Mitch was known throughout the series for taking his career as a lifeguard very seriously. Quite often, he would find himself on the defensive from criticisms by characters with misconceptions about his work, who would assume he was just on the beach to meet girls or to sun tan. A typical solution to this plot element would be for the criticizing person to end up in need of a rescue, or to witness Mitch saving a life, thus having their opinion of the lifeguard profession changed. On at least one occasion, Mitch described lifeguarding as "the only job ever had." In regards to his vocation, Mitch has referred to himself as a "salt water junkie," and also admitted to living according to the credo, "Once a lifeguard, always a lifeguard."