Dannel Malloy entered the workforce at the ripe age of 15 years old, admittedly before he was legally eligible to work.
He lied on his application for a retail job, saying he was 16 years old.
“I was in school and wanted to have a job,” the governor told a roomful of the state’s youngest workers attending a Connecticut Workforce Development Council event at the Capitol
The next stop on his career ladder that he shared — the manager in a women’s shoe department.
“That’s good preparation for politics,” he joked.
Malloy would eventually go on to become a sausage-meat packer, lawyer, mayor and governor.
His advice for the future young workers of the room, whom statistics say will be challenged by high rates of unemployment?
Make eye contact.
“If you don’t make eye contact when shaking hands, you’re not closing the deal,” he offered.
Asked afterwards whether his time as a shoe salesman was one of his favorite jobs, he had this to say: “It was one of the most interesting jobs.”