other islands because they're not home, Oahu is.

[@tracyalan7201]

@@alexcarter8807: Congratulations when you do retire. However, depending on what you enjoy the most, you may change. I got lots of classmates, relatives that while Oahu was where home was, they prefer the outer islands. They find things are what they enjoy the most in Hawaii island, Kauai and Maui. The biggest drawback was medical specialist is still Oahu and the price of gas. Home prices on Oahu still out the roof.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Hawaii is pretty small.

[@Golgibaby]

"It's a small island..." is a phrase I remember often being told to me growing up, analogous to the phrase, "It's a small world." I would qualify that statement with: "It's a small island, and an even smaller profession." Word gets around fast--and professionally it can be utilized to your advantage and to your discredit if you have a bad reputation. Word of mouth is gold here. Professionally, I knew that could be leveraged to shine a good work ethic with credibility. I also knew to credit appreciatively and respect those that give you references or good recommendations--meaning that you don't disappoint those higher up who recommend you, cause their reputations are on the line if you screw up. Not necessarily brown nose with cringe, but acknowledge that graciously try to find the constructive good in any work situation even if it is uncomfortable. ...That being said, I appreciate developing the discernment of knowing when something is not a good fit for growth, especially early on in a career. That judgement and discernment takes more time and nuance to fine tune --but is also lifesaving to avoid burnout or toxic workplace abuse. Knowing how to adapt and pivot seems more important now than ever.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo for the thoughtful comment. I'm glad that I spoke up back then. It would have been a terrible summer job had I stayed. Instead, I was able to learn in a great environment.

[@hori166]

Hawaii is not unique in this respect. It's true in many places, and especially true if you are wealthy. People also grossly underestimate the role of luck, whether it's knowing the right person, being at the right place at the right time, etc. You are absolutely right that working at a job you hate will suck the life force out of you, and even make you look older than you are. I absolutely loved being a public high school teacher, and often went in on weekends to prepare for the next week, clean up the classroom, correct tests and homework. If you dread going to work, it's time to find something else. Whether you are successful and finding a better job is...LUCK!

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Great point about luck and timing.

[@BobbyHo2022]

True. I gave up tryna just apply cause no one would call. But if I knew an employee that worked for the place I got in everytime just about. About 4 jobs with knowing someone and 1 the lady said no can cause I didnt have a series 7 license to do stocks and she didn't want to sponser me lol.

[@chrystland]

I got a summer job for the state of Hawaii when I was in college because my friend’s Aunty told us to apply. I worked with a few other summer hires and there was hardly anything to do. The first half hour or so was just drinking coffee, then just sit around waiting for someone to ask us to make copies. The most exciting thing that happened was when they told three or four of us to take the one van to deliver bike safety pamphlets to different elementary schools. First of all, one person could have done that. And it would have been cheaper to just mail it to the schools instead of paying a bunch of us to drive around the island. They just wanted to get us out of the office. Then one of the summer hires bangs the van on a pillar in the parking lot and they stopped sending us out.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

lol. Great story 😆

[@DarkSideOfDay]

love your videos! i live in Florida, have never been to hawaii but definitely looking to visit later this year or next year! if i like my visit who knows maybe I'll move there

[@alohastateofmind3565]

Kinda look like Don Ho wen wearing da glasses.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

🤣

[@SunnyIlha]

Den Yu go home and Auntie call Yu up. Her "So how da job going." Yu "I welding pieces of da ship now." Auntie: "WHAT?" 😳

[@HelloFromHawaii]

lol

[@francismansinon7002]

I work there lol.

[@syedtaqi6122]

Great story about your start at PH NSY, it’s a cool place to work if you like what you do, it’s not easy working in an industrial environment, but you really have to like what you are doing, and like any job, it’s important to have a good boss & friendly coworkers. But, I still think that PH NSY is lot better than other industrial environments I have been.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

It wasn't too bad, but the dry dock wasn't the place for me.

[@syedtaqi6122]

@@HelloFromHawaii yes, the dry dock is a tough environment, especially in summer time it gets really hot, I remember being on the ship in a dry dock at PH and the heat was just unbearable.

[@evalina98000]

Ae, mahalos to all da aunties fo kokua us 🌺

[@alexcarter8807]

And mahalos to your aunties, because although I grew up in HI my auntie was white, and she didn't help anyone, ever.

[@kai223noa6]

I’ve gotten most of my jobs through friends and networking.

[@issacbrown1087]

If you have a commercial drivers license you can get a good job on Oahu fast.

[@TheCoyote808]

It's sad so many people outside of Hawai'i look at what we do and think nepotism. And in a sense, it's true. But in my experience it's usually more like this. Aunty 1: "Eh, I wen hear Kimo's wife get one mo keiki coming and they like make one new addition to da house." Aunty 2: "Oh, Kanoelani's husband works for one contracting company dat work on houses. Lemme tell him, see if da boss looking for one new project this summah." Sometimes it's recommending an entire business, sometimes it's your Cousin looking for work. Sometimes it's you. And with how tight knit everybody is they know generally what field of work you're in and will try to help you out by putting a word in the coconut wireless (da aunties) to get the word to you. It's how I got my first job after coming back home from the navy, my first job in the tour industry, and my first contract at Pearl Harbor. You ask, and you shall receive. EDIT: And don't forget to work your butt off if Aunty put in a good word for you because if, somewhere down the road, you end up needing to find work again they're willing to help you. You proved that their faith in helping you out was well placed and to your bosses that you and your aunty are excellent folks who work hard and work well with others. That last one is crucial because so much work I've done needed teams to get done. Even in an office.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo for sharing. Agree that once you get the opportunity, it's up to you to work hard because of the good word others put in

[@alanyoung159]

My first job was in high school working for a third party cell phone retailer in Kaimuki then at a kiosk in Ala Moana selling cell phones and phone plans (like for AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, etc.). It was alright, first and only retail/sales experience I've had.

[@vapidwords]

So you became one PMC (professional managerial class)? Or your auntie was one PMC? Gratz braddah da japanese stay winning even as one public sku grad

[@alexcarter8807]

In Hawaii it's considered golden if you get a job that's government and unionized. Interestingly, once the Tokugawa era started in Japan, the samurai class didn't have to fight any more and they changed over to being PMC as you put it. Administrators.

[@ryanlapinad]

yup that true. 3 generations after i ni ele

[@user-sg8kq7ii3y]

It's called, "Bringing the box of manapua." If you truly one local, you know what that phrase means. The old-timers know what that means. The politicians at the State capitol knows what that means, hahaha! If you don't know what that means, then good luck to you living in Hawaii!

[@lynnvia3943]

I'm not a local but I think I know what it means. At my last employer there were employees from many different cultures. On the first day of employment they would bring in large boxes of wonderful treats, lots of treats, enough for everyone. They said it was tradition to do this in their culture.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

😁

[@francismansinon7002]

Raja dat! Take care of the bois! Hooky pau!

[@MokuleiaVibes]

Omg hilarious. You need to be a character actor!!!

[@LT808]

I agree. This happens in most industries, but especially in government and most especially in Hawaii (and State Government). It's good to have connections sometimes. No matter what though, always be a good and upstanding person. The world is too small to be a jerk.

[@SidVacant69]

Sucks being an introvert here, but I managed to get hired so it worked out

[@tracyalan7201]

It's okay video. I have a different view, which I got from my parents and older siblings. Be the absolute best that you can be, and no job is too beneath you. Because my parents were depression era generation, coming from plantation/surviving economies, they made sure their children appreciated everything and it was on our own. My parents, one might have had grade/middle school and other high school education before they must make earn for themselves. One was homeless and another left home and after high school lived on their own. It's a different world from what your experience has been, but even with my siblings, adult and going to college, if extra income was needed, taking janitorial work was not beneath us. It's great that luck was there, but there is something to be said about the people who work their way up from the bottom and achieve everything on their own. I have coworkers who some didn't have education but worked their way up the profession, taking and learning the positions and work until they made money to provide for their spouses and families. I worked my career the same way, being lucky to have people think I worked hard enough to think I could do the next level job. I had opportunities to take other positions through people that I knew but opted to do it on my own. As it was my parents who pushed for us to do it on our own, just like getting educated and working. Later, I mentored those coworkers' junior because I saw promise in all of them and I would prefer to have a promotion that I earned and not because of who I know. Success shouldn't be achieved because you're known but by what one achieves.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Mahalo for the thoughtful comment.

[@kekoamaunakea4473]

Along the same lines sometimes being 50% Hawaiian aka Kanaka Maoli gives you more trouble in finding a good paying job, especially when most jobs are now given to ex military who in turn hire military. Educational jobs are slowly running out for Hawaiian po’e , although if your a good teacher and know Hawaiian and American history you might get a job, oh and ps Hawaiian language, I’m not saying you’ll afford a nice place to live but you might squeeze by. That being said say a prayer for my people waiting on the homestead housing list because most are dying before they or their Keiki’s are called. MLRespect&Aloha Kekoa aka Duke.

[@rickchapman3051]

You just explained at least 70% of corporate America. Glad you were suc

[@kristinesharp6286]

You are not supposed to say someone gave you a job through connections. 🤫 You are supposed to say thank you to aunty who suggested the job and made sure you applied on time. Sound like your parent’s owe aunty for life that she got you into the world of work and a job that gave you a desire to get lots of education.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

I definitely appreciate her for what she did.

[@808lublabs4]

While there is truth to the saying, I feel like this has become the lazy person's anthem. So much so that parents have convinced their children that no matter what they do "uncle" can get them a job somewhere. Its to the point where many kids don't even try because they think all they need to do is get connections. It has instilled a sense of laziness into the young generation. I got my first job after graduating college by responding to a 2-line ad in the newspaper. I didn't know anyone and really didn't know much about the company and yet here I am 20+ years later, part of the executive management team without any connections. So it can be done. You just have to work hard for what you want and don't expect it to be served on a silver platter.

[@user-sg8kq7ii3y]

I agree. Growing up, I can't tell you how many times I've heard parents tell their kids that, "So and so said anytime you ready, just let him know, and he can get you in the state/city. No can beat one state/city job. Lifetime medical benefits for you and your spouse!" Or, "Uncle said he can get you one job on the ramp at (fill in the blank with the name of an airlines)!" Parents of my generation would encourage their children to go work for an airlines because of the flying privileges for both employee AND THEIR PARENTS! I never listened to that B.S. However, I ain't gonna lie. Now that I'm older, and I am beginning to see the importance of having good health insurance as one ages, a part of me does wish I had the security of lifetime medical/drug/dental benefits for me and my spouse. Because, let's be honest, that's a HUGE benefit.

[@808lublabs4]

@@user-sg8kq7ii3y Unfortunately those benefits do not exist anymore. At least not for spouses.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

Appreciate the comment. There is a fine line of promoting laziness and family advantages. Hopefully those with connections have the work ethic, or at least develop it over time.

[@christopherazarias9372]

Nepotism is big in Hawaii...

[@kai223noa6]

Very big in Wash DC.

[@alexcarter8807]

It's big in the USA. This guy's talking like it's something unique to Hawaii and it is not, it's really not.

[@TomMoore-ny5qn]

I am sorry but I get frustrated when people act this is only happens in hawaii and places that are "backwards" or somehow inferior. It happens everywhere. Otherwise why would people try so hard to get into certain colleges. at the end of the day the education you get is relatively similar in most top 200-400 universities but it the connections that truly matter. An easier in to a job if you are from a certain school. Havard opens doors at top law firm, why are all the current and former supreme court justices from the IVYs, like no other law in the country teaches people are the law? Say you went to Stanford, easy in for a variety of jobs. Most of corporate America runs this way, it why the tops of most major companies lack diversity. Because people mostly prefer to work people like themselves and give the benefit of the doubt to people who seems like them. Its why things are stuck the way they are, people don't like being challenged in their believe systems, even when they do manage to hire people not like them, those people get pushed out from not fitting the company culture.

[@alexcarter8807]

Hawaii's a small state with a pretty small population. It's absolutely who you know. This is why families will bust their asses to send a kid to Punahou because once you've gone there for high school, you're made for life - no need to make any more effort past that.

[@apachekeawe-aiko4900]

YUUP TRUE STORY 😎

[@MyMy-zi7yv]

About all I can say is, NO Kidding, I really meant no shit, but I figure no kidding is more family friendly.

[@Ken-ul6ll]

Funny how many of your followers (based on the comments) are Hawaii folks.

[@HelloFromHawaii]

I'm glad they find the channel. Some are locals, some are not.

[@evalina98000]

Plenny people find out about a job or get one interview cuz who dey know. Getting da job n keeping it is another story, eh?

[@evalina98000]

Bookeeping and payroll fo aspiring a journalist 🤣 typed into a blank doc n no idea wat public affairs 🤦🏽‍♀️

[@HelloFromHawaii]

😆

[@rjmanzano0877]

first job in high school summer job picking pineapple second job in high school mom worked at Waipahu Bake Shop as sales lady told me they need a baker assistant so i got the job while i was a senior in high school lucky i only had 1 class so after school go home sleep go work 1130pm get off 630am go home shower go school had fun den join navy