TERRA Helped Me Return to My Passion

By TERRA Staffing Group

Posted on June 30, 2023

Doing what you love for a living is really special. And part of that is knowing what your passion is. 

Mark Carillo knows exactly what he enjoys most—cleaning. 

So when his job in another field wasn’t working out, he realized that what he really wanted to do, was get back to his cleaning career. 

We’ll let Mark share his story. 

For two years, I was working through a staffing agency at a logistics company as a Gate Operator, which was kind of a security position. I made sure truck drivers took the right containers and nothing was stolen. 

Most of my coworkers were people employed through TERRA—I was the only one that came through a different staffing agency—and I noticed that TERRA took better care of their people! 

I was fed up with my staffing agency at that time because there were always problems. One time I didn’t get paid for three weeks, my hours were getting cut and people were scrambling.  

I was ready to make a change. 

My coworker, someone employed through TERRA, showed me this Dishwasher position at a food production company out of TERRA’s Tacoma branch. 

I really enjoy cleaning which is why I was so interested in this role. I used to be a janitor for a 40-story highrise and I even had my own cleaning business. I actually come from a long line of janitors and custodians. You name it, we cleaned it. It’s what I like to do best. 

So I called and talked to Matthew Boot, who was recruiting for the job. Matt set me up with an interview and I met with the food production company’s HR, who was really impressed by me. She showed me around and was upfront when she shared that they could really use my help. 

She and the management team were so warm and welcoming, especially compared to my current job where everyone was cold to each other. And I’ll be honest, the pay was really high for a Dishwasher. Saying “yes” to this position was an easy decision. 

It didn’t take long for me to learn why the pay is so high. This job is non-stop! They reuse their cooking equipment. So as things are coming off the dishwasher line, the production team is picking it up. 

It’s great, though. I like having a job where I feel like I’ve done a day’s work. 

I’ve also had the opportunity to point out where things can be improved. This company is newer, and not as familiar as I am with maintenance protocol. I suggested that everyone know how to do basic, simple repairs so that production doesn’t come to a grinding halt if something breaks. 

And I like knowing that my work is critical to this company. If there is one speck of food product on any equipment, production is stopped. That’s what was happening before I started. Without me, people can’t do their jobs and the company loses money. 

I think they really appreciated having me on the team because two weeks into the job, I was promoted to Sanitation Team Lead and I got a raise!

This position has become more than just a job to me. I’m a sensitive person and I got used to people being cold to each other. But people really care about each other here. My soul was craving that. 

Sometimes it’s not just about the money. You have to like what you do, and I do!

Both of Mark’s supervisors recognize what an asset he is to the team, and had nothing but great things to share. 

“Sanitation may seem easy from the outside, but it is not easy work. It’s critical to the schedule and compliance of production. No one can start their work until equipment and stations are clean and in order. Otherwise, it can lead to hours of wasted time.

Mark was extremely self-motivated and high-performing from day one. He reached out to supervisors or QA when supplies were low, directed the other sanitation workers to optimize workflow and proactively communicated with our floor leads to help them with whatever they needed. Every day, he works with a great attitude, good judgment and stays until the work is complete.

It is rare to have someone as self-motivated and committed to getting the job done as Mark. We are happy to have him on board.”

Another supervisor shared:

“Mark came in on his first day with a great attitude and ready to do whatever needed to be done. The Sanitation area has been hard for us to recruit for because it’s a tough job. But Mark exceeded our expectations with his performance. One of our core values is to get s**t done and he is a prime example of that!”

Congratulations, Mark! We’re so happy we could help you find a job doing what you love and where you’re flourishing.

Team Up With TERRA

If you’re looking for a job where you can have a big impact, consider reaching out to TERRA. 

We work with many leading companies across a variety of industries and can connect you to great jobs and help you start a successful career that you’ll love!

Get started by checking out our job board!

Categories: Success Stories

Tags: Sanitation jobs, Success Story, tacoma, Tacoma Jobs

Related Posts