When a friend told me in May 2015 he could get me a job working corporate promotional events at local concerts making $17/hour AND the perk of staying for the show after the promotion was finished, I thought I had found the greatest part-time job in the history of part-time jobs. I saw artists from Ed Sheeran to Van Halen through this gig, all in exchange for working a Shell Gas Wheel-of-Fortune before the concert or handing out Ice Breakers at the gates afterwards. Soon enough, the owner of this events company (Frontier Management Group, or FMG) began offering me jobs at other events across the Midwest. The routine for these events was simple: show up at some ungodly hour in the morning at the discussed address, find out what your task for the day is, do it, and do it well. I never knew how to do everything asked of me, but when there's 2,000 irritable marathon runners relying on you to jump in front of cars to block off the busy road, you learn traffic control very quickly. My manager told me he always gave me whatever job "requires a bit more in terms of brains and absolutely can't get screwed up." It's flattering but has landed me...

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• Organizing the entire shuttle bus system for the spring Chicago marathon in 17 degree weather with 20 bus drivers looking at me for instructions

• Controlling traffic in a busy Milwaukee intersection with no experience or security vest while angry city drivers inch towards me as if they woke up that morning intending to run me over

• Going car-to-car on a blocked-off highway telling drivers they can't get back to their houses for Thanksgiving until the local Turkey Trot finishes, news they took quite well as you can imagine

• Leading shuttle busses of 30+ volunteers around cities I knew nothing about

• Having the Sheriff of Long Grove, IL report to me. Plain and simple.

• Working back-to-back 12 am to 8 am shifts building a street pub in Chicago's west side

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...and countless other random tasks I never imagined I would be doing but don't regret. The work may not be glamorous at times, but if you want to learn to think on your feet, there is no better job in the world.