We all have to start somewhere. You’ve heard this common expression many times. Yes, we all start somewhere, but the good news is that we don’t have to stay there if we have goals of upward mobility and career advancement. What does it take to move up in a position or advance at a job?
Danny Touchette, Chair Supervisor at GSS, offers his advice on how he learned the ropes and moved up...figuratively, and literally!
When Danny started his job at GSS he had no experience whatsoever in window washing and he began as a ground guy. He was the eyes and ears for the workers up in the chairs assuring their clearance to move freely, and guiding people walking by on the ground. Then one day, after about a year in that position, he was given a bucket.
“I started cleaning the windows closest to the ground,” he said, “and then after about a month I was given low ladder work.”
It was a steady, continuous progression from then on. High ladder work, boom work, and then after about two years of experience and dedication, Danny saw an opportunity and grabbed it.
“It was a huge building and a big contract, and some of the chair guys were out and they needed someone to step in. I figured that someone might as well be me. So I asked if I could get a shot at it and my supervisor agreed, training me on the spot.”
“It’s one thing when you’re on your two feet on the ground, but it’s another thing when you’re sitting in a chair, hanging off a rope, and your feet are dangling five stories in the air,” Danny recalled. He added that after a few weeks, then months, then a year, he looked back and realized he didn’t really know what he was doing initially. “It just takes time and I stuck with it,” he said.
Danny acknowledges that it wasn’t just time that advanced him to his current manager position. It was a combination of things that helped him succeed. He advises:
Besides the above actions, another one is equally as important. Just like Danny did the day he first sat in the chair – when opportunities arise, take them. If you’ve done the other steps, people are more likely to trust you with that new opportunity.
“I believe,” says Danny, “that there is always room to expand and move up, but you have to be patient. It might take a while but the more skills you pick up and the more you pay attention, the more money you can make. And you’ve got to be here and ready when an opportunity comes. Learn everything you can and just be ready.”
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