Final answer:
Thomas Alva Edison worked with telegraph technology before dedicating himself to being an inventor.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before becoming the prolific inventor that he is known for, Thomas Alva Edison engaged in various jobs. Notably, he was not a teacher, lawyer, chef, nor formally a journalist, though he did sell newspapers. Long before Edison developed groundbreaking technologies like the phonograph, motion picture projector, and the incandescent light bulb, he became interested in telegraph technology while working aboard trains selling candy and newspapers. Edison used this telegraphic knowledge later on as the foundation for his life's work as an inventor.
Edison’s early career, therefore, can be most accurately characterized by his work with telegraphy which eventually paved the way for him to focus full-time on being an inventor, primarily in the electrical industry. His passion and innovative spirit led to the establishment of the world-famous laboratory, Menlo Park, where he and his team of scientists made significant advancements that greatly impacted the industrial world.