Are you a people person? If so, you know how hard it is to have a job where you don't get to connect with others. Having a thriving eBay store wasn't enough for Joanie Kaemingk. "I just love customer contact. Even though my store was successful, I was really missing that. I just couldn't work alone anymore."
Joanie approached this new career path as a Community Transit Coach Operator with a little nervousness and a lot of energy. "When I started training, I was a little bit scared at first. But Behrooz, Jessica, and Treva in the training department were so good to me and treated me so well. I was determined to do my best."
While her downtown routes are certainly exciting ("I like the people, the congestion, the energy!"), what delights Joanie most are the local routes where she can connect with people. "I really appreciate when I get to help seniors and people with special needs. I'll hear such wonderful stories. One 86 year old customer shared with me how she used to live on a boat, that she retired from Boeing, and how her deceased husband was the love of her life. These people just want to be seen, to have someone listen to their story. I try to treat people with dignity, because you don't know what's going on in someone's life."
Surprising connections go beyond the customer at Community Transit, too. "There's such a sense of community here. Even though I've only been here almost two years, I'm friends with several of the other drivers."
Thank you, Joanie, for sharing your passion for making meaningful connections. Your enthusiasm and kindness make such a difference, to this agency, to your peers, and to our customers.
Do you strive to make an impact on others in your career? Is it important to you to connect with others while at work?
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