It All Begins With The ‘H’ Mindset
Finding Your Career Path At Haydon
PHOENIX, ARIZONA
Haydon Superintendent Drew Perryman climbed the ladder, working his way up from an hourly grade checker when he started with the company in 2011. Over the years, he has held different positions including foreman and superintendent, his role for the past eight years. We asked Drew about his career path and what advice he’d give others who would like to move up or try new things at Haydon.
What do you like about working at Haydon in this role?
How many people can you think of that don’t like to sit in one place for very long or like to change things up? Well, that’s perfect for this job, because some of this job I’m in the office for meetings with owners or clients – or with our own leadership. And the other half the time I’m in the field with the guys checking on the work we’re doing, working with all of our trades and subcontractors, making sure what we’re talking about in the office is the same thing that’s happening in the field.
I’m essentially the conduit. I’m in the middle of what’s happening outside that job trailer or the main office. I’m the one who makes sure what we’re talking about is what we’re doing and vice versa.
What is your advice on trying different career paths at Haydon?
Be helpful. Be useful and your opportunities will expand from there. If you’re just coming into work and doing what you’re told or just doing the minimum, you’re never going to go far. But if you see the big picture of what we’re building and why – and you might be doing the same tasks for different types of projects – then the thing is to find a way to do it better. And at the end of the day, if you’re not quite sure what you’re doing or why, all of it begins with the H mindset. No matter what it is, if you’re picking up trash or making sure the lights are off on a piece of equipment, those are the things that are going to make you stand out. And those things will slowly add up and you’ll have more opportunities to not just have a job, but build a career.
If you want more with Haydon, put everything you can into it. You’ll get noticed. There are so many people doing this job, but the ones that care will stay no matter what. The ones who will be there early or stay late in case you need something are the ones who care about what we do and how we do it, and that’s going to change things for them.
To those looking for expanded career paths, don’t get hung up on getting stuck in one trade or another. Being talented doesn’t just mean you’re a pipe guy. It doesn’t just say you’re a project manager. If you’re talented at what you do, odds are you’re talented at something else in the same industry. It’s not just particular to one trade.
If you’re good at something but don’t like doing it anymore, there are more opportunities. Reach out and talk to your supervisors. Talk to other people who are doing another trade you’d like to try. You’re not stuck.
To learn more about the benefits of working at Haydon, including career opportunities, visit https://haydon.com/careers/.
