I Moved to WA and TERRA Found Me a Great Job — 15 Minutes from Home!

By TERRA Staffing Group

Posted on April 14, 2021

Being in a good job is important. But finding the right place to live is just as vital. 

For Christopher Lessley, choosing a place to settle down was a priority. 

Having grown up in Alaska, but understandably tired of the cold, Christopher moved to Arizona, where he ended up living for four years. 

There, Christopher began a career as a CNC Machine Operator. While he loved his job, he also realized that he did not want to spend the rest of his life in Arizona.

That being said, he also couldn’t see himself going back to Alaska’s glacial winters. He needed a middle ground. After giving it some thought, Christopher realized he knew the perfect place to move: Washington. 

“I love greenness and nature, but not the cold. So Washington is a good in-between. Plus I’ve got family in Washington and Oregon so it’s great to be close to them during the holidays.” 

Once he’d decided where he would settle, Christopher quit his job, packed his things and moved to the Evergreen State. 

But while he had figured out where he wanted to live, Christopher was nervous. He had made a big decision with no failsafe. He’d quit a job he enjoyed, and he still needed to find something new to pay the bills. 

Thankfully, he knew what he wanted. 

“I had a clear idea of the type of job I wanted in CNC Operation. I also knew that I didn’t really want to drive more than 30-40 minutes to get to work. More than that would feel like kind of a drag.” 

For a little while, Christopher looked on his own for a CNC machine operator job that fit his criteria. But he worried he would not find the right job. 

Then, after a month of searching, he found TERRA’s Kirkland branch through an online search. 

“I saw that TERRA was a staffing agency. I’d used one in the past and had good luck with it so I thought I’d give it a try.” 

Christopher connected with Recruiter Brian Gossler and they spent some time talking about what he was looking for in a job. 

Brian was instantly impressed with Christopher. 

“Christopher was very professional, kind and a good communicator. He knew what he wanted to do and had great past experience. He seemed driven and had a track record of promotions.” 

From the start, Brian knew he would not have a problem finding Christopher a good fit. And he didn’t!

Within a few days of their initial conversation, Brian found Christopher a permanent position as a CNC Operator. 

It was a perfect match. 

Christopher exclaimed, “Brian was amazing. He listened to what I wanted and never let me go more than a couple days without contacting me in some capacity to give me feedback and inform me on what was going on. 

“Right away, he found me a job that fit all my requirements! Pretty much on the nose. Working with him took a lot of stress off my shoulders!” 

Not only is the role exactly what Christopher was looking for, it’s only a 15 minute drive from his house! 

“As far as my profession is concerned, I’m still new. The nice part about this job is that it offers great opportunities to learn more and grow in my field. It’s a machine shop and they do a lot of intricate work I can learn from. 

Plus, it’s a laidback environment, the stress level is low and they treat their workers like adults. They trust us to do the work in an independent fashion.” 

For his new employers, Christopher is a perfect culture fit. They appreciate his great communication skills and love his genuine and avid interest in the job. 

Here’s Christopher’s advice for people who want to move to a new place and don’t yet have a job lined up: 

“Decide where you want to live first and then, before you make a decision, see if there are opportunities available. Reach out to staffing agencies even before then and see what your opportunities are. You could easily move somewhere where there is nothing for your profession.”

Congratulations, Christopher! We’re thrilled we could help you find the job you desired so close to your new home!

Team Up With TERRA

Moving to a new state and looking for a job that’s the right fit? Try partnering with TERRA in your employment search. 

We work with great local companies across a variety of industries in the Seattle-Puget Sound, Portland, Phoenix, and Denver metro areas

Contact us to learn what employment opportunities might be available to you. 

Due to COVID-19, we are limiting the number of visitors to our office. Please call, email or contact us through the TERRA app.

Categories: Success Stories

Tags: CNC Operator, Kirkland, Kirkland jobs, Success Story

Related Posts