Bill, I spent a few years working for the Forest Service as a seasonal during my college years, and with the hobby of mountain climbing (the course offered by my climbing club was rigorous) that dovetailed nicely with a job in the mountains. It meant I could read a map well, use a compass, do various things that had to do with ropes and climbing hardware - and in general, follow directions. I had the "ten essentials" in my climbing backpack but I had a version of them in my work backpack as well. After a while, even in that male-oriented work environment during the 1970s, the bosses caught on and I ended up getting some interesting assignments when they needed someone who would follow the directions and understand the outcome. This included being the backup lookout when the regular guy needed time off, and a variety of one-off tasks around the district or compound. That continued to the next federal agency where I worked as a seasonal, when they started having me do the campground water treatment system work when the regular guy was off and before long it was my job every day and he came up on my days off.

Following directions and doing the job right doesn't always mean praise, but the opportunity to do more interesting things because they know you'll do it right.